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N&B Block

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N&B Block, also known as Nintendo Block (任天堂 ブロック) is a building toy line manufactured by Nintendo, with the first sets releasing in 1968.[1] The blocks were designed by Nintendo's games department under Gunpei Yokoi.

N&B Block uses a similar stud-locking system to LEGO bricks, though the N&B Block system uses a series of connected, alternating half-tubes, rather than the tube-locking system patented by LEGO.[2] In addition, the N&B Block line uses not only the standard brick pieces but also of a variety of other shapes, including various curved and round shapes; Nintendo would use this uniqueness in its advertisements to market N&B as the superior product compared to the blocky composition of models built using LEGO.[2]

Another Nintendo toyline released during 1968, People House, would use N&B Blocks as well. Each set comes with a box of N&B bricks that can be built into decorations using the plastic front cover for the house, which features N&B studs.[1][3]

In early 1972, Nintendo ceased production of N&B Block.[1]

N&B Block sets

Parts sets

Parts sets came in smaller boxes and provided a singular type of block.

  • P-01
  • P-10
  • P-20
  • P-30
  • P-35
  • P-40
  • P-60
  • P-70
  • P-80
  • P-90

Mixed sets

Sets released in the Mixed (ミックス) line provided a variety of blocks, as well as instructions for basic models.

While not a part of the Mixed series, Nintendo would later release a pair of small sets containing exclusively rectangular parts. These were:

  • NB 500-14
  • NB 800-14

Tokusatsu sets

In the early 1970's, Nintendo acquired the license to release sets for buildable N&B figures based on the protagonists of popular tokusatsu television series.[4] These sets included

Trivia

  • Following their discontinuation, the only reference to N&B Block in a Nintendo video game appears in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. The fourth stage of the Mario Zone is built out of N&B Block, as shown by the inscription "N&B" that can be found by looking in a certain corner in the level.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nintendo N&B Block - Introduction (任天堂 ブロック, 1968-72). beforemario.com (October 15, 2011). Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  2. 2.0 2.1 N&B Block vs LEGO (任天堂 ブロック vs レゴ). beforemario.com (January 24, 2014). Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  3. Nintendo People House (ピープルハウス, 1968). beforemario.com (October 29, 2011). Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  4. Nintendo N&B Block - Silver Kamen, Kamen Rider and Mirror Man (任天堂 ブロック シルバー仮面, 仮面ライダー,ミラーマン, 1971). beforemario.com (April 24, 2011). Retrieved April 3, 2017.