Jack Recider

As I'm learning about all this, I'm getting super fascinated with the history of video game systems. So before the PS1 was the Nintendo, and there was some drama going around over there that's worth highlighting. There was a UK game developer in the 90s called Codemasters, and they started making games for the Commodore 64, which is just an early computer.

As I'm learning about all this, I'm getting super fascinated with the history of video game systems. So before the PS1 was the Nintendo, and there was some drama going around over there that's worth highlighting. There was a UK game developer in the 90s called Codemasters, and they started making games for the Commodore 64, which is just an early computer.

And you didn't need to ask Commodore for permission to make a video game for their system. In fact, Commodore made it super easy for you to program on it. It came with a compiler that was easy to access. So Codemasters made games for it. Then when Nintendo came out with the NES, Codemasters wanted to make games for this too. But there was a big problem with this plan.

And you didn't need to ask Commodore for permission to make a video game for their system. In fact, Commodore made it super easy for you to program on it. It came with a compiler that was easy to access. So Codemasters made games for it. Then when Nintendo came out with the NES, Codemasters wanted to make games for this too. But there was a big problem with this plan.

Nintendo only wanted approved games to be played on their gaming console. So they were strict on what game studios got a license to make games for Nintendo. And they didn't share any information publicly like... how to develop for it or anything unless you had a license.

Nintendo only wanted approved games to be played on their gaming console. So they were strict on what game studios got a license to make games for Nintendo. And they didn't share any information publicly like... how to develop for it or anything unless you had a license.

What's more is NES had a little lockout chip that would check if the game you inserted was licensed, and if it wasn't, it wouldn't let you play it. Well, Codemasters thought this is an interesting challenge and poked and prodded at the NES until they figured out how to get an unlicensed game to load on the NES, bypassing the lockout chip. And with this, they were able to create and sell NES games.

What's more is NES had a little lockout chip that would check if the game you inserted was licensed, and if it wasn't, it wouldn't let you play it. Well, Codemasters thought this is an interesting challenge and poked and prodded at the NES until they figured out how to get an unlicensed game to load on the NES, bypassing the lockout chip. And with this, they were able to create and sell NES games.

Nintendo was not happy about this. An unlicensed game for sale on our system? How dare you? But Codemasters took it a step further. Since they had this working knowledge of how the NES loaded games and stuff, they developed something called a Game Genie. This was a clever little device and it modified the game in real time to let you cheat.

Nintendo was not happy about this. An unlicensed game for sale on our system? How dare you? But Codemasters took it a step further. Since they had this working knowledge of how the NES loaded games and stuff, they developed something called a Game Genie. This was a clever little device and it modified the game in real time to let you cheat.

If you wanted extra lives or jump extra high or just go right to the final boss, Game Genie could do that for you. It essentially gave you superpowers in the game that you were playing. Now, these were all one or two player games back then. There was no online play. So cheating in a one player game isn't really ruining the game for anyone else. Codemasters didn't call this a cheat device, though.

If you wanted extra lives or jump extra high or just go right to the final boss, Game Genie could do that for you. It essentially gave you superpowers in the game that you were playing. Now, these were all one or two player games back then. There was no online play. So cheating in a one player game isn't really ruining the game for anyone else. Codemasters didn't call this a cheat device, though.

They called it a video game enhancer. And they developed this in the UK and licensed it in the US to a company called Galoob, which was a major toy maker back then. And they started selling them in like regular toy stores. I mean, you could buy a Game Genie in like Kmart or Toys R Us. I remember my neighbor had one and I think his mom bought it from Sears.

They called it a video game enhancer. And they developed this in the UK and licensed it in the US to a company called Galoob, which was a major toy maker back then. And they started selling them in like regular toy stores. I mean, you could buy a Game Genie in like Kmart or Toys R Us. I remember my neighbor had one and I think his mom bought it from Sears.

But little did I know when I was playing on my neighbor's Game Genie, Nintendo was taking Galoob to court over this little device, saying it was a copyright violation. Nintendo was saying the Game Genie was a derivative work and therefore subject to copyright infringement.

But little did I know when I was playing on my neighbor's Game Genie, Nintendo was taking Galoob to court over this little device, saying it was a copyright violation. Nintendo was saying the Game Genie was a derivative work and therefore subject to copyright infringement.

This means Nintendo is saying that the game genie made minor modifications to the game to make it something new, but not making it unique enough to be something original and was profiting from the original creators. Kind of like if I put googly eyes on the Mona Lisa and try to sell it as my own original work. Well, it went to court and judge ruled in favor of Galoob and the Game Genie.

This means Nintendo is saying that the game genie made minor modifications to the game to make it something new, but not making it unique enough to be something original and was profiting from the original creators. Kind of like if I put googly eyes on the Mona Lisa and try to sell it as my own original work. Well, it went to court and judge ruled in favor of Galoob and the Game Genie.

The judge said, look, the definition of a derivative work means you have to have a separate copy of that original work. Game Genie does not create a separate copy, but instead adds to the original copy because you still need the original copy to use it. So clearly it's not taking away from the sales of the game.

The judge said, look, the definition of a derivative work means you have to have a separate copy of that original work. Game Genie does not create a separate copy, but instead adds to the original copy because you still need the original copy to use it. So clearly it's not taking away from the sales of the game.