When people think of Nintendo today, they think of iconic characters, unforgettable consoles, and decades of gaming memories. But Nintendo’s story didn’t start with video games, consoles, or even electronics. In fact, it began over a century ago—with playing cards.

The journey from a small Japanese card company to one of the most influential names in gaming history is one of the most fascinating stories in the industry.

The Very Beginning: 1889

Nintendo was founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, Japan. The company originally produced handmade Hanafuda playing cards, a traditional Japanese card game. At the time, playing cards were tightly regulated in Japan, and Nintendo quickly built a reputation for high-quality craftsmanship.

For decades, Nintendo remained a playing card company. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that the business began experimenting with new ideas and looking beyond cards for growth.

Searching for a New Direction

By the 1950s and 60s, Nintendo started to explore other business ventures. Some were successful, others… not so much. The company tried things like toys, board games, and even unusual ideas outside entertainment. While not all of these experiments worked, they helped Nintendo develop a mindset of innovation and creative risk-taking—something that would later define the brand.

One of the most important shifts came when Nintendo began focusing more seriously on toys and electronic entertainment. This laid the groundwork for what would eventually become its biggest success: video games.

Entering the Video Game World

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Nintendo entered the growing video game market. Early arcade titles helped the company gain experience, but the real breakthrough came with a game that would change everything: Donkey Kong.

Released in 1981, Donkey Kong introduced the world to a small character trying to save a damsel in distress—later known as Mario. The game was a massive success and marked the beginning of Nintendo’s rise as a major force in gaming.

The NES and the Revival of Home Gaming

In the early 1980s, the video game industry suffered a major crash in North America. Many companies disappeared, and confidence in home consoles was low. Nintendo took a bold step by releasing the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

The NES didn’t just succeed—it revived the entire home console market. With legendary games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid, Nintendo redefined what home gaming could be. The company also introduced strict quality control standards, helping restore trust in video games as a whole.

The Golden Age of Nintendo

Throughout the 1990s, Nintendo continued to innovate with consoles like the Super Nintendo (SNES) and the Nintendo 64. These systems delivered some of the most beloved games of all time and helped shape entire genres.

Characters like Mario, Link, and Pokémon became global icons, and Nintendo built a reputation for focusing on gameplay, creativity, and fun over raw technical power.

Reinventing the Rules

Rather than competing purely on hardware power, Nintendo often chose to change how people play. The Nintendo DS brought touchscreens to mainstream gaming, and the Wii introduced motion controls to millions of households.

Later, the Nintendo Switch blended home console and portable gaming into one device, once again proving that Nintendo’s greatest strength is innovation through simplicity and accessibility.

Nintendo’s Legacy Today

Today, Nintendo stands as one of the most important companies in gaming history. Its influence can be seen everywhere—from game design and console concepts to how people of all ages experience games.

What makes Nintendo special isn’t just its hardware or its characters—it’s the company’s consistent focus on fun, creativity, and accessibility. Whether you’re playing a modern title or revisiting classics from decades ago, you’re experiencing the result of more than 130 years of evolution and innovation.

Why Nintendo Still Matters to Retro Gamers

For retro gaming fans, Nintendo represents some of the most important eras in gaming history. Many of the games that defined childhoods, shaped genres, and set industry standards came from Nintendo’s consoles.

That’s why Nintendo systems and games remain a huge part of retro gaming today—and why they continue to be celebrated, preserved, and enjoyed by new generations of players.