Alan Smithee Presents...

The dreaded loading screen. Appears in a lot of discs.

Let's start with the Family Computer Disk System addon for the Famicom. Games had 2 sides - A and B. While some games didn't require this (Super Mario Bros.), most games did require it (The Hyrule Fantasy: Zeruda No Densetsu) and required loads and loads of loading, even Super Mario Bros. 2 (J), between 4-4 and 5-1. It got annoying after a while, with this appearing:

W A I T

Sometimes English, sometimes Japanese.

Now, when the FDS was discontinued, in the US, the Philips CD-I's game Zelda's Adventure had HEAPS of loading. Just to go to another part of the area. Yeah, Zelda I is more acceptable. Maybe THAT was also why it sucked.

But it became no problem after the CD-I was discontinued. Until...

Sonic the Hedgehog 2006.



Because of its Chirstmas Rushed and Obvious Beta status, it had LOADS AND LOADS OF Loading. For a LINE OF DIALOUGE, TITLE SCREEN, CHARACTER SCREEN, AND A FEW SECOND MINIGAME, it loaded. It had OVER 2 HOURS OF LOADING - 11.8% loads!

Cartridges had no problem with this (except Diamond and Pearl - so long saving), so when the N64 was released, that was Nintendo's good idea. Little loading.