YES!! You got it!! Actually as I was writing this I wrote another video just bout Apple (that I haven’t made yet) that talks about how if you’re a long time Mac user you can’t help but have your MacBook “upside down” or still say “open Apple Q” to quit a program. So I thought I’d make that a running joke. Someday I’ll make that Apple video but for now it’s just a throwaway line that only a few people will get. So thanks for noticing that attention to detail!!! 🍻
@@GTV-Japan Huh. I would have always thought they'd put it upside down, as that way it looks normal when you're actually using it. I don't need to know the brand name: I bought the thing.
To all those saying it’s because Japanese reads from right to left: You’re wrong. Traditionally Japanese was written from top to bottom in columns, and the first column would indeed be on the right. But ever since the 19th century it has become more and more common to write horizontally from left to right, imitating the Western languages. It was much easier with typewriters and later on with computers. The computer nerds at Nintendo were certainly typing from left to right. Look up boxes of the Famicom console or Famicom games: The Japanese script is always lined up on/to the left (if that’s the correct expression; I mean to say that sentences clearly start on the left side and don’t all run all the way to the right).
initially i thought 'well this is obvious, hows he gonna drag this out for 16 minutes.' but soon won over. well researched with so much added subtlety and depth. got my sub!
When my dad got his free copy of Dragon Warrior on NES, he needed to teach me how to play. He told me "B" is "back" when I needed to exit the menu. It was a handy trick, but the association between A being the first letter and the primary button was more subliminal. Great video as always
Yep, I always assumed it was because the right-most button is closer to your thumb, therefore it's the primary button and comes first as "A". It would feel pretty weird if the left-most button were designated as the primary button. Just good labeling and design by Nintendo.
Something I enjoy the most of your videos, is the dark humor you make on other YT channels and how they sell "click bait" info. Sorry, a little drunk but enjoying the Sunday so much, cheers!
Great! I’m glad you get my sense of humor. It’s not really “me” exactly, but the character behind the channel having a distain for internet culture is always something that floats around in the background and pops up every now and then. Cheers and have a great rest of your weekend 🍺!!
Wow THE Joe Rogan!! Haha just kidding but thanks. I’m glad you like the channel! I’ll keep making them! Don’t be a stranger. I’m always replying to comments about anything 🍻
Hot take: Nintendo messed up the controls in the SNES. With the idea of “A” being the primary action because it was easiest for the thumb to reach, it seems natural that “X” and “A” should have been the default buttons to use: 1) “A” would have still been “accept” and “X” could cancel 2) Super Metroid actually had the correct default controls: X shoots and A jumps. I thought it had been wrong for decades. 3) When teaching my young son to play games, Mario Allstars allows “x and a” to be used just as “y and b” are. He naturally drifted to that layout instead of the “y and b” it made sense because his hands are a lot smaller and it’s easier to reach. It made so much sense I started to play that way too. I even completely remap mega man x controls. Seeing this video and the idea that the primary button should be easiest to access solidifies that we should have been using “x and a” on the SNES instead of “y and b”.
As a native Japanese speaker born in Japan, I feel nothing wrong about something placed from right to left because I often read and wright that way. I guess the people at Nintendo back then weren't thinking deeply about the "order" here.
A layout based on Japanese text layout would look more like X A Y B rather than Y X B A. Japanese is traditionally written vertically: top to bottom, right to left. But when it's written horizontally, it's left to right, top to bottom just like English.
@@MuffledSword a single row of japanese text can be read either way, either as a left-to-right row, or a series of right-to-left one-character-tall columns. before WW2, only the latter was a thing! you still sometimes see it in headlines and also if you rotate a SFC controller (or later) 45 degrees anticlockwise, you'll see X A Y B just like you'd expect if you're treating them as top-to-bottom right-to-left columns which makes significantly more sense from an "it's read that way" perspective than a 45 degree clockwise rotation of an xbox controller, which is: X Y A B
that said, i've always listed the buttons in terms of "ease of being reached": A B Start Select. which, as the video points out, is probably a better explanation regardless
Yes a lot of people are saying that but it’s still English and since 1945 it’s been standard to read left to right. Only traditional and classic works might still be written too to bottom in the old style. Thanks for watching
Thanks! You’re a friend for life. I don’t have many comedy bits but it was fun to make. Can you believe some people hated it?! Talk about no sense of humor 😂
A couple of things. 1. I would sign up for Dollar Hotdog Club in a second. 2. Everyone knows that the Nintendo controller layout is BA, because Miyamoto and Yamauchi were huge A-Team fans, specifically Mr. T on the show.
That whole skit at the beginning was hilarious!! Man im glad i found your channel! I didn’t realize that i have watched a few of your retrospective videos. I thought it was someone else i guess, i was listening not watching haha. Definitely subscribed now though!!! Loving the content PS: it seems this video is blowing up!! I hope you get the views you deserve!
Thanks! Yea. This video was dead. Zero views until 2 weeks ago. I’m glad you liked the skit. I’ll add a few more like this next year. Have a good weekend 🍻
Here's another reason why Nintendo's face buttons are aligned from 🅱 to 🅰. Fun fact: After Mario Kart 64 is released, the driving controls are now proper, which means you use 🅰 to accelerate, and 🅱 to brake and reverse. Also during the game, when you run into a banana peel, sometimes you'll wobble before you spin out, unless you press 🅱 (which although 'Banana' does start with). Same goes for Mario Kart Super Circuit. So remember: 🅰 for acceleration, and 🅱 for brake.
@@TeganCantEven thanks! I’ll use this comment to keep me motivated! I’m actually editing the video for 10/29 now and been working on the season finale all year (watching tons of anime to prepare for it) so don’t worry I’m going nowhere! ✌️ 🍗
the swap of the confirm cancel buttons for PlayStation outside of buttons is still one of the most bizarre, backwards things in both visual and physical design. are the concepts of "✕" meaning "no" or "bad" and "◯" meaning "okay" or "good" not fairly universal?
I always felt like the Gamecube's face buttons made the most sense. As in, A feels like A, B feels like B, etc. The SNES buttons feel like they would work better if they were rotated 90 degrees clockwise.
I think the more interesting question is: why did they put the D-pad on the left when everyone was used to using a joystick with their right hand? If they had put the D-pad on the right and action buttons on the left, the A to B layout would've made sense for the exact same reason B to A makes sense on the right.
That comes from arcade days when they decided to make the standard having the joystick on the left. It was thought using the “weaker” hand for most people would increase the challenge but it turns out the right side of the brain controls the left hand which in spatial thinking is actually very helpful. Thanks for watching 👾
Japanese is read right to left. In comparison, English is read left to right, which is the opposite direction. This may have influenced the controller's design.
I'll be honest with you...I don't know if I ever noticed that it read B to A. Not sure if it just never clicked or if I'm getting hit with that Mandela effect.
Great vid as always. But I'm quite sure someone will plagiarize the content in one way or another, and won't even give any credit. Criminally underrated channel. Maybe next time you could tackle another Famicom mystery: why is there a microphone on the second player controller?
I wondered about it as a kid too. Someone tried telling me it was because the Japanese read from right to left which I countered with then why does Super Mario play left to right if that was so important? He told me that they mirrored the gameplay for the US version and it was right to left in Japan haha.
Great! Thanks! I’ll ad a few more comedy bits next year. Being home while working this year I was able to whip that up. Glad it gave you a laugh. Thanks for watching!
