Nintendo was founded in 1889, seemingly ages before video games were invented. They did well as a card maker, moved on to toys and eventually video games. Today, the company is barely remembered for its cards or toys, having been brought to full dominance by the NES, or as it was known in Japan, the Famicom. Nintendo is one of the oldest video game companies and this year it launched the new Nintendo Switch 2 system and it is doing extremely well.
To celebrate this achievement, let's take a look back at what Nintendo has achieved in the video game market over the decades. What were their games ages ago and how old are they? And do they still enjoy it today? All of this data will be based on the Japanese releases and will focus mainly on the actual video games, while lightly touching on the systems and electronics that went into them.
Game and watch
Portable Origins
Game and watch: Ball
- Released
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April 28, 1980
- Developers
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Nintendo
- Publishers
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Nintendo
- First game and tracking system: Ball
- Release date in Japan: April 28, 1980
The Game and watch was Nintendo's first portable video game system, but not its first console. That honor goes to Color TV-Game 6, a licensed product from 1977 that included variants Pong. Game & Watch systems were sold with one game included, unlike the future Famicom console, where players had to buy cartridges.
The first few Game & Watch systems were silver, and the very first unit came with a juggling game called Ball in 1980. Other notable plays included Flagman, Fire, Vermin, Judgeand many, many more. They're not so much games as interactive pieces of electronic hardware, but in the pre-NES era, they're notable for video games developed by Nintendo.
Arcade scene
From Donkey Kong To Punch Out
- The first arcade game made by Nintendo: Othello computer
- Release date in Japan: June 1978
Technically the first Nintendo arcade game was Laser clay shooting system in 1973, which was a mixed digital and mechanical experience. Their first purely video game was Othello computer in 1978, which was a digital version of the board game Othello. Block fever, space fever, color space fever, and many other games unrecognizable by today's Nintendo fans quickly followed.
While it kept them afloat, Donkey Kong was the game that put Nintendo on the global map in 1981, leading to other arcade hits like Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Puch-Out!!and many more just before the Famicom launched on July 15, 1983.
Donkey Kong
One of the first Famicom games
- Release date in Japan: July 15, 1983
Donkey Kong was a huge hit in the arcades, so what better way to launch the system than with a console port? It was practically the same game on the Famicom: Jumpman, an early iteration of Mario, had to overcome obstacles set up by Donkey Kong to rescue a princess, in this case Pauline.
The goal was to save Pauline in each level and if possible Donkey Kong games go, it still hits the nostalgia button. This is thanks to the solid gameplay that Nintendo introduced in 1981, albeit in a smaller form on the Famicom.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Two monkeys for the price of one
- Release date in Japan: July 15, 1983
Donkey Kong Jr. it was also released for the Famicom on launch day, which was a year after it debuted in arcades in 1982. It was the smaller of the two Donkey Kong games at launch and it changed everything dramatically. Mario/Jumpman was now the villain who captured DK, and Donkey Kong Jr. he was a hero who had to save big daddy.
Instead of platforming, players had to swing from vines, poles and more to reach their destination. It was different, more challenging, and ultimately not as addictive as the original, but as an arcade conversion, it was still good.
Gomoku Narabe Renju
A game of dots
- Developer: Nintendo
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Release date in Japan: 27 August 1983
Gomoku Narabe Renju is based on a popular Japanese game that visually looks a lot like a board game Go. The goal is simple: players just need to get five of their pieces on the board and match them, and then they win.
It's not the most interactive video game Nintendo has ever made, but that was in 1983. Considering it's based on a standard Japanese game, it's not bad, but Gomoku Narabe Renju it's just not that special.
Mah-jong
An update of a Chinese classic
- Developer: Nintendo R&D2
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Release date in Japan: 27 August 1983
Mah-jong was released on the same day as Gomoku Narabe Renjuand is also based on the popular game, Mahjong. Players are given domino-shaped pieces to place on the game board, and most competitions involve betting, so it can be thought of as poker, but with tiles instead of cards and with more strategy.
It started in China, it is most popular in Asian territories, but it is a globally recognized game. The video game version is simple, again like Gomoku Narabe Renjuso today's players are best off enjoying a home version of the Mahjong experience.
Baseball
Not quite Home Run
Baseball
- Released
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December 7, 1983
- Developers
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Nintendo
- Publishers
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Nintendo
- Release date in Japan: 7 December 1983
It was technically another Famicom game Mario Bros., released on September 9, 1983. However, unlike the arcade version, the home port was developed by Nintendo's subsidiary, Intelligent Systems, which was their first game, so let's go to Baseball instead.
As the name suggests, it's a baseball game that isn't particularly remarkable by today's standards. It's not officially licensed, so teams are basic and players simply bat and run the bases. Once they get to Mario playing baseball in the future, then Nintendo will make the sport prime time.
Donkey Kong Jr. Mathematics
Back for fun
Donkey Kong Jr. Mathematics
- Released
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December 12, 1983
- Developers
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Nintendo
- Publishers
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Nintendo
- Release date in Japan: 12 December 1983
As if the Famicom launch year wasn't enough Donkey Kong games, presented Donkey Kong Jr. Mathematics at the end of 1983. It is considered to be one of the first games for entertainment consoles that were mainly aimed at teaching lessons to young players, such as geography or mathematics.
It's a remade version Donkey Kong Jr.reusing levels from the console game and adding math problems to the game. It's fine as an educational game for what it is, but no Nintendo fan would call it the best of this era.
Tennis
down for the game?
- Developers: Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Release date in Japan: 14 January 1984
Following Donkey Kong Jr. Mathematicsseveral Famicom games were co-developed with other companies within Nintendo. Tennisfor example, Nintendo led, but Intelligent Systems apparently helped as well, as well Mario Bros. on the Famicom.
Like Baseball, Tennis it's not an officially licensed product, so no famous athletes dominate the courts. It is an easier game than Baseball, although it is somewhat more enjoyable by today's gaming standards as a tennis game.
Pinball
An arcade classic for home play
- Developers: Nintendo R&D1, HAL lab
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Release date in Japan: February 2, 1984
Like Tennis, Pinball was a joint development project with Nintendo leading the charge and Hal Laboratory supporting it. Hal Laboratory is of course best known today for the development Kirby Nintendo games.
Pinball it offers traditional gameplay with a secondary brick breaking mode that keeps things interesting. There are better pinball games made and published by Nintendo like Mario Pinball Land and Pokemon Pinballbut this Famicom version does the job.
