L'histoire de Nintendo : des cartes aux icônes du jeu vidéo

The History of Nintendo: From Playing Cards to Video Game Icons

1928 words | Reading time : 9 minute(s)

Behind the scenesNintendoKyoto

Before consoles, Nintendo sold playing cards — as far back as 1889. Founded on 23 September 1889 in Kyoto by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce Hanafuda cards, the company took more than eighty years to move into video games. This retrospective follows the road from toys to the Color TV-Game of 1977, then to Donkey Kong and the birth of Mario, all the way to today's icons.

Nintendo is one of the historic giants of the video game industry, the birthplace of some of the most iconic franchises in the world. But before getting billions of people to play Super Mario, Pokémon, Zelda or Animal Crossing, Nintendo first came into the world as a small maker of playing cards in Kyoto. Here is a full deep dive into the evolution of a Japanese company that became a global cultural empire.

Contents

1889–1960: The origins, from Kyoto to Hanafuda cards

Founded on 23 September 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, Nintendo Koppai made Hanafuda cards, used for traditional Japanese games. Thanks to superior craftsmanship, the company thrived in what was nonetheless a narrow market. In the 1950s, driven by the founder's great-grandson, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo modernised, secured a partnership with Disney for its cards, and gradually branched out into other lines of business.

Hand-painted hanafuda cards, a traditional Japanese game with floral motifs
The card game where it all began: hanafuda, made in Kyoto from 1889 onward. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain.

1960–1980: From toys to the first steps in video games

The move into the world of toys began in the 1960s. Nintendo made its mark with innovative products such as:

  • Ultra Hand (1966), an extending hand designed by Gunpei Yokoi
  • Love Tester, a gadget for couples
  • Various light guns and mechanical arcade cabinets

The company stepped into electronics with the Color TV-Game (1977), home consoles that sold millions of units in Japan. It was the first step toward a revolution still to come.

1980–1985: The Game & Watch era, Donkey Kong and the birth of Mario

Gunpei Yokoi created the range of Game & Watch (1980), the ancestors of the Game Boy: handheld games with LCD screens, each built around a single kind of gameplay. It was a huge worldwide success.

In 1981, Nintendo released Donkey Kong, designed by a young Shigeru Miyamoto. The playable character, then called Jumpman, would go on to become Mario. The game laid the foundations of the modern platformer.

In 1983, the Famicom launched in Japan. Its Western version, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), arrived in 1985 and saved the industry after the 1983 crash thanks to titles such as:

Game & Watch Flagman handheld, monochrome screen with buttons on either side
The Game & Watch, Nintendo's first venture into pocket electronic gaming. Photo: User:Captaine06, CC BY-SA 4.0.

1986–1996: Global domination with the NES and the Super Nintendo

With the NES, Nintendo became a synonym for video games. The console established itself as a worldwide phenomenon, especially in the United States and Europe. The arrival of The Legend of Zelda (1986), Metroid and Kid Icarus broadened the range of its catalogue.

In 1990 (Super Famicom in Japan; SNES in the West from 1991), the Super Nintendo succeeded the NES with remarkable graphical and audio power. It came up against fierce competition from SEGA and its Mega Drive. Despite that rivalry, cult classics were born:

  • Super Mario World
  • Street Fighter II
  • Chrono Trigger
  • Final Fantasy VI
  • Donkey Kong Country (Rare)
Grey Nintendo Entertainment System console with its two rectangular controllers
The NES: the machine that restarted an entire industry after the 1983 crash. Photo: Evan-Amos, Public domain.

1989–1999: Absolute reign over handheld gaming with the Game Boy

The Game Boy (1989), designed by Gunpei Yokoi, changed the world of gaming on the move. With its battery life and its toughness, it won out despite a monochrome screen. Its flagship game, Tetris, became a phenomenon. But the real bombshell came in 1996 with:

  • Pokémon Red and Green in Japan, then Pokémon Red and Blue internationally

The Pokémon series spawned a colossal multimedia franchise: games, trading cards, anime, films… The Game Boy Color (1998) would stretch that dominance even further.

Original Game Boy, grey shell with a green screen and a D-pad
The Game Boy and its green screen: ten years of dominance in handheld gaming. Photo: Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0.

1996–2006: Entering 3D with the Nintendo 64 and the GameCube

The Nintendo 64 (1996) marked Nintendo's entry into 3D with groundbreaking titles:

  • Super Mario 64, a revolution in platform games
  • Zelda: Ocarina of Time, hailed as one of the greatest games of all time
  • Smash Bros. (1999), the first crossover of the Nintendo universe

The GameCube (2001) was powerful but poorly positioned commercially. It still played host to classics: Super Smash Bros. Melee, Metroid Prime, The Wind Waker, Resident Evil 4, etc.

