VG Mad

NES (Nintendo)

Updated: 12th January 2015

The NES was released in 1983 in Japan, where it is known as the 'Family Computer', aka Famicom.
Releasing as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), in North America (1985) and Europe (1986).

The Famicom was discontinued in 2003. The NES was discontinued in 1995.

The system sold in excess of 61 million units.

The most popular title for the NES, is Super Mario Bros, being a pack-in title ensured its popularity with over 40 million units in existance.

With the NES being the best selling console of its time, Nintendo helped to revitalise the industry, after the Video Game Crash of 1983.
Nintendo achieved this by introducing licensing on all third-party games. Games released under this licensing, contained upon its packaging, the 'Official Nintendo Seal of Quality'.

In America, the NES was set to be launched under the Atari name, but due to Atari's competitor, Coleco, showing Donkey Kong on their new system, this delayed the Atari Nintendo deal due to exclusivity being breached. Nintendo instead, decided to market the NES themselves.

For full details on the NES, visit the NES Wikipedia page.