The History of Nintendo

Few companies in entertainment have a history as long — or as surprising — as Nintendo.

1889: Playing cards

Nintendo began in Kyoto, Japan, producing handmade hanafuda playing cards. For decades it remained a card company, experimenting with everything from taxis to instant rice.

The toy era

In the 1960s and 70s, Nintendo found success with innovative toys like the Ultra Hand, guided by inventor Gunpei Yokoi.

Entering video games

Nintendo's arcade hit Donkey Kong (1981) introduced Mario and set the stage for a console empire. The NES (1983 in Japan, 1985 in North America) revived the entire industry.

Defining generations

• Game Boy (1989): dominated handheld gaming
• SNES (1990): the 16-bit golden age
• Nintendo 64 (1996): the leap to 3D
• Wii (2006): motion controls for everyone
• Switch (2017): the hybrid revolution

A philosophy of fun

Through every era, Nintendo's guiding principle — championed by Shigeru Miyamoto — has been the pursuit of joyful, intuitive play. That focus has kept a 19th-century card company at the heart of gaming for over 40 years.