Nintendo Timeline

The Famicom/NES was released. (06/15/83)

• First Nintendo home console
• Two controller ports
• Dpad
• 3rd party licensing and distributing for games
• Kick started many famous franchises

1983

Note: It was redisgned and released in the US 2 years later. It was named the NES, and it brought back gaming in America. -->

The Gameboy was released (04/21/89)

Note: Your mom or dad probably owned this.

• Handheld
• 8 bit processing power
• 15 hour battery life
• Interchangable cartridges
• Portable

1989

The SNES was released (11/21/90)

• 16 bit computing software
• New controller for better comfort
• Better sound quality
• Better graphics
• Slimmer console design

1990

Note: In other countries, this was released under the name, Super Famicom. An image of that will be provided below.

The Nintendo 64 was released. (05/23/96)

• Four controller ports
• 64 bit computing
• 3d rendered games
• First controller with a joystick
• Better graphics than all previous consoles

1996

The Gamecube was released (09/14/01)

Small Note: One of my favorite games was released on the Gamecube: Pikmin!

• Could run more powerful games than the 64 despite still being 64 bit
• Runs disc games instead of cartridges
• Had two joysticks instead of just one
• Compatible with GBA for some games
• Easily portable (had a handle to carry around)

2001

The Gameboy Advance (GBA) was released (03/21/01)

• Backwards compatible with all other gameboy games
• Compatible with gamecube for a few games
• Had better processing power than the SNES
• Better design for more comfort as a handheld
• Shoulder buttons

The Nintendo DS was released. (11/21/04)

• Handheld
• Two screens (Bottom one touch screen)
• Backwards compatible with GBA
• Better hardware than previous handhelds
• Connection over Wi-Fi instead of with a wire

2004

The Wii was released (11/18/06)

• Created by Nintendo
• The Wii had slightly better graphics from the gamecube.
• First motion controlled console
• Multimedia Channels
• First backwards compatible home console
• A new online system
• Outsold Gamecube, PS3, and Xbox 360

2006

The Nintendo 3ds was released (03/27/12)

• Created by Nintendo
• Successor to the line of DS consoles
• 3D mode for top screen without the need to use 3D glasses
• Better hardware than DS
• First handheld with joystick
• Backwards compatible with DS games
• Street Pass and Mii Maker
• Compatible with Wii U

2012

The Wii U was released (11/18/12)

• Created by Nintendo
• Better hardware than all previous consoles
• Controller was a touchpad screen
• Ran the Wii software
• NFC chip
• 1080p HD on Widescreen TV
• Compatible with 3ds
• Online shop for games

The Nintendo Switch was released (03/03/17)

• A mix of handheld and home console (it's portable, and connectable to a TV)
• Better graphics and hardware than all other Nintendo consoles
• Controllers on side that you can take off and use
• Best selling Nintendo console
• Cartridge based (games are easier to move from one place to another)

2017

The Nintendo Switch Oled released (10/08/21)

Note: The games below also work with the base switch model.

• OLED screen instead of LCD
• Better kickstand
• Runs faster
• Screen is larger
• Built in 64 GB memory
• Improved speakers
• Better dock (For TV use)

2021