Watchly Safety Review

8-bit Annoying Person Remover- NES Hack

Mark Rober

2:39 · 1.8M views · February 28, 2013

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Minor FlagsReviewed June 2026

1Minor Flag

4No Issues

This short, lighthearted DIY video is generally safe for older kids and teens, with its biggest draw being a fun Arduino electronics project built around retro Nintendo nostalgia. There are no serious content concerns, though one brief scene features a co-worker rambling awkwardly about a colleague's physical appearance, and a romantic saxophone gag that goes over most young children's heads.

Content Breakdown · 5 Categories

Realistic Violence, Threats & WeaponsNot present

The 'annoying person remover' framing is clearly humorous and tongue-in-cheek office prank context, not a realistic threat or weapon demonstration; no actual violence or threats are present.

See evidence (1)

“The concept of an 'annoying person remover' is framed as a playful office gadget, not a genuine threat.”

Bullying, Cruelty & DiscriminationNot present

The 'annoying coworker' premise is light workplace humor with no identity-based attacks, body shaming, or genuine cruelty directed at any individual or group.

See evidence (1)

“The device is described as a solution for 'annoying coworkers,' which is mild comedic framing rather than targeted harassment.”

Toxic Behavior ModelingNot present

The 'annoying person remover' is a harmless office prank concept with no actual harm demonstrated; it does not model genuinely toxic behavior such as cruelty, theft, or animal mistreatment.

See evidence (1)

“The prank device concept is comedic and benign, targeting no real person harmfully.”

Engagement Baiting & Manipulative CTAsNot present

The description includes standard subscribe and follow links, but these are straightforward CTAs without guilt-tripping, superstition bait, or coercive 'true fan' language.

See evidence (1)

“SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ON TWITTER links in description are routine, non-manipulative CTAs.”

Playful & Fantasy ViolenceA little

The 'annoying person remover' concept playfully references removing people in a clearly comedic, non-realistic way consistent with the lighthearted NES/Mario gaming aesthetic; this is stylized and consequence-free humor.

See evidence (1)

“The device is humorously framed as an '8-bit annoying person remover,' evoking the playful elimination mechanics of classic NES games like Mario.”

What Parents Need to Know

This video showcases a creative, humorous hack where a modded Nintendo console acts as a motion-sensing office timer that plays Mario music when someone enters a room. The educational upside is real — it introduces kids to Arduino boards, motion sensors, SD cards, and basic electronics concepts in a fun, accessible way, and even links to free code so viewers can build one themselves. The humor is mostly harmless office comedy, though one co-worker briefly makes fun of a colleague's physical appearance (mentioning a 'goiter' and 'mole'), which is mildly unkind. There's also a quick romantic saxophone joke that's more awkward than inappropriate. The creator encourages viewers to subscribe to a friend's channel at the end, which is standard but worth noting as a soft promotional nudge.

Talk to Your Kids About

1What do you think an Arduino board does, and what other cool things could you build with one?
2The co-worker in the video made fun of how someone looks — how do you think that person would feel if they heard that?
3If you could program your own version of this gadget, what song would you pick and where would you put it?
4The creator gave away the code for free — why do you think sharing knowledge like that is a good thing to do?

Protected Viewing

What's This Video About?

An old school solution for dealing with your annoying coworkers. Download all the files you need to make one of your own here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yowqft4h64as5tp/AAD9LorKN93ZNYJUwDiNzThPa?dl=0 Go check out and sub Lincoln and Kirby's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/kerblink/featured I make videos like this once a month all year long while supplies last: SUBSCRIBE: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-Sub CHECK OUT MY CHANNEL: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-YouTube FOLLOW ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/MarkRober FACEBOOK ME: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRoberYou... MUSIC: -Cool song created by Qwiet He also makes cool videos. You should subscribe to his channel: http://youtube.com/qwietmusic Twitter: http://twitter.com/qwiet Facebook: http://facebook.com/qwiet - All other music was purchased royalty free from Pond5.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this video appropriate for?

We recommend this video for ages 8 and up. The content is mostly harmless and even educational, but a brief moment where a co-worker mocks a colleague's appearance makes it less ideal for very young children who are still forming ideas about how to talk about others.

Is there anything inappropriate in this video?

There is one brief moment where a co-worker describes a female colleague in a mocking way, referencing her physical features. It's not graphic or cruel in intent, but it models light social unkindness that parents may want to address.

Is this video educational?

Yes, in a fun and accessible way. It introduces real electronics concepts like Arduino microcontrollers, motion sensors, and SD card programming, and even provides free code so kids and parents can attempt to build the project themselves.

Does this video contain advertising or sponsored content?

There is no paid sponsorship in this video. The creator does give a shoutout to a friend's YouTube channel at the end and encourages viewers to subscribe, which is a minor promotional nudge but not a commercial advertisement.

Is the humor in this video appropriate for kids?

Most of the humor is gentle and silly — office comedy built around Mario nostalgia. There is one brief romantic saxophone joke that is more awkward than suggestive, and it's unlikely to register as anything concerning for most children.

Could kids learn something from this video?

Absolutely. The video demystifies DIY electronics by showing how an Arduino board, motion sensor, speaker, and battery pack can be combined into a fun gadget. It may spark interest in coding, electronics, or maker culture in curious kids.