Nintendo certainly needs no introduction. The iconic Japanese company, known both for some serious, cutting-edge innovation as well as pop-culture symbols such as Mario, has been in existence for over 125 years. Nintendo has captured our imagination and dominated the video games market ever since it released its first console – the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

But, as with any company that’s been around for over a century, Nintendo has had its fair share of ups and downs. The advent of the Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox meant it ceded space in the mid-ground and hardcore gaming markets – something which it hasn’t addressed to date. Nintendo has also been slow in catering to the smartphone gaming revolution. However, its titles still remain overwhelmingly popular, and the handheld console market is by and large Nintendo through and through.

In this article, we’ll try to take you through a journey of Nintendo’s history.

Timeline

1889

Nintendo, originally named “Nintendo Koppai”, is started in 1889 in Kyoto by Japanese entrepreneur Fusajiro Yamauchi. The company makes hand-made playing card decks, known as Hanafuda.

The meaning of “Nin Ten Do” is disputed and seems to be lost in time. One widely accepted translation of the Japanese characters is “leave luck to heaven.”