Codemasters and Camerica's Unreleased NES CD-ROM Drive: A Forgotten Chapter in Nintendo History
Before Codemasters became globally recognized as an Electronic Arts (EA) subsidiary and a leader in racing games like the Colin McRae Rally series, the British developer was a pioneer in both software and innovative gaming hardware.
One of Codemasters' most memorable contributions from its early years was the Game Genie—an influential 'cheat cartridge' for home consoles that famously triggered a lawsuit from Nintendo.
Yet, lesser known is an even more ambitious project: a CD-ROM drive designed for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), developed in collaboration with Camerica and hardware manufactured by Samsung. The concept emerged in an era defined by rapid hardware evolution.
As reported in GamePro issue 8 and highlighted by gaming historian Kara Jane Adams, Codemasters was developing an audio CD player for the NES.
The plan was for Samsung to produce the hardware, with Camerica managing distribution in the United States.
The details were strikingly bold for the time: players could purchase a bundled CD player and interface for $159.95, with an included disc featuring two games.
Alternatively, the Nintendo Interface could be purchased separately at $44.95, allowing anyone with a compatible audio CD player to connect it to their Nintendo. The core advantage of the proposed CD-ROM system was its cost-effectiveness: CDs containing multiple games would be priced comparably to individual NES cartridges, offering significantly higher storage capacity for larger game experiences.
At launch, Camerica anticipated six CD releases—three with multiple games and three featuring single, larger titles. Yet despite the ambitious blueprint, the NES CD-ROM drive never arrived.
Codemasters did, however, deliver similar technology for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64, both of which featured a unique cable that allowed an audio CD player to load games through the joystick port. To shed light on what happened, Codemasters co-founder David Darling reflected on the project's history.
He stated, "Although I have only a vague recollection, it appears Camerica went ahead with the announcement without any tangible product in development.
After consulting with other Codemasters veterans, none of us remember a prototype or developed unit, suggesting this was more of a concept than a concrete project at the time." The inspiration for such hardware was clear.
NEC had introduced a CD-ROM add-on for its PC Engine in 1988, and Sega would soon follow suit with the Mega Drive's (Genesis in the U.S.) Mega CD.
Nintendo itself famously partnered with Sony to create a CD-ROM drive for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), an endeavor that ultimately collapsed and gave birth to Sony's PlayStation. Founded in 1986 by brothers Richard and David Darling, Codemasters stands among the UK's most enduring game studios.
Over decades, it has been responsible for genre-defining titles such as Dizzy, Micro Machines, Brian Lara Cricket, and Project CARS.
The Darling brothers sold their stakes in 2007, and in 2021, the company was acquired by EA for $1.2 billion.
David Darling now leads Kwalee, a developer and publisher noted for console titles including TENS!, Eternal Hope, and Die by the Blade. Although the NES CD-ROM drive never materialized, this episode remains a fascinating footnote in the history of Nintendo hardware, exemplifying the innovative—and sometimes premature—spirit of the industry’s formative years.
One of Codemasters' most memorable contributions from its early years was the Game Genie—an influential 'cheat cartridge' for home consoles that famously triggered a lawsuit from Nintendo.
Yet, lesser known is an even more ambitious project: a CD-ROM drive designed for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), developed in collaboration with Camerica and hardware manufactured by Samsung. The concept emerged in an era defined by rapid hardware evolution.
As reported in GamePro issue 8 and highlighted by gaming historian Kara Jane Adams, Codemasters was developing an audio CD player for the NES.
The plan was for Samsung to produce the hardware, with Camerica managing distribution in the United States.
The details were strikingly bold for the time: players could purchase a bundled CD player and interface for $159.95, with an included disc featuring two games.
Alternatively, the Nintendo Interface could be purchased separately at $44.95, allowing anyone with a compatible audio CD player to connect it to their Nintendo. The core advantage of the proposed CD-ROM system was its cost-effectiveness: CDs containing multiple games would be priced comparably to individual NES cartridges, offering significantly higher storage capacity for larger game experiences.
At launch, Camerica anticipated six CD releases—three with multiple games and three featuring single, larger titles. Yet despite the ambitious blueprint, the NES CD-ROM drive never arrived.
Codemasters did, however, deliver similar technology for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64, both of which featured a unique cable that allowed an audio CD player to load games through the joystick port. To shed light on what happened, Codemasters co-founder David Darling reflected on the project's history.
He stated, "Although I have only a vague recollection, it appears Camerica went ahead with the announcement without any tangible product in development.
After consulting with other Codemasters veterans, none of us remember a prototype or developed unit, suggesting this was more of a concept than a concrete project at the time." The inspiration for such hardware was clear.
NEC had introduced a CD-ROM add-on for its PC Engine in 1988, and Sega would soon follow suit with the Mega Drive's (Genesis in the U.S.) Mega CD.
Nintendo itself famously partnered with Sony to create a CD-ROM drive for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), an endeavor that ultimately collapsed and gave birth to Sony's PlayStation. Founded in 1986 by brothers Richard and David Darling, Codemasters stands among the UK's most enduring game studios.
Over decades, it has been responsible for genre-defining titles such as Dizzy, Micro Machines, Brian Lara Cricket, and Project CARS.
The Darling brothers sold their stakes in 2007, and in 2021, the company was acquired by EA for $1.2 billion.
David Darling now leads Kwalee, a developer and publisher noted for console titles including TENS!, Eternal Hope, and Die by the Blade. Although the NES CD-ROM drive never materialized, this episode remains a fascinating footnote in the history of Nintendo hardware, exemplifying the innovative—and sometimes premature—spirit of the industry’s formative years.
