Love Tester
Encyclopedia
The Love Tester is a novelty toy made by Nintendo
in 1969. Designed "for young ladies and men", the device tries to determine how much two persons love each other. To operate the device, both users would grab one of the connected spherical metal sensors with one hand and hold each other's hands with the other; then, the meter
on the device displays, on a scale between 1 and 100, their "love score".
The Love Tester was designed by Gunpei Yokoi (eventual creator of the Game & Watch
series and the original Game Boy
), who said that he "loved explaining that the meter gave better results when people kissed the girl..." It was the first product by Nintendo to use real electronic components. It was also one of the few products by Nintendo during the 1960s that was sold outside of Japan. The device was marketed in Western markets as a "Love/Lie Detector". It was also released as part of a "Mini Game Series", and other versions of the device were packaged differently and contained English instructions. It was advertised heavily on Japanese television, in which its commercial has gained a cult following
. It originally sold for .
In July 2010, the Love Tester was re-released in Japan by Tenyo
, which features the original packaging. This version is officially endorsed by Nintendo. Website Destructoid
reported that the device currently sells for US$55. The Love Tester is considered one of the most sought-after products from Nintendo's earlier years and is considered one of the more unusual products created by Nintendo.
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
in 1969. Designed "for young ladies and men", the device tries to determine how much two persons love each other. To operate the device, both users would grab one of the connected spherical metal sensors with one hand and hold each other's hands with the other; then, the meter
Measuring instrument
In the physical sciences, quality assurance, and engineering, measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantities of real-world objects and events. Established standard objects and events are used as units, and the process of measurement gives a number relating the item...
on the device displays, on a scale between 1 and 100, their "love score".
The Love Tester was designed by Gunpei Yokoi (eventual creator of the Game & Watch
Game & Watch
is a line of handheld electronic games produced by Nintendo from to . Created by game designer Gunpei Yokoi, each Game & Watch features a single game to be played on an LCD screen in addition to a clock and an alarm ....
series and the original Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
), who said that he "loved explaining that the meter gave better results when people kissed the girl..." It was the first product by Nintendo to use real electronic components. It was also one of the few products by Nintendo during the 1960s that was sold outside of Japan. The device was marketed in Western markets as a "Love/Lie Detector". It was also released as part of a "Mini Game Series", and other versions of the device were packaged differently and contained English instructions. It was advertised heavily on Japanese television, in which its commercial has gained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
. It originally sold for .
In July 2010, the Love Tester was re-released in Japan by Tenyo
Tenyo
Tenyo Ltd. is a toy manufacturer in Tokyo, Japan. They specialize in magical goods and jigsaw puzzles.The name of the company originates from the founder's father, Shokyokusai Tenyo, who was a magician.- History :...
, which features the original packaging. This version is officially endorsed by Nintendo. Website Destructoid
Destructoid
Destructoid is an independent video game-focused blog based in San Francisco, California that was founded in March 2006. It has since grown into one of the most widely read video game sites on the Internet, reaching more than 3 million unique visitors per month...
reported that the device currently sells for US$55. The Love Tester is considered one of the most sought-after products from Nintendo's earlier years and is considered one of the more unusual products created by Nintendo.