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Nintendo Company, Limited
is a multinational corporation founded on September 23, 1889 in Kyoto, Japan
by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards. In the mid-twentieth century, the company tried several small niche
businesses, such as a love hotel and a taxi company. Over the years, it became a video game company, growing into one of the
most powerful in the industry. Aside from video games, Nintendo is also the majority owner of the Seattle Mariners, a Major
League Baseball team in Seattle, Washington.
They are also are the partial owner of the Atlanta Hawks, an NBA team in Atlanta,
Georgia.
Nintendo has the distinction
of historically being both the oldest intact company in the video game console market and one of the largest and well-known
console manufacturers, as well as being the dominant entity in the handheld console market. As of December 1, 2006, Nintendo
has sold over 387 million hardware units, and nearly 2.2 billion software units worldwide.
Nintendo Systems
Home
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- Super Nintendo (SNES)
- Nintendo 64 (N64)
- Nintendo GameCube (GCN)
- Nintendo Wii (Wii)
Portable
- Game Boy / Game Boy Pocket
- Game Boy Color
- Game Boy Advance (GBA) / Game Boy Advance SP (GBA SP) / Game Boy Micro
- Nintendo DS / DS Lite
- Virtual Boy
Nintendo Home Consoles
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Following the "video game crash" of the early 80s, the Nintendo Entertainment System
was the system that resuscitated a moribund industry. The hardware was based on the Family Computer (Famicom) which had proved
a success in Japan. For the North American release, Nintendo wisely avoided being perceived as just another doomed video game
console. The toploading Famicom was remodeled to be frontloading, looking more like a VCR than a game system. Nintendo's original
release also included the Zapper light gun and ROB robot, bolstering its claims of being a true "entertainment system."
Needless
to say, the system was a huge hit. To this day many older people still refer to all video game systems as "Nintendos," a testament
to its overwhelming ubiquity in the mid to late 80s and into the early 90s. Gamers were enthralled by the huge library of
available software and the quality of the games. The last licensed game, Wario's Woods, was released in 1994.
Basic Specs
Product Line Nintendo
- Model Entertainment System
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Console
- Controller 4-button
Expansion and Connectivity
- Other I/O Connectors AV/RF, AC
Processor
- Processor Zilog Z-80
- Processor Clock Speed 3.58MHz
- Internal Data Precision 8-bit
System Memory
Graphics Processor and Memory
- Graphics Core Clock Speed 3.58MHz
- Graphics Frame Buffer 64Kbit
- Video Memory 64Kbit
- Pixel Depth 16 Sprites
Video Output
- Resolution 240 x 226
- Colors 52 at one time
- Colors (2nd) 256 Max
Audio
- Audio Processor PSG sound
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format 72-pin cartiridge
- Controller Ports 2
Software / Accessories
- Games Included Mario Bros, Duck Hunt
Games
I Own:
- Super Mario Bros. / Dunk Hunt
- Dr. Mario
- Pac-Man
- BurgerTime
- Contra
- SuperC
- Jackal
- Double Dragon II: The Revenge
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game
- Punch-Out!!
- M.U.S.C.L.E.
- Pro Wrestling
- Double Dribble
- R.B.I. Baseball
- Major League Baseball
- Ice Hockey
- Super Sprint
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
Release Date: 1989-1997
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System raised the bar for video game designers
around the globe when it was released in 1991. Featuring true stereo sound, multiple scrolling backgrounds and almost twice
the internal memory as its competition, the SNES was home to the best games of its day. Backed by an all-star lineup of games
like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country and Super Metroid, the Super NES sold more than 20 million
systems in the U.S. and 49 million systems worldwide.
Basic Specs
Product
Line Super Nintendo
- Model Entertainment System
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Console
- Controller 6-button
Expansion and Connectivity
Processor
- Processor Motorola 68000
- Processor Clock Speed 7.61MHz
System Memory
Graphics Processor and Memory
- Graphics Processor 16-Bit
- Video Memory 64 Kbyte
- Fill Rate (pixels) 128 sprites
Video Output
- Resolution 320 x 224
- Colors 32,768
Audio
- Audio Processor Sony SP700
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- I/O Connectors AV/RF
- Controller Ports 2
- Standard AV Output Connectors AV/RF
Software / Accessories
- Games Included Super Mario World
Main Features:
- Nintendo game system originally released in 1991
- Multiple scrolling background
- Stereo sound
- Internal memory
- For 1 or 2 players
Games
I Own:
Other:
-
Game Genie
-
Super Game Boy
I Want:
Nintendo 64 (N64)
Release Date: 1996-2002
Nintendo first dabbled in video games during the industry's early years of the
mid-'70s. Generations of successful gaming console releases through the years led to the much-hyped 1996 launch of Nintendo
64, a system that represented a giant evolutionary leap in video game technology. Within the first three days of launch, hundreds
of thousands of gamers hunkered down with Mario 64, considered by many to be one of the greatest video games ever created.
