The Original Nintendo Entertainment System aka NES is a video game console introduced in North America in 1985.
It was originally known as Famicom or the Family Computer, in Japan in 1983. The idea was to bring arcade games to the home television set. And, the NES game was a big hit.
They came out with this 8-bit video game console, labeling it as an entertainment system rather than a video game console. This was done primarily to avoid being bundled with Atari 2600.
The Atari 2600, had come and gone before 1983. The consumers for video game consoles were fairly put off with the concept because of the low-quality games that had flooded the market by third-party creators.
So, Nintendo introduced its video game console in America as an entertainment system. The design and the look were completely modified to resemble a VCR.
They needed to make sure that the consumer did not associate it with an extinct product. And, from the popularity of the NES game, it is, needless to say, that Nintendo hit a home run.
The box-ier design, replicating the VCR, used a front-loading system for loading game cartridges.
The cartridges were also designed to mimic the videotape of the VCR, hence, they were much larger than necessary.
Even the NES cartridge housing had a much futuristic and sophisticated look than that of the Atari carts.
Nintendo managed to make a breakthrough in the gaming industry. The predictions being made for the Nintendo Entertainment System were that their games would tank and that millions of dollars were being wasted into a market that no longer existed.
However, Atari 2600 had only just scratched the surface of the gaming industry.
Nintendo managed to change the perception of the consumers and create a market for its games. Gamers wanted to be able to play arcade games on their television sets in the comforts of their homes.
Nintendo knew it was providing a much better gaming ecosystem. But, they also knew that if they provided a similar looking product as the Atari 2600, Nintendo would not stand a chance.
Hence, they dressed up the NES video game console for the US quite differently. Instead of having a smaller, slick look that Famicom has, the NES game was bigger.
This, however, was to give the NES game a more iconic and timeless feel to it.
Apart from the looks, Nintendo had to make sure that its consumers felt a sense of value and substance. So, we see additions that were made to the mix such as the Zapper (the light gun) and the R.O.B (robot operating buddy).
In the 80s, marketing was starting to play a substantial role in the success of products. Many things such as consumer perception, ergonomics, and advertising tools were used to give gamers a new experience.
How Much Is An Original Nintendo Worth? The NES game was priced $80-100 in the 80s. It was vital to make the consumer feel that they were getting their money’s worth. Today, in good condition an original nintendo is worth half that price.
Perhaps, another winning factor for the NES game was the Super Mario 3 game. It is an all-time favorite game, and if you happen to be a collector then you will probably want this game in your collection.
