Nintendo video game consoles
 Home consoles size comparison of the (top to bottom) Wii (2006), GameCube (2001), Nintendo 64 (1996), North American SNES (1991) and the NES (1985) | |
| Product type | Video game console |
|---|---|
| Owner | Nintendo |
| Country | Japan |
| Introduced | June 1, 1977 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Website | nintendo |
Nintendo has developed eight home video game consoles and multiple portable consoles for use with external media, as well as dedicated consoles and other hardware for their consoles. As of March 31, 2026[update], Nintendo has sold over 987.81 million hardware units.[1]
The company's first console, the Color TV-Game, was a success in Japan but was never released in other territories. Their first systems to achieve worldwide success were the Game & Watch handheld series, before achieving greater worldwide success with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), originally released as the Family Computer (Famicom) in Japan in 1983. The NES restarted the video game industry after the video game crash of 1983, and was an international success. In 1989, Nintendo released the Game Boy, which became the first handheld console to sell in large numbers. In the early 1990s, Nintendo's market lead began to decrease; although the 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was a strong seller, the Sega Genesis was a very strong contender. Nintendo and Sega would both lose a significant portion of the console market towards the end of the 1990s, as Sony's PlayStation became the most popular console, beating the Nintendo 64, though Nintendo managed to sell more than Sega Saturn.
The Dreamcast, released in 1998, PlayStation 2, released in 2000, and Microsoft's Xbox, released in 2001, would eventually relegate Nintendo to third place in the international market, despite the release of the GameCube. However, they retained their lead in the handheld console market, with the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance models. Towards the middle of the 2000s, Nintendo introduced the first successful handheld device with a touch screen (DS) and the first successful console designed for motion controlled inputs (the Wii); they became some of the best-selling consoles of all time. In 2011, Nintendo became the first major company to release a handheld game console with stereoscopic 3D capabilities, with the 3DS, which had very strong sales from the beginning. The Wii U, released in November 2012, was much less successful, and sales were significantly lower than predicted. The Nintendo Switch, by contrast, was released in March 2017 and has become the company's best-selling console and overall second best-selling console of all time. A successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, was released on June 5, 2025.
Home consoles
[edit]Color TV-Game (1977–1983)
[edit]
Color TV-Game is a series of five dedicated home consoles released only in Japan. Each of the consoles contained a small number of games and a built-in controller. In total, approximately 3 million units were sold.[2]
The Color TV-Game series consists of:
- Color TV-Game 6, released June 1, 1977, with six variations of Pong: Tennis, Hockey, and Volleyball in Singles or Doubles mode. Sold approximately 1 million units.
- Color TV-Game 15, released June 8, 1977, with 15 variations of Pong. This was the most popular console in the series, selling just over 1 million units.
- Color TV-Game Racing 112, released June 8, 1978, with a racing game. Notable for being the first Nintendo project that Shigeru Miyamoto worked on. Sold approximately half a million units.
- Color TV-Game Block Breaker, released April 23, 1979, with a game based on Breakout. Sold approximately half a million units.
- Computer TV-Game, released December 12, 1980, with Computer Othello. Sold in limited quantities.
Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System (1983 and 1985)
[edit]
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console. It was first released in Japan on July 15, 1983, as the Family Computer (Famicom) and would become Nintendo's first home video game console released outside Japan. It was released in US test markets as the redesigned NES on October 18, 1985 and fully launched in North America on September 27, 1986. The NES was distributed in South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa throughout the 1980s under various names.
Selling 61.91 million units worldwide, the NES helped revitalize the video game industry following the video game crash of 1983, and set the standard for subsequent consoles in everything from game design to business practices. The NES was the first console for which the manufacturer openly courted third-party developers. The console also launched many of Nintendo's most iconic franchises, such as The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. Nintendo continued to repair Famicom consoles in Japan until October 31, 2007, attributing the decision to discontinue support to an increasing shortage of the necessary parts.[3][4][5]
Nintendo released a software emulation-based version of the Nintendo Entertainment System on November 10, 2016. Called the NES Classic Edition, it is a dedicated console that comes with a single controller and 30 preloaded games.[6]
Super Famicom and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990 and 1991)
[edit]
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), colloquially shortened to Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Europe and Oceania, and 1993 in South America. It was first released in Japan on November 21, 1990, where it is known as the Super Famicom. In South Korea, it is known as the Super Comboy and was distributed by Hyundai Electronics.