Pretty sure you're alone, it never was weird. ;) I just started the video, for fun ahead knowing culture I'm guessing B/A because Japanese read right to left. I started with the NES luckily in 1985, used the 2600 before, even then it felt backwater and requiring far too much imagination where the coleco felt like the first to be more like the arcade the NES nailed it. Yet really the odd sticks and weird grabbing devices with a button or two just felt wrong they worked, but the Nintendo layout just was as uniform and most comfortable for fast easy use.
I always felt that "b" and "a" were the "shift" and "enter" respectively. I remember being 4 years old and playing duck hunt and Mario with my sisters with both my parents their in my parent's room. My sisters went first. They chose duck hunt to play first. Clay shooting. Mario came later. I am 37 now. I remember all of it.
Man, this is so fascinating! I'd never thought about it before starting this video, but I had two guesses. One was that the Japanese traditionally read from right to left (as with manga), so that might be the reason...but I was also thinking that "A" is primary and when "B-Dashing" (a term I didn't know until later in this video), holding down "B" and then using your thumb as a lever to also push down on "A" for jump was easier. It turned out that my second guess was not too far from being the case. Also, I hate the PS controller having shapes and being set up that way. When handles were introduced to controllers (giving vertical grips) and the buttons were laid out in a diamond instead of in somewhat horizontal rows, the bottom button of the diamond became the easiest to press and should be the main one (while the left side button of the diamond configuration became the best button for "B-Dashing". But it's the "batsu", whereas the "maru" is to the upper right of that. I think that the American system is better with regards to the bottom button being the main button, but unfortunately, it makes the "batsu" the "OK" button in many instances. The Dreamcast and XBOX versions are better in that respect. "X-Dashing" with the left button of the diamond configuration and "A-Accepting/Action" with the bottom button of the diamond configuration.
@@GTV-Japan Dang, looks like he lost his sponsorship. However he did provide me with coupon code "GG" for 2% off Hello Hotdog since I dropped $20 on his Patreon! Sick.
THANK YOU for calling it “Super Mario Brothers” and not “Super Mario bros” as if it was a plural of “bro” 💀🔫 The full stop / period at the end implies an abbreviation 👍🏻
I don't know if I ever questioned why it was B to A, but I certainly noticed when PlayStation messed around with my RPG action buttons! I can still recall playing FFVII for the first time and how annoyed I was at having to use X in the bottom position instead of O on the right.
Great job! I'm surprised it's not discussed more. It confirmed what I'd always thought that it's not from reading but from most used buttons going inward. I think being just 4 or 5 when starting to play NES meant I didn't think of reading (b/c I couldn't read), but what was most used was A (first) and my tiny hands could reach easiest. B was secondary and it was a month or so before my older neighbor told me I could dash using B with SMBros. Later, I assummed it was associated with (A)ction/First and (B)ack/Secondary
Thanks I’m glad you liked it. I remember all my life anytime I saw a kid try super Mario bros and not know how to run. Always felt a little bad. Thanks for watching
I figured it was cause Japanese reading order is from right to left. So the A button would come first starting from the right. Same for X and Y buttons.
I love my 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ for the Switch and PC with its customization software, etc., and the Pro controller, GameCube style controller, Poké Ball Plus, and Joy-Cons are nice, but... I had to get the Switch NES controllers for the NES games on it. They just work extremely well for those games, and 30+ years of situational muscle memory have been etched into my brain's wiring.
I always heard that it was because Nintendo is a Japanese company, and so because they read right to left it would be B then A, not A then B. But this actually makes a lot more sense now! Great video as always!
If that was meant to be The Gaming Historian at the beginning, than honestly, I didn't think that was funny or accurate at all, and I really didn't enjoy that. Norm has a great channel, is a great guy, makes good content and deserves Patreon support which, by the way, is a legitimate thing and there's nothing wrong with having one or being supported by people. I thought that opening (especially if this was targeting a VERY respected channel as all the similarities really seemed to point to) was really disrespectful, arrogant, quite ignorant and blatantly offensive, honestly. I stopped the video immediately after that as I thought it was self-righteous and blatantly disrespectful and a very wrong take on Patreon in general as well as a very respected UA-camr. Shame on you for that. I came here for the promise of the title, not to watch you arrogantly take uncalled for shots at other excellent UA-camrs or start acting like content creators who use Patreon are somehow beneath you.
I also didn’t read this as an attack on people who get money thru patreon in general, but those who make a ton of money and don’t provide quality content.
wow what a write-up...please realize G's vid was poking fun at other lame retro gaming channels -- ones that are devoid of any semblance of original interesting content, and have in-vid ads (hotdog of the month club is the raid of the retrogaming channels btw) regarding the jab at gaming historian, his 1,295 patrons and three.thousand.seven.hundred dollar monthly income to produce gems like "top 5 twerks in video games" -- i thought was hilarious and fair. (seriously though, historian's vids aren't that great and in no way deserving of 4k$ a month...)
I've been watching some of your vids lately, first one I saw was the Super Mario World retrospective, sat and watched the whole thing, it was some great stuff and deserves more views. Also, the Gaming Historian dig was brutal but I loved it.
Hey thanks I’m glad you’re liking the channel. It’s nice we also have the same sense of humor 😂 feel free to comment on anything. Talk anytime m. I always reply to comments and engage with viewers.
P s. If you want to see some more funny parodies check out my mega drive mini review video. It’s not the same as this but it’s where dollar hotdog club started
Interesting video on a question I never knew I had. This is definitely why I always get confused playing with an XBox controller. Having the primary action button not be the first button the player reaches is quite confusing.
I think the handles help with that but yea it’s hard to switch back and forth. At least for me you can’t even find Xbox where I live so it’s no problem for me. Thanks for watching as always my friend!
I liked the video but i feel like you missed the major piont that the japanese read from right to left which would make b a in alphabetical order from their prospective . But your analysis of why certaint buttons are place where they are was very insightful and i think accessibility to certain buttons is far more important than button lables, see an xbox controller and a switch controller play the same but the buttons are labeled opposite and it still feels just as intuitive
I see you keep saying that but personally I dont agree with it because english is not read that way. Lots of people agree with you and I love a good debate but simply, I did not mention it because I dont see much evidence of that. I could be wrong and if a smoking gun ever proves me wrong I'll admit it.
@@davidfrischknecht8261 japanese is read in three different directions. top-bottom right-left, left-right top-bottom, or right-left while pre-WW2 japan exclusively used right-to-left even in horizontal text, nowadays right-left horizontal text is only used in single lines like headlines so while you are correct that JP doesn't normally do right-left in horizontal text currently, it isn't entirely unreasonable to believe that a single line of buttons would be read in that direction consider also that rotating a super famicom controller the right way gives you two columns that read from top to bottom, then right to left
I think there's also logic in the order and placement of Select and Start. Since neither of them are action buttons, they are positioned between the B/A buttons and the d-pad where they are the most out of the way, instead of above, below, or to the right of the B/A buttons. The Select is closest to the d-pad as games may have you change menu selections with either the d-pad and/or Select, and the Start closer to the B/A buttons for easy access to pausing. Start would probably be the 3rd most used button which would explain why it's placed closer to the B/A action buttons.
@@GTV-Japan Sounds similar to the original Genesis controller. I haven't heard of an NES controller using an A/B/C (or is it C/B/A?) button setup. Do you know who manufactured them and what games they were intended for? How about a link to more info and/or pictures? If you're up to it, this subject alone might even warrant it's own video.
I don’t know the maker offhand but it was in Japan only. For the pc engine, NEC made the avenue 3 pad officially because they had this problem where run(start) ended up having functions other than pause. So it’s pretty interesting to think about
@@GTV-Japan Oh, I thought you were talking NES, not PCE. Although, I can see how the NES controller would remind you of the PCE's as they're so similar. I've always assumed that the PCE borrowed their standard controller layout from the NES. Regardless of which system we're talking about, Start/Run does seem like a logical 3rd button. For the NES (or Famicom) specifically though, I think it's safe to say that a 3 button layout was never made, unless you know otherwise.
