The gaming world would not be where it is today if not for the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System, orNES, in 1985. Nintendo’s legendary home console turns 38 this year, meaning the franchises it spawned - likeMarioandThe Legend of Zelda- are approaching their 40th anniversaries. Although it would take some years for theNESto build its library of classics, its launch titles deserve recognition for propelling the console into the homes of millions and reviving the dying gaming industry.
Following thecrash of the video game industry in 1983, which saw consumers turned off by a market oversaturated with poor quality games, Nintendo stepped up to create a simple, affordable console marketed to complement home entertainment centers alongside other common appliances like VCRs. The NES was able to shed the negative public image surrounding game consoles while maintaining the essence of fun associated with the medium, giving it a much broader appeal than any console before it. With its line-up of high-quality, must-play titles, the NES would go on to make history by introducing players to franchises still beloved today.
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The NES' North American Launch Line-Up
The NES had a solid collection of 17 games available for purchase when it launched in North America. With Nintendo marketing the device as both a toy and a home entertainment system, they company included theRobotic Operating Buddy, or R.O.B., as an accessory alongside two games:GyromiteandStack-Up.Both of these titles had fairly simple gameplay that emphasized the use of the real-world R.O.B. to manipulate the physical “gyros” to affect their in-game counterparts. However, support for the R.O.B. peripheral wouldn’t last long, and these would be the only two games compatible with it.
A far more popular peripheral that launched with the console was the NES Zapper - a light gun that allowed players to shoot at in-game objects on their TV screens. The three games launching with the console that utilized the Zapper wereHogan’s Alley,Wild Gunman, andthe iconicDuck Hunt.Duck Huntwas by far the most popular of these titles, as it was bundled with the console alongsideSuper Mario Bros.
Other launch titles likeExcitebike,Ice Climber, andWrecking Crewwould establish themselves as lasting parts of Nintendo’s history, earning references in future Nintendo franchises likeSuper Smash Bros.andMario Kart. Excitebikein particular was noteworthy for allowing players to create custom tracks, adding to the game’s replayability.Ice ClimberandWrecking Crewalso had arcade versions, but it was the quality of the home console versions compared to other acrade-to-console ports that popularized these titles and drove sales. Although they don’t hold up as well today compared to other NES titles, they still played an important role in the console’s success.
But of course, the game that cemented the NES and Nintendo as titans of the gaming industry wasSuper Mario Bros.which launched as a pack-in title with theNES. The way Nintendo took an arcade game mascot and translated him into a home console platforming adventurer is still studied today. What madeSuper Mario Bros.so successful was the simple and straightforward way it introduced players to the game’s mechanics, then kept them hooked by iterating on and challenging these mechanics with each subsequent level. It’s a design philosophy that the series still uses to this day, showing just how fundamental the originalSuper Mario Bros.was to modern gaming.
