Nintendo was founded in 1889, seemingly ages before video games were invented. They thrived as card makers, moved into toys and then into video games. Today, the company is barely remembered for their cards or toys, as the NES brought them to full dominance, or as it was known in Japan, the Famicom. Nintendo is one of the oldest video game companies and this year they launched a new system, the Nintendo Switch 2, and it's doing extremely well.
To celebrate this achievement, let's look back at what Nintendo has accomplished over decades in the video game market. What were their games like ages ago and how old are they? Also, are they still funny today? All of these dates will be based on the Japanese releases, and will focus primarily on the video games themselves, while lightly touching on the systems and electronics that led to them.
Play & Watch
Portable Origins
Game & Watch: Ball
- Released
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April 28, 1980
- Developer
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Nintendo
- Publisher
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Nintendo
- First Game & Watch System: Ball
- Japanese release date: 28 April 1980
The Play & Watch was Nintendo's first portable video game system, but not its first console. That honor belongs to Color TV-Game 6, a licensed product from 1977 that featured variations of Pong. The Game & Watch systems were sold with a game included, unlike the future Famicom console, where players had to purchase cartridges.
The first Game & Watch systems were silver, and the very first device came with a juggling game called Ball 1980. Other notable games included Flagman, Fire, Pest, Assessand many, many more. They are not so much games as they are interactive pieces of electronic hardware, but they are notable in the run-up to the NES in terms of Nintendo-developed video games.
The arcade scene
From Donkey Kong To Punch Out
- First Nintendo-made arcade game: Computer Othello
- Japanese release date: June 1978
Technically Nintendo's first arcade game where Laser Clay Shooting System 1973, which was a mixed digital and mechanical experience. Their first pure video game was Computer Othello 1978, which was a digital version of the board game Othello. Block fever, space fever, color space fever, and many more unrecognizable games by today's Nintendo fans were quick to follow.
While it kept them afloat, Donkey Kong was the game that put Nintendo on the global map in 1981, leading to other arcade hits such as Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Punch-Out!!and many others just before the Famicom launched on July 15, 1983.
Donkey Kong
One of the Famicom's first games
- Japanese release date: 15 July 1983
Donkey Kong was a huge hit in arcades, so what better way to launch a system than with a console port? It was practically the same game on the Famicom: Jumpman, an early iteration of Mario, had to get past obstacles set up by Donkey Kong to save a princess, in this case Pauline.
The goal was to save Pauline in each level, and as far as Donkey Kong game goes, it still hits the nostalgia button. That's thanks to the solid game Nintendo introduced in 1981, albeit in a smaller form on the Famicom.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Two monkeys for the price of one
- Japanese release date: 15 July 1983
Donkey Kong Jr. 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 game at launch, and that changed things dramatically. Mario/Jumpman was now the villain who conquered DK, and Donkey Kong Jr. was the hero who had to save big daddy.
Instead of platforming, players had to swing from vines, poles and more to reach their goal. It was different, more challenging, and ultimately not as addictive as the original, but it was still good as an arcade conversion.
Gomoku Narabe Renju
A game of dots
- Developer: Nintendo
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese release date: 27 August 1983
Gomoku Narabe Renju is based on a popular Japanese game, which visually looks a lot like the board game Go. The goal is simple: all players have to do is get five of their pieces on the board and connect them, and then they win.
It's not the most interactive video game Nintendo has ever made, but that's how it was in 1983. Being based on a standard Japanese game, it's not bad, but Gomoku Narabe Renju is just not that special.
Mah-Jong
An update of a Chinese classic
- Developer: Nintendo R&D2
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese release date: 27 August 1983
Mah-Jong was released on the same day as Gomoku Narabe Renjuand it is also based on a popular game, Mahjong. Players are given pieces shaped like dominoes to place on the board, and most competitions include betting, so it can be seen as poker but with tiles instead of cards, and more strategy involved.
It started in China, is most popular in Asian territories, but it is a globally recognized game. The video game version is simple, again like Gomoku Narabe Renjuso players these days are best left to enjoy a home version of the Mahjong experience.
Baseball
Not quite a home run
Baseball
- Released
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December 7, 1983
- Developer
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Nintendo
- Publisher
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Nintendo
- Japanese release date: 7 December 1983
Technically, the next was Famicom games Mario Bros., was 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 move on to Baseball instead.
As the name suggests, it's a baseball game, and not one that's particularly noteworthy by today's standards. It's not officially licensed, so the teams are basic, and players simply hit and run the bases. Once they get to Mario playing baseball in the future, Nintendo's take on the sport will be prime time.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Back for education
Donkey Kong Jr. Math
- Released
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December 12, 1983
- Developer
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Nintendo
- Publisher
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Nintendo
- Japanese release date: 12 December 1983
As if the launch year of the Famicom wasn't enough Donkey Kong games, they introduced Donkey Kong Jr. Math in late 1983. It is considered one of the earliest edutainment games for consoles, which mainly aimed to teach young players lessons such as geography or mathematics.
It is a reworked version of Donkey Kong Jr.reusing levels from the console game and adding math problems to the game. As an educational game, it's fine for what it is, but no Nintendo fan would call it the best of this era.
Tennis
down for a game?
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese release date: January 14, 1984
Following Donkey Kong Jr. Mathseveral Famicom games were co-developed with other companies within Nintendo. Tenniswas led by Nintendo for example, but Intelligent Systems apparently helped out as well, as they did with Mario Bros. on the Famicom.
As Baseball, Tennis is not an officially licensed product, so there are no famous athletes dominating the courts. It's a simpler game than that Baseball, however, making it somewhat more enjoyable by today's game standards as a tennis game.
Pinball
An arcade classic for home play
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1, HAL Laboratory
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese release date: February 2, 1984
As Tennis, Pinball was a joint development project with Nintendo leading the charge and Hal Laboratory supporting it. Hal Laboratory, of course, is best known today for developing Kirby games for Nintendo.
Pinball features traditional gameplay, with a secondary brick-breaker mode to keep things interesting. There are better Nintendo made and published pinball games, like Mario Pinball Land and Pokemon Pinballbut this Famicom version gets the job done.