The SNES is Nintendo's third home console (second outside of Japan), following the Nintendo Entertainment System. Whereas the earlier console had struggled in the PAL region and large parts of Asia, the SNES was a global success, albeit one that could not match its predecessor's popularity in Northeast Asia and North America—due in part to increased competition from Sega's Genesis console. Despite its relatively late start, the SNES became the bestselling console of the 16-bit era, selling 49.10 million systems worldwide.[7] The SNES library is known for upgrading some of Nintendo's most famous franchises, and making the games even more critically acclaimed, such as Super Metroid, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Final Fantasy IV and VI, Kirby Super Star, Donkey Kong Country, and Super Mario World, as well starting some popular franchises such as Star Fox and Mega Man X.
Similarly to the NES Classic Edition released prior, Nintendo released a software-emulation-based version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System on September 29, 2017. Called the Super NES Classic Edition, it, like its predecessor, is a dedicated console that comes with two controllers and 21 preloaded games, one of which, Star Fox 2, is a title originally developed for the system that went unreleased.[8]
Nintendo 64 (1996)
[edit]
The Nintendo 64 (N64), is a 64-bit home video game console released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, and March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia. The Nintendo 64 was Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. It was released with three launch games in Japan (Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, and Saikyo Habu Shogi) and two in North America (Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64). PAL regions also had three launch titles (Super Mario 64, Shadows of the Empire and Pilotwings 64) with Turok: Dinosaur Hunter delayed until three days after launch. Other key games included Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Kazooie, two games in The Legend of Zelda series, GoldenEye 007, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Mario Kart 64, Super Smash Bros., and Star Fox 64. The Nintendo 64 sold 32.93 million systems.[7]
GameCube (2001)
[edit]
The GameCube was released on September 14, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia. It is Nintendo's sixth generation home video game console, the same generation as Sega's Dreamcast, Sony's PlayStation 2, and Microsoft's Xbox. Until the console's unveiling at Space World 2000, the design project was known as Dolphin—this can still be seen in the console and its accessories' model numbers. The GameCube is the most compact sixth generation console. The GameCube is Nintendo's first game console to use optical discs rather than game cartridges. An agreement with the optical drive manufacturer Matsushita led to a DVD-playing GameCube system named the Panasonic Q, which was only released in Japan on December 14, 2001. Much of Nintendo's core line-up centered on sequels to their established hit franchises such as Super Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros. Melee, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, Pokémon Colosseum, Kirby Air Ride, and Star Fox Adventures, while new franchises like Animal Crossing and Pikmin were born, although the former franchise had seen a Japan-exclusive release on the N64. The GameCube has sold 21.74 million units.[7]
Wii (2006)
[edit]
Nintendo released the Wii on November 19, 2006 in North America, December 2, 2006 in Japan, December 7, 2006 in Australia, and the following day in Europe, as their seventh generation home video game console. Nintendo designed the console to appeal towards a wider audience than those of its main competitors, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, including "casual" players and audiences that were new to video games.[9][10]
These aims were emphasized by the console's distinguishing feature, the Wii Remote—a handheld motion controller that can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions, using a mixture of internal sensors and infrared positioning. The controller includes an expansion port that can be used to connect other accessories, such as the Nunchuk—an attachment with an analog stick and additional buttons, a "Classic Controller" gamepad providing a traditional control scheme, and Wii MotionPlus—an accessory designed to enhance the motion detection capabilities of the original Wii Remote models.[9][10]
The Wii's internal hardware is an updated derivative of that of the GameCube; in comparison to its seventh-generation competitors, the Wii had lower overall graphics capabilities, and does not output in high-definition.[11][9] The Wii also featured internet-enabled features; the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service allowed supported games to offer online multiplayer and other features, while the WiiConnect24 feature allowed messages and updates to be downloaded while the console was in standby. Through Wii Shop Channel, additional games and apps could be downloaded or purchased for the console, including Virtual Console—a selection of classic video games emulated from older consoles. That service has been discontinued as of January 30, 2019. Early models of the Wii also had backwards compatibility with GameCube games and controllers, but this was dropped from later hardware revisions, namely the Wii Family Edition and the Wii Mini.
