You Probably Didn't Know About McDonald's Lost Nintendo DS Game
There are probably a good number of us out there who remember when electronic devices were only able to carry out single tasks, so we needed a device to communicate with, one to play games on, and one to listen to music with. In those days, there was a gadget called the Nintendo DS, a handheld gaming device with two screens, on which games could be played with buttons or with a stylus. Back in 2010, it appeared that McDonald's Japan decided it would be a great idea to develop a Nintendo DS game that could be used "as an input device to teach the various kitchen tasks like deep-frying potatoes and how to interact with customers" (via IGN).
Each McDonald's outlet was meant to get two Nintendo DS consoles along with the software, with the rollout costing Japan about $2 million dollars at the time. A report by Bloomberg reveals that the device was put to use in 80 percent of McDonald's Japan stores (via CBS). There were just two problems. Because the game was developed as a training module, it was only handed out to McDonald's Japan employees, and it needed a password before it could be unlocked. It also came to be regarded as an urban myth. Until now (via Lost Media Wiki).
McDonalds past and current employees say the game is accurate
The game resurfaced this year during a Yahoo Japan auction, and it's since been shared by YouTuber Nick Robinson, who walks viewers through the different training modules available in the eCrew system. The modules include a timed session on how to prepare burgers and fries as well as a trivia game involving FAQs someone would learn while working at the store.
One viewer who left a comment on Robinson's video says: "I used to be a former McDonald's employee in the Netherlands... I just downloaded the game from ur other video. But this game is THAT accurate that even the timers/alarms sounds the same! It lowkey awakens my PTSD haha!!! Rush-hours were the worst on a shift..." (via YouTube). Another viewer chimed in with "Australian ex-McDonalds employee here. Those procedures are 100% what we had to follow. The egg rules are hilariously strict. Watching this playthrough is strangely making me nostalgic for working those grills." One person claiming to be a current manager even said, "I'm a McManager, this is still super accurate to what we use nowadays."
McDonald's isn't likely to revive and reuse the training system now, and we're hoping that means the field is wide open for game developers to turn the game into something we can have fun with on our smartphones.