Editing Power Pad (section)

==Overview==
The Power Pad was originally released by Bandai as the ''Family Trainer'' in Japan in 1986, and  as the  ''Family Fun Fitness'' both in North America and Europe in 1987 and 1988 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11339534/Is-this-the-worlds-most-expensive-computer-game.html|title=Is this the world's most expensive computer game?}}</ref> In 1988, Nintendo acquired the rights from Bandai for the accessory in North America and renamed it the Power Pad, with the remaining Family Fun Fitness mats recalled from stores.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/66183/10-very-rare-and-very-expensive-video-games|title = 10 Very Rare (And Very Expensive) Video Games| newspaper=Mental Floss |date = 16 March 2016}}</ref> Bandai retained the rights to the product outside of North America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lifewire.com/stadium-events-history-729683|title=Why Stadium Events is One of the Rarest NES Games, Plus How to Spot It}}</ref> The Power Pad sold 500,000 units in North America.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sheff |first1=David |title=[[Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World]] |year=1994 |orig-year=1993 |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |isbn=978-0-307-80074-9 |chapter=Game Masters |page=243 |chapter-url=https://file1.largepdf.com/file/2020/04/08/Game_Over_-_David_Sheff.pdf#page=243 |quote=Nintendo made a deal with Bandai to sell the Power Pad with the NES in America, and half a million units were sold. |access-date=2021-01-02 |archive-date=2021-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102104823/https://file1.largepdf.com/file/2020/04/08/Game_Over_-_David_Sheff.pdf#page=243 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:NES Family Fun Fitness.JPG|thumbnail|European version called Family Fun Fitness]]
The Power Pad accessory is laid out in front of the video display for various games, generally plugged into the second NES controller port, with players stepping on the large buttons to control gameplay. There are two illustrated sides to the pad: Side A, which is rarely used, has eight buttons, while side B has twelve buttons numbered 1-12.

Games using the Power Pad often test players on their timing and coordination, memory, "running" speed, or allow them to play music with their steps. Games such as ''[[Dance Dance Revolution]]'' can trace the lineage of their control mechanisms back to the Power Pad (see [[dance pad]]).<ref>Webster, Andrew. ''[https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/03/ne-music-game-feature.ars Roots of rhythm: a brief history of the music game genre]''. [[Ars Technica]]. 3 March 2009.</ref><ref>Kohler, Chris. ''[http://www.1up.com/features/out-of-control?pager.offset=3 Out of Control: The Craziest Game Controllers Evar - Atari Vs. NES] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530114132/http://www.1up.com/features/out-of-control?pager.offset=3 |date=2016-05-30 }}''. [[1UP.com]]. 11 July 2006.</ref>