Nintendo Family Computer

The Family Computer, universally known as the Famicom, was the Japanese original that would later conquer the world as the NES. Launched by Nintendo in 1983 in its distinctive red-and-white livery, it was an instant sensation at home and went on to sell tens of millions.

Its timing was extraordinary. As the Western games market collapsed under the weight of too many poor products, the Famicom did the opposite, reviving the fortunes of console gaming in Japan through sheer quality. It became the launchpad for franchises that still tower over the industry, from Super Mario Bros. to The Legend of Zelda.

Quite simply, it is one of the most important machines in the history of video games. The Famicom rewrote the rules for how consoles were made, sold and supported, and the blueprint Nintendo drew up with it shaped the decades of gaming that followed.