Where is nintendo headquarters located. The history of Nintendo consoles in pictures

22.04.2012 / 300

Interesting information about the Nintendo brand. Reference data on the Nintendo trademark.

Story about by Nintendo should start from the end of the 19th century - it was then that the world first heard that the Marufuku company appeared in the Japanese city of Kyoto, producing playing cards for the famous Hanafuda game in Japan. After 18 years, Marufuku's business had reached a point where focusing on the market of Kyoto alone was no longer viable. The company was renamed Nintendo Koppai and sent to conquer the vastness of all of Japan.

The next change in the company's image occurred in 1963 - it was then that in the company's business reports, the profit from the sale of children's toys exceeded that from playing cards. The company was promptly renamed Nintendo Company, Limited, and their new bestseller was "The Ultra Hand", a retractable hand that became famous not only in Japan, but throughout the world, still appearing in various video games and animated films.
The first step towards creating the image of Nintendo that everyone knows today was taken in 1978, when the company tried its hand at the production of electronic games. Naturally, there was no talk of any game consoles or portable consoles yet - all efforts were thrown into production slot machines, which in two years managed not only to appear in many bars and gaming salons in Japan, but also stepped over the ocean, thanks to the American division of the company, which opened in 1980.

However, something resembling portable consoles nevertheless appeared at the same stage of the company's development. Watching a businessman trying to entertain himself on a flight with a pocket calculator gave the company's lead engineer, Gunpei Yokoi, the idea of ​​creating a simple pocket game. This is how Game & Watch appeared, which became famous in the countries of the former USSR, thanks to an illegal clone, produced under the name "Electronics".

In the course of promoting its products in the United States, Nintendo developed a rather unusual game for those times, Donkey Kong, which at first was extremely negatively perceived by American distributors - at that time, sports games and space simulators were in the main demand, and funny game with a gorilla, a princess, and a man with a mustache didn't quite fit into any of these concepts.

It was the unrivaled success of Donkey Kong that inspired Nintendo to create the first home video game console. Such a step was not clear to many - this industry experienced a significant decline in interest in the early 80s, but Nintendo nevertheless created the Famicom home console in 1983, and two years later, when all of Japan was captured by new entertainment, they re-released it in the USA, changed design and name. The American Nintendo Entertainment System gave the company worldwide fame and, perhaps, the largest and most loyal army of customers.

Deciding not to stop there, Nintendo began the development of a new gaming system, which was supposed to be a breakthrough in gaming industry those years. Despite the fact that the console became extremely popular and still warms the hearts of an entire generation, Nintendo made a very significant mistake during its development, which, a few years later, led to the appearance of the Sony PlayStation. But there were still five years before the fateful day, and Nintendo, thanks to its Super Nintendo, confidently outperformed its main competitor, Sega, on all fronts.

The next Nintendo game console had a laconic name: Nintendo 64. Despite its tangible technical superiority, it did not look particularly attractive against the backdrop of the Sony PlayStation that had appeared at that time. It was the period of the beginning of the second half of the 90s that should be considered the beginning of the decline in Nintendo's popularity. However, in our country, the development of the company at that time enjoyed popular love, this was especially noticeable by the prevalence of the clone of the first game console from Nintendo, which in our country was revived under the name Dendy.

Realizing that the cartridge was not the best gaming data carrier for the console of the 21st century, Nintendo nevertheless tried to improve and in 2001 released the GameCube, a set-top box that uses mini-DVDs to store games. The desire to be different from its main competitors: Playstation 2 and Xbox, once again led Nintendo to a dead end. The small size of miniDVD significantly limited the capabilities of the set-top box, which is why many developers prefer alternative platforms.

An attempt to correct this defect was made five years later. It was in 2006 that Nintendo released the Wii, which focused on party games and various sports. In many ways, this direction was demonstrated by the Wiimote controller, which made it possible to significantly diversify the gameplay by introducing the motion capture function into it.

Finally, in 2012, the company introduced the Wii U, the latest console to date to offer an unusual controller concept. We will not pay special attention to this console - it is quite new and the Network is literally replete with various reviews of this platform and games for it.

To date, Nintendo has focused on the party gaming sector, with the Wii U console being the cheapest product in the NextGen series of consoles. In addition, one cannot but mention the rather popular line of portable gaming systems that developed from the Game & Watch mentioned at the beginning of the article. First, the GameBoy line, and then the DS, became one of the most popular games new systems, characterized by innovation and non-standard approach to the gameplay. In general, despite the many mistakes made, Nintendo is still the most alive of all living things. In many ways, she owes this state of affairs to a huge fan base and bright characters, among which there is both recognizable by all Mario, and less well-known in our country, but no less popular in the west, Link is the main character of the Legend Of Zelda game series.

We spent enough time alone with the Nintendo Switch to tell everything about it.

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New hybrid attachment from the company nintendo appeared on sale only today, March 3, but we have already managed to try it out ... including for a tooth! And now we will tell you about everything you need to know before buying. Nintendo Switch.

This is the box that came into our hands.

What's inside?

In a big nice box we found a docking station, Joy-Con controllers with holders for them, a power supply, an HDMI cable, the Nintendo Switch itself and instructions for all this.

And here's what we found inside.

This is a standard set, but you can buy a lot more interesting things: a Nintendo Switch Pro controller (in many ways similar to a gamepad for Xbox One), a charging Joy-Con holder, a case with a protective film, and additional joycons. And we remind you that there are no cartridges with games in the basic configuration.

An additional gamepad and a branded case are an optional but very useful purchase.

The highlight of the program

What is a console? Touch screen, slots for controllers to the right and left of it, several connectors on the top and bottom faces. On the top you'll find the POWER button, volume controls, standard audio jack and cartridge slot, and on the bottom is the charging jack. The console is also equipped with speakers.

The rear panel has space for memory cards and a retractable stand, thanks to which you do not have to hold the Switch in your hands all the time. On our own, we add that the console is perfectly fixed in a vertical position: the leg does not slip and does not allow the screen to fall. And even if you accidentally disconnect it from the Switch itself, don't worry - it's meant to be. To prevent the stand from breaking prematurely, Nintendo made it so that it "releases" with excessive pressure.

This is what we are all here for!

