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Oct 18, 2010

Happy 25th Birthday, Nintendo Entertainment System!

It's not just Super Mario Bros. turning 25 this year. Today, October 18, marks the 25th anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System going on sale in the United States.

While a widespread release of the console wouldn't take place until 1986 (the same year it was released in Europe), it was in late 1985 at the FAO Schwarz in Manhattan, New York (as part of an advance market test) that the first of millions of the machines would pass over the counter of an American retailer.

The first games available were, in hindsight, some of the strongest launch titles in console history, including classics like Excitebike, Ice Climber, Duck Hunt and Baseball. The first consoles, meanwhile, were built by nice ladies.

Interestingly, according to 1UP, Nintendo's advertising boss at the time Gail Tilden reckons that first console was sold not to an American consumer, but to a representative of a "Japanese competitor".

The venerable old machine lasted ten years on the US market, with Nintendo ceasing production of the NES in 1995. In that decade it gave birth to many of gaming's most cherished franchises and characters, from Super Mario Bros to The Legend of Zelda to Metroid.

60 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those were the good ol' days.

Drackar said...

Ahh, the nes...how i miss it

Simon said...

I was just talking to a friend about how awesome NES Monopoly was...I'd love to find that on an emulator somewhere

razortek said...

interesting!! :D

Christine said...

oh yes, i'm having great memories with zelda on NES :D

first steps to nerdness ^^

Anonymous said...

Now I can't get the Mario Bros theme out of my head. Thanks for that

The Cockshiner said...

Hell yeah, the console that got me addicted to video games.

Stav88os said...

Cool Story Bro!;)

someone said...

that's a good device

Gegenthese said...

i love the nes, i bought one yesterday :D

anon1337 said...

I love you NES!

mirk said...

I own one of these. It's unreliable, but still fun.

poorfags said...

No school like the old school.

Lepoidim said...

The good old days right here, love it!

iMonei said...

awesome console is awesome

Nick said...

thats awesome. It also makes me sort of sad I'm not old enough to have been around for gaming's greatest time.

ElChristo said...

awesome.
Nintendo have brought me many years of pleasure

TheModTimes said...

Ahh the good ol' days!

gamefreak3335 said...

happy bday nes

gomby said...

nintendo has honestly been my childhood... so many memories

Copyboy said...

I am i sad that I used to play with that system in college? Huge fan of Techmo and Punchout. BTW...really love your blog! Made you geek pick of the day.

SMOKEDANKALLDAY said...

Dang I remember the daze playin this as a kid.. Crazy how time flies!

Conformity said...

man, those were the days, so much fun, TECHMO BOWL!

Miss Hali said...

Happy birthday you beautiful system you.

Anonymous said...

happy birthday nes

la comƩdie said...

i love it !!!

000 said...

You got me Nintendo nostalgia soo hard!

Anonymous said...

the classics will never age

Styron said...

aah awesome!

Anonymous said...

25 years already?! Whaaaa!!

Colene Murphy said...

i do love my NES. Great post. I had no idea it was so old as of today!!

Pro said...

Happy Birthday, its hard to belive its been so long.

Hester Prynne said...

wow, it takes me back. duck hunt.

The Game Store Guy said...

Wow...this is starting to make me feel old. Feels strange that I'm working on remakes of a 25 year old series.

Bobalukey said...

duuuuuude

vogelhut said...

It's been so long..

OneFourSeven said...

All hail the 8 bit era.

Anonymous said...

I use yo have one... good ol Mario!

Anonymous said...

i miss old times
nitendo gameboy sega RAMBO! XD

melinko said...

this is so awesome. nes rules

Splash87 said...

2 more years for the 2600's 35th!

Red Baron said...

all hail nintendooo

TS Hendrik said...

It would be nice if Nintendo would release some more classic titles to the wii to commemorate.

Guy Movie Blogger said...

Long live the NES!!!

So many good times :/

Freebie Blogger said...

wow its older than me.

SuciƓ Sanchez said...

And they're still making the same game.

Unknown said...

NES is 25 already. Damn I feel old today.

NJS DailyBlog said...

haha, this is so awesome! I love NES!

Anonymous said...

Happy bday!

The 1st system I ever gamed.

That Stoner Kid said...

damn Nintendos had a good run

Anonymous said...

sigh, its like looking at my childhood in a box.

Anonymous said...

Oh man...this makes me feel old.

Take some time to (only )view my blog
Stay classy : >

Anonymous said...

Happy bday NES!

Willow said...

I still have my Robbie the Robot that came with it the first year it was in the states....damn I'm old....

Allan said...

First system I ever got. I was but a wee lad back then. Some of my greatest early childhood memories were playing various game on my nes with my parents. :')

gomby said...

Happy b-dayy nintendo!!!

Home Alone Stoned said...

lol that phone doesnt look very cool

fat daddy said...

25 years? makes me feel old.

2Beer1Sip said...

happy birthday old friend

BunnySMG said...

Oh wow, I feel old now.

My sister bought us one with her babysitting money like a month after release. Well, she bought half of it, my dad matched her with the other half. She was even awesome enough to leave it at home when she moved out years later till I got myself an SNES.