September 12, 2024
The History of Nintendo | Timeline of the Japanese Game Giant
In this comprehensive guide on the history of Nintendo, we’re covering the Japanese video game giant that changed the world of gaming forever.
>If you’ve ever stopped to wonder about the origins of the company that created all your favorite childhood video games, you’ve come to the right place! Keep reading to learn all about the origins of Nintendo and how it evolved into one of the biggest video game companies in the world.
The Founding of Nintendo (1889)
Photograph of Nintendo's first headquarters in Kyoto, Japan (1889)
Nintendo’s story begins long before the invention of video games.
The company was founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi out of Kyoto, Japan. Originally called “Yamauchi Nintendo,” the company started out as a manufacturer of hanafuda, or “flower cards.” These hanafuda were a popular type of Japanese playing card commonly used in gambling.
There is a bit of mystery surrounding exactly what the name “Nintendo” means and where it came from.
Hanafuda Cards on Display
The commonly accepted explanation is that it means “leave luck to heaven” or “to leave one’s fortune in the hands of fate.” While this would certainly make sense for a playing card company, it doesn’t seem to be the full story.
The different interpretations of Nintendo’s name comes from confusion around the kanji characters in its logo (任天堂). These characters do translate to “leave luck to heaven” (“un wo ten ni makaseru”), but they also leave a lot of room for interpretation.
For example, the character for “ten” (天), which means “heaven,” can also be interpreted as referring to the legendary Tengu creature, which is often associated with gambling.
Some alternate interpretations of the word “Nintendo” include:
- “The temple of free hanafuda”
- “The company that is allowed to make hanafuda”
- Referring to gambling (from ten as in Tengu)
- Referring to chivalry (from nin as in ninkyo, meaning “chivalrous way” – a word synonymous with the yakuza).
As for the true intentions behind the name “Nintendo,” even the founder’s own grandson admitted to not knowing the true meaning of the word.
What is hanafuda?
Hanafuda Card Deck
Hanafuda, which translates to “flower cards,” are Japanese playing cards displaying pictures instead of numbers. Hanafuda were popular in Japan during the 19th century, since other types of cards had been made illegal to decrease gambling in the country.
What does the name “Nintendo” mean?
No one is quite sure exactly what “Nintendo” means.
The name is typically interpreted to mean “leave luck to heaven,” because this is what is written in kanji characters on its logo.
However, many other meanings can be assumed from the characters “un wo ten ni makaseru”.
Who founded Nintendo?
Nintendo was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in 1889 in Kyoto, Japan.
Yamauchi originally established Nintendo as a playing card company, producing handmade hanafuda which he sold out of his shop in Kyoto. Nintendo was kept within the Yamauchi family until the retirement of Yamauchi’s great-grandson, Hiroshi Yamauchi, in 2004.
The Hanafuda Era (1889 – 1948)
Nintendo Cards Poster from Meiji Era, 1890
In its early years, Nintendo focused on its handmade hanafuda cards, each decorated with a flower.
Card games have been popular in Japan since the 16th century. In the mid-17th century, they were made illegal in an effort to curb gambling. Manufacturers instead got creative by producing cards with pictures on them instead of numbers.
The invention of hanafuda (“flower cards”) provided a loophole in Japan’s anti-gambling laws and was soon accepted as legal by the authorities.
Nintendo’s hanafuda exploded in popularity in the Kyoto gambling scene. Yamauchi first sold the cards in his original store “Nintendo Koppai” (“koppai” meaning “cards”).
Within only 20 years, Nintendo was mass producing their hanafuda cards and manufacturing Western-style cards, too. What began as a modest hanafuda shop had grown into Japan’s top producer of gaming cards.
Nintendo continued to expand under Yamauchi. A big push for his company was a deal he struck with a tobacco company in Japan which led to his cards being sold in tobacco shops nationwide. Also good for business was the yakuza – the Japanese mafia.
Being heavily involved in gambling, the yakuza became a prime supporter of Nintendo’s hanafuda, stocking up their casinos with decks upon decks of the hand-crafted cards. In fact, many yakuza members (past and present) are known to have tattoos of Nintendo hanafuda playing cards!
Hanafuda Cards Set Up
Yamauchi retired from Nintendo in 1929. Because he had no sons (and could not give his business to a daughter at this time in Japan), he followed a common Japanese practice of instead handing the reins over to his son-in-law. After taking the family name, Yamuchi’s daughter’s new husband, Sekiryo Yamauchi, became president of Nintendo.
Sekiryo Yamauchi continued to grow the business exponentially, opening up a distribution company known as Marufuku Co., Ltd., in 1947.
