Recommended Free Tools
Here is Nintendo’s major dedicated gaming-system chronology, with home consoles separated from handhelds and launch geography shown where the official histories specify it. The timeline covers system families, not every regional release or hardware revision; Famicom and NES are regional names for the same foundational family. “Every” therefore means every major family in this defined scope, not every accessory or model variant.
Every Nintendo console release in chronological order
Nintendo’s official hardware history starts with the Famicom in Japan in 1983. The dates below identify a system’s first launch in the stated territory, not necessarily its worldwide release. For each entry, the format is home, handheld, or hybrid.
| Year | System family | Form factor | First launch geography stated in the official history |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Family Computer (Famicom), later released overseas as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) | Home | Japan |
| 1989 | Game Boy | Handheld | Japan |
| 1990 | Super Famicom, called Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) overseas | Home | Japan; the UK history records the European launch in June 1992 |
| 1995 | Virtual Boy | Dedicated tabletop/visor system | Japan |
| 1996 | Nintendo 64 | Home | Japan, June 23 |
| 1998 | Game Boy Color | Handheld | Introduced in 1998; the cited history does not specify its first-launch territory here |
| 2001 | Game Boy Advance | Handheld | Japan, March 21; US, June 11; Europe, June 22 |
| 2001 | GameCube | Home | Japan, September 14; America, November 18 |
| 2002 | Pokémon mini | Handheld | Europe, March 15 |
| 2004 | Nintendo DS | Handheld | US and Japan toward year-end; Europe, March 11, 2005 |
| 2006 | Wii | Home | Launched at the end of 2006; the cited history does not give one first-launch territory here |
| 2012 | Wii U | Home | November 2012 |
| 2013 | Nintendo 2DS | Handheld | Introduced in October 2013; the cited history does not specify its first-launch territory here |
| 2017 | Nintendo Switch | Hybrid: home system and handheld | March 2017 |
| 2025 | Nintendo Switch 2 | Hybrid | June 5, 2025; Nintendo’s launch announcement is from Nintendo of America |
Sources: Nintendo UK’s hardware history, Nintendo Australia’s history, and Nintendo of America’s Switch 2 launch announcement.
How to read Nintendo’s names and dates
Famicom and NES are one family
The Family Computer launched in Japan in 1983. Nintendo later used the name Nintendo Entertainment System for its worldwide release. Treating them as separate generations would count the same foundational family twice; the different names and regional launch timing are the important distinction.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
Super Famicom and SNES are also regionally linked
The Super Famicom arrived in Japan in 1990. Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES, was its overseas name. Nintendo UK records the European launch in June 1992, so 1990 is not a universal launch date.
Handhelds belong in a complete system timeline
Nintendo’s dedicated hardware history is not only a home-console list. Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS-family hardware are essential parts of the company’s chronology. The 2DS is included above as a notable 3DS-compatible handheld: it plays Nintendo 3DS titles in 2D.
Rank #2
- 6.2” LCD screen
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
- Nintendo Switch is the home of Mario & friends
Switch changed the form-factor category
Nintendo describes Switch as a home system that can also be used as a handheld. Switch 2 followed on June 5, 2025; Nintendo’s announcement called it the company’s first brand-new gaming platform in eight years.
Major generations versus revised models and add-ons
This chronology counts major system families. It does not list each hardware revision as a new generation. Nintendo’s histories also mention revisions such as Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy Micro, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, 3DS XL, New Nintendo 3DS and XL, and New Nintendo 2DS XL. Game Boy Color appears as its own major milestone above because the official history dates its introduction to 1998.
Rank #3
- Play your way with the Nintendo Switch gaming system. Whether you’re at home or on the go, solo or with friends, the Nintendo Switch system is designed to fit your life. Dock your Nintendo Switch to enjoy HD gaming on your TV. Heading out? Just undock your console and keep playing in handheld mode
- This model includes battery life of approximately 4.5 - 9 hours.
- The battery life will depend on the games you play. For instance, the battery will last approximately 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (games sold separately)
- Model number HAC 001( 01)
Likewise, the Famicom Disk Drive System and Satellaview are not counted as standalone console generations here: Nintendo describes the Disk Drive as expanding Famicom functions and Satellaview as an adapter for Super Famicom. An inventory that includes every revision, peripheral, regional variant, or add-on would need a different scope and more region-specific dates.
Quiz yourself: test your Nintendo knowledge
- Which system began Nintendo’s official hardware chronology, and where did it launch?
- Are Famicom and NES separate console generations?
- Which Nintendo system family arrived in Japan in 1990 and was called SNES overseas?
- Which 2001 handheld launched first in Japan on March 21?
- What kind of system is Nintendo Switch: home-only, handheld-only, or hybrid?
- On what date did Nintendo Switch 2 launch?
Answers
- Family Computer (Famicom), in Japan in 1983.
- No. They are regionally connected names for the same system family.
- Super Famicom.
- Game Boy Advance.
- Hybrid: it works as a home system and can also be used as a handheld.
- June 5, 2025.
What Nintendo’s published figures say
Nintendo’s official history states that more than 6 billion video games and over 870 million hardware units have been sold globally. The page does not date those cumulative figures, so they should not be read as totals for a particular year. Nintendo UK also reports more than 46 million SNES units sold worldwide, more than 500,000 Nintendo 64 systems sold on its first day in Japan, and 2.3 million Nintendo 64 units sold in Europe in its first year. These are Nintendo-published figures, not independently audited results.
Rank #4
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- 6.2” LCD screen.
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
Nintendo’s history describes its continuing mission as creating reasons to choose Nintendo for “unique, family-friendly entertainment that puts smiles on the faces of everyone it touches.” The statement is attributed to Nintendo as a company, not to a named individual.
Sources: Nintendo UK’s hardware history and Nintendo of America’s Switch 2 launch announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
- Two players can each take one
- Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)
- Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
