Home game consoles may present the player with the opportunity for storing game positions and original user-generated content such as custom game levels. Based on the read-only memory cartridge medium, the premium cost of easy-to-use solid-state data storage technology, such as battery-backed memory, drove the 1980s market to seek cheaper compromises. Utilizing standard compact cassette tapes, Nintendo began with the Famicom Data Recorder. A compatible game runs on cartridge and optionally allows the creation of user-generated content to be saved onto cassette tapes using this tape drive.
Manufactured by Matsushita/Panasonic for Nintendo, the cassette tape drive was released in 1984 only in Japan for ¥9,800. Available to any game developer, it was launched as a peripheral for Nintendo's Family BASIC Keyboard to save BASIC programs written by users. In addition to Family BASIC, this compatible game library is Nintendo's Programmable Series with Excitebike (1984), Mach Rider (1985), and Wrecking Crew (1985)—and the third party games Castle Excellent (1989), Arkanoid II (1988), Lode Runner (1984), and Nuts & Milk (1984).[1]
As production costs decreased over the years, Nintendo later developed the floppy disk based Famicom Disk System, and ASCII Corporation created an external battery-backed RAM-disk called the Turbo File.