The name “Marufuku” comes from the Japanese words maru (“circle”) and fuku (“good fortune” or “being lucky”). The Marufuku headquarters was covered in the kanji character for fuku (福) in circles, in accordance with the name.
Why was hanafuda invented?
Playing cards were banned in Japan in the 17th century to decrease gambling and organized crime in the country. To get around the laws, people began making cards with images on them rather than numbers, leading to the creation of “hanafuda” or “flower cards,” which were eventually accepted by the Japanese government.
Nintendo began producing hanafuda in 1889, decorating each card with a hand-painted flower.
Did the yakuza play with Nintendo cards?
As it turns out, the wholesome video game giant as we know it today may have had strong mafia ties in its early years!
"Tattooed Helper" by Suzuki Kinsen, between 1900-1910. Public Domain.
Because the yakuza (Japanese organized crime syndicate) was heavily involved in gambling, the popular Nintendo hanafuda cards naturally ended up in their hands – and their casinos.
The area where the original Nintendo shop was located was apparently home to many yakuza members, so it is likely that some of these gangsters were Yamauchi’s customers.
Yakuza members have even been known to get tattoos of Nintendo hanafuda cards!
How have hanafuda influenced Super Mario?
The repeated theme of “flower power” in the Super Mario Bros. games may have been an artistic reference to the hanafuda origins of the Nintendo company.
Additionally, Nintendo has made many references to hanafuda throughout various games, including Animal Crossing, Pikmin, and Super Mario Odyssey.
Hanafuda Reference in Super Mario Odyssey
Does Nintendo still make hanafuda today?
Yes, Nintendo still produces hanafuda cards to this day!
Some of their decks feature famous Nintendo characters (like Mario), while others remain traditional in their design. They can be purchased directly on their website.
What does “Marufuku” mean?
“Marufuku” comes from the Japanese words “maru” (“circle”) and “fuku” (“good fortune” or “being lucky”).
The Marufuku headquarters was decorated in the “fuku” character drawn in circles throughout the building.
Hiroshi Enters the Scene (1949 – 1965)
Former Nintendo President: Hiroshi Yamauchi
In 1949, the first male heir of the original founder took over Nintendo: Hiroshi Yamauchi.
At only 21 years old, Hiroshi inherited the company from his ailing grandfather. Before taking over, he demanded that all other relatives be fired from the company so no one would question his authority. This move would foreshadow the cutthroat determination that would help him take Nintendo into a whole new era of success.
Hiroshi got right to work revolutionizing the company, introducing the first plastic playing cards in all of Japan.
In 1958, he struck a deal with Disney to feature famous Disney characters on Nintendo’s playing cards. By doing this, he expanded Nintendo’s target audience past the niche of gambling. His new cards were family-friendly and came with an instruction booklet informing consumers of different card games to play. The cards were sold in toy stores and even marketed on television.
The Disney cards were a smash success. In 1959 alone, Nintendo sold 600,000 packs of cards. In 1962, he took the company public on the Osaka Stock Exchange.
Nintendo and Disney Playing Cards
Hiroshi Yamauchi changed the name of the company again in 1963, but this time it would stick: Nintendo Company Ltd.
Who was Hiroshi Yamauchi?
Hiroshi Yamauchi was the great-grandson of the Nintendo founder, Fusajiro Yamauchi. He was the first male heir to the Nintendo company (aside from sons-in-law) and was president of Nintendo from 1949 – 2004.
Under Hiroshi’s leadership, Nintendo revolutionized into first a toy company and then a video game company, becoming the wild success it is today.
What was the Disney partnership with Nintendo?
In 1958, Hiroshi Yamauchi made a deal with Disney to feature their famous cartoon characters on the Nintendo hanafuda cards in Japan.
Because the Disney characters were world-famous at this point, this partnership was a roaring success for Nintendo. It allowed the company to be targeted towards families for the first time (rather than gamblers).
When did Nintendo go public?
Hiroshi Yamauchi took Nintendo public on the Osaka Stock Exchange in 1962.
The money raised from this decision would fund the company’s experimentation in toy production and other ventures in the following years.
Toys, Taxis, & Other Experiments (1966 – 1972)
Ultra Hand Toy Box Cover (1966)
One of the key factors in Hiroshi Yamauchi’s success was his emphasis on creative experimentation.
In an effort to innovate the entertainment industry, Hiroshi Yamauchi pushed his engineers and inventors to come up with brand-new ideas. Nintendo began putting out never-before-seen toys like the “Ultra Hand,” the “Ultra Scope,” and the “Love Tester.”
