Summary

Released in Japan on the 15th of July in 1983, the Family Computer (typically shortened to Famicom) was Nintendo's first cartidge-based home videogame system. The console's popularity skyrocketed with the release of Super Mario Bros. in 1985, leading Nintendo to dominate the Japanese videogame market. However, the system went through a radical redesign and was renamed to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the U.S. and Europe. Aggressive marketing and licensing helped to revive a flagging videogame market in the west.