Specifications

There were experiments in the history of Nintendo. One of them was the Virtual Boy device, which works with three-dimensional graphics. In fact, the console turned out to be a kind of virtual reality helmet. True, there was little sense from him at that time - there were not enough suitable technologies. Not surprisingly, the device failed to sell in both Japan and the US.

After the failure of Virtual Boy, the Japanese publisher continued to experiment, but not on such a scale. In 1996, the Nintendo 64 appeared with an unusually shaped gamepad. On this controller, you could play in any way: either with the usual buttons and a D-pad, or with a joystick (it came in handy in games where you had to control something flying). The Nintendo 64 was much more successful than the Virtual Boy, and it brought its owners legendary Super Mario 64 , Mario Kart 64 , Star Fox 64 , Golden Eye 007 , The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time , Banjo Kazooie and Super Smash Brothers.

In 1998, a new portable nintendo console- Game Boy Color, equipped with an LCD display with NES-level color gamut. One of the most popular games on this device was the next part Pokémon, traditionally divided into two games - Gold and Silver.

In 2001, the Nintendo GameCube was released in Japan and the United States (and in Europe six months later), the first console of the Japanese giant that did not support cartridges. True, even here it was not without “innovations”. While competitors - PlayStation 2 and Xbox - "read" DVD, GameCube was friends with mini-DVD. But this hardly affected the quality of games for the Nintendo console. The owners of the device at different times received Resident Evil Zero , Metroid Prime , Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes , Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and Crazy Taxi .

Also in 2001, Nintendo released another handheld console, the Game Boy Advance, the successor to the Game Boy Color. The new device introduced players to Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance , Spyro: Season of Ice , Grand Theft Auto Advance and Sonic Advance .

So we got to recent history Nintendo. In 2004, the portable Nintendo DS appeared on the market - a “clamshell console” with two screens, one of which is touchscreen. A few years later, the Japanese company will return to a similar form factor to create another handheld, and in the mid-2000s, DS owners enjoyed a pet care simulator. Nintendogs and magnificent Pokemon Black and pokemon white.

Meanwhile, in the field of home consoles, a real revolution was being prepared - the working name of the new Nintendo console sounded like Revolution. True, for the release in 2006, the console was still renamed the Wii. The beauty of the device was in the Wii Remote controllers, which tracked their position in space. This led to the emergence of a large number of games where players had to jump, run in place, wave their arms - all in order to win.

The ideas behind the Nintendo DS were developed in the Nintendo 3DS, another handheld console released in 2010. The name speaks for itself - the device differed little from its predecessor in appearance, but it supported 3D. Even special glasses were not required to see the three-dimensional image. 3DS to this day is more alive than all the living and has a huge library wonderful games: from next Pokémon to new (and updated) The Legend of Zelda.

Then there was the upgrade to the 3DS New, but you know that.

Finally, the last (until today) Nintendo home console is the Wii U. The idea behind which the Switch now works is also visible in the previous console, which entered the market in 2012. The Wii U has a special gamepad with a separate screen that you can play on without watching what's on TV. Of course, it is impossible to call the Wii U a fully hybrid console, but it undoubtedly played its role in the emergence of the Switch.

Dock station

One of the most common questions is “how long will a new portable device last?”. Nintendo claims that you can definitely play for three hours. By the way, about charging! Two options were found here: recharge through a cable or through a docking station. Let's consider both.

If you plug the console into a power outlet, you can continue to play on it without any problems. Yes, it will warm up more, but it's not scary. Things are much more interesting with the docking station. After inserting the Switch into it, you no longer see the screen.

This is what the docking station looks like with the console inside.

This is where we remember the HDMI cable and use it to connect the station and the TV (or monitor, if there is the right connector). And here we are on the big screen! The sound then automatically goes to the TV speakers or headphones. True, our editors were confused by the fact that the Switch does not stay in the docking station. The console enters and exits completely freely, which means that at any tilt it can fly out and, what good, break on a hard surface. And during charging, it is not strong, but noticeably beats with current. A trifle, but unpleasant!

The docking station lets you bring your favorite game to the big screen while your Switch charges.

Joycons can be recharged along with the console by simply inserting them into the side slots. Keep track of the charge level of your remotes and do not forget that there are two of them, which means that they can be discharged in different ways.

Welcome to Menu

The Switch interface is intuitive. In the upper right corner of the screen, the time, Wi-Fi connection and battery level are shown, in the opposite - the icon of your account. You will be prompted to create an avatar from two parts: a one-color background and a Nintendo character on it. Here you can choose from Mario, and Link, and the Inklings from Splatoon! A little lower, the game icons lined up in a line, and at the very bottom - minimalist circles with the items "News", "Nintendo eShop", "Album", "Controllers", "System Settings" and "Standby Mode".

In the "News" section, Nintendo publishes useful tips and additional information about the console. "Nintendo eShop" is a local store. In the "Album" you will find your screenshots. The "Controllers" item will allow you to find out the charge level of the joycons. Here you will also find a list of all controllers connected to your console. In the "System Settings" section, you can enable parental controls, change the screen brightness, and also activate the "airplane mode". Simplified settings can be accessed by holding the button HOME. Well, the name of the last menu item - "Standby" - speaks for itself. It’s hard to get confused in such a menu, as if everything is in its place, as it should be. Visually, it also does not irritate.

Taste the game!

One of distinctive features new console - small cartridges. So that children would be less tempted to gnaw on them (they can choke!), they decided to cover plastic rectangles with a bitter composition. Naturally, we could not resist the temptation to try the novelty for a tooth.

For reasons of hygiene, one cartridge was tested by two, each got his own side. Anna's opinion has already been recorded in the review (look a little lower in the text). But another tester ... liked it. So if you like undiluted aloe juice and coffee without sugar, it is quite possible that the bitterness of the cartridges will not scare you away, but, on the contrary, will become a pleasant addition. Just don't get carried away! And then the bitterness of the cartridge can be mixed with pain from the accidental destruction of a carrier with a game worth more than four thousand rubles!

Feelings of the game

Below we describe our impressions of gameplay on Nintendo Switch. Treat this as the subjective opinion of the authors, because everything can be completely different for you! We played the new Zelda and will build on that experience.

Opinion of Anna Braslavets, editor of Igromania

Locations are loaded on average in ten seconds. Not so long, but the thought manages to flash: "Well, when already?!" But we did not notice any lags. And the temperature of the console does not rise much.

