Nintendo Quest

Last updated
Nintendo Quest: The Most Unofficial and Unauthorized Nintendo Documentary Ever!
Nintendo quest poster.jpg
Nintendo Quest film poster
Directed byRob McCallum
Written by
  • Rob McCallum
  • Jordan Christopher Morris
Produced by
  • Michael C. Froussios
  • Jordan Christopher Morris
Starring
CinematographySarah Mulholland
Edited byRobert McCallum
Music byJohn H. McCarthy
Production
company
Pyre Productions USA
Distributed byCanamedia
Release date
  • June 26, 2015 (2015-06-26)(United States)
Running time
92 minutes
Countries
  • Canada
  • United States
LanguageEnglish

Nintendo Quest: The Most Unofficial and Unauthorized Nintendo Documentary Ever! is a 2015 Canadian/American documentary road film directed by Rob McCallum about Jay Bartlett and his quest to acquire all 678 licensed Nintendo Entertainment System games within the span of 30 days, without purchasing any games online. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Contents

Plot

The starting point of the film is when Jay Bartlett's friend Rob McCallum (executive producer) challenges him to acquire every one of the 678 NES games officially released in North America in just 30 days. The only caveat is that Jay can't buy anything from internet retailers. The film then follows Jay and Rob and the film crew as they travel south through the States visiting various second-hand stores and basements, some impressively stocked with mint-condition gaming relics. With online purchasing disallowed, Jay meets a world of persons sharing his enthusiasms, some who are more than happy to aid in his quest, while others comically get in the way. As his quest develops, the viewer is given a history lesson on Nintendo, and learns why this company's gaming software means so much to the filmmakers and the development of video gaming.

Reception

Robert Workman of Geek & Sundry points out that in Nintendo Quest "the industry takes a backseat to instead focus on one man's ultimate nostalgia trip, in a tale that's just as much about the journey as it is the destination". [8] Mike Diver of Vice Magazine describes the film as "a documentary on collecting with a difference", noting it "focuses exclusively on the catalogue of the Nintendo Entertainment System, probably the most important games console of all time, responsible for righting the industry's course after a colossal financial slump in the early 1980s and ultimately becoming a fixture in more American homes during the decade of Ronald Reagan and Molly Ringwald than casual racism" and that "it features a fantastically passionate Nintendo fan at its core, one Jay Bartlett, a Canadian with Bowser and Bomberman in his blood". [9]

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References

  1. Poladian, Charles (1 December 2015). "'Nintendo Quest' Is More Than A Treasure Hunt For Every NES Title". International Business Times . Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  2. Poladian, Charles (22 July 2015). "The Quest to Get Every NES Game in 30 Days—Without the Web". Wired . Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  3. Kuhl, Sara (8 January 2016). "Southern Indiana gamer featured in Nintendo documentary". Greensburg Daily News . Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  4. Anderton, Ethan (1 October 2015). "'Nintendo Quest' Trailer: Can One Man Buy All 678 Original Nintendo Games in 30 Days?". Slash Film . Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  5. Lascity, Ethan (28 July 2015). "'Nintendo Quest' Documentary Follows Every Gamer's Dream: Own A Complete Library Of NES Games". International Business Times . Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  6. Workman, Robert (27 July 2015). "Nintendo Quest (Movie) Review". Retro MAgazine . Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  7. Robson, Jeff (9 October 2015). "Nintendo Quest (2015) Film Review". Eye For Film. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  8. Robert Workman. "Nintendo Quest Focuses On Game Collecting". Nerdist. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
  9. Diver, Mike (26 October 2015). "Understanding the Retro Gaming Road Movie of 'Nintendo Quest'". Vice Magazine . Retrieved 5 February 2016.