Era of Experimentation: Nintendo Products Before Video Games
|
Product Name |
Year of Release |
Description |
Reception |
|
Hanafuda Cards |
1889 |
Playing cards used mainly for gambling |
|
|
Ultra Hand |
1966 |
Retractable mechanical hand toy used to grab things |
|
|
Ultra Machine |
1967 |
Pitched soft baseballs to be hit with a bat |
|
|
Love Tester |
1969 |
Measured “love” (electric current) between two people |
|
|
Instant Rice |
1960’s |
Single-portion instant rice maker |
|
|
Daiya Taxis |
1960’s |
Taxi service |
|
|
Love Hotel |
1960’s |
Hotel rooms rented by the hour |
|
An important member of Hiroshi Yamauchi’s creative team was Gunpei Yokoi, an inventor who was originally hired as a janitor at Nintendo in 1965. He soon advanced to being a machine technician and eventually became one of Yamauchi’s most trusted product designers and engineers. Gunpei Yokoi was responsible for inventions such as the Ultra Hand, the Love Tester, and, eventually, the Game & Watch.
Love Tester from 1968 TV Commercial
During this time, Yamauchi was also introduced to Masayuki Uemura, an engineer who would play a pivotal role in the development of video games at Nintendo. Uemura came to Nintendo as an employee of a different company selling solar cells, which are a technology that converts light to electricity. Yamauchi hired Uemura to work with Yokoi on using these solar cells to make toys powered by electricity.
This led to Nintendo’s first electric toy, the Beam Gun. Nintendo hosted a demonstration of its new product in a “Laser Clay Range” renovated from an old bowling alley. Players would shoot the laser gun at clay pigeons in the range, firing light beams powered by solar cells.
The Beam Gun was an instant hit and the first of many electronic toys to push Nintendo towards stardom.
Did Nintendo have “love hotels”?
Under Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo did in fact open a “love hotel.”
This was a hotel that rented rooms by the hour – and Hiroshi was reportedly one of the hotel’s best customers.
The venture was eventually abandoned in favor of pursuing the more profitable toy niche that Nintendo had been exploring.
Did Nintendo have a taxi company?
Hiroshi Yamauchi experimented with a taxi company called “Daiya.” Although it saw some success, he sold the business after a short time due to complications with the taxi driver labor unions.
What was Nintendo’s first electronic toy?
Nintendo’s first electronic toy was the 1973 Beam Gun, which could be used to fire a laser beam at targets in a Laser Clay Range.
The Beam Gun was a success, but economic setbacks in 1970s Japan led the public to stop frequenting the Laser Clay Ranges.
Who was Gunpei Yokoi?
Gunpei Yokoi holding Game Boy
Gunpei Yokoi was hired as a janitor for Nintendo in 1965. Before long, he would climb the ranks as a product designer and engineer, eventually becoming one of the most ingenious creative minds at Nintendo.
Yokoi was responsible for such game-changing creations as the Game and Watch, the Game Boy, and the Metroid video game series.
Who was Masayuki Uemura?
Masayuki Uemura testing Famicom (1985)
Masayuki Uemura was an engineer who first came to Nintendo to sell solar cells for the company Sharp. In 1971, he was hired by Hiroshi Yamauchi to develop electronic toys using these revolutionary solar cells.
During his time at Nintendo, Uemura would help develop products like the Beam Gun, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
Nintendo Enters the World of Gaming (1973 – 1982)
Donkey Kong (1981)
Although the Beam Gun was received positively by consumers, the economic decline in Japan in the early 1970s led to decreased interest in the Laser Clay Ranges. Nintendo was forced to innovate if they were going to find a cheaper option for an audience with less money to spend on entertainment.
Luckily, a recent invention made this very possible: the microprocessor. This was a tiny processing unit no bigger than a thumbnail. Its size meant it was not only cheap to mass produce but also would conveniently fit inside portable gaming systems – although this idea wouldn’t come into play for a few more years.
Nintendo’s first application of the microprocessor was television gaming. In 1977, they released the Color TV 6, a pong-type game played on televisions which was unique in its use of bright colors. The Color TV 6 was a huge success for Nintendo, leading to over 1 million sales and bringing them into the video game industry.
Nintendo continued to experiment in consumer electronics, releasing the Color TV 15 and several racing games. Finally, in 1979, they got their big hit: the Game and Watch.
As the story goes, Gunpei Yokoi was on a train sometime in 1979 when he noticed a businessman finding entertainment in an unexpected object: his calculator.
To quell his boredom, the man was playing around with different buttons on the device. This struck inspiration in Yokoi, who came up with the idea for a handheld gaming system – or as he called it, a “tiny game for killing time.”