The first hour of the game, the controls seem damn uncomfortable. We tried playing in all positions of the joycons (tied to the hands, inserted into the holder, and so on), and this did not speed up the addiction in any way. But after "acclimatization" everything went like clockwork! There is one “but”: it still feels stupid when you hold the controllers in your hands and they are not connected to anything. Years spent with a gamepad makes the brain doubt that you are doing everything right. However, my colleague Dmitry has a different opinion on this issue ...

And further. Everyone has already read about the protection of cartridges from children. Nintendo made the game cards very bitter so that little gamers wouldn't chew or swallow them. And you know, they really taste disgusting. So don't even try! Don't repeat my mistakes!

Opinion of Dmitry Shepelev, editor of Igromania

Either something was wrong with my eye, or it was filmed at special angles, but the Switch turned out to be much longer than I imagined. This is an impressive board. Heaped board for twenty-five thousand rubles. It is quite justifiably called the largest and most powerful of the portables.

End of the nineteenth century. Private shop selling Japanese playing cards. Fusajiro Yamauchi is behind the counter. He did not even suspect that in 127 years his shop would turn into one of the leading companies in the field of video games, which would hook a huge number of people on some pocket monsters. Yes, we are talking about Nintendo (任天堂 - short for several words, stands for "heaven bless diligence"). We offer you to plunge into the past for a couple of minutes, soak up the history of this famous company.

From playing cards to taxi service

Hanafuda playing cards

At first, cards were in demand only among individuals, but soon the Japanese mafia became interested in them, which made hanafuda the most popular gambling countries. Business went up quickly. Fusajiro soon realized that it was time to expand. Then it was decided to open a second store. The city of Osaka was chosen as the location. At the same time, Yamauchi began to develop new versions of the Hanafuda game. Money went, the goods found a buyer.

The first Nintendo logo

The year 1949 has come. Sekiryo's successor is his grandson, Hiroshi Yamauchi. But when Yamauchi Jr. took over as manager, many workers expressed their concerns about the new owner of the company. Therefore, Hiroshi acted simply and at the same time cruelly - he fired all those who were dissatisfied.

Hiroshi Yamauchi

Hanafuda playing cards with Mickey Mouse

Game&Watch, Mario, Dendy - the peak of popularity

Game console Famicom (short for "Family Computer")

First toy - Ultra Hand

Magnavox Odyssey

Game&Watch with its Soviet equivalent

Pokemon: 20 years together

Gunpei Yokoi

Game Boy Advance color game console

Virtual Boy - the prototype of modern VR helmets

Game console Nintendo 64

In 2002, Hiroshi Yamauchi transferred leadership to the company, under which projects such as the Nintendo DS / 3DS, Nintendo Wii were created. But a growing market mobile games(Android, iOS) Ivat didn't seem to see it. And only in 2015, Nintendo finally decided to release several games on mobile platforms. The first one is interactive. social network where each participant creates their own character.

So we come to the present, to the Nintendo that we know. Do you think Yamauchi Sr. would be proud of his grandson's success?

nintendo is a world-famous Japanese corporation whose main activity is the creation of game consoles and game content. The company gained great popularity in the 80s, but it itself has existed since the beginning of the twentieth century. Let's take a closer look at how the company has developed from the beginning to the present day.

How it all began

Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, September 23, 1889, opens a small company called Nintendo Koppai, specializing in the production of playing cards. They were handmade and had a beautiful design, which helped them gain popularity throughout Japan in a short time.

Due to the absence of a son, Fusajiro's son-in-law, Sekiryo, turns out to be the successor to the business. He founded the Marufuku Company in 1947 to distribute playing cards. After some time, he faces a similar problem of not having heirs in the family (inheritance in Japan at that time was passed only to males) to transfer the family business. In the end, after a series of family problems and deteriorating health, the case goes to his grandson Hiroshi.

toy factory

Nintendo Company Limited The company acquired this name in 1963. In the meantime, from the production of playing cards, the company is slowly but surely entering the toy market in Japan.

A good find for Nintendo is the craftsman Gunpei Yokoi, whose projects are popular throughout the country. Especially famous for his mechanical toy Ultra hand, which is sold out in millions of copies and brings the company out of the financial crisis. Nintendo soon opens a toy factory and the products are distributed throughout Japan, gaining more and more fans.

Slot machines

The next step in the promotion was the development in the field of slot machines. Nintendo even creates a special department dedicated to their development. With the advent of 1980, Nintendo creates its subsidiary in New York with Minoru Arakawa at the head. It was at this time that developers create their first portable "console" - Game & Watch. It was powered by salt batteries and had a simple liquid crystal display built into it. Balls became the first toy for this device.

In the same year, Shigeru Miyamoto creates a game Donkey Kong. The plot developed simply: the character, later named Mario (and at that time simply called Jumpman), had to save the hostage Paulina, who was forcibly held by the villain - the gorilla Donkey Kong. Mario could jump, run and pick up a hammer.

Not causing much excitement, over time, the game began to attract more and more attention. Not much time passed, as the machines with this game began to break records. The arcade became a hit in both America and Japan.

Litigation with Universal

In 1982, when the peak of Donkey Kong's popularity subsided a little and the corporation acquired its representative office in Seattle, the Universal film studio begins legal proceedings against them. The stumbling block was that the former do not have the right to call their creation by its name, because its pronunciation is very similar to the character of their company King Kong. But thanks to the skillful lawyer Howard Lincoln, the Japanese corporation wins.

The very first console

family computer or famicom- that was the name of the company's first eight-bit console, which won almost the entire market in Japan at the end of 1983. In 1985, the Famicom moved to the United States, renaming itself to , and breaking records already in the American market. One of the popular toys developed for the Family Computer was super mario.

You can learn more about "yushka" by.

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo's latest console. It was officially released in March 2017 and has a number of features:

hybrid console. Usually used as a home console for games, but it is possible to pull the main unit out of the docking station and use it as a tablet, that is, as a portable console.

Unique JoyCon controllers. They can be used as regular controllers, or connected to play in tablet mode. You can give one JoyCon to a friend and play multiplayer games.

