Family Computer
- This article is about the Japanese system that was later redesigned for the West as theNintendo Entertainment System. For themicrogame inWarioWare: Smooth Moves that is alternatively known as "Family Computer", seeSuper Nostalgic Entertainment System.
| Family Computer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Official logo  Original model of the Family Computer | |||
| Generation | Third generation | ||
| Release dates | Family Computer: July 15, 1983[1] 1987[?] 1991[?]Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer: November 10, 2016[?] | ||
| Discontinued | Family Computer: September 25, 2003[2] Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer: | ||
| Ratings | Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer:
| ||
| Predecessor | Color TV-Game | ||
| Successor | Super Famicom | ||
- Twelve years and older- “If you were to strike up a friendship with a Japanese gamer and happened to ask him whether he owned aNES back in the '80s, you'd probably be met with a blank stare.”
- —Official Nintendo Magazine
TheFamily Computer (often shortened toFamicom) is an 8-bit video game console created byNintendo. The console would be redesigned forthe West as theNintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985. The Famicom was released in Japan on July 15, 1983; Taiwan in 1987; and Hong Kong in 1991. Because the latter region previously saw an official release of the NES, the Hong Kong release of the Famicom was marketed as a "second-generation" hardware revision, adding the ability to toggle between PAL 50 Hz and PAL 60 Hz output.[3][4] While not officially produced or sold by the company, Nintendo additionally permitted continued sales of theDendy, a preexisting bootleg console, in the former Soviet Union in 1994 in exchange for its distributor, Steepler, providing equal service for theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System andGame Boy under Nintendo's oversight.[5][6][7]
A few months after the July 1983 release of the Famicom,Sharp produced theMy Computer TV C1, a combined console and TV unit packaged withDonkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Sansū Lesson.
Famicom cartridges were about half the size of NES Game Paks, and were inserted in the top of the console. The cartridges more closely resembles an audio cassette rather than a video cassette for NES Game Paks, and Famicom cartridges can be found in different colors, such as red, yellow, and blue.
By the release ofSuper Mario Bros., Nintendo had already sold over four million units.[8] The Famicom sold 19.35 million units in Japan and would be discontinued on September 25, 2003.[2]
Revisions[edit]
New Famicom[edit]
The redesignedNew Famicom (often called theAV Famicom) was released in Japan on December 1, 1993. A similar redesigned console for theNintendo Entertainment System would release outside of Japan as the New-Style NES. The New Famicom upgrades the video output from the original Famicom with the addition of AV out. An RF modulator was sold separately and would later serve as the base for the one sold for theNintendo 64. The New Famicom features detachable controllers compared to the hardwired controllers from the original model; however, the microphone from controller 2 is absent as a result. The 15-pin expansion port is located on the right side of the New Famicom rather than the front.
Peripherals[edit]
Famicom Controller[edit]
The Famicom Controller is the basic controller that is hard-wired into the Family Computer. They could be stored on the sides of the system. Controller 1 has four buttons and a directional pad on a round-shaped case.
and
are stationed on the right, the
and
is in the middle, and the D-pad is on the left of the controller. This controller can pause the game. Controller 2 has two buttons with and being replaced with a volume slider and microphone. Nintendo later released a different form of the Famicom, the New Famicom (also known as the AV Famicom), which used a "dog-bone" design similar to theSuper Famicom controller. This design combines elements of theGame Boy andSuper Famicom controller. Unlike the original Famicom controller, the New Famicom controllers used the same controller plugs as the ones found on theNintendo Entertainment System.
Family BASIC[edit]
- Main article:Family BASIC
In 1984, Sharp released thePlaybox BASIC andFamily BASIC accessories, allowing users to program inBASIC on their Family Computers, and included characters of theSuper Mario franchise as programmable sprites. It consists of a large cartridge and a keyboard.
Family BASIC Data Recorder[edit]
The Family BASIC Data Recorder is a cassette tape deck released alongsideFamily BASIC. It can be powered by 4 AA batteries or a 6 volt power adapter. The Data Recorder features two 3.5mm mono data ports that you plug into the Famicom Keyboard's "write" and "save" ports. InFamily BASIC, the Data Recorder is used to save and load programs. Several games used the Data Recorder including the Famicom gameWrecking Crew. When the game was later released for theDisk System, it saved data onto the Disk Card.
Family Computer Disk System[edit]
- Main article:Family Computer Disk System
In February 1986, the Family Computer Disk System add-on was released, and it enabled software to be played on the Famicom in the form of yellow Disk Card floppy disks. These disks could not only hold more data than typical cartridges at the time, but were rewritable through the Disk Writer kiosks. Later, Nintendo would create blue Disk Card floppy disks with a protective shutter which were primarily used for Disk Fax competitions. Nintendo would continue to support the Disk System up until 1993 with rewrite services through the Disk Writer continuing by mail until 2003.
