NES/Famicom

The Ultimate Video Game Console Archive

NES/Famicom

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The NES dominated the video game market during the late 1980's and very early 1990's. Although it got off to a slow start, the NES/Famicom quickly gained momentum thanks to the release of several titles that would later go on to becoming mega-popular. However, the main 2 reasons the NES defeated it's competition was because it arrived onto the market a year before the Sega Master System, and two years before the Atari 7800, and because every video game company that made a game for the system had to sign a strict contract that forced them not to make a game for any system not made by Nintendo. However, as new, more powerful systems entered the market, Nintendo's market share steadily started to drop in 1989 and 1990, due to the releases of the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and TurboGrafx/PC Engine. However, the NES/Famicom was still much more popular than any other system on the market. Netherless, Nintendo replaced the NES/Famicom with the Super NES/Super Famicom in late 1990 and early 1991. NES/Famicom sales dropped after that, but still remained strong at least until 1993, when Nintendo finally discontinued this memorable system.

Japanese Name: Famicom Family Computer

Worldwide Name: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

Market Share in Beginning of Lifespan: Unknown

Market Share in Middle of Lifespan: 90%

Market Share in End of Lifespan: Unknown

Best-Selling Game: Super Mario Bros. (40 million copies)

An 8-Bit System

Price at Launch: $200.00

Number of Units Sold: 60 million

Slogans:

Now you're playing with power.

Released in Japan in: 1983

Released Worldwide in: 1985

Discontinued in: 1993

Popularity Compared to Competitors:

In Japan:

1st-Famicom Family Computer

2nd-Sega Master System

3rd-Atari 7800

In America:

1st-NES

2nd-Sega Master System

3rd-Atari 7800

In Europe:

1st-Sega Master System

2nd-NES

3rd-Atari 7800

Graphics Comparison:

1st-Sega Master System

2nd-Atari 7800

3rd-NES/Famicom