Nintendo [Famicom (Family Computer)], which began as a Japanese card manufacturer took the leap to practically single-handedly revive the video game console industry with the establishment of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
In 1985, Nintendo released what soon became the staple icon of its franchise, Super Mario Bros. which sold over 40 million copies, and held the title for most sales of any video game title until 2008. My math isn't that great, but I figured that span of time (with the aid of a scientific calculator, mind you) as 23 years. That's quite a span of time to hold such a title. It exceeds the amount of time Mike Tyson held the Heavyweight boxing title, both World Wars combined, and all the conflicts the U.S. has been involved in within the Middle East since Desert Storm.
Not bad considering. The design of the system still has components of it that still live on to this very day.
The controller, for instance. Controllers on the current PS3 and PS4 systems as well as Microsoft's X-Box systems still mimic the basic layout of the NES controller. Both of these "new and improved" systems still have the directional keypad on the left side, with the buttons on the right. The Start and Select buttons still exist even today, and are placed, you guessed it, in the center of the controller. And they still are designed to fit in a two-handed grip comfortably.
Granted, controllers now have overcome the dilemma of left-thumb video game blisters/calluses, which were the badge of shame and tell-tale sign of hard-core videogamers, and made it much more difficult for us to come up with clever excuses of why we weren't able to finish our homework over the weekend... You know as well as I the reason it didn't get finished!
The NES dominated the markets for a staggering five years, and in that time accumulated a library of over 500 games, including some classics that go hand-in-hand with video game knowledge even today: The Legend of Zelda (which laid the foundation of the RPG gaming genre), Super Mario Bros., Excite Bike, Tecmo Bowl (Pre-Madden days!), Metroid, and so many others.
Another neat factoid:
In a study done at the time showed children were as or more familiar with Mario as with Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny. (Nintendo's corporate history page: http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Corporate/Nintendo-History/Nintendo-History-625945.html
An article revolving around the 30th anniversary of the system which revived the nearly deceased video gaming industry:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/nintendo-famicom-30th-anniversary-nes/
Again, the video game industry was recovered from the fate of so many ventures who rise and fall throughout the hazardous realm of commerce, by a Japanese playing card manufacturer!
Here is an interesting timeline I found in my research.
I won't never forget that is first time to touch game. I was remember what I first time play game is Super mario. So pleasure to read this post. Bring a lot of memory to me.
ReplyDeleteGreat to help bring those memories back Neo! Yeah, I played Super Mario Bros. just a few weeks back to have a "Blast From The Past" again, and realized just how freaking hard that game actually is! It's crazy that as a kid I was able to beat the game!
ReplyDeleteSadly, by the time I lost all of my lives, made it to level 1-3 :)