Nintendo Entertainment System

The **Nintendo Entertainment System** (Colloquially known as the **NES** in North America and Europe, known as the **Family Computer**, or colloquially the **Famicom** in Japan) is the first major home gaming console released by Nintendo that was capable of playing a library of multiple titles. The console was released in 1983 in Japan, and 1985 in North America.

The NES had allowed Nintendo to grow as a dominant presence in the video game market, and for a time was the top selling console of all time. The NES, among other factors, is often regarded as one of the cures to the video game crash of 1983. The success of the NES spurred the generation of several popular franchises in video gaming, many of which still hold modern notoriety.

The NES was succeeded in 1990 in Japan and 1991 in North America by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which included upgraded hardware and higher software capabilities than its predecessor. The NES also sold alongside the Game Boy, Nintendo's primary line of handheld consoles, for a time.

## History

### Development

The Nintendo Entertainment System first began development in the early 1980s, following Nintendo's efforts in the sphere of arcade titles. The system also succeeded Nintendo's series of Color TV-Game consoles, which were home consoles dedicated primarily to one game each. The system was designed by Masayuki Uemura, and was dubbed the "Famicom" under suggestion of Uemura's wife.

The system was originally intended to be a 16-bit system, more in line with the computers of the time. Instead, Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchu decided to render its peripherals less intimidating for consumers, a decision made to also allow the system to be more cost-effective. For the game cartridges, Nintendo produced its own cartridges to prevent higher costs and ensure product quality.

### Release

The console met its Japan release on July 15, 1983, alongside *Donkey Kong*, *Donkey Kong Jr.*, and *Popeye*. After a brief series of recalls due to an issue causing the console to crash, the console was re-released and rapidly gained popularity in Japan.

Nintendo originally underwent deals to license the console with Atari in North America, though the deal fell through due to Coleco illegally demonstrating its console, the Coleco Adam, with *Donkey Kong*. As a result, Nintendo marketed its console itself. The North American edition of the console was unveiled in June of 1985, with a new design that utilized front-loaded cartridges.

The console soon saw a limited release on October 18, 1985 in North America, branded the "Nintendo Entertainment System." Seventeen titles were released at launch; *10-Yard Fight*, *Baseball*, *Clu Clu Land*, *Duck Hunt*, *Excitebike*, *Golf*, *Gyromite*, *Hogan’s Alley*, *Ice Climber*, *Kung Fu*, *Mach Rider*, *Pinball*, *Stack-Up*, *Super Mario Bros.*, *Tennis*, *Wild Gunman* and *Wrecking Crew*. The console was also launched alongside R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy), a peripheral compatible with *Gyromite* and *Stack-Up*.

On all officially-licensed titles, Nintendo supplanted a seal of quality, in order to ensure product quality and refrain from the spread of over-exaggerated or false information during the advertising process. Censorship and restrictions on mature games were in place for the console, as it was primarily advertised to children. This practice would not be retired by Nintendo until 1994 with the introduction of the ESRB.

The large majority of Europe and Australasia saw a release in 1986, and the console was released in 1993 in Brazil. In the latter market, the console suffered, primarily due to the late launch of the system in Brazil and the long-time spread of clone consoles.

The console saw one further release in the form of the NES-101, a redesigned version of the console with a newly designed controller. This version was released in October of 1993, and was produced until the console's discontinuation in 1995.

### Discontinuation and legacy

The Nintendo Entertainment System was discontinued in North America and Europe in 1995, after ten years of market activity. In Japan, the Famicom was discontinued in 2003, after twenty years of activity. Repairs were available for the Famicom until 2007.

Titles on the system would receive several re-releases, be it on other consoles or through mediums such as Virtual Console or remakes. Numerous titles among the NES are regarded as classics, including *Super Mario Bros.*, *The Legend of Zelda*, and *Metroid*.

Imagery of the console has also become popular, with its controllers or general design often reappearing in Nintendo merchandise or products.

#### NES Classic Edition

The NES Classic Edition, released in Japan on November 10, 2016 and North America on November 11, 2016, is a miniature replica of the Nintendo Entertainment System, officially licensed by Nintendo. The console contained thirty pre-loaded games, with twenty-two in both regions. It was followed in 2017 by the SNES Classic Editon.

## Hardware

### Versions

The Japanese Family Computer release saw a simplified design, bearing a red, white, and beige coloration and a sleek shape. The controllers for the system were hardwired, and consisted of a D-pad, A and B buttons, and start and select buttons.

The Nintendo Entertainment System had a more box-like design in North America and Europe, adopting a grey and black design. Unlike the top-loading cartridge slot of the Famicom, the Nintendo Entertainment System featured a front-loading cartridge slot, much like that of a VHS player. This ejection feature was considered in some form as a way of entertaining children.

An additional model, the NES Test Station, was introduced in 1988, meant for hardware and software testing in a non-commercial setting. Two commercially released redesigns for the console were sold, with the NES-101 model featuring a more sleek design, "dogbone" controllers similar to those of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and a curved, top-loading cartridge slot like that of the Famicom. The HVC-101 model was released in Japan as a redesign for the Famicom, and featured a design nearly identical to that of the NES-101, save for a flat cartridge slot rather than a curved one.

