Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES) was Nintendo's first home video game console. Initially released only in Japan in 1983 under the name "Famicom," the NES eventually made its way to the United States in 1985. It enjoyed a moderately long tenure as the top-selling gaming console for many years in the 1980s, far outselling such rivals as the Atari 2600 and the Sega Master System. The console continues to have a strong following thanks to the popularity of video game emulators; while a small contingent of NES owners still have their original consoles today, very few of those consoles are still functional, as various design flaws in the console made for very rapid breakdown, in some cases as quickly as three years after purchase.

Fast Facts

1. Developed by: Nintendo
2. Generation: 3rd (8-bit)
3. Availability:
   • U.S.: October 18, 1985
   • Japan: July 15, 1983
4. Best-selling console of its time

Just Blow On It

One of the NES's most well-known quirks was its tendency to improperly boot games if the cartridge was not inserted in a very precise way. One solution that many gamers used was to blow on the hollow part of the cartridge containing an exposed piece of the circuit board before inserting it into the console. Although it was a makeshift solution, it actually worked a good deal of the time. Part of the reason for this is that internal connector pins were prone to getting dirty and corroded, leaving a residue on previously inserted cartridges. By blowing on the cartridges, the residue was removed, allowing for a clean contact and a successful boot.

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