Nintendo Corporation has left an indelible mark on the global gaming industry. Starting with the trading of playing cards, today it has reached immeasurable heights in the field of innovative technologies.

A leading global innovator in interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Kyoto, Japan), manufactures and markets hardware and software for the Nintendo Switch™ home game console and the Nintendo 3DS™ family of handheld systems. Since the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System™ in 1983, Nintendo has sold over 4.7 billion video games and over 740 million devices worldwide, including the Nintendo Switch™ and Nintendo 3DS family systems (New Nintendo 3DS™, New Nintendo 3DS XL). ™, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL™, Nintendo 2DS™) and Nintendo DS™, Nintendo DSi™, Nintendo DSi™ XL, Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™ , Wii™ and Wii U™. In addition, the company has created such recognizable gaming industry brands as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™.

Established in 1990, Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany and is the head office of Nintendo Corporation in Europe.

History of Nintendo on the world stage from 1889 to 1979

1889

Fusahiro Yamauchi began manufacturing the Japanese Hanafuda (Flower) playing cards in Kyoto.

1902

Mr. Yamauchi started the production of the first Western-style playing cards in Japan. The cards were originally intended for export, but the products have become as popular in Japan as in the rest of the world.

1933

Yamauchi Nintendo & Co. was founded on the principles of full partnership.

1947

Mr. Yamauchi founded the distribution company Marufuku Co. Ltd.

1950

Hiroshi Yamauchi took over as president and head of production at Yamauchi Nintendo & Co.

1951

The company was renamed Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd.

1952

The combined factories of the company were located in different parts of the city of Kyoto (Japan).

1953

Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd. was the first to succeed in mass-producing plastic playing cards in Japan.

1959

The company launched playing cards with Walt Disney characters on the market and opened up a new market for playing cards for children, starting a new boom.

1962

The company was admitted to trading on the second section of the Kyoto and Osaka stock exchanges.

1963

The company changed its name to Nintendo Co., Ltd. and, in addition to game cards, began producing games.

1969

Nintendo has expanded and strengthened its gaming department and built a factory in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture (Japan).

1970

The company was admitted to trading on the first section of the Osaka Stock Exchange. The reconstruction and expansion of the main office of the company was completed. The company began selling Beam Gun toys based on optoelectronics: in Japan, electronic technology was used for the first time in the gaming industry.

1973

The company developed an arcade-style light gun shooting game that competed with bowling for the title of mainstream entertainment in Japan.

1974

Nintendo developed an image projection system for arcade machines using a 16mm film projector. The company began exporting such slot machines to the markets of America and Europe.

1975

In cooperation with Mitsubishi Electric, Nintendo developed a game system for the Japanese market using an Electronic Video Recording (EVR) player.

1976

A special microprocessor was introduced for the Nintendo gaming system.

1977

The company has developed the following home video games with Mitsubishi Electric: TV Game 15 and TV Game 6.

1978

In March, Nintendo released a simple desktop gaming machine, Computer Othello, with a game based on Reversi. On the screen, the green, white, and black pieces for playing Reversi were replaced by squares and pluses, respectively. Computer Othello did not have a joystick, and was controlled by ten colored buttons for each player.

1979

Minoru Arakawa, son-in-law of Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi, opened a Nintendo of America office in New York. Nintendo opened a division dedicated to arcade games.

Nintendo's history on the world stage from 1980 to 1990

1980

A subsidiary of Nintendo of America is founded in New York. Nintendo launched the GAME & WATCH product line in the Japanese market, the first handheld game with an LCD screen and a microprocessor.

Shigeru Miyamoto, a Nintendo staff artist, created the Donkey Kong game. Main character game, originally named Jumpman, is a carpenter who saves his girlfriend Paulina from a crazy monkey. During the opening of the main office of its representative office in America by Nintendo, due to the similarity between Jumpman and their landlord Mario Segali, the character was given a new name - Mario.

1981

Nintendo developed and released the game Donkey Kong to the arcade market. These slot machines immediately became one of the best-selling in the industry.

1983

The company built a new factory in Uji City to increase production capacity and expand business. In July, Nintendo was admitted to trading on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, after which development began on the Family Computer (Famicom) home video game console using a third-party processor and video controller.

1984

Nintendo developed and marketed a unique, interactive dual-screen arcade video game called VS. System. At the same time, the company launched the Famicom gaming system to the Japanese market, which was renamed the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) after the start of global sales. Outstanding games have been developed and released one after another - from such hits as Excitebike, Super Mario Bros. and Metroid, to The Legend of Zelda and Punch-Out! One of them, Super Mario Bros., quickly conquered the whole world and became an absolute hit. According to research at the time, the kids knew Mario at least as well as they knew Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny.

1986

In Europe, sales of the Nintendo Entertainment System began, which immediately became a bestseller and one of the most needed things in the house across the continent. Nintendo developed and launched the Family Computer Disk Drive System in Japan to expand the capabilities of the Famicom console. The company also began widespread installation in Japan of special Disk Writer machines that allow you to rewrite games on floppy disks.

1987

Nintendo hosted a golf tournament at the Famicom in Japan to test communication using the public telephone network and special disk fax devices, and to help build the Famicom's network.

1988

The company designed and built a unique controller for the NES, making the console accessible to an even wider range of Nintendo fans. Library NES games increased to 65 titles, which helped to attract the attention of a more adult audience to this system.

1989

The Game Boy, the first portable handheld game system with interchangeable game cartridges, was introduced in Japan along with Tetris.

1990

Japan entered the 16-bit market with the release of the Super Famicom console. The Game Boy system was released to the European market and actually started the worldwide triumph of the Nintendo handheld system.

In June, a subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, was established with headquarters in Grossostheim, Germany.

Nintendo's history on the global stage from 1991 to the present

1992

In June, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Famicom) went on sale in Europe. Over 46 million copies of this console have been sold worldwide. In Japan, the Super NES Super Scope light gun and the Super NES Mouse bundled with Mario Paint are on sale. The highly anticipated sequel to the Zelda series, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, has also been released on the Super NES.

1993

The Super FX chip, a technological breakthrough for home gaming systems, was announced. In April, the first game to use the Super FX chip, Star Wing, was released.

Nintendo of the Netherlands was established to curate and distribute Nintendo products in the Netherlands instead of Bandai. Other subsidiaries have also been formed in France, the UK, Spain, Belgium and Australia.