It's surely a hidden gem in gaming channels, and covers things others don't, with the advantage of its creator being able to reaserch both in english and japanese, which adds great value!
The Konami Code | Game Genius: I am so like that with most gaming review shows. They keep on repeating same damn thing like everyone else. That Gaming Historian Patreon reading & Dollar Shave Club parodies had me lmao! I was expecting a "sponsored by Raid" joke. Yeah Zack was weird to play that game 1st with you over Super Mario Bros., like wtf?!
@@GTV-Japan Also I am glad that you the debunk the myths of Mario being the 1st platformer and Nintendo saving the game industry. Miyamoto even stated the game was greatly inspired by Pac-Land.
There’s a lot to the saving the industry myth. On one side games were still being made and sold in 84-85. Atari silk sold a million 2600s in 85! The robot was designed for Japan first. Never intended to be a Trojan horse as they say. And that’s just to start dissecting the situation
@@GTV-Japan you're very welcome do you focus on a specific genre or do you just go with the flow so to speak I'd love to see something about the super Nintendo play choice arcade machine. I didn't even know what existed until I saw your video pleasure to talk to somebody instead of just posting something that the Creator usually never even reads
@@retrogameroom9019 well I kind of just go with whatever I feel like talking about. There is no pattern or rules. I have no more info about the arcade machine unfortunately but it looks cool and I am always glad to chat. I know what you mean about channels that never read their fans comments
@@GTV-Japan have you ever seen that arcade machine in the wild I've only seen the play choice tent I remember growing up camping in a campground and they had it a big arcade and they always had the play choice ten for the original Nintendo/familycon but I never seen the super one I can't even find one online well either way thanks for contacting me back it's a pleasure to watch your videos the kid of cars one is great I didn't even know that the points were deducted for missing arrows and stuff I'll talk to you very soon it's been a pleasure
Nintendo's engineers have always been great about subtle design cues that teach you without overtly telling you, and I've always appreciated that. And with the PlayStation, I'm still irritated to this day about how western markets basically borked the entire, very clearly laid out O/X set-up for confirm and cancel. It was even more perplexing in the days of the PSone and early PS2, because many games still used the original controls (O-confirm, X-cancel), some had a weird X-confirm and ∆ of all things as cancel, and others had X-confirm and O-cancel, so you really never knew until you poked around on the title screen, unless there were onscreen prompts. And I'm thankful to this day for any PlayStation platform game that lets me customize the confirm and cancel buttons
Also, it’s because in Japan, I heard that it’s assigned that way due to their reading preference. Similar in fashion to how Japanese manga (or oftentimes literature) is read from right to left, and not traditional American books being read from left to right.
I definitely wondered that myself when I first picked up an NES controller. But oddly, it was one of those things you kind of accepted after a while. But the reasons you cite make a lot of sense. I remember I had an NES Controller T-Shirt and immediately noticed that it was not licensed because the buttons were laid out as A/B. And regarding the PS controller: for anyone who has ever played the original Metal Gear Solid, they'll no doubt remember the confusion from the "circle to accept, X to cancel" arrangement the US version retained.
oh really? That's funny a bootleg item wouldn't bother to double check. yeah metal gear and final fantasy 7 and a few others. eh what ya gonna do? thanks for watching as always
Another vote for the obvious answer of Japanese read right to left*. NES isn't the only console to do this. Really, they wouldn't switch the buttons for the foreign localizations and have to print new manuals etc. There would be no benefit and a large loss of money. I always thought this was fairly obvious, rather than your convoluted explanation here. They honestly did not put this much thought into it... Would your explanation be the same for the PC Engines 2 1 button scheme? Because that would be two different companies coming up with this same reasoning for their button labeling. Just seems so strange rather than the obvious. Edit: Lol, right to left, not left to right... sheesh
@@GTV-Japan Well, yes. That was a huge downturn for the company. When evaluating downturns, trends are more important than raw numbers. The video game market was contracting in 1985. Nintendo reversed that trend with specific decisions to try and get around this, like introducing something beyond Atari in Super Mario Bros, by including a robot, and by marketing the device as an entertainment system. None of this is controversial. If you have some evidence otherwise, that's fine, but this sarcastic quip with out-of-contrxt numbers wasn't it. I actually think you should have left it out, since you weren't going to justify it, as it just wasn't important to the video. Well, unless you were being like those other channels and throwing in something controversial to try and create arguments in the comments, thus increasing engagement. I mean, it worked on me. I was actually about to ask you to show how it was a myth.
@@ZipplyZane I am working on that and this kind of the setup to that. But unfortunately this year had a lot of problems and it got pushed back but I will eventually show what I have why the robot was invented and how, yes it was a downturn, but Atari was never out of the game
I've always wondered for years my Sony flipped the buttons from how they are in Japan? It never made any sense to me, especially when most early PS1 games like FFVII kept the buttons the same as in Japan.
Thank you for this, especially the beginning, haranguing these digital panhandlers. I recently had a channel that I liked for a very long stretch, start basically doing pledge drives so that their family doesn't have to work and can stream nonsense all of the time. It immediately called to mind the beginning of this video. If I mention the opinion of, "Why does everyone think that they deserve something for basically, nothing," people have a tendency to dogpile immediately, with either accusations that, "I'm jealous because they made a 'career' out of making videos and I didn't," (even though I've never wanted to, or even really tried to) or, "They put a lot of hard work into sitting on their ass playing games and making wry, easy comments and affectatious gestures," or, "I'm mad because I didn't think of charging people to scan old school gaming magazines, first." Between swill that's largely just filler material because channels want the checks to keep rolling in, topics that have already been covered ad nauseam by at least ten other 'tubers, and people that just appropriate other people's IPs and slap their name on it with "FAIRUSE1976FAIRUSEFAIRUSE" attached, it's irksome to even browse. But the one thing that truly gets my dander up is when a channel tries to act like a cult of personality, and, without pretense, asks for your money or for you to subscribe to them so they can basically be your "digital friend". Maybe it's because I was well into adulthood when this whole thing took hold en masse, but I liken it to your buddies telling you to come over to play games, and then there's a cover charge at the door. It's fairly appalling to me, but it is apparently fairly normal to younger people to be "charged" to hang out with people they don't know, so they can have a vague sense of belonging.
But, then again, I can't understand why a friend of mine gets paid almost 100k a year to place trees and decorate walls and environments in an online game that is well-past its prime. 🤷♂
You’re a guy that gets it! Now there may be some personal interpretation but certainly you’ve spelled it out very well! In short though this is a dramatization of the first time I ever witnessed the “retro gaming community” 😂 but yeah it has devolved even worse. I used to get mad at these guys and hate them but really it’s the insane sycophantic fans who empty their bank accounts that enabled this and make it all possible. It’s perplexing how and why there are many people out there who slavishly worship recyclers of common knowledge that actually isn’t super important or interesting to begin with! Then I actually try to create something original and get called a hater! Or worse! Some weirdo out there was infuriated that I didn’t “cite sources” meaning what site I ripped the idea off of. There isn’t one because it was a wholly original concept! But yeah let’s talk about how Popeye was going to be Donkey Kong until it wasn’t for the 900th time. Anyway have a good one and in the words of 2pac keep ya head up! 🍻
I would have designed the transition to four face buttons differently. Try this. I use SNES/SFC controllers on my FC via a controller adapter and find it more natural to use Y and B (instead of the default B and A convention).
