The Nintendo Entertainment System was an 8-bit video game console which initially released in 1983 in Japan. In most other Asian countries (Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Middle East and Hong Kong) it was released as Famicom even though in South Korea it was also known as the Hyundai Comboy due to the distributor being Hynix (Hyundai Electronics).
Upon its arrival outside of Asian markets after 1985, it was immensely popular which catapulted Nintendo into the forefront of the gaming console market.
Home Consoles
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (aka Super NES, SNES or Super Nintendo) was an 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo and it was released in 1990 in Japan and starting 1991 elsewhere.
In Japan, the system was called the Super Famicom, officially adopting the abbreviated name of its predecessor, the Family Computer, or SFC for short. In South Korea, it is known as the Super Comboy and was distributed by Hyundai Electronics. That said, each version is essentially the same, while several forms of regional lockout prevented the different versions from being compatible with one another.
The N64 had an 32-bit CPU, though for marketing purposes it was named after certain 64-bit processing unit components. It was initially released in 1996 in Japan and shortly after around the world as well.
As part of the fifth generation of gaming, the N64 competed primarily with the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. It was launched with few games but some of them remain iconic and still referenced today for their 3D mastery. It would be Nintendo's first console emphasizing 3D rendering and they released several other games which to this day are considered to be among the best games ever made.
The Nintendo GameCube was the first Nintendo console to use optical discs as the primary storage medium and could reach 128-bit for certain types of operations. In contrast with its contemporary competitors, the GameCube used mini DVD-based discs instead of full-size DVDs which meant it didn't have features such as DVD-Video and audio CD playback. The console didn't have the same amount of success as its contemporary
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo in 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii competed with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo stated that its console targeted a broader demographic than that of the two others. The Wii introduced the Wii Remote controller, which could be used as a handheld pointing device that detected movements in three dimensions. Notable features included "WiiConnect24", which enabled gamers to receive messages and updates over the Internet and "Virtual Console" which features emulated games from past systems. It was tremendously successful and is recognized among the best selling consoles of all time.
The Wii U was a home video game console created by Nintendo and was released in 2012 around the world. As the first entry in the eighth generation of video game home consoles, it was also the first Nintendo console to support high-definition graphics. The system's primary controller was a GamePad, which featured an embedded touchscreen that acted as a supplement to the main display or even to directly play the game on the GamePad without resorting to a television.
​The console was met with slow consumer adoption, credited primarily to an initially weak lineup of games, along with its lower hardware specifications in comparison to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The Nintendo Switch was initially released in 2017 and was considered a "hybrid" console since it could be used as a home console with the main unit inserted into a docking station connected to a television or it could be removed and used as portable gaming console. It featured a high-resolution LCD touchscreen, Joy-Con wireless controllers with motion sensing and "high-definition" tactile feedback, cartridge-based storage for games, online services and much more.
The concept of the Switch came about as Nintendo wanted to compete against smartphone and other "on-the-go" gaming devices, while maintaining presence in the home console market.
Portable Consoles
They were a series of self-contained handheld LCD games initially released in 1980. These devices are often regarded as the precursor to the Game Boy,
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Games released on this device were Popeye, Chef Mickey Mouse, Tennis, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Mickey & Donald Green House, Mario Bros., Mario's Cement Factory, Snoopy, Popeye, Pinball, Super Mario Bros., Climber, Balloon Fight, Bomb Sweeper, Zelda, etc.
Game Bugs
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The Game Boy was an 8-bit portable gaming console initially released in 1989. The display was monochrome and showed in black and white (though the white was more green). It was quite a successful device with several updates throughout its life cycle.
The Game Boy Color was released in 1998 with several enhancements. It had a color screen, larger memory size and a double-clocked CPU. The hardware similarities allow cross-compatibility between the two platforms and they are often treated as one. They would both be succeeded by the backward-compatible Game Boy Advance.
The Virtual Boy was initially released in 1995 and was the first portable games console to utilize 3D effects. That said, it was only displaying graphics in red and black, as well as requiring users to attach the console to their head. Also, it wasn't quite portable with its short battery life even though it required 6 AA batteries to operate. The product was pulled shortly after release due to poor sales and the majority of users reporting headaches.
The GBA was a 32-bit handheld video game console developed by Nintendo and initially released in 2001. It shipped with a color LCD screen, a 32-bit bit CPU, and custom video hardware that could render games of comparable graphical and technical quality to the earlier Super NES home console.
Nintendo then released some major console revisions of the GBA during its lifespan (clamshell, front-lit Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy Micro).
The Nintendo DS was a handheld console produced by Nintendo and released in 2004. It introduced distinctive new features to handheld gaming such as two LCD screens working in tandem (the bottom featured a touchscreen), a built-in microphone, wireless connectivity, GBA cartridge slow and much.
It was extremely successful and once again cemented Nintendo's position in the portable gaming console market. In 2006, they released a revised version called Nintendo DS Lite which was slimmer.
he Nintendo 3DS was a handheld game console produced by Nintendo and initially released in 2011. It was capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or additional accessories. It offered several new features such as augmented reality screen using its 3D cameras, StreetPass, SpotPass tag, internet browser, entertainment apps, eShop and much more.
Continuing the tradition of its predecessors, it was extremely popular and Nintendo's most successfully sold handheld consoles in the first two years of its release. Several revision were released (Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 2DS, New Nintendo 3DS).