1994

Sales of a special device Super Game Boy began, expanding the range of games for the Super NES. Nintendo has been instrumental in the development and implementation of a ratings system for the gaming industry in the United States. The year also saw the emergence of a game that set a new standard in game art with its proprietary Advanced Computer Modeling (ACM) graphics technology. That game was Donkey Kong Country, which stormed store shelves during the US holiday season.

The Nintendo Gateway system was launched, allowing the introduction of Super Nintendo consoles with certain games SNES in civil aviation aircraft for the entertainment of passengers on board.

1995

Following on from the success of Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Land, developed with ACM graphics, was introduced to the Game Boy system. With this addition to the Game Boy system lineup, Nintendo also introduced the "Play It Loud!" Game Boy systems with different case colors. ACM-graphics appeared in a new project for the Super NES - a crushing arcade Killer Instinct. In Japan, Nintendo's new SatellaView adapter for the Super Famicom began selling, allowing the system to receive digital satellite data. At the same time, Nintendo introduced the 32-bit Virtual Boy system, which simulates virtual reality.

Nintendo improved the quality of the ACM graphics for the upcoming game "Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest" and released the games "Cruis" n USA "and" Killer Instinct "for arcades.

Nintendo has released its one billionth game cartridge.

1996

On June 23, sales of the Nintendo 64 began in Japan. Thousands lined up from those who wanted to be the first to be in amazing worlds new 64-bit home gaming system. On the first day of sales, more than 500,000 copies of the system were sold. In early September, another Nintendo system was launched, the Game Boy Pocket, a sleeker, 30% smaller version of the world's most popular handheld console.

Many have dubbed Super Mario 64 the "greatest video game of all time". Meanwhile, the third game in the Donkey Kong series, "Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble", was released for the Super NES. Pokémon, the Game Boy's new gaming phenomenon, was released in Japan on February 26.

1997

March marked the start of sales of the Nintendo 64 console in Europe, with 2.3 million copies sold in a year. Nintendo showed off a vibration cartridge to the general public, allowing gamers to experience realistic vibration and feedback from what is happening in the game.

1998

Nintendo unveiled the Game Boy Color and innovative new Game Boy Camera and Printer devices, reviving the longest-running hit in the history of interactive entertainment. Game Boy Color systems were introduced in two new color options, magenta and transparent magenta.

The eagerly awaited sequel to the Nintendo 64 saga, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, is now on sale, setting new standards for the genre and breaking pre-order records at the time.

1999

On October 8, Nintendo released the Pokémon game to the European market. Nintendo has expanded its library of quality software with innovations such as Pokémon Snap and Pokémon Pinball, the latter with built-in vibration. Sales of the following hits began: Mario Golf, Donkey Kong 64 and Perfect Dark. Also during the summer, the Game Boy Color lineup was replenished with new color options: red, green, yellow and blue.

Nintendo has revealed the first details of a new system based on the IBM Gekko processor and Matsushita's (Panasonic's) unique DVD technology.

2000

The Nintendo Game Boy became the best-selling console of all time, surpassing the milestone of 100 million units sold. Meanwhile, the Pokémon brand continued its phenomenal march around the world, and Nintendo celebrated this success with a special limited edition of the Pikachu Nintendo 64 console. The N64 library of classic games was replenished with such hits as "The Legend of Zelda: Majora" s Mask "," Ridge Racer 64 " and Mario Tennis.

Nintendo of the Netherlands was given responsibility for the Belgian and Dutch markets and was renamed Nintendo Benelux. Meanwhile, Nintendo's head office was moved to the Minami area of ​​Kyoto, Japan.

2001

In January, Nintendo was established in the United Kingdom (Nintendo UK) with a new office in Slough, Berkshire. On April 6, 2001, Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver for the Game Boy Color were launched simultaneously and were successful. Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver sold over a million copies in their first week, making them the best-selling games in Europe. The Game Boy Advance was released on March 21 in Japan, June 11 in the US, and June 22 in all of Europe. In the first week in Europe, 500,000 copies of the console were sold - this was an absolute record for sales of all time. The success of the Game Boy Advance's market launch was fueled by the success of the simultaneous release of such favorites as "Super Mario Advance" and "F-Zero: Maximum Velocity".

The Nintendo GameCube was released to the market on September 14, 2001 in Japan and November 18, 2001 in America. By December, a total of 2.7 million copies had been shipped, of which 95% were sold out. Thanks to the successful sales of Luigi's Mansion and Super Smash Bros. Melee" both became flagship brands for the console.

On December 1st, the Game Boy Advance e-Reader launched in Japan, opening up new facets of handheld gameplay. Various game information written to the e-Reader card could be read using the e-Reader and transferred to the Game Boy Advance console.

2002

On January 2, Nintendo's representative office in Italy (Nintendo Italia) was opened with an office in Milan. The Game Boy Advance is now available in two new editions, Black and Platinum, and has now surpassed 5 million units sold across Europe. On March 15, the smallest console in the world, Pokémon mini, and four games for it, including Pokémon mini Party and Pokémon mini Pinball, went on sale across Europe.

On February 22, Nintendo, Sega and Namco announced the joint development of the TRIFORCE 3D computer graphics card for the next generation of arcade machines. On May 3, the Nintendo GameCube console began selling in Europe with a million copies and a suggested retail price of 199 euros, as well as twenty new games for it. Since then, it has been joined on the shelves by the thrilling new adventure Super Mario Sunshine, the revolutionary Nintendo WaveBird wireless controller, and over a hundred titles across a variety of genres.

At the end of May, after 52 years at Nintendo, President Hiroshi Yamauchi announced his resignation and named Satoru Iwata as his successor. By the end of 2002, the Game Boy Advance had sold over 25 million units worldwide.

2003

In March, following the success of the Game Boy Advance, the game system Boy Advance SP, which differed from its predecessor in a comfortable clamshell design. The new system also became very successful.

March also saw the release of the stunning Metroid Prime, which fans and critics have dubbed as one of the best games for the Nintendo GameCube. The celebration of the first birthday of the Nintendo GameCube marked the release in May of the eagerly awaited The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, bringing one of Nintendo's most famous brands to the new system in stunning hand-drawn graphics.

