secret6

The NES accessories were in many ways a sign of privilege. Most kids didn't have them. Out of my sixteen interviews, only some had the zapper and none of the players had any of the other accessories though some remember going to a "rich" kid's house to play with the power pad. Because few peers had them and (according to our group's "research") most of the accessories--aside from the Zapper--don't add much to game play, it is likely that these accessories often functioned as objects of conspicuous consumption (especially because those who remembered friends with these accessories also remembered them as being rich).