THROWBACK: The history of Nintendo's consoles

Seriously, how lucky are those who have been able to actually witness the evolution of video games?

On October 18, 1985, America was the first to get a taste of the console that almost single-handedly revived the gaming market following the disastrous video game crash of 1983.
And after over 31 years on November 11, 2016, Nintendo will be bringing back that ingenious piece of machine - and it won't be as bulky as it will fit in your hand.
The NES Classic Edition is coming soon, and you should have just seen how the Internet exploded when it was announced last week. It'll definitely bring back memories to those of us in the 1980s, and will give the later generations a peek on how we fared with games that didn't take days or even weeks to beat, or how we lived with the fact that we had no way of saving our games.
Nintendo's in the news an awful lot lately - no small feat seeing your stock blast off as much as 120 per cent thanks to that Pokemon GO game that single-handedly disrupted the gaming market. So in honour of their upcoming blast-from-the-past offering, let's look at all the consoles from the Japanese bellwether that humbly started out manufacturing playing cards, branching out into other stuff such as taxis, hotels, television and even selling instant rice, and eventually becoming what it is today. (2016 prices adjusted for inflation.)
 

Color TV-Game, 1977-80 ($31-$177; $122-$703 in 2016)
Yes, the NES wasn't the first gaming machine from Nintendo. Five consoles released in this Japan-only series - 6, 15, Racing 112 (complete with a steering wheel), Block Breaker and Computer TV-Game. Obviously, there were not a lot of games at that time, but there were at least 21 versions of Light Tennis, or which you may know as Pong. The Color TV-Game series had the highest sales figures of the first generation of video game consoles at over three million units.
 

Game & Watch, 1980 ($20; $59 in 2016)
I remember these; vendors outside our school had tens of these strapped into their mobile cart and had them rented for a peso (use up all your lives and you're done). Anyway, the idea for the Game & Watch started when long-time Nintendo employee Gunpei Yokoi saw some bored fellow having some "fun" with a calculator by pressing its buttons. So you get it - why not an LCD watch that's also a game system? It was also the inspiration for Yokoi to develop the modern-day D-pad, first used in 1982 for the Donkey Kong game. The Game & Watch went on to sell 43.4 million units. Yokoi, who later produced some critically-acclaimed and long-running game franchises, would also use this console as a precursor to another hugely-successful console on this list.
 

Nintendo Entertainment System, 1983 ($299; $724 in 2016)
One of the most successful machines ever and the cream of the crop of the third generation of video game consoles with 61.91 million sold, the NES helped revive the North American video game market. Originally released in Japan as the Family Computer, or Famicom, in 1983, the NES was the product of Nintendo's plans to make a cartridge-based console as a result of its successes in arcade games; as such, the first release came with ports of Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr and Popeye. After running into marketing problems with Atari, the Famicom was redesigned and unveiled in June 1985's Consumer Electronics Show, and finally released in North America as the NES in October that year. Seventeen launch titles came with it - on ROM cartridges or, more popularly, Game Paks - including the original Super Mario Bros. Some of the most popular games of all time made their debut on the NES, including Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Final Fantasy, Ninja Gaiden and Castlevania. It's also No.1 on IGN's "Top 25 Video Game Consoles of All Time". I'm proud to own a NES; it's tucked away in my "mini-museum" back home - complete with the Zapper.
 

Game Boy, 1989 ($89.95; $175 in 2016)
Thank you, Yokoi, for giving us the runaway winner of the fourth generation of video game consoles; it was so popular that I ended up throwing a tantrum when my Mom didn't buy me one back then. Shrinking down the NES considerably gives you the Game Boy; much like the NES, games came in the form of tinier Game Paks slotted in on the rear. It ran on four AA batteries and its LCD displayed four shades of "gray" - light to very dark olive green. The best-selling games were, of course, Tetris, along with Pokemon Red and Blue. And just how runaway was it? Combined with others in the series - the Game Boy Play It Loud! (1995; with coloured cases), Game Boy Pocket (1996; lighter, smaller unit that used only two AAA batteries and can be powered by a DC jack), Game Boy Light (1998; featured a backlight for low-light conditions) and Game Boy Color (1998; featured a coloured screen and competed with the Neo Geo Pocket) - it sold 118.69 million units. The generation's second-placer with a "paltry" 49.1 million? The next console on this list.
 

Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 1990 ($210 in Japan, $199 in US [1991]; $387, $352)
Based on the NES' success, it was no surprise that the first 300,000 units of what was originally called the Super Famicom up for grabs in Japan sold out within hours; the crush was so huge Tokyo requested video game makers to schedule launches on weekends. The 16-bit Super NES/SNES was in response to the NEC PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 and the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive; it would also set the stage for one of the most notable console wars between Nintendo and Sega. The 16-bit design allowed tiling and simulated 3D effects and a palette of 32,768 colours compared to the NES' 48. The Super NES wasn't also about to be outdone with controllers, having X and Y buttons in addition to the original A and B, plus L and R shoulder buttons on top. No.4 on IGN's list, the Super NES' best-selling game was Super Mario World. But probably the most notable game ported into it is what is considered as the holy grail of fighting games - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
 

Virtual Boy, 1995 ($179.95; $285 in 2016)
Forget all the madness, if you shall call it that way, on VR and AR as of late. Nintendo had its own weird-thing-over-your-eyes two decades ago. It was marketed as the first portable machine able to display "true 3D graphics" and would "totally immerse players into their own private universe". However, if there is success, there was also failure: the Virtual Boy had a different effect as users complained of headaches, dizziness and nausea. It flopped so badly that it was largely ignored despite repeated price drops, and was eventually discontinued only months after its release. Only about 15 titles were made for North America. The Virtual Boy was Nintendo's second lowest-selling platform after the Japan-only Nintendo 64DD.
 

Nintendo 64, 1996 ($199.99; $316 in 2016)
Released to much fanfare - Popular Electronics called the launch a "much-hyped and long-anticipated moment" - and best remembered for its rivalry with the original Sony PlayStation, the N64 was the last major home console to use cartridges (that cartridges-versus-optical-disks sideline event seemed fun). It was originally priced at $250, but it was ultimately lowered to $199.99 to keep up with the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn, both of which lowered their prices to that level in the summer. The graphics of the N64 were among the most advanced and detailed of the 32-/64-bit era; Time named it its 1996 Machine of the Year, and is No.9 on IGN's list. It also had a magnetic disk drive peripheral, the 64DD, which unfortunately flopped. The N64 remains one of the most-recognised consoles ever also thanks to its M-shaped controller with 10 buttons, an analogue stick, a Z-trigger and an expansion port; a number of the greatest games were designed in tandem with it, including Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which many consider as one of the greatest ever. GoldenEye 007 was also one of the most influential games for the shooter genre. The N64 sold 32.93 million units, good enough for salutatory honours in the fifth generation but still pales compared to the 104.25 million of the top-notcher - who else but the PlayStation.
 
 
Game Boy Advance, 2001 ($99.99; $136 in 2016)
The first major upgrade to the Game Boy series, the GBA deviated from the traditional portrait mode of the previous Game Boys and took a landscape form. With hardware comparable to the Super NES, the GBA had role-playing games and platformers, as well as retro games ported from earlier 8- and 16-bit systems. It also offered backward compatibility with all previous Game Boy titles. Best-selling games were Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. The GBA wasn't offered much resistance in the sixth generation of handhelds; along with the Game Boy Advance SP (foldable, resembles a micro-laptop) and the Game Boy Micro (smaller version of the GBA), it sold 81.51 million units worldwide. Runner-up? Nokia's N-Gage with - gulp - only three million.
 

GameCube, 2001 ($199; $271 in 2016)
Now this was when a whole new battle began. The, well, cube-shaped GameCube joined the sixth-generation party on November 18, amid the PlayStation 2 lording it over for almost two years and Microsoft finally joining the fray by launching the Xbox a mere three days earlier. Nintendo finally decided to ditch cartridges and for the first time use optical disks, as well use four, 16 and 64MB memory cards for storage. Its controller - deviating from the N64's M shape - was similar to that of the PS2 and Xbox; the most notable features were pressurised L and R triggers on top, plus an oversized A button that was meant to reduce the so-called "Nintendo thumb", which refers to the pain experienced by players as a result of handling a controller. The best-selling game was Super Smash Bros Melee, and had successful exclusives, thanks to the optical disk, such as Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and Resident Evil 4. The GameCube didn't sell as well as its predecessor with 21.74 million units; it came in third behind the Xbox's 24.65 million and both were way, waaaaay behind who else but the PS2, which, at 157.68 million, remains the best-selling console of all time. In any case, this was when you can say the Big Three video game consoles of our era officially began their dogfight.
 

