What happened next

Strictly speaking, the images in this post are completely out of place on a blog about Nintendo's history up to the launch of the Family Computer.

Nintendo's toy and game era - roughly from 1965 to 1983 - is a fascinating topic in its own right, with many stories to be told. About inventions, creative design and bold innovation. About original as well as copied ideas. About entrepreneurship, risk taking and trying the market to see what works. It is really Nintendo's coming-of-age period.

It cannot be denied, however, that the interest in Nintendo's past is created to a large extend by the events that followed since. If Nintendo had somehow retired or gone out of business in the early 1980s, or ventured in a completely different and less successful direction than it did, this blog would most likely not have happened.

And venture in the right direction they did. The picture below is testament to that. Just seeing all these gaming devices together makes my heart sing.

Nintendo 1983-2011

All platforms are present here. The home consoles: Family Computer, Super Famicom, Nintendo 64, Game Cube and Wii. And the handhelds: Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, DS and 3DS.

Well, all but one. One system is conspicuously missing here. Did you spot it? It is - of course - the Virtual Boy.

Nintendo 2011-1983

These images where taken from a 196 page magazine titled "Nintendo complete catalogue" (任天堂 コンプリート カタログ), covering all Nintendo hardware and software from 1983 to 2011.

In case you are wondering, the Virtual Boy is included inside, but for some reason (shame?) shunned from the cover picture. Also included inside are add-ons like the Satellaview and 64DD and device variations like the Game Boy Pocket and the DSi. It really is a very complete catalogue.

Nintendo Complete Catalogue (supplement Weekly Famitsu #1205)

The magazine came as a freebie with Japanese magazine Weekly Famitsu, issue number 1205 from January 19, 2012.

Weekly Famitsu #1205 (Jan 19, 2012)

I got this already some months ago, but only recently had some time to read through it. Hence the somewhat delayed post. But it's a very nice piece of documentation, so track it down if you can.