Even today, the system's excellent design continues to host an ever-expanding library of breakthrough games.
Nintendo 64's popularity among younger gamers is no surprise. Well-respected
games featuring such long-lived and much-loved personalities as Mario (of arcade classic Donkey Kong fame), Zelda, and Banjo-Kazooie
are easy to learn and offer enormous replay value. But times are a' changin' and the system's ever-growing library of titles
has expanded into every genre of games imaginable, including games better-suited for older gamers. In fact, some of the most
acclaimed--in some cases, groundbreaking--games available on any platform today are packed onto N64's old-school cartridges.
Under the system's hood, its appeal to the young certainly didn't produce a less
mature gaming machine. On the contrary, the 64-bit system boasts impressive graphics, stereo sound, and numerous accessory
enhancements, including a high-resolution pack that boosts graphics to awe-inspiring resolutions.
Start your library with Goldeneye 007, Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Legend of Zelda:
The Ocarina of Time, and Star Wars: Episode One Racer--these titles represent a decent start to any N64 cartridge library.
With the launch of Sony's PlayStation system, Nintendo 64 is being left
behind as the leader in video game technology. And with newer game systems featuring CD-based games, the system's expensive
cartridge format is proving itself an archaic and unconventional storage format. But, with innovative accessory enhancements
and a great library of games keep the system's rabid fan base satisfied, if not eager for Nintendo's next evolutionary step.
Basic Specs
Product Identification
- Product Line Nintendo 64
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Console
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 7.48 in x 10.23 in x 2.87 in
- Weight 2.42 lbs
Processor
- Processor MIPS R4300i
- Processor Clock Speed 93.75MHz
- External Bus 250MB/s
System Memory
- Main Memory 4MB RDRAM UMA
- Main Memory Bandwidth 520.5MB/s
Graphics Processor and Memory
- Graphics Processor Reality Immersion Processor
- Graphics Core Clock Speed 62.5MHz
- Graphics Frame Buffer 4MB RDRAM UMA
- Fill Rate (triangles) 150,000 Triangles/s
- Pixel Depth 21-bit color
Audio
- Audio Processor Reality Signal Processor
- Audio Performance 64 channels
- Sampling Frequency 44.1KHz
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- Controller Ports 4
- Memory Card Ports One per controller
- Standard AV Output Connectors Analog RCA stereo, composite video
- Optional AV Output Connectors RF, S-video
Main Features:
- The classic Nintendo 64 game console and controller
- 64 bit graphics, CD quality sound
- 14 button controller with joystick
- Plug and play with included stereo cables
- 32 bit RGBA pixel color, 640 X 480 dots resolution.
Games
I Own:
-
Super Mario 64
-
Super Smash Bros.
-
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
-
Perfect Dark
-
Goldeneye 007
-
007 The World is Not Enough
-
Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.
-
WCW vs. NWO Revenge
Other:
I Want:
-
Paper Mario
-
Mario Tennis
-
-
-
Mario Party 2
-
Mario Party 3
-
Donkey Kong 64
-
Diddy Kong Racing
-
Yoshi Story
Nintendo GameCube (GCN)
Release
Date: 2001-2006
The Nintendo GameCube was
Nintendo's sixth generation game console, the same generation as Sega's Dreamcast, Sony's PlayStation 2, and Microsoft's Xbox.
Right up until the console's unveiling at SpaceWorld 2000, the design project was known as Dolphin— this can still be
seen in the console and its accessories' model numbers. The GameCube itself was the most compact and least expensive of the
sixth generation era consoles. The GameCube was the first Nintendo game console to use optical discs rather than game cartridges.
An agreement with the optical drive manufacturer Matsushita led to a DVD-playing GameCube system named the Panasonic Q, which
was only released in Japan.