Black Nintendo 64 console alongside its three-handled controller
The Nintendo 64 and its three-pronged controller, built around the analogue stick. Photo: Evan-Amos, Public domain.

2004–2012: Nintendo rewrites the rules with the DS and the Wii

  • Nintendo DS (2004) – two screens, a touch screen, a microphone
  • Wii (2006) – Wiimote with motion detection

These consoles were a colossal success. The Wii became a family phenomenon with Wii Sports. The DS drew in children and adults alike with Nintendogs, Brain Training or Mario Kart DS.

White Wii console standing vertically on its base, with its remote
The Wii and its motion-sensing remote, which brought gaming into family living rooms. Photo: Matthew Paul Argall, Public domain.

2012–2016: The wilderness years with the Wii U

The Wii U (2012) suffered from confusing marketing, a poorly chosen name and a thin catalogue. Despite quality titles such as Super Mario Maker or Bayonetta 2, it barely sold 13 million units. It is one of the biggest failures in Nintendo's history, but also a laboratory of ideas for the rebirth to come.

Wii U GamePad tablet controller, touch screen set between the two grips
The Wii U GamePad: an idea ahead of its time, misunderstood by the wider public. Photo: Tom Page, CC BY-SA 2.0.

2017–today: The triumph of the Nintendo Switch

Launched in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch was a blazing critical and commercial success. A hybrid console, it won players over with its flexibility and its outstanding library:

  • Breath of the Wild – reinvents the Zelda series
  • Super Mario Odyssey – a return to free-roaming platforming
  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons – a global phenomenon at the height of the pandemic
  • Metroid Dread, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Splatoon 3, Tears of the Kingdom…

The Switch has passed 155 million units sold (as of 31 March 2026), making it the best-selling Nintendo console in history, handhelds and home consoles combined.

Nintendo Switch sitting in its dock, Joy-Con controllers attached on each side
The Switch: the hybrid console that reconciled the living room and the handheld. Photo: Evan-Amos, Public domain.

2024 and beyond: toward a new generation?

The Switch 2, officially announced on 16 January 2025 and launched on 5 June 2025, takes over. Nintendo is building on a solid ecosystem (hybrid design, Joy-Con, Nintendo Online, remasters and so on) while keeping continuity with the first Switch.

Nintendo Switch 2 unfolded in tabletop mode, screen tilted on its kickstand
The Switch 2, launched in 2025, carries the hybrid formula into the next generation. Photo: PantheraLeo1359531, CC BY 4.0.

Nintendo at a glance

Founded 23 September 1889, in Kyoto (Japan)
Founder Fusajiro Yamauchi
Original business Making Hanafuda playing cards
First console Color TV-Game (1977, in Japan)
Birth of Mario Donkey Kong (1981), a character then called Jumpman
Flagship franchises Super Mario, Pokémon, Zelda, Animal Crossing
Current console Nintendo Switch 2 (launched on 5 June 2025), successor to the Nintendo Switch (March 2017)

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Check out our Mario posters in the shop.

FAQ

  • When was Nintendo founded, and by whom?
    Nintendo was founded on 23 September 1889 in Kyoto by Fusajiro Yamauchi, under the name Nintendo Koppai.
  • What did Nintendo make in its early days?
    Originally, Nintendo made Hanafuda playing cards, used for traditional Japanese games and prized for their craftsmanship.
  • Which game did Mario first appear in?
    Mario appeared in 1981 in Donkey Kong, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. The character went by the name Jumpman at the time, before becoming Mario.
  • Which console saved Nintendo after the 1983 crash?
    The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), released in North America in late 1985, is credited with reviving the market thanks to titles such as Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt and Excitebike.
  • What was Nintendo's biggest commercial failure?
    The Wii U (2012), hampered by confusing marketing and a thin catalogue, sold only around 13.5 million units, making it Nintendo's worst-selling home console.

Conclusion

From a small card workshop to global video game leader, Nintendo has weathered eras, failures and technological revolutions alike. Its genius lies in its ability to combine innovation, creativity and accessibility. By creating timeless characters, rich worlds and play experiences that are forever renewed, Nintendo goes on embodying a one-of-a-kind gaming philosophy: that of fun above all.

Beyond the consoles

Films, series, music, theme parks and records: our guide follows Mario everywhere he has stepped outside the games.

🎬 Mario in film and culture →
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