View source for LodgeNet

{{system infobox
|image=[[File:Guhhopfsqbq21.jpg|250px]]<br>LodgeNet TV Box 
|release={{flag list|USA|1993<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/19990224153940/http://www.lodgenet.com/lne/corporat/releases/980616.html|title=10-Year Licensing Agreement With Video Game Leader To Bring New Game Technology To Millions of Hotel Guests|language=en|date=June 16, 1998|publisher=Lodgenet|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref>}}
|discontinued={{flag list|USA|2013<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendrew|date=August 15, 2018|url=youtu.be/HK_EPiRkFew?t=98|timestamp=01:38|title=LodgeNet Game Controllers - Nintendo's Hotel Rental Service! {{!}} Nintendrew|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 29, 2022}}</ref>}}
}}
'''{{wp|Sonifi Solutions|LodgeNet}}''', initially known as the '''Nintendo Gateway System''' back when it was also installed on airplanes, was a hotel game streaming service for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]], [[Nintendo 64]], and [[Nintendo GameCube]], including a variety of games in the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]]. LodgeNet launched its on-demand hospitality service in late 1993, including worldwide delivery of SNES games to hotel guests via its proprietary building-wide networks.<ref name="US 5581270 A">{{cite|author=Nintendo of America, Inc.|date=December 3, 1996|url=www.google.com/patents/US5581270 Hotel-based video game and communication system|publisher=Google Patents|accessdate=August 7, 2023}}</ref> The system was installed in 200,000 hotel guest rooms by April 1996 and 530,000 guest rooms by mid-1999, as reported by LodgeNet.<ref name="LodgeNet history">{{cite|url=www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/34/LodgeNet-Entertainment-Corporation.html|title=LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation|publisher=Reference for Business|language=en|accessdate=August 7, 2023}}</ref> By April 1996, LodgeNet reported that its partnership with [[Nintendo]] to deliver SNES games had yielded 200,000 worldwide hotel guest room installations.<ref name="LodgeNet history"/> On June 16, 1998, Nintendo and LodgeNet entered a 10-year licensing agreement for an "aggressive" upgrade to add Nintendo 64 support to their existing 500,000 SNES-equipped guest room installations.<ref name="LodgeNet Nintendo 10-year">{{cite|author=LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation|date=June 16, 1998|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20160304023849/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lodgenet-nintendo-sign-n64-agreement-78049027.html|title=LodgeNet, Nintendo Sign N64 Agreement|publisher=PR Newswire|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref> According to LodgeNet, within the system's past five years to date, the system had "caused Nintendo to become the most successful new product rollout in the history of the hotel pay-per-view industry."<ref name="LodgeNet Nintendo 1998">{{cite|author=LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation|date=September 3, 1998|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20160304060453/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lodgenet-nintendo-celebrate-guest-room-video-game-milestone-76433897.html|title=LodgeNet, Nintendo Celebrate Guest Room Video Game Milestone|publisher=PR Newswire|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref> LodgeNet reported that 35 million hotel guests encountered the Nintendo name as an integral amenity within the middle of 1998 alone,<ref name="LodgeNet Nintendo 1998"/> and it reported sales of more than 54 million minutes of Nintendo-based gameplay.<ref name="LodgeNet N64"/>

LodgeNet and Nintendo began expanding and upgrading their existing SNES buildout to include Nintendo 64 support on June 10, 1999. LodgeNet reported in mid-1999 that its 530,000 hotel room installations were increasing at a rate of 11,000 rooms per month.<ref name="LodgeNet history"/><ref name="LodgeNet N64">{{cite|author=LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation|date=June 10, 1999|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20160304023908/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lodgenet-begins-installing-hotels-with-nintendo-64-game-systems-initiative-includes-new-installations-system-upgrades-for-thousands-of-hotel-rooms-74789197.html|title=LodgeNet Begins Installing Hotels With Nintendo 64 Game Systems; Initiative Includes New Installations, System Upgrades for Thousands of Hotel Rooms|publisher=PR Newswire|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref> Nintendo and LodgeNet began delivering newly released Nintendo 64 games to hotel rooms at more than 1,000 hotel sites in September 2000, concurrently with the games' retail releases, demonstrating "the capacity to update [LodgeNet's] interactive digital systems with fresh content virtually overnight."<ref name="LodgeNet same week">{{cite|author=LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation|date=August 29, 2000|url=www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lodgenet-brings-mario-tennistm-to-hotel-guests-nationwide-new-n64r-game-will-appear-in-stores-hotel-rooms-same-week-73049302.html|title=LodgeNet Brings Mario Tennis(TM) to Hotel Guests Nationwide; New N64(R) Game Will Appear in Stores, Hotel Rooms Same Week|publisher=PR Newswire|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref> The GameCube LodgeNet server used regular Nintendo GameCube memory cards internally.<ref>{{cite|url=www.flickr.com/photos/26432743@N05/47538065441/in/album-72157707734361855|title=Nintendo Lodgenet GameCube Gateway black memory card.|author=billyseven|publisher=Flickr|accessdate=May 30, 2024}}</ref>