In June, the Game Boy Player add-on for the Nintendo GameCube was released, allowing you to enjoy your Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on your TV screen. Also in June, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire was released, and the Pokémon phenomenon made its first appearance on the Game Boy Advance.

October saw the return of the beloved brand in the form of "Mario Kart: Double Dash!!" for the Nintendo GameCube.

2004

In January, the world witnessed the announcement of Nintendo's "mysterious system": a handheld console with two screens and touch display technology, the Nintendo DS.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were released on the Game Boy Advance in the fall, continuing the success of the Pokémon phenomenon.

Various special editions of the Game Boy Advance were also released throughout Europe in 2004: Tribal Edition (June), Classic NES Edition (July), Limited Pink Edition (October), Zelda Limited Edition (November), and Mario Limited Edition (November).

Toward the end of the year, the Nintendo DS console was successfully launched in the US and Japan. The new dual screen system also featured support for wireless networking, touch display technology, and backwards compatibility with Game Boy Advance games.

2005

On March 11, the Nintendo DS console was released to the European market, immediately recognized as a success. By June, over a million copies of this system had been sold in Europe.

Meanwhile, Nintendo introduced the Game Boy Micro. The ultra-stylish Game Boy Micro boasted a backlit LCD screen while measuring just 10cm x 5cm.

2006

In 2006, the Nintendo DS rose to the top of the gaming world as the most popular handheld console thanks to unique games that everyone liked. Thanks to players from all over Europe, Animal Crossing: Wild World, New Super Mario Bros and Metroid Prime: Hunters have become bestsellers.

With the advent of Nintendogs, a new game brand "Touch! Generations" was introduced, under which many games with innovative gameplay and controls were introduced. One of the most popular games in the "Touch! Generations" series - "Dr Kawashima's Brain Training" - was loved even by people who had never played before.

In June, the redesigned Nintendo DS was re-released as the Nintendo DS Lite, with a streamlined shape and brighter displays.

This year culminated in the release of the Wii console to the market. With its innovative control system, the new home console has been appreciated by both Nintendo fans and people who don't normally play video games. The console's success has been fueled by games such as Wii Sports and the latest installment in the Zelda series, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Even before the release of the Wii console, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata held a series of internal meetings with Nintendo employees and external developers, shedding light on what was going on behind the scenes of the company and on the process of bringing new devices and software to the market. The "Iwata Asks" series of interviews will also continue in the coming years, regularly revealing the internals of the company both past and present.

2007

With the release of the Wii console in late 2006, the stage was set for 2007 to see a number of games taking advantage of the system's unique advantages, and the doors were thrown wide open to an entirely new gaming audience.

Games such as "WarioWare: Smooth Moves", "Endless Ocean" and "Big Brain Academy" for the Wii offered an entertainment experience for everyone, regardless of previous experience. gaming experience, and "Super Mario Galaxy" and "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption" revived the iconic Nintendo gaming brands with unique new experiences that only the Wii can offer.

In September, fans of the classic games had the opportunity to participate in the celebration of the first Hanabi Festival (Hanabi Festival) on the virtual console. Millions of European Wii players saw games such as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and other classics never before seen in Europe at the festival for the first time.

In November, the Mii Contest Channel was launched on the Wii, where players can use created Mii characters in themed competitions. This channel continues the tradition of providing players with the tools to express their creativity and seamlessly transition from passive play to active participation in the creation of Nintendo products.

The Nintendo DS games, "Sight Training: Enjoy Exercising and Relaxing Your Eyes", as well as "More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima", expanded the "Touch! Generations" series and continued to attract new users. Another milestone was the release of the new Legend of Zelda title, Phantom Hourglass, which put players in control of all exploration and action on the Nintendo DS touchscreen.

On December 6, the redesigned Nintendo website in Europe was launched. Leaving behind the purple hues of the Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance, the new website aims to bring the look and feel of the Nintendo DS and Wii to the web.

Also in December, almost simultaneously with the release of the Wii Zapper light gun, "Link's Crossbow Training" was released, expanding the ways you can interact with the Wii and ending a year that has witnessed the first exposure of a huge new audience to games on Nintendo systems.

2008

In 2008, many games were released that quickly fell in love with the general public. The success was based on attracting a growing number of gamers who were first introduced to the world of gaming through the Wii and Nintendo DS consoles; while the company still tried to take into account the interests of long-time fans of Nintendo.

In April, the Wii Fit and Wii Balance Board stormed the shelves in Europe, bringing home entertainment and fitness control to every member of the family. Released later this year mario game The Kart Wii and the Wii Wheel accessory bring players of all ages and abilities together in classic Mario Kart gameplay for beginners and experts alike.

Continuing the recent trends on the Nintendo DS, the games "Professor Kageyama's Maths Training" and "Cooking Guide: Can't decide what to eat?" were released, which once again expanded the scope of possible applications of gaming systems, turning calculations into fun entertainment and offering users a helping hand in the kitchen, and with the advent of the game "Professor Layton and the Curious Village" not only young, but also adult players will scratch their heads in bewilderment and look for solutions to mathematical puzzles.

May saw the launch of the WiiWare game download service, offering Wii owners access to a variety of new and affordable game titles that can be purchased through the Wii Shop Channel from the comfort of their homes. Also launched is another new service, Nintendo Channel for Wii, through which users can get information, news and latest interviews on upcoming games.

In June, South Africa was added to the list of available countries on the Nintendo of Europe website.

Two more anticipated Wii games were released by the end of the year. In Shigeru Miyamoto's debut project in the genre music games, Wii Music, entire families could get together and freely experiment with playing a wide variety of musical instruments. The end of the year culminated in the release of Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City with support for the Wii Speak accessory. Using an Internet connection and visiting each other's cities in the game, users can communicate with each other as if they were in the same room.

2009

In March 2009, Nintendo Iberica S.A. opened a branch office in Lisbon to provide marketing and sales services for Nintendo products in Portugal. That same month, Nintendo announced that it had surpassed the 100 millionth worldwide sales of the Nintendo DS system.

A month later, the Nintendo DS line was replenished: the Nintendo DSi console appeared on the European market. The new handheld system boasted enhanced camera and audio capabilities that elevate the gaming experience to new level. The novelty has become an indispensable device for those who have ever tried DS.

