Dian Shi Ma Li

Dian Shi Ma Li
Also known as: TV Mario, Mario Lottery, Big TV Mary Bar Based on: Jackpot (NES) Developers: Bit Corporation (presumed) Publishers: Fiver Firm (as "Namco Corporation") Platforms: Unlicensed NES, Arcade (Famicom-based, presumed) Released in TW: 1989 This game has unused graphics. This game has debugging material.

Dian Shi Ma Li (literally "Television Mario") is well-known on the internet for its star, Fortran, and his ideal picture of making money: "PUSH START TO RICH".

The game consists of betting on the outcome of a roulette-style wheel, with a bonus space starting the button-mashing minigame. Wins can be wagered on up to six rounds of double-or-nothing. It will probably not surprise you that the game is not fair.

While the game is technically playable with a single controller, proper play requires ten buttons across both controllers - one for all 9 of the symbols to bet on, and one to start/re-bet. Based on the diagnostic screens and other code, the game was likely intended to be played on custom hardware, such as a video lottery machine. However, evidence of such a machine has yet to materialize... yet.

Version Differences

A variant is known to exist which removes the English text from the title screen.

Unused Fortran Logo

A "Fortran" logo - which may refer to either the programming language of the same name or the game's developers, but has been popularly taken as the name for the game's Mario wannabe with an "F" on his cap instead of an "M" - is present among the game's graphics.

Diagnostic Screens

Although the title screen has a "FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY" disclaimer, there are some unused maintenance screens which are usually used in real coin-op machines to adjust statistics and parameters of luck, strongly suggesting that this game was initially designed for gambling.

Statistic Screen

At the title screen, set RAM address $0493 to any non-zero value and wait for the demonstration mode. This screen will appear instead of it. There are no controls here; you can press Start on Controller 2 to immediately exit it, or press Left, Left, Right to do the same.

Dipswitch Screen

At the title screen, set RAM address $04A2 to any non-zero value and wait for the demonstration mode. This screen will appear instead of it. On Controller 2, press Start to exit this screen or any other button to change the SW3 flags.