Nintendo

Probably, if not the most successful console of all time. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) established Nintendo as the #1 player worldwide for video games. Nintendo had a strict “seal of quality” and licencing deals. This did mean that whilst third party titles could be successful, limited print runs & the amount of games that could be released were limited. As such, it wasn’t a huge success with third party games.

However, like most Nintendo consoles, the quality was in the first party titles. The 8-bit was the launching point of a number of franchises including Zelda and Metroid. It also gave the first look to many people at Mario, the ubiquitous Nintendo System, in Super Mario Bros. What was for a long time the most succesful game ever. However, it wasn’t just first party games that was successful. In fact, quality third party franchises such as Final Fantasy, Mega Man & Castlevania began on the system.

Nintendo’s run was long and dominating. In fact, not until the Sega Megadrive came out that the NES had a challenge. The Nintendo was continue to be built until 2003 in Japan.