Bandai Datach Joint ROM system for Nintendo family computer

Nintendo family computer have always amazed me. Its capabilities are just amazing considering the level of video gaming technology during its era. So many licensed and third party accessories / peripherals were around and most of the times, i never knew existed until i actually get one.

Well, one of those things is this Nintendo Family Computer (famicom) Datach joint ROM system.

I am a die hard Famicom fan, really, but not in my general research of famicom add-ons i encountered this.

Its made by Bandai in 1992 and is an official part of the FF (famicom family) with the insignia.

It basically lets you play set of games that are in a different in form from that of the original famicom carts. Specially made games, there were 7 games released for this Datach add-on.

This game (dragon ball z) came along with the system so its not really rare or anything like that, I got the stuff loose (without box or anything) luckily this cartridge was still inserted on the ROM port. That gave me the luxury of at least testing it and at most using it for game play.

The other games were:

Ultraman Club: Spokon Fight!!
SD Gundam: Gundam Wars
Crayon Shin-Chan: Orato Poi Poi
Yū Yū Hakusho: Bakutō Ankoku Bujutsue
Battle Rush: Build Up Robot Tournament
J League: Super Top Players

The cartridges are small sized compared to original form of Nintendo Family Computer cartridges.

This ROM cartridge fits into the ROM port placed right at the back of the Datach joint ROM system. It too, like the famicom cart slot, has that left and right slant notch.

Fits really nice. I did not have any problems loading the game so, i think it is in a great condition. Loads up immediately.

Its different and not your usual add-on. The main feature of this system is its Card reading capability, where you need to slide in cards with bar codes (cards are packaged with the game cartridges). The cards then will generate the characters that are needed to play the games.

You need to swipe the thin cards in this thin space which is placed at the top.

Too bad i dont have any barcodes for my Dragonball Z game to generate characters, but upon research, it is still indeed possible to generate characters using barcodes from different stuff, its just that you need to do trial and error. Bar codes from cartons and other stuff. As long as it has barcode in it and can fit the slide card in port. (i need to cut many of those grocery items! )

The bottom part has that cartridge shape port that connects to the cartridge input port of the Family computer. Just like the Famicom disk system RAM

The Datach has that grayish US NES look and fits really well on the mothership Japanese Nintendo Family Computer. Very battleship or spaceship looking when you integrate both. Looks really nice!

Like those Japanese robot jets!I really like getting stuff like this! Brings my console collection into a different level. Nice to see them lying on each other, playable of course!

I'll post an update soon when i got to cut and produce characters from bar codes! I really am looking forward to that, you see i can load the game but still cant play it because i have no characters yet. I don't know yet if its possible to print bar codes in a paper and then place in a card board or something. I hope that a possibility!