Thanks! What I did was actual real research, rather than just repurposing research someone else did and calling it research! It really upset some people because there’s no “source” meaning some research someone else did but everything needs some origin point right? Ah well anyway yeah it always drove me crazy too and the hard work put in was worth it. Cheers 🍻
Yea. Gotdanged system! I’m glad you liked it. It’s a celebration of 100 episodes and has many callbacks to things I’ve talked about if you look closely. Keep it real brother!
And now in 2021, the PS5 switched globally to X for OK and O for NG. That'll leave everyone playing Sony consoles in Japan seething for years...I wonder if games will follow given the OS is now standardized.
PS5 games, even the PS5 versions of cross-gen PS4/PS5 games, do use cross for confirm and circle for cancel, just like western localisation of Japanese PS4 games do. And yes, it's enraging.
@@GTV-Japan Maybe SIE wanted to unify the scheme across all regions so that developers have one fewer thing to worry (localisation). They did this at the expense of Japanese (and other east Asian) players and developers, because the western market is bigger, SIE is headquartered in the west now, or both.
Slide your finger from B to A? Am I the only one who presses B with the end of my thumb and A with the inside of my thumb? Same with the D-pad. I just rock it. I don't move my thumb from arrow to arrow.
1:48 is that supposed to be a reference to when apple annoyingly used to put the logo backwards on laptops?
YES!! You got it!! Actually as I was writing this I wrote another video just bout Apple (that I haven’t made yet) that talks about how if you’re a long time Mac user you can’t help but have your MacBook “upside down” or still say “open Apple Q” to quit a program. So I thought I’d make that a running joke. Someday I’ll make that Apple video but for now it’s just a throwaway line that only a few people will get. So thanks for noticing that attention to detail!!! 🍻
@@GTV-Japan Huh. I would have always thought they'd put it upside down, as that way it looks normal when you're actually using it. I don't need to know the brand name: I bought the thing.
To all those saying it’s because Japanese reads from right to left: You’re wrong.
Traditionally Japanese was written from top to bottom in columns, and the first column would indeed be on the right. But ever since the 19th century it has become more and more common to write horizontally from left to right, imitating the Western languages. It was much easier with typewriters and later on with computers. The computer nerds at Nintendo were certainly typing from left to right.
Look up boxes of the Famicom console or Famicom games: The Japanese script is always lined up on/to the left (if that’s the correct expression; I mean to say that sentences clearly start on the left side and don’t all run all the way to the right).
Cheers to that! It’s why I never mentioned it 🍻
@@GTV-Japan I have to admit I'm still confused of the direction whenever I see 2x2 kanji signs.
I’ve had the same problem every now and then
initially i thought 'well this is obvious, hows he gonna drag this out for 16 minutes.' but soon won over. well researched with so much added subtlety and depth. got my sub!
Thanks for taking the time, and for giving me a chance! I appreciate it!
When my dad got his free copy of Dragon Warrior on NES, he needed to teach me how to play. He told me "B" is "back" when I needed to exit the menu. It was a handy trick, but the association between A being the first letter and the primary button was more subliminal. Great video as always
Hey Chris thanks! You could say b back a accept also fits. Sure!
Simple answer. The NES was B.ad A.ss
Nice 👍
Yep, I always assumed it was because the right-most button is closer to your thumb, therefore it's the primary button and comes first as "A".
It would feel pretty weird if the left-most button were designated as the primary button.
Just good labeling and design by Nintendo.
I tried plying with the buttons reversed it was just weird.
Something I enjoy the most of your videos, is the dark humor you make on other YT channels and how they sell "click bait" info. Sorry, a little drunk but enjoying the Sunday so much, cheers!
Great! I’m glad you get my sense of humor. It’s not really “me” exactly, but the character behind the channel having a distain for internet culture is always something that floats around in the background and pops up every now and then. Cheers and have a great rest of your weekend 🍺!!
Oof on that dig to Gaming Historian
Irreverent gaming humor! Thanks for watching
The intro is so painfully true I had to subscribe. Paytreeon..
I’m glad you liked that. I’ll be doing a few more skits like that in the future. Thanks for watching
1-dollar hot dog club is a million dollar idea
Join today!
By stumbling onto your channel I feel like I've found something special, and the intro for this video is absolutely spot on! Keep up the good work!
Wow THE Joe Rogan!! Haha just kidding but thanks. I’m glad you like the channel! I’ll keep making them! Don’t be a stranger. I’m always replying to comments about anything 🍻
I don’t know what I liked more. The lampoon at the beginning or the main event of the video.
Thanks for liking both!
Consistently excellent content, serious research, masterful composition and editing. This is a top-tier channel; amongst the very best.
Thank you! I appreciate the comment wholeheartedly!
Hot take: Nintendo messed up the controls in the SNES. With the idea of “A” being the primary action because it was easiest for the thumb to reach, it seems natural that “X” and “A” should have been the default buttons to use:
1) “A” would have still been “accept” and “X” could cancel
2) Super Metroid actually had the correct default controls: X shoots and A jumps. I thought it had been wrong for decades.
3) When teaching my young son to play games, Mario Allstars allows “x and a” to be used just as “y and b” are. He naturally drifted to that layout instead of the “y and b” it made sense because his hands are a lot smaller and it’s easier to reach. It made so much sense I started to play that way too. I even completely remap mega man x controls.
Seeing this video and the idea that the primary button should be easiest to access solidifies that we should have been using “x and a” on the SNES instead of “y and b”.
That is hot 🔥!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions!!
As a native Japanese speaker born in Japan, I feel nothing wrong about something placed from right to left because I often read and wright that way. I guess the people at Nintendo back then weren't thinking deeply about the "order" here.
Maybe you are right.
"I have a job... Doesn't he have a job?"
This may be my favorite opening to a youtube video ever, now. Keep up the great work, GTV! Love your stuff.
Thanks! I’ll be adding more comedy bits here and there. So keep an eye out. 🍻
I always thought it was because Japanese is read in that direction
It’s not though. It’s too to bottom but even so English is never read that way. Thanks for watching
A layout based on Japanese text layout would look more like
X A
Y B
rather than
Y X
B A.
Japanese is traditionally written vertically: top to bottom, right to left. But when it's written horizontally, it's left to right, top to bottom just like English.
Very correct! 👨🎓
@@MuffledSword a single row of japanese text can be read either way, either as a left-to-right row, or a series of right-to-left one-character-tall columns. before WW2, only the latter was a thing! you still sometimes see it in headlines
and also if you rotate a SFC controller (or later) 45 degrees anticlockwise, you'll see
X A
Y B
just like you'd expect if you're treating them as top-to-bottom right-to-left columns
which makes significantly more sense from an "it's read that way" perspective than a 45 degree clockwise rotation of an xbox controller, which is:
X Y
A B
that said, i've always listed the buttons in terms of "ease of being reached": A B Start Select. which, as the video points out, is probably a better explanation regardless
I always thought it was like that because Japanese people read from right to left, and Nintendo didn't want translation errors in instruction books.
Yes a lot of people are saying that but it’s still English and since 1945 it’s been standard to read left to right. Only traditional and classic works might still be written too to bottom in the old style. Thanks for watching
The GameCube controller makes it even more clear by making the A button the biggest button and coloring it green. B is smaller and colored red.
I guess that’s true too! 👍🏻
Subscribed just for the opening minutes. 🤣😂
Thanks! You’re a friend for life. I don’t have many comedy bits but it was fun to make. Can you believe some people hated it?! Talk about no sense of humor 😂
same
You’re a friend for life too then!
Same!
BTW I love your content man. Just found your channel recently and it's hard to stop watching - so I keep going 👌
You’re a friend for life then!
