by Helium01

Created on: August 06, 2009

Everybody knows Nintendo as a company that makes game consoles. They have created well-known consoles such as Super Nintendo, Game Boy, and the Wii. However, did you know that the Nintendo Company started off as a playing cards manufacturer?

Nintendo began in 1889 making Hanafuda playing cards which were very popular in Japan. It is said that Nintendo means "leave luck to Heaven" which was the good luck that gave them so much success selling their playing cards. Later on, Nintendo switched to manufacturing all kinds of playing cards. The name of the company, owned by Fusajiro Yamauchi, became the Nintendo Playing Card Co.

As the company grew, it began making different products. Only their playing cards and some games they made were successful. Gunpei Yokoi was told to make something for the new game department. When he asked what his boss had in mind his boss replied, "something great".

His first invention and Nintendo's first toy was the Ultra Hand. Among his other inventions were the Ultra Machine, the Ultra Scope, and the Love Tester. Of these inventions, the Love Tester was the most popular. After his success with the new toys, Yokoi was asked to make videogames.

He first designed low-quality gaming machines known as Game & Watch. Along with these he invented the "control cross" that is still used in Nintendo products today. The Game & Watch led Yokoi to team up with Shigeru Miyamoto in designing their next big videogame, Donkey Kong.

In 1989, Yokoi designed his last project. It was the very successful Game Boy. Yokoi and his team of game designers worked together to make many games that would go along with the Game Boy. The Game Boy remains the most popular handheld ever made.

Nintendo went on to make more successful video game consoles. Among those are: the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), Super Nintendo, GameCube, Nintendo DS, and the Wii. Nintendo also created some of the most popular videogame characters such as Donkey Kong, Mario, Luigi, Zelda, Fox McCloud, and Yoshi.

Nintendo went from a company that made playing cards, to a company hardly making it in the game business, to a successful and very popular gaming company. All of Nintendo's successes would not have been possible had it not been for the major gamers, Gunpei Yokoi, and a bit of luck. Nintendo has been through its ups and downs but will always be a major competitor in the gaming industry.

Learn more about this author, Helium01.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.