The Nintendo GameCube has
sold over 21.20 million systems as of September 30, 2006.
Basic Specs:
Product Line Nintendo GameCube
General
- Form Factor Console
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 5.9 in x 6.3 in x 4.3 in
- Weight 3.5 lbs
Expansion and Connectivity
- Other I/O Connectors 2 x serial port, 1 x parallel port
Processor
- Processor 1 x IBM PowerPC "Gekko" 485MHz
- Processor Clock Speed 485MHz
- L1 Cache Instruction 32KB, Data 32KB
- L2 Cache 256KB
- External Bus 1.3GB/s
- Internal Data Precision 32-bit Integer, 32-bit Floating Point
System Memory
- Main Memory 24MB MoSys 1T-SRAM, 16MB 81MHz DRAM
- Main Memory Bandwidth 2.6GB/s
Graphics Processor and Memory
- Graphics Processor ATI Flipper
- Graphics Core Clock Speed 162MHz
- Graphics Frame Buffer 2MB 1T-SRAM
- Texture Cache 1MB 1T-SRAM
- Texture Read Bandwidth 10.4GB/s
- Fill Rate (pixels) 650 Mpixels/s
- Fill Rate (texels) 650 Mtexels/s
- Fill Rate (triangles) 6-12 Mtriangles/s
- Pixel Depth 24-bit color, 24-bit Z-buffer
Audio
- Audio Processor Custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
- Audio Performance 64 simultaneous channels
- Sampling Frequency 48KHz
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format 3" disc, 1.5GB, Matsushita
- Controller Ports 4
- Memory Card Ports 2
- Standard AV Output Connectors Analog RCA stereo, composite video, S/PDIF
digital
- Optional AV Output Connectors RF, S-video, component
Storage
- Media Drive CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) Drive
Nintendo Wii (Wii)
Release Date: 2006 – Present
The Wii (pronounced as the
word we) is Nintendo's seventh-generation video game console. The system's code name was "Revolution", and as with the Nintendo
GameCube, this reference appears on the console and its accessories.
The major feature of the
Wii console is the console's wireless controller, the Wii Remote, that may be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect
motion and rotation in three dimensions. The controller comes with a Nunchuk accessory which provides additional controls,
including more motion sensing. The controller also contains a speaker and a rumble device to provide sensory feedback, and
can be used to turn the console on and off. The console also features a stand-by mode entitled WiiConnect24, enabling it to
receive messages and updates over the Internet while consuming very little electrical power. The console is bundled with a
game, Wii Sports, unusual for a games console of its era. In the Japan region, the Wii Sports game is
not included with the console but is offered as a standalone title. The Wii has sold over 4 million systems as of February
19, 2007. The Wii, like the Nintendo GameCube, is the smallest and most compact system in its generation. However, it does
not have the ability to match certain aspects of its competitors in the peer generation, such as High Definition graphics.
On December 15, 2006, Nintendo
announced that it would offer to replace wrist straps for 3.2 million Wii controllers. Consumers reported they were breaking
during game play.
By April 2007, the Wall Street
Journal declared Nintendo had "become the company to beat in the games business" with the Wii outselling its home system rivals
and overshadowing the better selling Nintendo DS portable. Nintendo's profits were up 77% on the fiscal year due to Wii and
Nintendo DS sales.
Nintendo Portable Consoles
Nintendo
Game Boy
Release
Date: 1989
The original Game Boy was released
on April 21, 1989 in Japan and in August 1989 in the United States with an MSRP
of US$100. Based around a Z80 processor, it has a black and green reflective LCD screen, an eight-way directional pad, two
action buttons, and Start and Select buttons. It plays games from ROM-based media contained in small plastic detachable units
called cartridges (sometimes abbreviated as carts or GamePaks).
The killer game
that pushed the Game Boy into the upper reaches of success was Tetris. Tetris was widely popular, and on the handheld format
could be played anywhere. It came packaged with the Game Boy, and broadened its reach; adults and kids alike were buying Game
Boys in order to play Tetris. Releasing Tetris on the Game Boy was selected as #4 on GameSpy's 25 Smartest Moments in Gaming.[5]
The original
Game Boy was the first cartridge-based system that supported more than four players at one time (via the link port). In fact,
it has been shown that the system could support 16 simultaneous players at once. However, this feature was only supported
in Faceball 2000.