A couple of things. 1. I would sign up for Dollar Hotdog Club in a second. 2. Everyone knows that the Nintendo controller layout is BA, because Miyamoto and Yamauchi were huge A-Team fans, specifically Mr. T on the show.
I pity the fool who can’t see what’s so clearly in your face, turkey!! 🌭 thanks for watching!! 🍻
That whole skit at the beginning was hilarious!! Man im glad i found your channel! I didn’t realize that i have watched a few of your retrospective videos. I thought it was someone else i guess, i was listening not watching haha. Definitely subscribed now though!!! Loving the content
PS: it seems this video is blowing up!! I hope you get the views you deserve!
Thanks! Yea. This video was dead. Zero views until 2 weeks ago. I’m glad you liked the skit. I’ll add a few more like this next year. Have a good weekend 🍻
All these years I thought it was because Chinese/Japanese reads from right to left rather than left to right.
It moves top to bottom then each row moves left. But in modern writing it’s left to right. Thanks for watching!! 🕹
I always figured it was B A because Japanese read right to left, and Sony didn't use letters for their buttons.
Traditional Japanese is read top to bottom actually. Thanks for watching
@@GTV-Japan Top to bottom in a left to right pattern, or right to left? I thought it was right to left.
@@signa8 usually right to left but modern Japanese is read like English
@@GTV-Japan Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.
@@signa8 no problem
Here's another reason why Nintendo's face buttons are aligned from 🅱 to 🅰.
Fun fact: After Mario Kart 64 is released, the driving controls are now proper,
which means you use 🅰 to accelerate, and 🅱 to brake and reverse.
Also during the game, when you run into a banana peel,
sometimes you'll wobble before you spin out, unless you press 🅱
(which although 'Banana' does start with).
Same goes for Mario Kart Super Circuit.
So remember:
🅰 for acceleration, and 🅱 for brake.
Interesting! If I ever get play N64 I’ll remember that
This channel is like a hidden gem. This is amazing content. I can't believe I just stumbled across it.
Thank you! I hope you stick around and see something you like, talk to you again soon
Lol! Your videos (at least the ones I’ve watched) are always so calming, informative, and innocent so that intro caught me WAY off guard 😂😂😂😂
Thanks so much for the compliment! Very appreciated! 🍻
@@GTV-Japan oh my gosh of course!! Your channel is my UA-cam “comfort food.” I honestly can’t watch without smiling. Thanks for all you do!!
@@TeganCantEven thanks! I’ll use this comment to keep me motivated! I’m actually editing the video for 10/29 now and been working on the season finale all year (watching tons of anime to prepare for it) so don’t worry I’m going nowhere! ✌️ 🍗
the swap of the confirm cancel buttons for PlayStation outside of buttons is still one of the most bizarre, backwards things in both visual and physical design.
are the concepts of "✕" meaning "no" or "bad" and "◯" meaning "okay" or "good" not fairly universal?
They are! Especially x as no. Oh well That’s the 90s for ya. Thanks for watching!!
I did always assume as a kid B and A were in reverse because Kanji is written from right to left, so the Romanized alphabet would be the same.
But then the English would be written backwards too
Me: it's easy, JP reads from right to left.
Video: Isn't this well-known fact so obscure
Me: hoho
Homer: mmm ho-ho....
Just messing with ya. Thanks for watching
I see! That makes more sense. I always thought it was B-A because the Japanese read from right to left.
They do sometimes but that’s kinds of rare these days. Up to down, I see it sometimes. Thanks for watching!!
pay-tree-on? god that was pathetic
Pay-tree-on. Because money grows on trees. Can you believe I almost lost my way and fell to the Dark Side? 😰
@@GTV-Japan u sure did buddy
lmAOOOO the intro took me out, GREAT :'D
Thanks I’m glad you enjoy irreverent gaming humor ⚡️
1:00 I see what you did there, I think a certain historian may not like this lol
People keep saying that!! 🤔
Lispy Historian can gtfo. Haha
Hahahaha. . I knew it!
I always felt like the Gamecube's face buttons made the most sense. As in, A feels like A, B feels like B, etc. The SNES buttons feel like they would work better if they were rotated 90 degrees clockwise.
Others have said the same. I wonder why they never went back to that layout? Thanks for watching!!
I think the more interesting question is: why did they put the D-pad on the left when everyone was used to using a joystick with their right hand? If they had put the D-pad on the right and action buttons on the left, the A to B layout would've made sense for the exact same reason B to A makes sense on the right.
That comes from arcade days when they decided to make the standard having the joystick on the left. It was thought using the “weaker” hand for most people would increase the challenge but it turns out the right side of the brain controls the left hand which in spatial thinking is actually very helpful. Thanks for watching 👾
11:49 with most NES games especially Mario I keep my thumb planted on the B button so I can wiggle my thumb to rapid tap A to jump.
You know the score!
Holy fuck that was brutal towards Gaming Historian
Thanks for watching!
Hahaha yep, harsh! Related, why does he always call himself the Gaymen Historian?
Lmao super funny parody in the beginning, spot on
Thanks I’m glad you liked the irreverent gaming humor!
Props, this actually reminds me of Gtv, formatted perfectly. Love the content guys.
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for watching! 🎮
Japanese is read right to left. In comparison, English is read left to right, which is the opposite direction. This may have influenced the controller's design.
My first thought as well
Yes I get a lot of comments saying that but still any English is not read that way. Thanks for sharing your opinion 😃
@@GTV-Japan Makes more sense than your opinion.
I'll be honest with you...I don't know if I ever noticed that it read B to A. Not sure if it just never clicked or if I'm getting hit with that Mandela effect.
That’s ok but it always stuck out to me
@@GTV-Japan haha well yeah, Loved the video.
Did you ever pick up that NES controller as a kid and wonder why the buttons were labeled from B to A? Let's discuss!
Even the all-knowing Trash Heap didn't know... N-yaaaaah! I figured it was a nod to Mr. T's character on A-Team. Awesome intro!
Great vid as always. But I'm quite sure someone will plagiarize the content in one way or another, and won't even give any credit. Criminally underrated channel.
Maybe next time you could tackle another Famicom mystery: why is there a microphone on the second player controller?
I wondered about it as a kid too. Someone tried telling me it was because the Japanese read from right to left which I countered with then why does Super Mario play left to right if that was so important? He told me that they mirrored the gameplay for the US version and it was right to left in Japan haha.
Yes I did wonder but it makes perfect sense now. Thank you!
i always assumed it was because japanese read right to left
That intro alone and the high quality of your videos makes me so excited to binge your channel!
Great! Thanks! I’ll ad a few more comedy bits next year. Being home while working this year I was able to whip that up. Glad it gave you a laugh. Thanks for watching!
I didn't notice back in 1987 but today....I press the wrong button every freakin' time on my Switch.
Don’t ya just hate that? Thanks for watching ⚡️
Pretty sure you're alone, it never was weird. ;) I just started the video, for fun ahead knowing culture I'm guessing B/A because Japanese read right to left. I started with the NES luckily in 1985, used the 2600 before, even then it felt backwater and requiring far too much imagination where the coleco felt like the first to be more like the arcade the NES nailed it. Yet really the odd sticks and weird grabbing devices with a button or two just felt wrong they worked, but the Nintendo layout just was as uniform and most comfortable for fast easy use.
😂 a lot of these topics I do revolve around strange neurotic fixations I have that seem to go nowhere but lead to revelations
To me B,A naturally corresponts with Y, B in the button layout on later consoles, so I always push B thinking I'm pushing A.