Game and Watch from TV Commercial (1980)
In 1980, Nintendo released the iconic Game and Watch system. As the name implies, this device was for gaming and telling time via a built-in clock. (Later models even included an alarm clock.)
The original Game and Watch had a simple design with a single screen, one button for the clock display, and one button each for two different game options (“Game A” and “Game B”). The popularity of the Game and Watch led to an entire series of systems being released over the next several years, including a version with two screens (which you may notice looks a lot like a Nintendo DS!).
Donkey Kong Game and Watch (1982)
The Donkey Kong Game and Watch also featured the first-ever D-Pad, a four-way button that would be patented by Nintendo and become a staple of future gaming controllers.
Nintendo was also an active producer of arcade games in the 1970s. The first of these arcade games to gain mass recognition survives as a fan favorite to this day: Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, a man who would prove vital to Nintendo’s success in gaming moving forward. The son of a good friend of Yamauchi’s, Miyamoto was first hired as an apprentice at Nintendo and quickly rose to the level of staff artist. Miyamoto believed that video games had the potential to be an elevated art form with interesting storylines and themes, as opposed to the simplistic arcade games popular at the time. He was unique in his creativity and dedication to his craft, and his brilliance was proven by Donkey Kong’s success.
The story of Donkey Kong was inspired by elements of the Popeye cartoon and the popular King Kong movies. In the game, the gorilla character, Donkey Kong, retaliated against his owner by kidnapping his owner’s love interest. This man then had to chase the gorilla to save the girl.
The “owner” in question may be familiar to you – he was a certain plumber in a red hat and overalls, originally known as “Jumpman.”
This wildly popular arcade game provided the basis for the most iconic Nintendo franchise of all time: Super Mario.
What was Nintendo’s first-ever gaming system?
The first Nintendo gaming system was the 1977 Color TV 6, which enabled a pong-like game to be played on the consumer’s television.
However, Nintendo’s first breakthrough gaming system was the 1980 Game and Watch system, a portable device that came with a built-in game and featured a clock.
How did Gunpei Yokoi come up with the Game and Watch?
As the famous story goes, Gunpei Yokoi was on a train in 1979 when he saw a bored businessman entertaining himself by playing around with the buttons on his calculator.
In that moment, Yokoi got the idea to create a “tiny game for killing time.”
What was the Game and Watch?
The Nintendo Game and Watch was a gaming device and a clock in one, as the name implies. It was Nintendo’s first-ever portable gaming device. Nintendo released 60 different versions of the Game and Watch between 1980 and 1991.
What is Donkey Kong based on?
Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, Donkey Kong was inspired by elements of the Popeye cartoon and the King Kong series.
The rather whimsical name was chosen because “don-key” in Japanese means “silly” or “goofy” and “Kong” provides a clear reference to the gorilla character in the game (in reference to King Kong).
The NES & Super Mario (1983 – 1988)
Nintendo Entertainment System (1983)
Following the success of the Game and Watch system, Nintendo decided to stop manufacturing arcade games in 1985 and instead commit to household gaming. This led to perhaps the company’s most ingenious invention yet: The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
After seeing a hole in the market left by customer dissatisfaction with the Atari, Nintendo decided to move in and take a crack at a home gaming system. The project was put in the hands of Masayuki Uemura, who delivered yet another smash hit.
The system was originally released in 1983 as the Family Computer or “Famicom.” It was the first Nintendo console to use removable video game cartridges, meaning that one console could play multiple games (as opposed to the Game and Watch, which was limited to the game it came with).
In 1985, Nintendo of America – the US division of the company run by Yamauchi’s son-in-law – released their version of the Famicom, which they called the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
Luigi (Left), Yoshi (Middle), and Mario (Right)
1985 also brought about the first non-arcade Mario Bros. game. Super Mario Bros. was released with the NES and expanded on the storyline established in previous arcade games. This 1985 game included aspects familiar to modern fans of the game, like pits of lava, a mission to save Princess Toadstool (Peach), and the turtle-like villain King Koopa (Bowser). Players could even play in multiplayer mode as Mario and his brother, Luigi.
This game was, of course, another product of the imagination of Shigeru Miyamoto.
The very next year saw the release of two more of Nintendo’s best-known franchises to date: Metroid and The Legend of Zelda.
Metroid (1986) Start Screen
Metroid, developed under the leadership of Gunpei Yokoi, was an action-adventure game with a science fiction setting. The game follows the mission of the protagonist, Samus Aran, to save the Metroid creatures stolen by space pirates. Metroid would prove extremely influential, inspiring an entire genre of games known as “Metroidvania” (a word combining the game titles Metroid and Castlevania).
