Nintendos

Nintendos, a term sometimes used to refer to Nintendo, designates the Japanese multinational company and its extensive role in video game hardware, software, and related entertainment products. Founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, Nintendo began as a maker of Hanafuda playing cards and gradually diversified into toys and electronic entertainment. In the late 20th century it pivoted toward video games and established a major presence with home consoles such as the NES (released in 1983 as the Famicom in Japan) and its successors SNES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch.

The company's hardware is complemented by a broad software catalog featuring long-running franchises. Notable series include Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Donkey Kong. The Pokémon video game franchise, created by Game Freak and The Pokémon Company, is closely associated with Nintendo, which publishes many Pokémon titles outside Japan. The Nintendo Switch, introduced in 2017, is a hybrid system enabling both portable and stationary play and has become one of the best-selling consoles.

Nintendo Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, and operates as an independent company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Its business model combines hardware sales with software publishing, licensing, and a growing range of mobile titles, alongside internal development teams such as Nintendo EPD.