The Nintendo Entertainment System is also subject to numerous clone systems, often capable of playing and loading the same software that the original console is. Some clone consoles feature digital emulation, whereas others are capable of playing titles from multiple consoles. Modern clone consoles often release with HD video settings as well. Nintendo often prohibits the sale of unlicensed clone hardware, though due to the late arrival of the Nintendo Entertainment System in areas such as Brazil, clone consoles were the prevalent form of hardware in some locations.

### Peripherals

The Family Computer Disk System was a peripheral exclusive to Japan, and attached to the bottom of the Famicom system. It featured the use of a floppy-disk system rather than cartridges, and supported higher quality sound as well as cheaper data storage. Certain titles were originally produced for the Disk System, and eventually released for the Famicom itself later on. Due to the lack of this peripheral in North America, these titles were often altered slightly to fit onto a cartridge system.

Several controller-focused peripherals were released as well. Notable examples include the NES Zapper, a light gun accessory utilized in tandem with CRT TV technology, as well as the Power Glove, a controller with relatively low functionality support but notoriety nonetheless. Other controller-based peripherals include the NES Four Score, which allowed multiplayer gaming with up to four players, the NES Satellite, the Power Pad, and the U-Force. Updated controllers with more basic features included the NES Advantage and NES Max.

R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy]] was yet another peripheral utilized with certain titles, capable of functions such as moving and stacking disks. Despite low functionality aside from a few titles, R.O.B. gained popularity and is occasionally attributed as a factor to the Nintendo Entertainment System's success. R.O.B.'s popularity has led to it becoming a playable character in certain more recent Nintendo titles, such as *Mario Kart DS* and the *Super Smash Bros.* series.

## Games

*Main article: List of Nintendo Entertainment System games*

The Nintendo Entertainment System was the home of numerous popular titles at the time, and was the system that launched multiple popular and successful franchises that still receive entries to this day. Notable titles on the system are *Super Mario Bros.*, *The Legend of Zelda*, *Metroid*, *Castlevania*, and *Mega Man*.

A total of 677 titles were released in North America, with 1058 being released in Japan. 200 titles were released for the Disk System peripheral in Japan.

## Reception

Reception of the Nintendo Entertainment System sparked a massive demand for the system and its titles, prompting lifetime sales of over 61.91 million units worldwide. Tbe console remained prevalent well after its successor's release, most significantly in Japan, where sales remained consistent until 1993.

The success of the Nintendo Entertainment System is widely regarded as a major factor for the revitalization of the American video game market, as well as the more expansive, global popularization of video games as a whole. Numerous titles released for the system have been regarded as classics, some even as some of the greatest games of all time. Numerous successful franchises have also seen their beginnings on the system.

The system remained relatively viable from a consumer standpoint, even against more powerful competitors, for a time. The rise of the Sega Genesis saw a significant loss in Nintendo's overall market share, however, and eventually, demand for the Nintendo Entertainment System significantly dropped following the release of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, its successor.

Reception of the system following its discontinuation remains high, with numerous games on the system receiving ports, remakes, and remasters to several other systems. The NES Classic Edition system was released as an official homage to the system, and included many of its most popular titles.

## Notes and references

1. ↑ Oct. 18, 1985: Nintendo Entertainment System Launches. *WIRED* (October 18, 2010). Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved on June 11, 2015.
2. ↑ Consolidated Sales Transition by Region (PDF). First console by Nintendo (January 27, 2010). Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved on February 14, 2010.
3. ↑ Stuart, Keith (September 13, 2010). Super Mario Bros: 25 Mario facts for the 25th anniversary (en).
4. ↑ 7 things I learned from the designer of the NES (October 18, 2015). Archived from the original on October 19, 2015.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 高野, 雅晴 (1995-01-16). "ファミコン開発物語" (in ja). *日経エレクトロニクス*. Nikkei Business Publications. OCLC 5530170.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 *The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World*
7. ↑ Chad Margetts & M. Noah Ward (May 31, 2005). Lance Barr Interview. Nintendojo. Retrieved on June 19, 2016.
8. ↑ Dayton, David (October 18, 2010). Super Mario's Release Date is Missing!. *The Mushroom Kingdom*. Retrieved on October 8, 2011.
9. ↑ Cunningham, Andrew (July 15, 2013). The NES turns 30: How it began, worked, and saved an industry. *Ars Technica*. Retrieved on September 21, 2018.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Barboni, Flavio (July 13, 2013). Master System x NES (Portuguese). TechTudo.
11. ↑ L'Histoire de Nintendo volume 3 p. 113 (Ed. Pix'n Love, 2011)
12. ↑ GlitterBerri's Game Translations » Synonymous With the Domestic Game Console. Glitterberri.com (April 21, 2012). Retrieved on August 23, 2013.
13. ↑ Consolidated Sales Transition by Region (PDF). First console by Nintendo (January 27, 2010). Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved on February 14, 2010.