The Legend of Zelda (1986) Start Screen
The Legend of Zelda, meanwhile, came from the mind of Shigeru Miyamoto. This fantasy-inspired action-adventure follows the hero Link, an elf-like boy on a quest to rescue Princess Zelda of Hyrule from the villainous Ganon. The very first game in a long series of commercial successes, The Legend of Zelda for the NES sold over 6.5 million copies.
Who was Mario named after?
The Mario character was actually named after the landlord of the Nintendo of America office, Mario Segale.
As the story goes, the president of Nintendo of America (Hiroshi Yamauchi’s son-in-law, Minoru Arakawa) was struggling to brainstorm a new name for the Mario character, who had been called “Jumpman” in Japan. In the midst of his frustration, a furious knock came at the door. Arakawa answered it to the yells of his landlord demanding rent.
The landlord was quelled and eventually left, having given Arakawa the answer to his problem – Super Mario was born.
What was the first Nintendo home gaming system?
Nintendo released their first home gaming system in 1983 in Japan, calling it the “Famicom” (Family Computer). In 1985, Nintendo of America released the system as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
Unlike Nintendo’s previous TV gaming systems, the NES featured removable game cartridges, offering the player a wide selection of games to choose from.
What was the first Super Mario game?
Although the Super Mario Brothers had been featured in arcade games, the first (non-arcade) Super Mario game was the 1985 Super Mario Bros. for the NES.
This game starred the familiar characters Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Bowser (although some of the characters had different names in this early version).
Revolutionizing the Industry: The Game Boy & N64 (1989 – 2000)
Game Boy (1989)
In 1989, Nintendo released what would become perhaps their most iconic design to date: the hand-held Game Boy.
Gunpei Yakoi created the Game Boy as an improvement upon his previous invention of the Game and Watch system. The Game Boy was intended to combine the portability of the Game and Watch with the flexibility of the NES’s removable cartridges. The Game Boy proved to be a hit in both Japan and the US, selling over 118 million copies and inspiring a line of portable gaming systems that would dominate the industry for decades.
Pokémon Red Version Startup Screen
The Game Boy featured the very first game in the Pokémon series, which would become one of Nintendo's most profitable franchises. Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version were leased in 1996 by Game Freak, a company that made games exclusively for Nintendo.
Pokémon – which is a word meaning “pocket monsters” – is a role-playing game in which players capture and train Pokémon creatures to battle against other trainers.
Nintendo continued to boom in popularity and sales in the 1990s. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) (also called the Super Famicom or SFC) was released in 1990 as an improvement on the NES.
The 1990s was also the period of perhaps Nintendo’s biggest (and most famous) failure: The Virtual Boy.
Virtual Boy (1995) from TV Commercial
Released in 1995, the Virtual Boy was meant to be an innovative, immersive video gaming experience using a 3D virtual reality headset. Unfortunately, the execution of this concept was horrible. The Virtual Boy had poor graphics, an uncomfortably large headset, and an unreasonable price point of $179.99.
The Virtual Boy ended up selling less than 800,000 units total worldwide and was canceled only months after its release. It was a total public failure for Nintendo.
Luckily, the next year brought with it a huge success. In 1996, Nintendo released the Nintendo 64, the system responsible for some of the most famous and beloved Nintendo games to date.
Popular Nintendo 64 Games Ranked by Sales
|
Sales Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Copies Sold |
|
#1 |
Super Mario 64 |
June 23, 1996 |
11.91 million |
|
#2 |
Mario Kart 64 |
December 14, 1996 |
9.87 million |
|
#3 |
GoldenEye 007 |
August 25, 1997 |
8.09 million |
|
#4 |
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time |
November 21, 1998 |
7.6 million |
|
#5 |
Super Smash Bros. |
January 21, 1999 |
5.55 million |
|
#6 |
Pokémon Stadium |
April 30, 1999 |
5.46 million |
|
#7 |
Donkey Kong 64 |
November 22, 1999 |
5.27 million |
|
#8 |
Diddy Kong Racing |
November 14, 1997 |
4.88 million |
|
#9 |
Star Fox 64 |
April 27, 1997 |
4 million |
|
#10 |
Banjo-Kazooie |
June 29, 1998 |
3.65 million |
|
#11 |
Pokémon Snap |
March 21, 1999 |
3.63 million |
|
#12 |
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask |
April 27, 2000 |
3.36 million |
The N64 brought 3D graphics to the world of video games, revolutionizing the experience and setting the standard for at-home consoles.
In 1998, Nintendo brought out the Game Boy Color (GBC), amazing consumers with a portable device that didn’t sacrifice the artistic aspect of video games. The best selling games for the GBC were Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version.