Yea it is interesting how that changed with 16 but and beyond. Thanks for watching
Hell, Sega has 1/Start and 2 for the Master System ... and don't forget Sega "reversed" the buttons for Alex Kidd, Zillion, and others.
Oh yeah tell me about it
Actually, in the first few years of the PS1, Japanese games in the west had O to confirm and the X to cancel by default.
Yes some did. Which conflicts with the menu and made things confusing. Thanks for watching
I remember Kojima being ticked off about having to change accept to X in either MGS4 or V.
Because it’s literally like being force to stop on green when you drive. If you program your brain that way it’s heck to go against it
I always felt that "b" and "a" were the "shift" and "enter" respectively. I remember being 4 years old and playing duck hunt and Mario with my sisters with both my parents their in my parent's room. My sisters went first. They chose duck hunt to play first. Clay shooting. Mario came later. I am 37 now. I remember all of it.
Thanks a great story! Thanks for sharing it!!
How does this video not have more views? It's so well done.
ya got me! But thank you for adding +1 view!
The bit at the beginning was rly funny. Good info
Thanks I’m glad I could give you a laugh. Thanks for watching 🍻
Man, this is so fascinating! I'd never thought about it before starting this video, but I had two guesses. One was that the Japanese traditionally read from right to left (as with manga), so that might be the reason...but I was also thinking that "A" is primary and when "B-Dashing" (a term I didn't know until later in this video), holding down "B" and then using your thumb as a lever to also push down on "A" for jump was easier. It turned out that my second guess was not too far from being the case. Also, I hate the PS controller having shapes and being set up that way. When handles were introduced to controllers (giving vertical grips) and the buttons were laid out in a diamond instead of in somewhat horizontal rows, the bottom button of the diamond became the easiest to press and should be the main one (while the left side button of the diamond configuration became the best button for "B-Dashing". But it's the "batsu", whereas the "maru" is to the upper right of that. I think that the American system is better with regards to the bottom button being the main button, but unfortunately, it makes the "batsu" the "OK" button in many instances. The Dreamcast and XBOX versions are better in that respect. "X-Dashing" with the left button of the diamond configuration and "A-Accepting/Action" with the bottom button of the diamond configuration.
yeah the B dish is a well known term here, at least among gamers. I even saw it on some nintendo merch a while back!
"To make 9 videos a year we need $3,000 dollars a month for some reason..." Savage! lol
I’m glad I could give you a laugh 🍺 Thanks for watching
@@GTV-Japan that whole skit seemed like a shot at Gaming Historian.. am i right? Lol
@@GTV-Japan No problem. Glad I found you. Subbed.
Yeah let's all marvel at the phenomenal wit of the guy whose young mind was blown by a controller with two buttons.
Ya but don’t worry. He’s seen it and we’re just as good of friends as ever ha ha
...wait.. how do I sign up for dollar hot dog club?
Ask the Game Genius.
@@GTV-Japan Dang, looks like he lost his sponsorship. However he did provide me with coupon code "GG" for 2% off Hello Hotdog since I dropped $20 on his Patreon! Sick.
Oh nice! Now he can live his dream!!!
THANK YOU for calling it “Super Mario Brothers” and not “Super Mario bros” as if it was a plural of “bro” 💀🔫 The full stop / period at the end implies an abbreviation 👍🏻
Well. Uh. Yeah. That’s how your supposed to say it! Thanks for watching
And thanks for being awesome
I don't know if I ever questioned why it was B to A, but I certainly noticed when PlayStation messed around with my RPG action buttons! I can still recall playing FFVII for the first time and how annoyed I was at having to use X in the bottom position instead of O on the right.
Yea I remember that. Who knew it was the “correct” way all along? Thanks for watching 🕹
You are good at this, you deserve to do it full time. Give yourself permission to start a Patreon and quit your job. I did.
I’ve been doing this full time since February 2016. I just happen to keep a career on the side.
@@GTV-Japan Screw the career man, I want more of this! 🤣
Without the career I don’t have the time or money to make the videos! It’s a strange balance I’ll say.
Great job! I'm surprised it's not discussed more. It confirmed what I'd always thought that it's not from reading but from most used buttons going inward. I think being just 4 or 5 when starting to play NES meant I didn't think of reading (b/c I couldn't read), but what was most used was A (first) and my tiny hands could reach easiest. B was secondary and it was a month or so before my older neighbor told me I could dash using B with SMBros. Later, I assummed it was associated with (A)ction/First and (B)ack/Secondary
Thanks I’m glad you liked it. I remember all my life anytime I saw a kid try super Mario bros and not know how to run. Always felt a little bad. Thanks for watching
I always just thought it was because Japanese is written right to left, up to down. I still think it’s the reason.
That’s one thing many have said. However start and select are written left to right! I know it’s not the same
LOL at the intro for this video. As always, this was very well made and researched!
Thanks. I’m glad you have a sense of humor!! Thanks for watching ⚡️
I figured it was cause Japanese reading order is from right to left. So the A button would come first starting from the right. Same for X and Y buttons.
That’s true but words like start and select are not written this way.
I love my 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ for the Switch and PC with its customization software, etc., and the Pro controller, GameCube style controller, Poké Ball Plus, and Joy-Cons are nice, but...
I had to get the Switch NES controllers for the NES games on it. They just work extremely well for those games, and 30+ years of situational muscle memory have been etched into my brain's wiring.
I love the switch nes and fc controllers. The best investment ever!!!!
I always heard that it was because Nintendo is a Japanese company, and so because they read right to left it would be B then A, not A then B. But this actually makes a lot more sense now! Great video as always!
Thanks I’m glad you liked it!!!🕹
The Nintendo button mapping messes with my head to this day when I play my xbox. I grew up playing nes and snes and like b-a / y-x.
Yeah it’s very hard to untrain your brain. Thanks for watching
If that was meant to be The Gaming Historian at the beginning, than honestly, I didn't think that was funny or accurate at all, and I really didn't enjoy that. Norm has a great channel, is a great guy, makes good content and deserves Patreon support which, by the way, is a legitimate thing and there's nothing wrong with having one or being supported by people. I thought that opening (especially if this was targeting a VERY respected channel as all the similarities really seemed to point to) was really disrespectful, arrogant, quite ignorant and blatantly offensive, honestly. I stopped the video immediately after that as I thought it was self-righteous and blatantly disrespectful and a very wrong take on Patreon in general as well as a very respected UA-camr. Shame on you for that.
I came here for the promise of the title, not to watch you arrogantly take uncalled for shots at other excellent UA-camrs or start acting like content creators who use Patreon are somehow beneath you.
It was a bit of a basic attack, but I’ve seen a bunch of lame gaming videos like the one in this video so it was kinda funny.
I'm personally glad someone finally called out Gaming Historian. Don't listen to the oversensitivity, G, it was hilarious and I loved it!!
I also didn’t read this as an attack on people who get money thru patreon in general, but those who make a ton of money and don’t provide quality content.
wow what a write-up...please realize G's vid was poking fun at other lame retro gaming channels -- ones that are devoid of any semblance of original interesting content, and have in-vid ads (hotdog of the month club is the raid of the retrogaming channels btw)
regarding the jab at gaming historian, his 1,295 patrons and three.thousand.seven.hundred dollar monthly income to produce gems like "top 5 twerks in video games" -- i thought was hilarious and fair.
(seriously though, historian's vids aren't that great and in no way deserving of 4k$ a month...)
Agreed. It was petty and totally uncalled for. I like both channels but this really put me off GTV
Hahaha when you switched it to A B on the controller it looked so wrong to me!
Don’t worry it was just studio magic! Thanks for watching!!
