DID YOU KNOW

That Nintendo, founded in 1889 and famous for producing video games including Mario, The Legend of Zelda and Pokemon originally produced handmade Hanafuda 花札 (or ‘flower’) playing cards? Playing cards were introduced to Japan by the Portuguese traders during the mid-16th century.

In 1949, the company adopted the name Nintendo Karuta Co. Ltd, the word ‘Karuta‘ 歌留多 is derived from the Portuguese word carta or card and refers to ‘traditional’ Japanese playing cards. The company used the name The Nintendo Playing Card Co Ltd when doing business internationally.

Nintendo Co. Ltd

In 1963 it was renamed Nintendo Co. Ltd since it had begun to experiment in other areas of business. Three years later the company moved into the Japanese toy industry with Ultra Hand. It was developed by Gunpei Yokoi, a maintenance engineer who was moved to the new Nintendo Games Department as a product developer.

The company experienced some success but was surpassed by the faster development and manufacturing turnaround of its more established competitors. Several years later, its business focus shifted again, this time to family entertainment venues with its Laser Clay Shooting System. Ultimately, excessive venue costs saw these shut down although the company did find a new market.

Entering the Electronic Era
Between 1974 and 1978 Nintendo entered the electronic era. In 1974 it entered the video gaming industry by securing rights to nationally distribute the Magnavox Odyssey video game console. Three years later it began producing its own hardware with the Color TV-Game home video game consoles. Around this time, a student product developer named Shigeru Miyamoto was hired. Miyamoto worked for Yokoi. By 1975 Nintendo branched out once again to enter the Video Arcade Game industry where it achieved minor successes with some of its games. The real game-changer came in 1981 with the Miyamoto-designed ‘Donkey Kong‘ — the rest as they say, is history! Image Credits: Nintendo Wiki/Aldaron

RELATED
1. The Magnavox Odyssey

OFF the WALL

Dark Horse Digital is a two-person, bootstrapped Start Up. It began in 2013 embodying the trans-Tasman spirit of its founders: of mateship, ingenuity and endurance. Off the Wall are some fair dinkum fascinations shared with our Facebook Followers.

Our BAM! Card Game