Nintendo Game Boy Startup Screen
When was the first Game Boy released?
Nintendo released its first Game Boy in 1989. Created by Gunpei Yokoi as an improvement upon his previous Game and Watch invention, the Game Boy revolutionized handheld gaming and led to an entire series of popular devices.
Who invented Pokémon?
Pokémon (a word meaning “pocket monsters”) was created by Satoshi Tajiri, the founder of the Japanese video game developer Game Freak.
Game Freak made the game exclusively for Nintendo, and the first Pokémon (Pokémon Red and Blue Versions) was released for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1996.
Why was the N64 so successful?
The 1996 Nintendo 64 was the first gaming system to feature 3D graphics. Its removable cartridge feature and expansive library of game options made it wildly popular.
Many of the most famous and beloved video games to date were released on the Nintendo 64.
Competition Breeds Innovation: GameCube & DS (2001 – 2005)
Pokémon Red Version Load Up Screen
In 2001, the Nintendo GameCube was released – along with the Microsoft Xbox and the Sony PlayStation 2.
Although the GameCube did see some commercial success with 21.7 million units sold, it was far outcompeted by PS2 (which sold over 155 million units).
Despite the difficult competition, The GameCube did feature some critically acclaimed and wildly popular games.
Popular GameCube Games Ranked by Sales
|
Sales Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Copies Sold |
|
#1 |
Super Smash Bros. Melee |
November 21, 2001 |
7.41 million |
|
#2 |
Mario Kart: Double Dash |
November 7, 2003 |
6.96 million |
|
#3 |
Super Mario Sunshine |
July 19, 2002 |
5.91 million |
|
#4 |
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker |
December 13, 2002 |
4.43 million |
|
#5 |
Luigi’s Mansion |
September 14, 2001 |
3.33 million |
|
#6 |
Metroid Prime |
November 17, 2002 |
2.84 million |
|
#7 |
Animal Crossing |
December 14, 2001 |
2.71 million |
|
#8 |
Mario Party 4 |
October 21, 2002 |
2.46 million |
|
#9 |
Pokémon Colosseum |
November 21, 2003 |
2.41 million |
|
#10 |
Mario Party 5 |
November 10, 2003 |
2.17 million |
As shown in the list above, the GameCube introduced the first game in the Animal Crossing franchise.
Animal Crossing (2001) Start Screen
Animal Crossing was an innovative social simulation game in which the player customizes a character and lives in a village among other human-like animal characters. Unlike most other video games at the time, Animal Crossing was free-form and had no levels or real “end”. The player makes money to pay off their mortgage and can continue to expand and customize their house and village endlessly. Animal Crossing became one of the top-selling games for GameCube and inspired a series of games on later Nintendo consoles.
2001 was also the year of the Game Boy Advance release. The Game Boy Advance (GBA) was a handheld device with a single screen in “landscape” format (as opposed to the “portrait” format of the previous Game Boys). It was followed by the 2003 Game Boy Advance SP (“SP” for “special”) and the Game Boy Micro in 2005. The Game Boy systems would be pushed out of popularity by the DS in 2004, which later featured backward compatibility and could play GBA games.
Game Boy Advance (2001)
In May 2002, after 53 years as the president of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi stepped down from his leadership role. He put the company in the hands of Satoru Iwata, who had been a programmer and creator at the company for years.
Two years into Iwata’s reign as president came the release of the Nintendo DS.
The DS was a handheld gaming device with a dual screen (“DS”) system – the bottom of which was a touch screen that came with its own stylus. The DS even had a built-in microphone which could be featured in gameplay.
The DS was followed up by several advanced models: the DS Lite (2006), the DSi (2008), and the DSi XL (2009). Overall, the DS experienced wild success, selling over 155 million units and setting the following records:
- Best-selling Nintendo system of all time
- Best-selling handheld game console of all time
- Second-best selling video game console of all time (after the Sony PS2).
Popular DS Games Ranked by Sales
|
Sales Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Copies Sold |
|
#1 |
New Super Mario Bros |
May 15, 2006 |
30.8 million |
|
#2 |
Nintendogs |
April 21, 2005 |
23.96 million |
|
#3 |
Mario Kart DS |
November 14, 2005 |
23.6 million |
|
#4 |
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! |
May 19, 2005 |
19.01 million |
|
#5 |
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl |
September 28, 2006 |
17.67 million |
|
#6 |
Pokémon Black and White |
September 18, 2010 |
15.64 million |
|
#7 |
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! |
December 29, 2005 |
14.88 million |
|
#8 |
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver |
September 12, 2009 |
12.72 million |
|
#9 |
Animal Crossing: Wild World |
November 23, 2005 |
11.75 million |
|
#10 |
Super Mario 64 DS |
November 21, 2004 |
11.06 million |
Was the GameCube a success?