The Wii was a major success for Nintendo; in April 2007, the Wall Street Journal declared that Nintendo had "become the company to beat in the games business", citing the success of the Wii and the portable Nintendo DS line.[12] As of March 31, 2016[update], the Wii has sold 101.63 million consoles worldwide.[13] Wii Sports—a collection of sports minigames that were designed to leverage the Wii Remote, was bundled with the console outside of Japan, and had a major cultural impact as the console's "killer app" among the mainstream audience.[14][15]
Wii U (2012)
[edit]
The Wii U was released on November 18, 2012 in North America, November 30, 2012 in Europe and Australia, and December 8, 2012 in Japan, as a direct successor to the Wii, and the first entry in the eighth generation of home video game consoles. The Wii U's distinguishing hardware feature is the GamePad, a tablet-like controller which contains a touchscreen that wirelessly streams a video output from the console. The GamePad's display can be used to provide alternative or complementary perspectives within a game, or as the main display instead of a television.[16][17] In particular, Nintendo promoted the concept of "asymmetric" multiplayer, where a player with the GamePad would have a different objective and perspective than that of other players.[18] Alongside the GamePad, the Wii U supports Wii controllers and games. A conventional gamepad known as the Wii U Pro Controller was also released.[19][20][17]
The Wii U featured more-extensive online functionality than the Wii, using the Nintendo Network platform; as with the Wii, it supported online multiplayer and downloading and purchasing new games and apps, but also allowed video chat. It previously featured an internal social network known as Miiverse, which allowed users to write and draw posts in game-specific communities, the service was discontinued on November 8, 2017. Players of today can still participate in online usage of Wii U programs through an online service known as "Pretendo", also being available for the 3DS family of systems.[21][22][23][24] Nintendo also attempted to provide second screen experiences for television programming for the Wii U through a feature known as Nintendo TVii,[25][26] but it was discontinued outside of Japan in August 2015.[27] Unlike the Wii, the Wii U's hardware is capable of high-definition graphics.[17]
The Wii U was met with low adoption, attributed by Nintendo executives to a lack of third-party support; poor marketing of the system, which led to a lack of clarity of the Wii U game pad from being a tablet device; and the subsequent release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One the following year.[28][29] However, some critics argued that the Wii U still had advantages over PS4 and Xbox One, including its lower cost and notable early exclusives such as Super Mario 3D World.[30][31] Sales steadily increased following the release of several notable first-party exclusives, including new entries in the Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. franchises,[32][33][34] and the new franchise Splatoon.[35]
On January 31, 2017, a Nintendo spokesperson stated that production of the console had ended, with 13.56 million units sold worldwide.[36]
Handheld consoles
[edit]Game & Watch (1980–1991)
[edit]
The Game & Watch series of handheld electronic games made by Nintendo and created by its game designer Gunpei Yokoi from 1980 to 1991. Each featured a single game that could be played on a segmented LCD screen, in addition to a clock and an alarm. Most titles had a "GAME A" (easy mode) and a "GAME B" (hard mode) button. Game B is usually a faster, more difficult version of Game A. Different models were manufactured, with some consoles having two screens (the Multiscreen Series) and a clam-shell design. The Nintendo DS later reused this design. The Game & Watch made handhelds vastly popular. Many toy companies followed in the footsteps of Game & Watch, such as Tiger Electronics and their Star Wars themed games. Nintendo's Game & Watch units were eventually superseded by the original Game Boy. Each Game & Watch was only able to play one game, due to the use of a segmented LCD display pre-printed with an overlay. The speed and responsiveness of the games was also limited by the time it took the LCD to change state.
The Game & Watch series sold 43.4 million units worldwide, including 12.87 million units in Japan and 30.53 million overseas.[37]
Game Boy (1989)
[edit]
The Game Boy is an 8-bit handheld game console, the first such device developed by Nintendo, featuring interchangeable ROM cartridges, allowing it to act more like a portable version of a home console. It was released on April 21, 1989 in Japan, July 31, 1989 in North America, and September 28, 1990 in Europe. It features a dot-matrix display, a D-pad, four game buttons and a speaker, and uses Game Pak cartridges. Despite mixed reviews criticizing its monochrome graphics compared to competitors, the Game Boy's affordability, battery life, and extensive game library propelled it to market dominance. Nintendo released redesigned models including the smaller Game Boy Pocket (1996) and the Japan-only Game Boy Light (1998). By the time sales ended in March 2003, all variants of the monochrome Game Boy and the Game Boy Color combined had sold 118.69 million units worldwide, making them the fourth best-selling system of all time.[7][38] Its best-selling games are Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, which collectively shipped 46 million copies worldwide.[39][40]
Game Boy Color (1998)
[edit]
The Game Boy Color (GBC or CGB) was a transitional upgrade of the original Game Boy,[41] part of the fifth generation of handheld consoles, made to better compete with the Neo Geo Pocket Color and the Japan-only WonderSwan Color. It was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 18, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe, and November 27, 1998 in Australia. Compared to the original Game Boy, the Game Boy Color features a color TFT screen rather than monochrome, a processor that can operate twice as fast, and four times as much memory. It retains backward compatibility with games initially developed for its predecessor. While the handheld was slightly thicker, taller and had a smaller screen than its immediate predecessor, the Game Boy Pocket, the Color was significantly smaller than the original Game Boy. By the time sales ended in March 2003, all variants of the monochrome Game Boy and the Game Boy Color combined had sold 118.69 million units worldwide, making them the fourth best-selling system of all time. Its best-selling games are Pokémon Gold and Silver, which collectively shipped 23 million units worldwide.