Nintendo was established in 1889, seemingly ages before video games were invented. They thrived as a card maker, transitioned into toys, and then finally to video games. Today, the company is hardly 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.
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There have been some incredible Nintendo tie-in consoles released over the years but some of the most curious were only released in Japan.
In celebration of this accomplishment, let’s look back at what Nintendo has been accomplishing for decades in the video game market. What were their games like ages ago, and how old are they? Also, are they still fun today? All of these dates will be based on the Japanese releases, and they will mainly focus on the actual video games, while lightly touching on the systems and electronics that led to them.
Game & Watch
Portable Origins
Game & Watch: Ball
- Released
- April 28, 1980
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Game & Watch, Nintendo DS
- Genre(s)
- Action
- First Game & Watch System: Ball
- Japanese Release Date: April 28, 1980
The Game & Watch was Nintendo’s first portable video game system, but not its first console. That honor belongs to the Color TV-Game 6, a 1977 licensed-based product that contained variations of Pong. The Game & Watch systems were sold with one game included, unlike the future Famicom console, where players had to buy cartridges.
The first several Game & Watch systems were silver, and the very first unit came with a juggling game called Ball in 1980. Other notable games included Flagman, Fire, Vermin, Judge, and many, many more. They’re 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 was Laser Clay Shooting System in 1973, which was a mixed digital and mechanical experience. Their first pure video game was Computer Othello in 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 like Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Punch-Out!!, and many others right before the Famicom launched on July 15, 1983.
Donkey Kong
One Of The Famicom’s First Games
Donkey Kong
- Released
- July 31, 1981
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo R&D1, Ikegami Tsushinki
- Genre(s)
- Arcade
- Japanese Release Date: July 15, 1983
Donkey Kong was a huge hit in arcades, so what better way to launch a system than with a console port? It was virtually the same game on the Famicom: Jumpman, an early iteration of Mario, had to get past obstacles set up by Donkey Kong to rescue a princess, in this case, Pauline.
The goal was to save Pauline in every level, and as far as Donkey Kong games go, it still hits that nostalgia button. That's thanks to the solid gameplay Nintendo introduced in 1981, albeit in a smaller form on the Famicom.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Two Apes For The Price Of One
Donkey Kong Jr.
- Released
- June 30, 1982
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo R&D1, Nintendo R&D2, Iwasaki Electronics
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- Japanese Release Date: July 15, 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 lesser of the two Donkey Kong games at launch, and it that changed things up dramatically. Mario/Jumpman was now the villain who captured DK, and Donkey Kong Jr. Was the hero who had to rescue big daddy.
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Instead of platforming, players had to swing from vines, poles, and more to make it to 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: August 27, 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 things were back in 1983. Since it is based on a standard Japanese game, it’s not bad, but Gomoku Narabe Renju is just not that special.
Mah-Jong
An Update On A Chinese Classic
- Developer: Nintendo R&D2
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese Release Date: August 27, 1983
Mah-Jong was released on the same day as Gomoku Narabe Renju, and it is also based on a popular game, Mahjong. Players get pieces shaped like dominoes to place on the board, and most competitions include betting, so it can be thought of as Poker but with tiles instead of cards, and more strategy involved.
It began 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 Renju, so players nowadays are best left to enjoy a home version of the Mahjong experience.
Baseball
Not Quite A Home Run
Baseball
- Released
- December 7, 1983
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy
- Genre(s)
- Sports
- Japanese Release Date: December 7, 1983
Technically, the next Famicom game was 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 move on to Baseball instead.
As the name suggests, it’s a baseball game, and not one that's particularly remarkable by today’s standards. It’s not officially licensed, so the teams are basic, and players simply bat and run the bases. Once they get to Mario playing baseball in the future, then Nintendo’s take on the sport becomes prime time.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math
Back For Edutainment
Donkey Kong Jr. Math
- Released
- December 12, 1983
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Educational
- Japanese Release Date: December 12, 1983
As if the launch year for the Famicom didn’t have enough Donkey Kong games, they introduced Donkey Kong Jr. Math at the tail end of 1983. It’s considered one of the earliest console edutainment games, which were aimed primarily at teaching young players lessons like geography or math.
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It’s a remade version of Donkey Kong Jr., reusing levels from the console game and adding math problems to the gameplay. As an educational game, it’s fine for what it is, but no Nintendo fan would call it the best from this era.
Tennis
Down For A Game?
- Developers: Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese Release Date: January 14, 1984
Following Donkey Kong Jr. Math, several Famicom games were co-developed with other companies within Nintendo. Tennis, for example, was led by Nintendo, but Intelligent Systems apparently helped out as well, as they did with Mario Bros. On the Famicom.
Like Baseball, Tennis is not an officially licensed product, so there are no famous athletes dominating the courts. It is a simpler game than Baseball, though, making it somewhat more enjoyable by today’s gaming standards as a tennis game.
Pinball
An Arcade Classic For Home Gaming
- Developers: Nintendo R&D1, HAL Laboratory
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platform: Famicom
- Japanese Release Date: February 2, 1984
Like Tennis, Pinball was a co-development project with Nintendo leading the charge and Hal Laboratory supporting it. Hal Laboratory, of course, is best known today for developing the 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 Pinball, but this Famicom version gets the job done.