Nintendo DS, 2004 ($149.99; $191 in 2016)
Released to much hype, the DS - dual-screen - is a clamshell device similar to the Game Boy Advance SP. The two LCD displays worked together, the lower one being touchscreen. Aside from the resident buttons, the DS also used a stylus, making good on then-Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's statement; the touch-based DS "allows users to play intuitively", echoing the company's support for "Gaming Population Expansion". The best-selling game was New Super Mario Bros. The DS went head-to-head with the PlayStation Portable and this is where Nintendo got a decisive victory: Combined with the DS Lite (brighter displays, slimmer), DSi (larger screens, two cameras, internal and external storage) and DSi XL (even larger than the original DS), the DS line has sold 154.88 million units, almost double the PSP's 80.82 million, making it the best-selling handheld console of all time and second behind just the PS2 for the overall crown.
 
 
Wii, 2006 ($249.99; $299 in 2016)
With the releases of the Xbox 360 in 2005, the PlayStation 3 on November 17 and the Wii two days later, the seventh-generation rumble began. No.10 on the IGN list, what made the Wii stand out were its controllers and accessories, most notably the Wii Remote, a handheld pointing device and which senses movements, and the Nunchuk, featuring an analogue stick and trigger buttons, as well as a host of others such as the Wii Zapper and Wii Wheel (swords and shields as well). It featured backward compatibility with the GameCube, though 2011's Wii Family Edition didn't have this. A notable feature was the now-defunct WiiConnect24, allowing the console to receive updates and messages over the Web while in standby mode. The Wii's Virtual Console service also enabled users to play games originally released for the NES, Super NES and N64, as well as from the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Mark III/Master System, NEC TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, SNK Neo Geo, Commodore 64 and arcade games. It had, like its peers, a game download service. Nintendo came out on top again with the Wii, selling 101.18 million units, against the PS3's 86.46 million and the Xbox 360's 85.49 million. Another claim to fame for the Wii? It was the vehicle for the best-selling console game of all time, Wii Sports, which raked in 82.67 million, more than double than second-placed Super Mario Bros.
 
 
Nintendo 3DS, 2011 ($249; $268 in 2016)
Capable of creating a 3D effect using stereoscopy - or making an illusion of depth in images - without having to put on those weird glasses, the 3DS kicked off the present eighth-generation brawl, which featured even more advanced and enhanced capabilities across the field. The 3DS retains the DS' clamshell form and has backward compatibility with the DS and DSi. A key addition to its controls was the analogue Circle Pad, and has three cameras - two outside, which are able to take 3D photos and videos, and one facing the user. Score another win for Nintendo here; combined with the 3DS XL (larger version), 2DS (slate form sans 3D capabilities), New 3DS and XL (faster processor, two new shoulder buttons and C-stick), the 3DS family has so far sold 59.61 million units, dwarfing the 13.91 million of its main competitor, the Sony PSVita. Best-selling games? Pokemon X and Y.
 

Wii U, 2012 ($299 basic, $349 deluxe; $315, $366 in 2016)
Probably most recognisable because of its touchscreen-toting Wii U GamePad, the Wii U is Nintendo's first console to support full-HD graphics. It is able to play Wii games and comes with the Nintendo Network, featuring staples of today's gaming such as in-game purchases, downloadable content, online accounts and community-style multiplayer systems. The beginning wasn't smooth though; several disagreements happened within Nintendo, forcing them to start from scratch several times. Best game so far is Mario Kart 8. While indeed innovative, it hasn't gained traction; its 13.14 million sales pale compared to its rivals, the Xbox One's 21.11 million and the PlayStation 4's 40.75 million.
 

NES Classic Edition, 2016 ($59.99)
No need to say more: It's the NES, only smaller, with full-sized classic controllers. To get your blood rushing - attention, not-so-young gamers - here's the full list of the rockin' 30 launch titles: Balloon Fight, Bubble Bobble, Castlevania, Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Dr Mario, Excitebike, Final Fantasy, Galaga, Ghosts 'N Goblins, Gradius, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby's Adventure, Mario Bros, Mega Man 2, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr Dream, StarTropics, Super C, Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 2, Super Mario Bros 3, Tecmo Bowl, The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Were you able to beat any or all of these back in the day? Game on!
 
Here's a little summary of how consoles have stacked up through the first half of the year:

EXTRA BYTE: Since we're in the Pokemon craze nowadays, did you know that in 2000, Nintendo released a handheld called Pokemon Mini during Christmas in London? It is the smallest cartridge-based console ever and Nintendo's cheapest ever at $15 at that time:

 
And as an added bonus, there's also this thing called Pokemon Pikachu - Pocket Pikachu in Japan - akin to a Tamagotchi:

 
Who says video-gaming was boring at any point in time?
 
Images courtesy of beforemario.com, Evan-Amos via Wikimedia Commons, The Dot Eaters, Games Database, revenantanime, MarioWiki, Sesu Prime and Micronanopic.
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com