In 1995, Nintendo
released several Game Boy models with colored cases, advertising them in the Play it Loud! campaign. Specifications for this
unit remain exactly the same as the original GameBoy, including the monochromatic screen. This new line of colored Game Boys
would set a precedent for later Nintendo handhelds; the Game Boy Pocket, the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance (including the
SP and Micro), Nintendo DS, and the Nintendo DS Lite all feature different colored units. Play It Loud units were manufactured
in red, yellow, green, black, blue, white and clear cases. A very rare, limited edition Manchester United Game Boy - red,
with the logos of the team emblazoned on - was released coterminously with the Play it Loud! handhelds in the United Kingdom.
Basic
Specs
Product
Line Nintendo
- Model Game Boy
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Portable
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 148 mm x 89 mm
x 32 mm
- Weight 394 g
- Controller Built in directional pad,
two buttons
Processor
- Processor Z80
- Processor Clock Speed 4.194MHz
- Internal Data Precision 4-bit
System
Memory
Graphics
Processor and Memory
- Graphics Processor None
- Video Memory 8 Kbit
- Fill Rate (pixels) 40 sprites
- Pixel Depth 40 Sprites
Video
Output
- Display 2.5 in
- Resolution 160 x 144
- Colors 4 (4 shades of gray)
- Display Features Reflective LCD
Audio
- Audio Performance 4-Channel Stereo
- Speakers Built In
Expansion
and Connectivity
- Game Media Format cartridge
Software
/ Accessories
Power
- Battery 4 AA
- Battery Average Run Time 20 hour(s)
Nintendo
Game Boy Pocket
Release
Date: 09/03/1996
In 1996,
Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket: a smaller, lighter unit that requires fewer batteries. It has space for two AAA batteries,
which provide about 10 hours of game play. The Nintendo Game Boy Pocket was an improved version of the original Game Boy.
Its biggest feature was its reduced size, but it also featured a 2.6-inch, high-resolution, reflective-LCD display and a battery-monitoring
LED that reduced in brightness as the battery ran down.
Basic
Specs
Product
Line Nintendo
- Model Game Boy Pocket
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Portable
- Weight 4.5 oz
- Controller two-buttons
Processor
- Processor Zilog Z-80
- Processor Clock Speed 4.194MHz
- Internal Data Precision 4-bit
System
Memory
Graphics
Processor and Memory
- Graphics Processor None
- Video Memory 8 Kbit
- Fill Rate (pixels) 40 sprites
Video
Output
- Display 2.6 in
- Resolution 140 x 102
- Colors 4 (4 shades of gray)
- Display Features Reflective LCD
Audio
- Audio Processor PSG
- Audio Performance 4-Channel Stereo
- Speakers Built In
Expansion
and Connectivity
- Game Media Format cartridge
- Controller Ports Built in
Power
- Battery 2 x AAA
- Battery Average Run Time 10 Hour(s)
Games
I Own:
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
- Donkey Kong
- Mega Man II
- Pokemon Red/Yellow
- The Punisher
- Dr. Franken
- Motocross Maniacs
- Golf
- Soccer Mania
Other:
(I have more, but I can't find them.)
Nintendo
Game Boy Color
Release
Date: 1998
Released in
November 1998, the Game Boy Color (also referred to as GBC) added a color screen to a form factor slightly larger than the
Game Boy Pocket. It also has double the processor speed, four times as much memory, and an infrared communications port. Technologically,
it was likened to the 8-bit NES video game console from the 1980s.
A major component
of the Game Boy Color is its near-universal backward compatibility (that is, a Game Boy Color is able to read older Game Boy
cartridges and even play them in a selectable color palette). This backwards compatibility became a major feature of the Game
Boy line, since it allowed each new launch to begin with a significantly larger library than any of its competitors.