The GameCube was somewhat successful, selling over 21.7 million units.
However, it fell behind its competition from Microsoft and Sony, with the PS2 selling over 155 million units and becoming the best-selling gaming console of all time.
What is the objective of Animal Crossing?
Animal Crossing features non-linear, endless gameplay in which the player navigates social situations and makes money to pay off their mortgage. The game offers opportunities to expand and improve the character’s village and customizable house.
How long was Hiroshi Yamauchi president of Nintendo?
Hiroshi Yamauchi, the great-grandson of Nintendo founder Fusajiro Yamauchi, was president of Nintendo for 53 years (1949 – 2004). Under Hiroshi Yamauchi’s leadership, the company expanded into the toy and consumer electronics industries.
When was the first DS released?
Nintendo released the DS in 2004 and saw immediate success on a massive scale. The DS was followed by the DS lite in 2006, the DSi in 2008, and the DSi XL in 2009.
The successor to the DS, the 3DS, was released in 2011.
What is the most successful Nintendo gaming system of all time?
The most successful Nintendo gaming system is the Nintendo DS. The DS sold a combined 155 million units across its various models, making it the best-selling Nintendo system and the second-best-selling gaming system of all time (after the Sony PlayStation 2).
Games in Motion: The Wii Era (2006 – 2017)
The Wii (2006)
In 2006, Nintendo released something that was unlike any other video game console on the market: The Wii.
The Wii – the production of which was led by Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda – was based around the use of a motion-sensor remote. The sensor was placed on top of (or nearby) the TV, and the player would have to point the remote towards the sensor and act out various motions to play the game. The Wii also featured Wi-Fi connection and could be used for far more than just gaming, allowing consumers to design original avatars called Mii’s or even watch movies on their device through a Netflix account.
By 2010, the Wii was the top-selling gaming console of all time. Its success inspired similar motion-controlled consoles from competitors such as the Microsoft Kinect and the PlayStation Move.
Popular Wii Games Ranked by Sales
|
Sales Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Copies Sold |
|
#1 |
Wii Sports |
November 19, 2006 |
82.9 million |
|
#2 |
Mario Kart Wii |
April 10, 2008 |
37.38 million |
|
#3 |
Wii Sports Resort |
June 25, 2009 |
33.14 million |
|
#4 |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
November 12, 2009 |
30.32 million |
|
#5 |
Wii Play |
December 2, 2006 |
28.02 million |
|
#6 |
Wii Fit |
December 1, 2007 |
22.67 million |
|
#7 |
Wii Fit Plus |
October 1, 2009 |
21.13 million |
|
#8 |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl |
January 31, 2008 |
13.21 million |
|
#9 |
Super Mario Galaxy |
November 1, 2007 |
12.8 million |
|
#10 |
Just Dance 3 |
October 7, 2011 |
9.92 million |
|
#12 |
Mario Party 8 |
May 29, 2007 |
8.85 million |
|
#13 |
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess |
November 19, 2006 |
7.5 million |
|
#18 |
Link’s Crossbow Training |
November 19, 2007 |
5.79 million |
|
#21 |
Animal Crossing: City Folk |
November 16, 2008 |
4.32 million |
|
#23 |
Super Paper Mario |
April 9, 2007 |
4.23 million |
|
#24 |
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword |
November 18, 2011 |
3.67 million |
In 2012, Nintendo released a successor console, the Wii U, which saw far less success.
In addition to releasing the Wii in 2011, Nintendo also put out the 3DS, a follow-up to the DS which allowed the user to experience 3D gaming without any additional hardware (such as 3D glasses or a headset). The 3DS enjoyed some commercial success, selling around 75 million units.
What made the Wii unique?
The Wii used motion-sensing technology and an innovative wand-like remote to create a more active experience for gamers. Its design was imitated by its competitors, leading to the release of the Microsoft Kinect and the Sony Move (neither of which were as popular as the Wii).
How popular was the Wii?
The Wii was massively successful, becoming the top-selling gaming console of all time after only 4 years on the market (a record which has since been beaten).
A 2009 study surveying kids aged 6 – 12 found that the Nintendo was the most loved brand out of a list of over 200 major brands, with the Wii being chosen as the most loved product.
Back in the Game: The Switch Era (2017 – Present)
Playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch
In 2017, Nintendo changed the game with a revolutionary hybrid console known as the Nintendo Switch.
