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Comment by JonathonW | Hacker News Reader

This was the Nintendo Gateway System, and it looks like there really was SNES hardware at each seat (actually physically combined for each group of two or three seats, but installed at the seats, not some central location): http://videogamekraken.com/nintendo-gateway-system

Also related to the LodgeNet system that showed up on hotels around the same time, although that did use a centralized set of SNES cards rather than SNES hardware for each room.

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> actually physically combined for each group of two or three seats

So from this group only one passenger could use the service? I never realised this (and I only tried it for a short while because I was never a big fan of Nintendo).

But interesting, I didn't know that. I did notice that one time part of the entertainment system crashed (videos didn't work and some stuff even showed a typical Windowsy blue-screen) but the SNES stuff did still work.

I didn't have to pay anything for it by the way, no $4 per hour. I did notice the controller had a slide reader for a credit card, but it was not needed. I do think it was used for the phone calls though which was combined on the same controller.

No, if you read the article it says one device was installed for a group of 2-3 seats, and each device combined 3 Super Nintendos on the same card - so all 3 seats could play at the same time.

Fond memories of playing Super Mario World on the TV (presumably via LodgeNet) at La Quinta :D

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