Basic
Specs
Product
Line Nintendo Game Boy
- Model Color
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Portable
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 135.5 mm x 78 mm
x 27.4 mm
- Weight 138g
- Controller 4-button
Processor
- Processor Zilog Z-80
- Processor Clock Speed 8MHz
- Internal Data Precision 4/8-bit
System Memory
Graphics Processor and Memory
- Graphics Processor Zilog Z-80
- Graphics Core Clock Speed 8MHz
- Video Memory 16Kb
Video Output
- Display 2.6 in
- Resolution 160x144
- Colors 32,768
- Display Features Reflective LCD
Audio
- Audio Performance 4 Channels FM stereo
- Speakers Built In
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- I/O Connectors IR (512KBps)
- Controller Ports Built in
Power
- Battery 2 AA
- Battery Average Run Time 30 hours
Nintendo
Game Boy Advance (GBA)
Release
Date: 06/11/2001
On June 11,
2001, Nintendo released a significant upgrade to the Game Boy line. The Game Boy Advance (also referred to as GBA) featured
a 32 bit 16.8 MHz ARM. It included a Z80 processor for backward compatibility to Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, and sported
a larger, higher resolution screen. Controls were slightly modified with the addition of "L" and "R" trigger buttons. The
system was technically likened to the SNES and showed its power with successful ports of SNES titles such as Super Mario World
and Yoshi's Island.
There were also new titles in popular SNES series, such as Mario Kart Super Circuit and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, and a variety
of original titles. A widely-criticised drawback of the Game Boy Advance is that the screen is not backlit, making viewing
difficult in some conditions.
Basic Specs
Product
Identification
- Product Line Nintendo Game Boy
- Model Advance
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Portable
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 5.7 in x 0.9 in
x 3.2 in
- Weight 5 oz
- Controller D-pad
Processor
- Processor 1 x Sharp ARM7TDMI
- Processor Clock Speed 16.78MHz
System Memory
Graphics Processor and Memory
Video Output
- Display 2.9" TFT LCD
- Resolution 240 x 160
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- I/O Connectors 1 x Game Boy Advance
link connector
Power
- Battery 2 x AA
- Battery Average Run Time 15 hours
Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP (GBA SP)
Release Date:
03/23/2003
Launched in March 2003, the Game Boy Advance SP resolved several problems with the original model. It featured
a new smaller clamshell design with a flip-up screen, a switchable internal frontlight, and a rechargeable battery, with the
omission of the headphone port, which now required a special adapter to be purchased separately. In some regions owners of
the original Game Boy Advance received a special limited offer to trade their old models into Nintendo and merely pay the
difference on the Advance SP. In mid September 2005, Nintendo released a new model in North America that featured a new and
improved backlit screen.
Basic Specs
Product
Identification
- Product Line Nintendo Game Boy
- Model Advance SP
- Manufacturer Nintendo
General
- Form Factor Portable
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 3.23 in x 3.3
in x 0.96 in
- Weight 5 oz
- Controller D-pad
Processor
- Processor 1 x Sharp ARM7TDMI
- Processor Clock Speed 16.78MHz
System Memory
- Main Memory 32KB, 256KB external
Graphics Processor and Memory
Video Output
- Display 2.9" TFT LCD
- Resolution 240 x 160
- Colors 32,768 colors
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- I/O Connectors 1 x Game Boy Advance
link connector, 1 Game Boy Advance SP multi-access port
Storage
- Media Drive Cartridge Slot
- Integrated Devices
- Built-in Features Front light integrated
with LCD
Power
- Battery Lithium-ion battery
- Battery Average Run Time 18 hours,
10 hours w/light
- Full Recharge Time 3 hours
Nintendo
Game Boy Micro
Release Date:
09/19/2005
The third form
of Game Boy Advance system, the Game Boy micro is four inches wide, two inches tall, and weighs 2.8 ounces. By far the smallest
Game Boy created, it is approximately the same dimensions as an original NES controller pad. Its screen is slightly smaller
than the SP and GBA screens while maintaining the same resolution (240 × 160 pixels) but is now a higher quality backlit display
with adjustable brightness. Included with the system are two additional faceplates which can be swapped to give the system
a new look; Nintendo sells additional faceplates on their online store. The Game Boy micro is not backwards compatible with
Game Boy or Game Boy Color games, only playing Game Boy Advance titles.
Basic
Specs
General
- Controller D-pad
- Weight 2.8 oz.
- Form Factor Portable
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 4 in x .7 in x
2 in
Graphics
Processor and Memory
Product
Identification
- Manufacturer Nintendo
- Model Micro
- Product Line Nintendo Game Boy
Video
Output
Expansion
and Connectivity
- Digital Media Formats Cartridge
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- I/O Connectors
Standard Headphone Port
Processor
- Processor Clock Speed 16.78MHz
- Processor Sharp ARM7TDMI
Integrated
Devices
- Built-in Features Removable Face
Plate, Adjustable Screen Brightness
System
Memory
- Main Memory 32KB, 256KB external
Storage
- Media Drive Cartridge Slot
Power
- Battery Lithium-ion battery
Nintendo
DS
Release
Date: 11/21/2004
The Nintendo
DS launched worldwide in late 2004. The system's distinguishing features are the presence of two screens (one of which is
a touch-screen) a microphone, and a wireless connection. It has been technologically likened to the Nintendo 64 video game
console. It's also capable of playing Game Boy Advance games using Game Boy Advance game cartridges, although it can only
play the single player mode, given that there is no way of connecting a DS to a Game Boy Advance.