Another major innovation was the introduction of the Nintendo DSiWare, which gave players the ability to download games and applications from an ever-growing library to give their handheld a more personal touch. Fun titles are on sale that give gamers the chance to express their creativity: Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again allows players to create and share their own levels, and free-to-play Flipnote Studio allows a whole community of budding animators to share their drawings with the rest of the world.

2009 also saw the release of the highly anticipated Pokémon Platinum Version and "Professor Layton and Pandora's Box" projects; At the same time, the phenomenon of physically active gaming took over the Nintendo DS console with the release of the game "Walk With Me: Do You Know Your Walking Routine?" and walking in the form of an interactive game.

A really hot game, Wii Sports Resort, was released this summer, complete with the Wii MotionPlus accessory for more accurate motion tracking. At Sunny Wuhu Island Resort, players can enjoy the most different types leisure activities, from swordsmanship to archery, with the new Wii MotionPlus controller. Later this year, the game became part of the limited edition Wii Sports Resort Pak, which comes with a sleek black version of the Wii console.

Wii Fit is back on the market in a new form - Wii Fit Plus offers even more ways to control the fitness of each family member. A tool was added to it that allows you to measure calories, as well as the function of compiling individual workouts. In this way, a new version The popular program gives even more convenience and opportunities to control your physical form.

November saw the release of the long-awaited New Super Mario Bros. Wii, with up to 4 players now able to participate in Mario adventures for the first time: for example, experienced players help beginners storm Bowser Castle; as a result, the gaming audience is expanding due to new players, while playing is no less interesting for longtime Mario fans. Also, this part introduced the Super Guide feature for the first time, allowing players to ask Luigi to complete a difficult level for them, this will help newcomers not get stuck at some point before the end of the game.

2010

In January, Nintendo announced that it would act as distributor for the game. monster hunter Tri for Wii in Europe through the 3rd Party Support Program. This is how the Japanese video game phenomenon with free online mode and full Wii Speak support debuted on Nintendo systems.

February saw the release of a limited edition pink Nintendo Dsi system that came with Style Boutique, a 2009 game in which you have to manage your own fashion store.

The Nintendo DS line of handheld game systems expanded in March with the introduction of the Nintendo DSi XL in Europe. In addition to all the features of the original Nintendo DSi, the new Nintendo DSi XL boasted larger screens with better viewing angles, an improved and more comfortable stylus, and pre-installed Nintendo DSiWare games and applications.

That same month, Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Versio hit store shelves, and WarioWare: Do It Yourself was released on Nintendo DS family systems in April.

In the summer, players were pleased with the release of Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Wii. The 2007 sequel to Super Mario Galaxy included new power-ups, crazy gravity adventures, and the return of Yoshi. In August, Nintendo added Art Academy: Learn Painting and Drawing Techniques with Step-by-Step Training to its portfolio. Thanks to the touch display of the Nintendo DS, any user could learn how to draw impressive pictures. The iconic Nintendo hero returns to the Wii with METROID: Other M, which was released in Europe in September.

Also in September, Nintendo began celebrating the 25th birthday of the main gaming icons— Mario. Exactly a quarter of a century ago, Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan. The release of several limited editions of consoles and gaming systems was timed to coincide with this date.

The celebrations capped off with the release of Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition on the Wii in December. On the shelves, Mario was joined by his longtime rival with the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii.

2011

In early 2011, the Nintendo 3DS system was introduced, allowing you to view content in stereoscopic 3D without special glasses. Simultaneously with the system, a whole line of games was released, which included the Nintendo-developed games Pilotwings Resort and nintendogs + cats. In May, the catalog of games was replenished with Steel Diver and Dead or Alive Dimensions, which were distributed in Europe by Nintendo. Wii owners weren't forgotten either, with Mario Sports Mix and Kirby's Epic Yarn released in February.

Nintendo has continued to expand its library of Nintendo 3DS games, with the launch of the Nintendo eShop in June giving users access to exclusive Nintendo 3DS titles, classic titles on Virtual Console and over 1,000 DSiWare games. That same month, Nintendo 3DS owners got a fresh take on a classic with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, which boasted improved graphics and new features, including motion controls.

In August, Wii owners were waiting for one of the best games for this console - Xenoblade Chronicles. This colossal RPG boasted an innovative combat system, unique characters and a rich game world. Nintendo DS owners could embark on their own unique adventure with Inazuma Eleven, a game that combined football and RPG elements. The game was created by the LEVEL-5 studio, which develops games from the Professor Layton series.

Throughout 2011, Nintendo held various events to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series. Available for free for a limited time in September The game Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition on DSiWare, and later a special symphony concert, The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert Tour, took place in London. The festivities culminated with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii in November, as well as the release of special gold-colored Wii Plus Remotes.

November and December saw a plethora of games for all tastes: Mario explored new worlds on the Nintendo 3DS in SUPER MARIO 3D LAND and tried his hand at racing in Mario Kart 7. Varied and innovative gameplay awaited players in Professor Layton and the Specter's Call, Kirby's Adventure Wii and Pullblox.

2012

2012 was an important milestone for Nintendo. This year saw the release of a new home console, the Wii U, as well as a new handheld gaming system, the Nintendo 3DS XL.

Epic RPG The Last Story from the makers of Final Fantasy came out on the Wii in February. Also this month, the first European Nintendo Direct was held, where Nintendo shared the latest news with its fans. In March, Wii owners enjoyed Mario Party 9 and PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond, and Kid Icarus: Uprising, the first game in the Kid Icarus series in over 20 years, was released on Nintendo 3DS.

In July, the new Nintendo 3DS XL gaming system was unveiled, featuring the largest screens ever seen on a handheld system from Nintendo. A number of game projects were released in the summer: the musical rhythm game Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise on Wii, strategy Pokémon Conquest and the New Art Academy, which continued to teach fine arts to players. Released in August game New Super Mario Bros. 2, in which players were asked to collect a whole million gold coins.

In October, such popular projects for the Nintendo DS as Pokémon White Version 2 and Pokémon Black Version 2, and the award-winning puzzle professor is back with Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask on Nintendo 3DS.

November marked the launch of Nintendo's new home console, the Wii U. This is the first Nintendo console to support graphics high resolution, also boasted an additional screen built into the Wii U GamePad controller, which opened up new possibilities for gameplay and interaction with games. A number of high-profile games were prepared for the launch of the Wii U, such as New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land, where friends and family can play with each other in new ways.

