Overview

The Nintendo Entertainment System logo

The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES, although sometimes Nintendo), was Nintendo's first attempt to attract home consumers. The console was an 8-bit video game console. It was first 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 (more commonly known as 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 things that have become standard. Game design, controller layout, and licensing software for third-party software.

A second version of the NES (known as the Top Loader) was released. The color scheme was relatively the same, but there were some minor differences. Cartridges were loaded out of the top as opposed to from the front.

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, Nintendo's business practices were outlawed.

History

The Family Computer

In an effort to enter the North American market, Nintendo negotiated with Atari in an attempt to release the Famicom as the Nintendo Advanced Video Gaming System, but the deal did not work. 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.

Technical Specifications

The infamous 10NES chip

• CPU: 8-bit microprocessor (by Ricoh, based on MOS Technology 6502 core)
• 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: Five sound channels