I've been watching some of your vids lately, first one I saw was the Super Mario World retrospective, sat and watched the whole thing, it was some great stuff and deserves more views.
Also, the Gaming Historian dig was brutal but I loved it.
Hey thanks I’m glad you’re liking the channel. It’s nice we also have the same sense of humor 😂 feel free to comment on anything. Talk anytime m. I always reply to comments and engage with viewers.
P s. If you want to see some more funny parodies check out my mega drive mini review video. It’s not the same as this but it’s where dollar hotdog club started
Interesting video on a question I never knew I had.
This is definitely why I always get confused playing with an XBox controller. Having the primary action button not be the first button the player reaches is quite confusing.
I think the handles help with that but yea it’s hard to switch back and forth. At least for me you can’t even find Xbox where I live so it’s no problem for me. Thanks for watching as always my friend!
I liked the video but i feel like you missed the major piont that the japanese read from right to left which would make b a in alphabetical order from their prospective . But your analysis of why certaint buttons are place where they are was very insightful and i think accessibility to certain buttons is far more important than button lables, see an xbox controller and a switch controller play the same but the buttons are labeled opposite and it still feels just as intuitive
I see you keep saying that but personally I dont agree with it because english is not read that way. Lots of people agree with you and I love a good debate but simply, I did not mention it because I dont see much evidence of that. I could be wrong and if a smoking gun ever proves me wrong I'll admit it.
Actually, Japanese is read from left to right or top to bottom. The only languages that are read right to left are Arabic and Hebrew.
@@davidfrischknecht8261 japanese is read in three different directions. top-bottom right-left, left-right top-bottom, or right-left
while pre-WW2 japan exclusively used right-to-left even in horizontal text, nowadays right-left horizontal text is only used in single lines like headlines
so while you are correct that JP doesn't normally do right-left in horizontal text currently, it isn't entirely unreasonable to believe that a single line of buttons would be read in that direction
consider also that rotating a super famicom controller the right way gives you two columns that read from top to bottom, then right to left
You know your stuff! 👏🏻 👏🏻
I think there's also logic in the order and placement of Select and Start. Since neither of them are action buttons, they are positioned between the B/A buttons and the d-pad where they are the most out of the way, instead of above, below, or to the right of the B/A buttons. The Select is closest to the d-pad as games may have you change menu selections with either the d-pad and/or Select, and the Start closer to the B/A buttons for easy access to pausing. Start would probably be the 3rd most used button which would explain why it's placed closer to the B/A action buttons.
That’s a good point too! There were some 3 button controllers made way back when too where “C” used the start button Thanks for watching!
@@GTV-Japan Sounds similar to the original Genesis controller. I haven't heard of an NES controller using an A/B/C (or is it C/B/A?) button setup. Do you know who manufactured them and what games they were intended for? How about a link to more info and/or pictures? If you're up to it, this subject alone might even warrant it's own video.
I don’t know the maker offhand but it was in Japan only. For the pc engine, NEC made the avenue 3 pad officially because they had this problem where run(start) ended up having functions other than pause. So it’s pretty interesting to think about
@@GTV-Japan Oh, I thought you were talking NES, not PCE. Although, I can see how the NES controller would remind you of the PCE's as they're so similar. I've always assumed that the PCE borrowed their standard controller layout from the NES. Regardless of which system we're talking about, Start/Run does seem like a logical 3rd button. For the NES (or Famicom) specifically though, I think it's safe to say that a 3 button layout was never made, unless you know otherwise.
Well I did see one advertisement for a controller maybe it was beshuu or Hudson. If I recall correctly
Best channel right here
Thank you!!
The part I don't understand is how it took me until 2020 to start watching this channel
It's surely a hidden gem in gaming channels, and covers things others don't, with the advantage of its creator being able to reaserch both in english and japanese, which adds great value!
Just imagine the people in 2027! They found the channel and it’s already over! 😂
The Konami Code | Game Genius: I am so like that with most gaming review shows. They keep on repeating same damn thing like everyone else. That Gaming Historian Patreon reading & Dollar Shave Club parodies had me lmao! I was expecting a "sponsored by Raid" joke. Yeah Zack was weird to play that game 1st with you over Super Mario Bros., like wtf?!
I’m glad you liked my irreverent gaming humor! Oh don’t worry there will be a send up of raid before the end of the year I PROMISE! 🍻
@@GTV-Japan Also I am glad that you the debunk the myths of Mario being the 1st platformer and Nintendo saving the game industry. Miyamoto even stated the game was greatly inspired by Pac-Land.
There’s a lot to the saving the industry myth. On one side games were still being made and sold in 84-85. Atari silk sold a million 2600s in 85! The robot was designed for Japan first. Never intended to be a Trojan horse as they say. And that’s just to start dissecting the situation
awesome gaming historian reference
Thanks! 🍺
Bro u got mad talent. Why the subs so low. Freaking hidden gem u are
Thanks old friend
@@GTV-Japan you're very welcome do you focus on a specific genre or do you just go with the flow so to speak I'd love to see something about the super Nintendo play choice arcade machine. I didn't even know what existed until I saw your video pleasure to talk to somebody instead of just posting something that the Creator usually never even reads
@@retrogameroom9019 well I kind of just go with whatever I feel like talking about. There is no pattern or rules. I have no more info about the arcade machine unfortunately but it looks cool and I am always glad to chat. I know what you mean about channels that never read their fans comments
@@GTV-Japan have you ever seen that arcade machine in the wild I've only seen the play choice tent I remember growing up camping in a campground and they had it a big arcade and they always had the play choice ten for the original Nintendo/familycon but I never seen the super one I can't even find one online well either way thanks for contacting me back it's a pleasure to watch your videos the kid of cars one is great I didn't even know that the points were deducted for missing arrows and stuff I'll talk to you very soon it's been a pleasure
Nope I’ve never seen it. But playchoice 10 was everywhere
Nintendo's engineers have always been great about subtle design cues that teach you without overtly telling you, and I've always appreciated that.
And with the PlayStation, I'm still irritated to this day about how western markets basically borked the entire, very clearly laid out O/X set-up for confirm and cancel.
It was even more perplexing in the days of the PSone and early PS2, because many games still used the original controls (O-confirm, X-cancel), some had a weird X-confirm and ∆ of all things as cancel, and others had X-confirm and O-cancel, so you really never knew until you poked around on the title screen, unless there were onscreen prompts.
And I'm thankful to this day for any PlayStation platform game that lets me customize the confirm and cancel buttons
yes i feel just like you X O isn't just button placement, it's practically language and very hard to reverse in your brain. Thanks for watching!
Very great intro!
Thank you!!
Ok i love that tv cabinet
It was a limited edition sale at an electronics store in japan, Edion. Hand made!!!!
@@GTV-Japan I may have to get my hands on an old floor model tv set and shove an LCD tv in it, just like how I used to play mario 3 as a kid
Good luck with that. I’d have no idea how to actually make it 😂
I've been telling people this for years. A is the main button closest to the thumb placement. For some reason they don't accept this answer.
Thank you!! Someone else sees the light!! ❤️💫🍺
In all these years since I first picked up a NES controller I never thought of "A = action".
Weird isn’t it! Thanks for watching 🕹
Also, it’s because in Japan, I heard that it’s assigned that way due to their reading preference. Similar in fashion to how Japanese manga (or oftentimes literature) is read from right to left, and not traditional American books being read from left to right.
Yes that’s true. Many have had a conversation about the reading order here already
I definitely wondered that myself when I first picked up an NES controller. But oddly, it was one of those things you kind of accepted after a while. But the reasons you cite make a lot of sense.
I remember I had an NES Controller T-Shirt and immediately noticed that it was not licensed because the buttons were laid out as A/B.