2013

In 2013, Nintendo continued to release innovative games for both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

In March, as part of the Year of Luigi, when we celebrated the 30th birthday of Mario's little brother, Luigi's Mansion 2, the sequel to the original game on the Nintendo GameCube, was released on Nintendo 3DS.

The collaboration between Nintendo and TT Games resulted in two exclusive LEGO titles: LEGO® CITY Undercover on Wii U and its prequel LEGO® CITY Undercover: The Chase Begins on Nintendo 3DS. Fire Emblem: Awakening arrived on Nintendo 3DS in April. In May, Donkey Kong came to the portable system with Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, and Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move appeared on the Nintendo eShop.

In June, Animal Crossing: New Leaf was released on the Nintendo 3DS, in which players could become the mayor of their own town filled with funny animals. Luigi's year picked up steam, and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. was released in July. on Nintendo 3DS and New Super Luigi U on Wii U. In the same month, the highly anticipated Pikmin 3, the first completely original strategy game in the series in nearly a decade, also came to Wii U.

In August, Nintendo, in collaboration with PlatinumGames Inc. released the action game The Wonderful 101 on Wii U. October brought players a new interpretation of the 2003 Nintendo GameCube classic with the release of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD remastered in high-definition graphics on Wii U. This was followed by exclusive projects from the Sonic the Hedgehog series: Sonic Lost World on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, and Wii Party U was released in October.

The Nintendo 2DS system, which can play all Nintendo 3DS games in 2D, was introduced in October. The release of the new system was accompanied by the release of games Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, in which players were waiting for new secrets and mysteries in the incredible region of Kalos.

In November, the first high-definition multiplayer Mario platform game, SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD, was released on Wii U. A trio of sports games have also arrived to keep players in shape during the cold winter months: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic winter games 2014 in Sochi, Wii Fit U and Wii Sports Club.

The year ended well for the Nintendo 3DS as well. In November, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was released, and Nintendo added a home version of the Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre to the Nintendo eShop. And ended the year with a new role-playing game from Square Enix for Nintendo 3DS under the name Bravely Default.

2014

Nintendo continued to delight players with unique projects in 2014, releasing exciting games for every taste.

In January, Mario Party: Island Tour, a mobile party game, was released on Nintendo 3DS. In February, the players were waiting for a whole waterfall of new products from Nintendo: the underwater strategy Steel Diver: Sub Wars, the football action game Inazuma Eleven 3: Team Ogre Attacks! and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

In the first half of the year, more and more iconic Nintendo characters appeared on the Nintendo 3DS. The following games have been released for this system: Yoshi's New Island, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Mario Golf: World Tour, Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kid Icarus: Uprising.

In May, the long-awaited Mario Kart 8 game for Wii U was released. The popular racing series for the first time boasted high-definition graphics and received well-deserved critical acclaim. Over 1.2 million copies of the game were sold in its opening weekend.

Pullblox World, a puzzle-filled game for Wii U, was released this summer. And Nintendo 3DS players got the chance to socialize and be creative with Tomodachi Life, Chibi-Robo! Let's Go Photo! and Pokémon Art Academy.

In September, Wii U players got into epic battles with The characters Legend of Zelda in Hyrule Warriors. And in October, Bayonetta 2 was released exclusively on Wii U, striking everyone with its incredible dynamism.

Nintendo 3DS owners, meanwhile, were immersed in fantastic adventures in role-playing Fantasy game Life from LEVEL-5, explored new worlds in Disney's Magical World, and set records in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, the first portable version of the beloved fighting game.

In November, the classic adventures got a new incarnation in games Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire for Nintendo 3DS. Meanwhile, the Ultimate NES Remix, the Mario Kart 8 add-on, and the much-anticipated Super Smash Bros. for Wii U kept players busy for the long winter months.

Even the curious little Pikmins got their share of fame by appearing in the PIKMIN Short Movies series. Three animated shorts appeared on Nintendo eShop in HD on Wii U and in 3D on Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo ended 2014 with the release of new amiibo of legendary characters such as Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, and Samus. These interactive figures, and later cards, are compatible with select games and feature Nintendo's best and most beloved worlds and characters.

2015

In 2015, Nintendo continued to delight and surprise fans with a powerful line that combines both fresh games, and continuations of well-known franchises.

Nintendo's most famous game series has been in the spotlight all year. In 2015 Super Mario Bros. turned 30 years old. Nintendo launched a Let's Super Mario campaign to celebrate the game's anniversary by asking fans to submit their Mario videos.

January saw the release of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker for the Wii U, in which Toad became the protagonist for the first time. February saw the addition of two systems to the Nintendo 3DS family: New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL. Each introduced a number of improvements. The emergence of new portable systems was accompanied by the release of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D - completely updated version favorite game from the Nintendo 64 era.

In March, Mario Party 10 was released and brought with it the first wave of amiibo figures from the Super Mario collection. In April, players were able to immerse themselves in the massive world of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D RPG on handheld systems thanks to the enhanced processing power of the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL.

In May, Wii U users brought paint back to Dreamland in Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush, before spilling ink and claiming territory in the colorful new shooter Splatoon. A fresh take on multiplayer online shooters helped the game become a hit, selling a million copies in its first month.

Summer kicked off for Nintendo with the release of the adorable Wii U game Yoshi’s Woolly World, which came with three cute Knitted Yoshi amiibo.

In September, Tatsumi Kimishima took over as president of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

At the same time, Mario fans were able to create and share their dream levels with Super Mario Maker for Wii U. By the end of the month, sales had reached one million copies worldwide.

In October, players received two fresh games based on the classic series for Nintendo 3DS: Co-op Multiplayer adventure Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, which launched the first series of Animal Crossing amiibo cards.

Several Wii U multiplayer games appeared in November: Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash and Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival. Nintendo 3DS owners are in for an adventure with Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash and get the chance to become fashion stars with Nintendo presents: New Style Boutique 2 - Fashion Forward.

The year ended with the release of two massive adventure role-playing games. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. is a fun, twisted adventure for Nintendo 3DS owners, while Wii U players get to explore the vast open world of Xenoblade Chronicles X.