Stadium Events

A player competes against the computer in the 110M hurdles

Stadium Events, also known in Japan as Family Trainer: Athletic World, is a video game developed and published by Bandai for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Released in 1986 in Japan and 1987 in North America and Europe, Stadium Events is renowned for its rarity and has become a highly sought-after collector's item among video game collectors.

Gameplay

Stadium Events is designed to be used with the Family Fun Fitness mat, a floor pad peripheral that allows players to interact with the game by stepping on and running across the pad. The game features a series of track and field events, including running, long jump, and hurdles. Players compete in these events by physically moving their feet on the corresponding spots of the mat, simulating the actions of running or jumping in place.

Development and Release

The game was part of Bandai's Family Trainer series in Japan, which included several titles designed to be played with the Family Fun Fitness mat. After its initial release, Stadium Events was purchased by Nintendo and rebranded as World Class Track Meet for subsequent releases, while the Family Fun Fitness mat was rebranded as the Power Pad, Nintendo's own exercise mat peripheral.

Rarity and Collectibility

The rarity of Stadium Events can be attributed to its limited production run and the fact that it was pulled from shelves shortly after its release, due to Nintendo's acquisition of the rights to the game and the Family Fun Fitness mat. Only a small number of copies are known to exist, making it one of the rarest NES games. Complete in-box copies of the game, especially those still sealed, can fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auction.

Legacy

Despite its obscurity in terms of gameplay, Stadium Events has left a lasting legacy in the world of video game collecting due to its rarity and the stories surrounding its limited release. It is often cited as one of the "holy grails" for collectors, symbolizing the extreme lengths to which some will go to obtain rare pieces of video game history.