Smooth NES console vs. Rough NEs console

Has anyone else noticed the earlier front loader NES consoles were molded in smooth plastic while the later ones have a rough textured feel like they grit blasted the mold or something?

I got my NES in 1986 as a console with two controllers and SMB (no Duck Hunt or light gun included). It was a smooth console and I still have it to this day. I also have a few I have found at yard sales and thrifts. They all have a rough surface texture.

I have also found a couple other smooth ones in my thrifting, but the majority I see are rough. I am guessing that the rough consoles are more common.

Did Nintendo change the molds at some point?

I honestly never realized this. All the NES front loaders I've ever seen were smooth plastic.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tz101

Has anyone else noticed the earlier front loader NES consoles were molded in smooth plastic while the later ones have a rough textured feel like they grit blasted the mold or something?

I got my NES in 1986 as a console with two controllers and SMB (no Duck Hunt or light gun included). It was a smooth console and I still have it to this day. I also have a few I have found at yard sales and thrifts. They all have a rough surface texture.

I have also found a couple other smooth ones in my thrifting, but the majority I see are rough. I am guessing that the rough consoles are more common.

Did Nintendo change the molds at some point?

---

YES!!! and for years everyone thought I was crazy. My guess is they did change them. I bought mine in 88 and all my friends bought there's later and all had the rough finish.

Really? They textured later NES systems? Never knew that. I think both of mine are smooth, but I'd have to check.

EDIT: Just checked. One is textured while the other is smooth. Yikes, I never, ever noticed that. The difference between the two is so subtle. No wonder it went unnoticed for decades.

Learn something new every day.

The question here is:

Do you like it smooth, or do you like it rough? :p

Yes, I wondered this too! I was gonna make a post about this too! ;-)

I just "discovered" the rough ones recently. I thought someone had painted the first one I saw. Mine was smooth BITD and I don't like the rough ones...they feel funky and always seem to look dirtier when I see them in the wild. I re-bought an NES and it's fortunately a smooth one. I purchased a second one recently to work on it and it's a "roughy". It cleaned up well, but I like the other one way better.

This is also an issue when the doors break...you have to get the right replacement!

PS, sometimes I still have a memory of how my NES smelled on that Christmas morning of 1987. What a blissful day! :-) Packaging materials have changed so much, I don't think you can get that high anymore ;-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Melf

The question here is:

Do you like it smooth, or do you like it rough? :p

---

I prefer the smooth ones because it is my first one.

Nothing like your first one!

Wait... we're still talking about the NES, right?

LOL, not sure if he noticed where you were trying to take it ;-)

I don't remember my first one. It just didn't last that long ;-) I probably just didn't know what I was doing. Maybe I was supposed to blow in that slot ;-)

I discovered the different NES's after picking up a ROB Deluxe set. I always had the rough versions until I got this early unit in the set. I wonder if one version is more prone to yellowing..

My experience has been that the rough finish NES consoles are usually yellowed in appearance while the smooth ones are not. Also, the rough ones tend to look dirtier in appearance and show scuff marks more easily.

This leads me to believe that the smooth NES consoles are the optimal setup.

can we get pics up in this thread, otherwise I'm going with Melf as this thread sounds like a joke.

I mostly had rough NES's in the past but never encountered a smooth one yet. Looks like I'll keep an eye out for a smooth one since I'm planning on getting one soon.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gamegenie

can we get pics up in this thread, otherwise I'm going with Melf as this thread sounds like a joke.

---

The difference is so subtle I doubt it would show up in a picture.

I wonder if the change coincides with when the zappers changed to the red color?