Some SNES and Nintendo 64 games were officially modified to reflect that LodgeNet did not support multiplayer,<ref>{{Cite|url=https://lostmediawiki.com/LodgeNet_(partially_lost_video_games_from_streaming_service;_mid-1990s_to_mid-2000s)|title=LodgeNet (partially lost video games from streaming service; mid-1990s to mid-2000s)|publisher=Lost Media Wiki|accessdate=July 9, 2024}}</ref> with their original versions' multiplayer functions made inaccessible through various means, including removing menu options entirely or making the multiplayer menu options unable to be selected. Nintendo 64 games could be paused in a frozen state by pushing the {{button|n64|dpad}} D-pad,<ref>{{cite|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6-hjSYFgXA|quote=...I just figured out that it doesn't crash but uniquely pauses the game instead, exclusive to the LodgeNet versions. Pushing the directional pads again unpauses it.|title=Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (LodgeNet 64 version)|publisher=YouTube @birby100|date=July 1, 2023|accessdate=July 9, 2024}}</ref> ''[[Paper Mario]]'' received an extra splash screen telling players that pressing the Nintendo 64 LodgeNet controller's Reset button would delete all saved data,<ref>{{Cite|url=https://youtu.be/Sw3oQIKj02o?t=9|title=Paper Mario (LodgeNet 64 version)|publisher=YouTube @birby100|date=June 19, 2023|accessdate=July 9, 2024|quote=''If Reset button on Controller is pressed during game, all previously saved data will be lost. Press {{button|n64|A}} to continue.''}}</ref> and ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'' added a "Training" toggle that could be set to off to skip the game's tutorial.<ref>{{Cite|url=https://tcrf.net/Donkey_Kong_64|title=Donkey Kong 64|accessdate=July 9, 2024|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|quote=The version of the game compiled for this system has a "Training" toggle when starting a new file. If training is turned off, the Cranky barrels will not appear at the start of the game and Donkey Kong will have instant access to his basic moves.}}</ref>

The Nintendo 64 LodgeNet controller did not have a Pak slot and therefore did not support the Controller Pak, Rumble Pak, or [[Transfer Pak]]. The slot where all three would have been inserted was replaced with a plastic melded cover with controller support disclaimers on it.

==List of ''Super Mario'' games==
====Super Nintendo Entertainment System====
*''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''
*''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''
*''[[Dr. Mario (game)|Dr. Mario]]''
*''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]''
*''[[Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World]]'' 
*''[[Super Mario World]]''
*''[[Wario's Woods (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)|Wario's Woods]]''
*''[[Tetris & Dr. Mario]]''

====Nintendo 64====
*''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''
*''[[Dr. Mario 64]]''
*''[[Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|Mario Golf]]''
*''[[Mario Kart 64]]''
*''[[Mario Party 3]]''
*''[[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Mario Tennis]]''
*''[[Paper Mario]]''
*''[[Super Mario 64]]''
*''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''

====Nintendo GameCube====
*''[[Luigi's Mansion]]''
*''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]''
*''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''
*''[[Mario Party 4]]''
*''[[Mario Party 5]]''
*''[[Mario Party 6]]''
*''[[Mario Party 7]]''
*''[[Mario Power Tennis]]''
*''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door|Paper Mario 2]]''
*''[[Super Mario Strikers]]''
*''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''
*''[[Wario World]]''
*''[[WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!]]''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
LodgeNet Server Rack.jpg|LodgeNet server
How the LodgeNet Server Works N64.png|How the LodgeNet service works
</gallery>

===Controllers===
<gallery>
LodgeNet-Super-Nintendo-Controller.jpg|SNES LodgeNet controller
LodgeNet-Nintendo-N64-Controller.jpg|Nintendo 64 LodgeNet controller
LodgeNet-Nintendo-GameCube-Controller.jpg|GameCube LodgeNet controller
</gallery>

===Screenshots===
<gallery>
SNES LodgeNet game menu.jpg|SNES LodgeNet main menu
Nintendo 64 LodgeNet Game Menu.jpg|Nintendo 64 LodgeNet game menu
Nintendo GameCube LodgeNet Game Menu.jpg|GameCube LodgeNet game menu
</gallery>

===Game changes===
<gallery widths=150>
MK64 LodgeNet main menu.png|The main menu of ''Mario Kart 64'' with the missing Option and Data rows
Dr. Mario 64 Lodgenet main menu.png|The main menu of ''Dr. Mario 64'' with "Two Player" and "Multiplayer" grayed out
PM LodgeNet extra splash screen.png|The extra splash screen added to the startup of ''Paper Mario''
MT64 LodgeNet main menu.png|The main menu of ''Mario Tennis'' showing the absence of most modes
DK64 LodgeNet main menu.png|The main menu of ''Donkey Kong 64'' with an exclusive Training On/Off toggle added to it
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[https://lostmediawiki.com/LodgeNet_(partially_lost_video_games_from_streaming_service;_mid-1990s_to_mid-2000s) LodgeNet (partially lost video games from streaming service; mid-1990s to mid-2000s) — Lost Media Wiki]

{{Systems}}
{{SNES}}
{{N64}}
{{GCN}}
[[Category:Systems]]