The Switch combined everything consumers loved about the Game Boy and DS systems with the television compatibility of a home gaming console. By providing players with a docking device, the Switch can be turned from a personal, portable device into a home console playable on a TV in seconds.
The Switch has been a huge success for Nintendo, contending with competitors from Microsoft and Sony. It has sold over 139 million units to date, making it the best-selling Nintendo home gaming console of all time and the third best-selling gaming console of all time (after the PS2 and the DS).
Popular Switch Games Ranked by Sales
|
Sales Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Copies Sold |
|
#1 |
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe |
April 28, 2017 |
60.58 million |
|
#2 |
Animal Crossing: New Horizons |
March 20, 2020 |
44.79 million |
|
#3 |
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
December 7, 2018 |
33.67 million |
|
#4 |
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild |
March 3, 2017 |
31.61 million |
|
#5 |
Super Mario Odyssey |
October 27, 2017 |
27.65 million |
|
#6 |
Pokémon Sword and Shield |
November 15, 2019 |
26.17 million |
|
#7 |
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet |
November 18, 2022 |
24.36 million |
|
#8 |
Super Mario Party |
October 5, 2018 |
20.34 million |
|
#9 |
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom |
May 12, 2023 |
20.28 million |
|
#10 |
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe |
December 31, 2023 |
17.2 million |
Is the Switch a portable or home gaming console?
It is both! The Nintendo Switch can be played as a hand-held device or can be plugged into a dock to be played on a TV.
In either form, the device offers multiplayer through the use of small portable controllers.
Has the Switch been successful?
The Nintendo Switch has been massively successful, selling over 139 million units to date.
This makes it the second best-selling Nintendo product of all time after the DS, and the third best-selling video game console of all time (after the PS2 and the DS).
Nearly 130 years after the founding of the company, Nintendo continues to find success in the video game industry and holds a special place in the hearts of gamers everywhere. Needless to say, fans will always be eager to see what Nintendo does next!
Nintendo Gaming Consoles Through Time
|
Console |
Release Date |
Units Sold |
|
Color TV-Game 6 |
June 1, 1977 |
1 million |
|
Game & Watch |
April 28, 1980 |
43.4 million |
|
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) |
July 15, 1983 |
61.91 million |
|
Game Boy |
April 21, 1989 |
118.69 million (combined Game Boy + Game Boy Color sales) |
|
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) |
November 21, 1990 |
49.10 million |
|
Virtual Boy |
July 21, 1995 |
800,000 |
|
Nintendo 64 |
June 23, 1996 |
32.93 million |
|
Game Boy Color |
October 21, 1998 |
118.69 million (combined Game Boy + Game Boy Color sales) |
|
Game Boy Advance |
March 21, 2001 |
81.51 million |
|
GameCube |
September 14, 2001 |
21.74 million |
|
DS |
November 21, 2004 |
154.98 million (across all DS models) |
|
Wii |
November 19, 2006 |
101.63 million |
|
3DS |
February 26, 2011 |
42.74 million |
|
Wii U |
November 18, 2012 |
13.56 million |
|
Switch |
March 3, 2017 |
139.36 million (as of December 2023) |
Sources
Nintendo: The Company and its Founders by Mary Firestone (Technology Pioneers, 2011).
The Ultimate History of Video Games: Volume 2 by Steven L. Kent (Crown Trade, 2021).
Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America by Jeff Ryan (Penguin Random House, 2012).
“The Fascinating History of Nintendo” by Achim Runnebaum (SlashGear, 2023).
“Fusajiro Yamauchi, Founder of Nintendo” by D.S. Cohen (Lifewire, 2020).
“Feature: The Most Important People In Nintendo History” by Gavin Lane (nintendolife, 2019).
“‘Nintendo’ Probably Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does” by Brian Ashcroft (Kotaku, 2017).
“The Nintendo They’ve Tried to Forget: Gambling, Gangster, and Love Hotels” by Brian Ashcroft (Kotaku, 2011).
“The History of Nintendo: the Company, Consoles, and Games” by Laurie Takeda (San Jose State University, 2020).
“Company History” on Nintendo.
“Nintendo History Lesson” on N-Sider (2003).
“Mario’s legacy and Sonic’s heritage: Replays and refunds of console gaming history” by Jaakko Suominen (University of Turku, 2012).
“As Nintendo Turns 125, 6 Things You May Not Know About This Gaming Giant” on Gadgets360 (2014).
Picture of first Nintendo headquarters
Nintendo cards poster from Meiji Era
"Tattooed Helper" by Suzuki Kinsen
Gunpei Yokoi on Nintendo Wiki