Several games were never released on the Famicom or NES but were only released on the Disk System, such asSuper Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Sometime in the early 1990s, Nintendo would partner with Simon & Toys Limited to distribute the Disk System in Hong Kong.[9][better source needed]
Famicom 3D System[edit]
TheFamicom 3D System is an accessory introduced in 1987 for the Famicom that connects to the system via an adapter that plugs into the expansion port. A version of the Famicom 3D System was also distributed by Sharp for theTwin Famicom. The Famicom 3D System was compatible with a select few games including aSuper Mario game for the Disk System,Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally. The 3D System was a commercial failure and was never released outside of Japan.[10]
Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer[edit]
- Main section:Classics § Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer
On September 29, 2016, Nintendo announced theNintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer, the Family Computer counterpart of theNES Classic Edition,[11] and it was released alongside it in Japan on November 10, 2016. Like the NES Classic Edition, it includes 30 pre-installed Family Computer games, although with some differences in the game lineup, such asMario Open Golf in place ofDonkey Kong Jr. Production for the console was discontinued in April 2017.[12]
Appearances in theSuper Mario franchise[edit]
- InSuper Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!,Mario himself owns a Famicom, on which he plays an unnamed video game which bears some similarities toSuper Mario Bros.Princess Peach andBowser also teleport through the television to which the Famicom is connected, although they do not appear to have any role at all in the game Mario is playing.
- InWarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, 9-Volt owns a Famicom system which can be seen in the upper-left corner of the screen during his introduction cutscene.
- InPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, duringPrincess Peach's Interlude after Chapter 5,TEC asks Peach to drink an invisibility potion in order to secretly enterGrodus's chamber and upload important data on a disk into the room's computer. When this happens, the computer screen shows the Famicom Disk System boot-up sequence.
- In the Japanese version ofWarioWare: Smooth Moves, the microgameSuper Nostalgic Entertainment System uses a Family Computer instead. The Famicom controller also appears as a sound effect icon in theSound Studio.
- InSuper Paper Mario, a Famicom can be seen on a shelf in one ofFrancis' rooms in hisfort, among other Nintendo systems.
- InWarioWare: D.I.Y., a green Family Computer cartridge makes up the bottom screen of the title screen. Also, the designs and colors of the cartridges in this game are based on those of the Famicom.
- InWarioWare Gold, the Famicom appears as a collectible Nintendosouvenir.
- InWarioWare: Get It Together! in9-Volt's Nintendo Classics level, the boss that appears in the intermission before the boss microgame has a Famicom controller for a face.
Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!
WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Japan)
Super Paper Mario
WarioWare: Get It Together!
Super Mario games[edit]
1983[edit]
1984[edit]
1985[edit]
1988[edit]
1990[edit]
1991[edit]
1992[edit]
1994[edit]
Galleries[edit]
Logo gallery[edit]
Famicom Family logo
English wordmark
Japanese wordmark
Game gallery[edit]
This gallery does not includeFamily Computer Disk System orNintendo Entertainment System games.
Miscellaneous[edit]
Pictogram of a Famicom controller from the officialMade in Wario website
Photo of the "Nintendo Classics" exhibit at theNintendo Museum
Photo of the "Big Controller" exhibit at the Nintendo Museum
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ファミリーコンピュータ[13] Famirī Konpyūta | Family Computer | |
| ファミコン[13] Famikon | Famicom | ||
| 家庭用カセット式ビデオゲーム Katei-yō Kasetto-shiki Bideo Gēmu: Famirī Konpyūtā | Cartridge-Based Video Game Home System: Family Computer | Official logo | |
| Chinese(Traditional) | 任天堂紅白機[14] Rèntiāntáng Hóngbái Jī(Mandarin) Rèntyāntáng Húngbái Jī(Cantonese) | Literally "Nintendo red and white machine" | |
| Korean | 패밀리컴퓨터[?] Paemilli Keompyuteo | Family Computer | |
| 패미컴[15] Paemikeom | Famicom |
References[edit]
- ^Nintendo Co., Ltd. (March 31, 2003).Gaming for 5 to 95.SEC.gov (English). Archived December 29, 2014, 02:34:42 UTC from theoriginal via Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
- ^abhttp://www.webcitation.org/5nXieXX2B
- ^Dentifritz (September 16, 2012).Famicom from Taiwan and other exciting stories about the Asian distribution..Scanlines16.com (English). Retrieved January 20, 2025. (Archived January 21, 2025, 07:03:56 UTC via archive.today[deprecated link].)
- ^Akfamilyhome (April 1, 2020).A History of Nintendo's Hong Kong Releases.YouTube (Cantonese & English (English subtitles available)). Retrieved June 5, 2024. (Archived May 25, 2024, 11:22:53 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Игорь Пичугин (November 1, 1994).Соглашение Steepler и Nintendo.Газета "Коммерсантъ" (Russian). