NES

Overview

The Nintendo Entertainment System logo

The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as "NES," and sometimes called simply "Nintendo"), was Nintendo's first attempt to attract home consumers. The 8-bit video game console was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, and Australia in 1985 (although it was released in 1983 in Japan). In Japan and many other Asian countries, the NES was known as the Family Computer (or as it came to be later known: the Famicom). In some Asian countries, it was known as the Tata Famicom.

The Top Loader, or the NES2

After the video game market crash of 1983, the NES was the perfect revitalization. Because of this, it was the best-selling video game console of all time. The NES introduced many conventions that have become standard including game controller layout and third-party software licensing.

A second version of the NES (known as the top loader) was released. The color scheme was virtually the same, but there were some minor differences. Cartridges were loaded into the top as opposed to from the front. This hardware revision virtually eliminated the common need for owners of the original console to blow into their cartridges before inserting to make them work thanks to its improved design.

Nintendo also released the PlayChoice-10. The PlayChoice-10 was an arcade cabinet that contained full versions of ten NES games. This was to capitalize on the success of arcades at the time, as well as compete with Sega's arcade versions of the Sega Genesis and Sega Master System. In addition to Nintendo's own games, many third party games also appeared on the PlayChoice-10.

Licensing

Nintendo's seal of quality

Nintendo's licensing techniques were both revolutionary and for a time, illegal. Nintendo had a veritable monopoly on the market at the time, so they encouraged developers to make games for their console. But, developers had to sign a contract stating they would only develop games for the NES. Also, a chip was instituted into the NES called the 10NES. If this same chip was not found in the cartridge, the game wouldn't load. Eventually, however, these business practices were ultimately outlawed.

History

The Family Computer

In an effort to enter the North American market, Nintendo negotiated with Atari to release the Famicom as the Nintendo Advanced Video Gaming System, but the deal didn't get off the ground. In June of 1985, Nintendo unveiled the North American version of the Famicom; the NES. On October 18, 1985, the NES was released, along with eighteen launch titles: 10-Yard Fight, Baseball, Clu Clu Land, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Duck Hunt, Excitebike, Golf, Gyromite, Hogan's Alley, Ice Climber, Kung Fu, Mach Rider, Pinball, Stack-Up, Tennis, Wild Gunman, Wrecking Crew, and Super Mario Bros.

NES Emulators

Japanese Famulator

Famulator Controller

Technical Specifications

• CPU: 8-bit microprocessor (by Ricoh, based on MOS Technology 6502 core) operating at 1.79MHz on NTSC systems and 1.66MHz on PAL systems.
  
• Memory: 2 KB of random access memory, 49,128 bytes of read-only memory
• Video: Custom-made picture processing unit (by Ricoh) named RP2C02 (in NTSC models, operates at 5.37 MHz) and RP2C07 (in PAL models, operates at 5.32 MHz)
• Color palette of 48 colors and 5 grays, 25 colors on one scanline
•  64 sprites displayed on the screen simultaneously (sprites can be 8 x 8 pixels or 8 x 16 pixels)
• Display resolution is 256 x 240 pixels (effective resolution of 256 x 224 pixels)
• Audio: Ricoh RP2A03 on NTSC systems and Ricoh RP2A07 on PAL systems. Has 5 separate audio channels. Two pulse-wave, one triangle-wave, one white-noise and one DPCM channel.