The company
officially states that it is not part of the Game Boy family and refers to it as their third pillar: their home consoles,
such as the GameCube, being the first, and their Game Boy line of portable-gaming devices being the second. Nevertheless there
is significant speculation regarding the future direction of Nintendo's handheld line: there has been no substantially new
Game Boy-branded hardware since the original Game Boy Advance in 2001, and there seems no commercial sense in Nintendo splitting
their handheld market when the DS is selling better than the Game Boy. The DS has arguably replaced the Game Boy line, and
it is notable that the DS is backwards compatible with Game Boy Advance game cartridges. In early January 2007 many websites
reported the DS & DS Lite had sold over 35 million units worldwide with over 14 million in Japan
alone. In the same month Nintendo upped their sales forecasts from 20 million DS units to 23 million and software from 82
million to 100 million units.
Main Features:
- CPU: ARM9, ARM7
- Display: Dual 3-inch TFT LCD
- Features: Clock w/alarm, touch screen,
PictoChat
- Dimensions: 5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 in.
- Weight: 8.84 ounces
- Battery life: 6-10 hours
Nintendo DS Lite
Release Date: 1/26/06
On January 26, 2006, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo DS Lite, a redesigned version
of the DS. Although it plays the same titles, it is smaller than the original DS model (133 × 73.9 × 21.5 mm compared to 148.7
× 84.7 × 27.9 mm for the original model. It also shed 20% of the original's weight at 218 g compared to 295 g.) maintaining
the same screen size but using higher quality transmissive LCDs with four brightness levels. The two screens are placed closer
together and the system is available in a variety of colors and was launched worldwide through 2006. The DS Lite has sold
over 40 million units as of May 12 2007.
Nintendo
Virtual Boy
Release
Date: Oct 1995-1996
The Virtual
Boy was the first portable game console capable of displaying "true 3D graphics." Most video games are forced to use monocular
cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional screen, but the Virtual Boy was able to create a more
accurate illusion of depth through an effect known as parallax. In a manner similar to using a head-mounted display, the user
places his face inside a pair of rubber goggles on the front of the machine, and then an eyeglass-style projector allows viewing
of the monochromatic (in this case black and red) image. It was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan and August 14,
1995 in North America and at a price of around US$180. It met with a lukewarm reception that
was unaffected by continued price drops. Nintendo discontinued it the following year.
Basic
Specs
Product
Line Nintendo Virtual Boy
General
- Form Factor Portable
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 10 in x 4.3 in
x 8.5 in
- Controller 8-buttons
Processor
- Processor NEC V810
- Processor Clock Speed 20MHz
- External Bus 100 kbit/sec
- Internal Data Precision 32-bit
System Memory
- Main Memory 1MB DRAM
- Graphics Processor and Memory
- Video Memory 512 Kb
Video Output
- Display Dual-Mirror
- Resolution 384 x 224
- Colors 4 (32 levels of Intensity)
- Display Features RTI SLA dual mirror-scan
Audio
- Audio Performance 16-bit stereo
Expansion and Connectivity
- Game Media Format Cartridge
- Controller Ports 1
Integrated Devices
- Built-in Features 3D display
Software / Accessories
- Games Included Mario Tennis
Power
- Battery 6 AA
- Battery Average Run Time 4 hours
Other hardware:
-
Gameboy Camera - a monochrome
camera cartridge for the original version of the gameboy, includes a simple picture editor and ability to print pictures via
Game Boy Printer
-
Broadcast Satellaview - Only released in Japan, an add-on for the Super Famicom
(Japanese SNES) that allowed anyone to download games by a satellite.
-
Game & Watch –
A series of handheld games made by Nintendo from 1980 through 1991.
-
Game Boy Player – An adapter for playing Game Boy games on the GameCube.
