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The Nintendo Entertainment System Turns Twenty
Tuesday July 15th 2003 is the 20th anniversary of the Nintendo Famicom being released in Japan. This day marks twenty years of Nintendo video game systems with modular games. Not only is the Nintendo Famicom or Nintendo Entertainment System is the most popular game system in history it can be argued that it proved that video games could be profitable again after the great video game crash of 1983. Video games is a mass media form of entertainment that reaches hundreds of millions of people but the games of the late 70's and early 80's might have faded out as a fad like Cabbage Patch Kids and Disco. It was and still is one hell of a machine capable of cranking out hours of fun. It re-birthed an industry and created an empire.
Let's take a look at the technical specifications of the 8-bit Nintendo system.
Nintendo Famicom/NES Technical Specs
Cpu : modified 6502 8-bit (NMOS) CPU speed:
CPU Speed : 1.79 Mhz RAM memory:
RAM : 16 Kbit (2 Kbyte) Video RAM:
Video RAM : 16 Kbit (2 Kbyte) Picture resolution:
Max Resolution : 256x240 pixels Colors Available:
Max Colors : 52 colors
Nintendo was a lifestyle. It was a way to connect with other kids at school. In elementary school we did not care much about sports and music but Nintendo was a universal past time that almost every kid in school loved.
Nintendo was generic. Everyone had one. Millions of systems were sold and there was no competition that even came close to the NES during it's height of popularity. I know that there was still Atari selling old 2600s and Sega had the Master System but they just did not do any damage.
Nintendo was fantasy. The NES allowed millions of children a way to expand their imagination. It let them to interact in roles beyond their day to day existence. The Baby-boomers can keep their LSD, I am glad to have my Nintendo.
Nintendo was standardized monopoly. The US Justice department investigated and found Nintendo engaging is monopolistic practices and price fixing. Nintendo took advantage of the rising yen and they were a large part of the US trade deficit with Japan. Nintendo was also strong armed with third party developers to discourage support for the competition's game systems. But Hiroshi Yamaguchi was a benevolent emperor of the video game market and video game players all over the world were ecstatic
Who can we thanks for the NES?
First off there is the ever ambitions and cut throat emperor of video games Hiroshi Yamauchi the mastermind of the modern Nintendo. He has retired finally but he still keeps the brass at Nintendo in line.
Gunpei Yokoi was a brilliant and innovative engineer who spent most of his career designing electronic toys enjoyed by millions. He designed the Famicom hardware and later on created the Gameboy. He died in an automotive accident and will be remembered kindly forever.
Shigeru Miyamoto. The man who is more important to creating video games than Shakespeare was at writing fiction. Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros, Legend of Zelda, Metroid are but a few games that this living legend has under his belt and he continues making hit games with no sign of slowing down. When the history of video games is written there will be multiple chapters on Shigeru Miyamoto.
What games did I play for the anniversary? Super Mario Bros 3, Legend of Zelda, Punchout, RC Pro Am and Metroid. Good times... good times..
Nintendo of Japan is having a contest for the Limited Famicom Edition GBA SP. I desire one but I will probably never have one. Damn.
Nintendo will always be with us and be a major player but there is too much competition for them to regain the standardized monopoly that they once had. If they keep making great game systems and even better games then I doubt that Sony and Microsoft can ever force them out of the market. Also the NES might be a cautionary tale for Microsoft. They need to realize that not all monopolies can be maintained forever.
I own two NES systems and over thirty games. I will never get rid of it or get bored with it. Nintendo was one of the forces that brought the future closer to us all. The NES and the Apple Macintosh had a profound impact on me as a child and I doubt that I would be in the line of work that I am in without it.
Now you are playing with power.
Press start to play.
I am sorry, the princess is in another castle.
It's a me MARIO!
Jake at July 16, 2003 
Games
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Comments
loooooooooooooove Nintendo!!!!!! :D
Posted by: Lilly at July 16, 2003 5:38 AM
You know the original Sega master system was superior in graphics to the Nintendo unit by quite a bit but it is kind of like VHS verses betamax. Beta had better picture quality and sound and was smaller than VHS but VHS won out in the end. Nintendo beating sega over the years has a lot to do with the availability of games it seems.
Posted by: pete at July 16, 2003 2:02 PM
My brother owns both an NES and Master System downstairs.
Along with 2 Megadrives - one's on my wall
Posted by: Matt at July 16, 2003 3:26 PM
I own both systems, and love both systems. But I do have to agree the Master system was/is superior in graphic quality. However, Nintendo has always been better at the marketing aspect than Sega. Which in the end, caused the end of Sega systems. Sad.
Posted by: Mici at July 16, 2003 6:51 PM
three words: online nintendo emulator ...
http://web.utanet.at/nkehrer/ONE_Play.html?ref=g
Posted by: tj at July 18, 2003 5:14 AM
