Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo · 1983 – 1995

The NES single-handedly revived the video game industry after the crash of 1983. Released in Japan as the Famicom in 1983 and globally from 1985, the NES sold over 61 million units. Franchises born on the NES — Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania, Mega Man — remain the most valuable intellectual properties in gaming today.

Nintendo launched the NES in the US with a deliberate strategy to avoid the stigma of the video game crash: they marketed it as a toy and positioned it in toy stores alongside action figures. Super Mario Bros. bundled with the system became the best-selling game of its era. Third-party publishers like Capcom, Konami, and Namco produced titles that remain masterclasses of platform, action, and role-playing design. The NES's strict licensing system and iconic seal of quality restored consumer trust in video games.