-
Game Boy Printer - An adapter
designed for printing things from the Game Boy. It was used for printing out Pokémon information from the Pokédex in the Game
Boy Pokémon games.
-
iQue Player – A version of the Nintendo 64, with double the clock speed and downloadable games,
released only in the Chinese market.
-
iQue DS - A version of the Nintendo DS, release only in China.
-
Nintendo 64DD – Only
released in Japan, this add-on system's
games are on re-writable magnetic disks. Games released include a paint and 3D construction package, F-Zero X Expansion Kit,
for creating new F-Zero X tracks, a sequel to the SNES version of SimCity, SimCity 64 and a few others. A complete commercial
failure, many speculated that Nintendo released it only to save face after promoting it preemptively for years.
-
Pokémon Mini – Unveiled in London
at Christmas 2000, the Pokémon Mini was Nintendo's cheapest console ever produced; with games costing Ł10 ($15) each, and
the system costing Ł30 ($45). This remains the smallest cartridge-based games console ever made. Sales of this system were
rather poor, but, unlike the Virtual Boy, Nintendo made a profit on every game and system sold.
-
Mobile System GB - Released in Japan,
December 14, 2000. The Mobile System is an adapter to play Game Boy Color games on the cell phone. The game Pokémon Crystal
was the first game to take advantage of the Mobile System. Someone can hook an adapter to their Game Boy and connect it to
a mobile phone which people can receive news, trade, and battle with other players across Japan.
-
Pokémon Pikachu - A handheld device similar to the popular Tamagotchi toy that allowed the user
to take care of Pikachu in the manner of a pet.
-
Super Game Boy –
Adapter for playing Game Boy games on the Super NES, which would be displayed in color.
-
Triforce – An arcade system based on Nintendo GameCube hardware, developed in partnership
with Sega and Namco.
-
Virtual Boy – The Virtual Boy used two red monochrome displays to create a virtual reality-like
system. Fewer than two dozen games were released for it in the United States.
It is the only Nintendo game system to be a commercial failure.
-
Yakuman – A handheld Mah-jong game released in 1983.
The Birth of Mario
In
1981 Shigeru Miyamoto guided by Gunpei Yokoi made the first game for Nintendo starring our dear Mario. It was the arcade game
Donkey Kong. By then Mario didn't even have a proper name! He was just called "jumpman" and was a carpenter! (When Donkey
Kong came to the US and Europe jumpman had been renamed Mario, though.) Yes its true, Mario was first a carpenter before he
became a plumber! Shigeru once described his character in Donkey Kong as "a funny hang-loose kind of guy" and designed his
character to be goofy and awkward! He also starred in the sequel to Donkey Kong: Donkey Kong Jr. In Dk jr. Mario had gotten
his real name. Then Mario Bros came out and his brother Luigi was born.
How
did Mario get his name then?
When
Minoru Arakawa, the president of Nintendo of America in New York, first saw "jumpman" he thought: "Hey! He looks just like
the landlord of our office!"; and the landlord´s name was Mario Segali and he came from Italy so that's how it is!
Why
does Mario look like he does?
The
main reason Mario looks like he does is that it was easier to make him that way, because of the problem with the low resolution
and few colors available on the NES and the early arcade machines. They gave him a mustache instead of a mouth and a cap instead
of hair because it was easier to see in the low resolution (and because Shigeru Miyamoto wasn't too good at designing hair).
One other thing with the cap was that it was static, which made easier to animate than hair. Mario was gven an overall because
then you could see his arms easier when he was moving. The gloves that he sometimes wears, only appeared in the drawed art
work, never in the games. This was because of the limited number of colors in the NES and arcade machines could handle and
therefore his hands had to be in the same color as his head.
How
come Mario became a carpenter?
Shigeru
Miyamoto wanted to make his character a hard working person so that the players could identify him/herself with him. He aslo
wanted him to be an ordinary man neither heroic nor handsome.
How
did they get the idea of the Super Mushroom and Mario becoming Super Mario?
Nintendo
was developing a new technique that made it possible to make bigger sprites on the NES than before and at first they decided
to make Mario big all the time, until Shigeru came up with the idea of Mario resizing when eating mushrooms! He got the idea
of using mushrooms as powerups from the popular book Alice in the Wonderland.
Does
Mario and Luigi have a surname?
Yes, in fact they do! Their surname
is Mario! So their full names are: Mario Mario and Luigi Mario!
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