And regarding the PS controller: for anyone who has ever played the original Metal Gear Solid, they'll no doubt remember the confusion from the "circle to accept, X to cancel" arrangement the US version retained.
oh really? That's funny a bootleg item wouldn't bother to double check. yeah metal gear and final fantasy 7 and a few others. eh what ya gonna do? thanks for watching as always
Another vote for the obvious answer of Japanese read right to left*. NES isn't the only console to do this. Really, they wouldn't switch the buttons for the foreign localizations and have to print new manuals etc. There would be no benefit and a large loss of money. I always thought this was fairly obvious, rather than your convoluted explanation here. They honestly did not put this much thought into it... Would your explanation be the same for the PC Engines 2 1 button scheme? Because that would be two different companies coming up with this same reasoning for their button labeling. Just seems so strange rather than the obvious.
Edit: Lol, right to left, not left to right... sheesh
thanks for sharing your opinion!
Nintendo did save console gaming in America.
Despite Atari selling over a million units of the 2600 in 1985!
@@GTV-Japan Well, yes. That was a huge downturn for the company. When evaluating downturns, trends are more important than raw numbers.
The video game market was contracting in 1985. Nintendo reversed that trend with specific decisions to try and get around this, like introducing something beyond Atari in Super Mario Bros, by including a robot, and by marketing the device as an entertainment system.
None of this is controversial. If you have some evidence otherwise, that's fine, but this sarcastic quip with out-of-contrxt numbers wasn't it.
I actually think you should have left it out, since you weren't going to justify it, as it just wasn't important to the video. Well, unless you were being like those other channels and throwing in something controversial to try and create arguments in the comments, thus increasing engagement.
I mean, it worked on me. I was actually about to ask you to show how it was a myth.
@@ZipplyZane I am working on that and this kind of the setup to that. But unfortunately this year had a lot of problems and it got pushed back but I will eventually show what I have why the robot was invented and how, yes it was a downturn, but Atari was never out of the game
I don't think the NES would have been the same without the controller design..
Certainly not. It had to be that design. A perfect fit. Thanks for watching
Bruh...
B = Before
A = After
That's why B is before A. Case closed
Hmmmmmmm
Take care and use the knowledge well
I've always wondered for years my Sony flipped the buttons from how they are in Japan? It never made any sense to me, especially when most early PS1 games like FFVII kept the buttons the same as in Japan.
I learned that one real quick back in those days from my Golden Finger I/0 device...
Never put it together till now though...
I’ve never found a reason why. Maybe testing proved Americans preferred that?
Thank you for this, especially the beginning, haranguing these digital panhandlers. I recently had a channel that I liked for a very long stretch, start basically doing pledge drives so that their family doesn't have to work and can stream nonsense all of the time. It immediately called to mind the beginning of this video. If I mention the opinion of, "Why does everyone think that they deserve something for basically, nothing," people have a tendency to dogpile immediately, with either accusations that, "I'm jealous because they made a 'career' out of making videos and I didn't," (even though I've never wanted to, or even really tried to) or, "They put a lot of hard work into sitting on their ass playing games and making wry, easy comments and affectatious gestures," or, "I'm mad because I didn't think of charging people to scan old school gaming magazines, first." Between swill that's largely just filler material because channels want the checks to keep rolling in, topics that have already been covered ad nauseam by at least ten other 'tubers, and people that just appropriate other people's IPs and slap their name on it with "FAIRUSE1976FAIRUSEFAIRUSE" attached, it's irksome to even browse. But the one thing that truly gets my dander up is when a channel tries to act like a cult of personality, and, without pretense, asks for your money or for you to subscribe to them so they can basically be your "digital friend". Maybe it's because I was well into adulthood when this whole thing took hold en masse, but I liken it to your buddies telling you to come over to play games, and then there's a cover charge at the door. It's fairly appalling to me, but it is apparently fairly normal to younger people to be "charged" to hang out with people they don't know, so they can have a vague sense of belonging.
But, then again, I can't understand why a friend of mine gets paid almost 100k a year to place trees and decorate walls and environments in an online game that is well-past its prime. 🤷♂
You’re a guy that gets it! Now there may be some personal interpretation but certainly you’ve spelled it out very well! In short though this is a dramatization of the first time I ever witnessed the “retro gaming community” 😂 but yeah it has devolved even worse. I used to get mad at these guys and hate them but really it’s the insane sycophantic fans who empty their bank accounts that enabled this and make it all possible. It’s perplexing how and why there are many people out there who slavishly worship recyclers of common knowledge that actually isn’t super important or interesting to begin with! Then I actually try to create something original and get called a hater! Or worse! Some weirdo out there was infuriated that I didn’t “cite sources” meaning what site I ripped the idea off of. There isn’t one because it was a wholly original concept! But yeah let’s talk about how Popeye was going to be Donkey Kong until it wasn’t for the 900th time. Anyway have a good one and in the words of 2pac keep ya head up! 🍻
I would have designed the transition to four face buttons differently. Try this. I use SNES/SFC controllers on my FC via a controller adapter and find it more natural to use Y and B (instead of the default B and A convention).
I agree it’s much more comfortable. I guess there was a trial and error until that was figured out. Thanks for watching! 🎮
Excellent job on the research. I always did wonder about that and, mystery unlocked!
Thanks! What I did was actual real research, rather than just repurposing research someone else did and calling it research! It really upset some people because there’s no “source” meaning some research someone else did but everything needs some origin point right? Ah well anyway yeah it always drove me crazy too and the hard work put in was worth it. Cheers 🍻
Seems like your taking shots at the gaming historian 😂
Thanks for “supporting the channel” with your emoji! 😂
It always throws me off when I pop in the original Final Fantasy 7 and “O” is confirm lol
Ya that was a slick move they tried to pull off. But it’s really hard to rewire your brain like that. Thanks for watching!! ⭕️
Awesome intro
Thank you! I’ll do a few more comedy bits in the future
Oh, so that's why the buttons on the Xbox are reversed
Yep! Thanks for watching
Hmmmm when I was a kid play super Mario I used to hold the b down and use my thumb knuckle to hit a to jump
Interesting technique!
wait i still do this
Is B to A because Japanese ingeeniers read binary data input, and that numbers reads right to left.
Love the early Famicom commercial before the recall using square buttons
love this video, I just wish youtube would tell me when you upload a video.
Yea. Gotdanged system! I’m glad you liked it. It’s a celebration of 100 episodes and has many callbacks to things I’ve talked about if you look closely. Keep it real brother!
And now in 2021, the PS5 switched globally to X for OK and O for NG. That'll leave everyone playing Sony consoles in Japan seething for years...I wonder if games will follow given the OS is now standardized.
I know. If I hadn’t already retired from games I’d quit Sony over that. Shame the slide they took from the middle of the ps3 era to now. What happened
PS5 games, even the PS5 versions of cross-gen PS4/PS5 games, do use cross for confirm and circle for cancel, just like western localisation of Japanese PS4 games do. And yes, it's enraging.
@@SmashFail that’s terrible what happened ?
@@GTV-Japan Maybe SIE wanted to unify the scheme across all regions so that developers have one fewer thing to worry (localisation). They did this at the expense of Japanese (and other east Asian) players and developers, because the western market is bigger, SIE is headquartered in the west now, or both.
@@SmashFail yeah I really don’t like it. I feel betrayed
Slide your finger from B to A? Am I the only one who presses B with the end of my thumb and A with the inside of my thumb? Same with the D-pad. I just rock it. I don't move my thumb from arrow to arrow.
I guess that is kind of the same thing, but there are many different playstyles. Thanks for watching!!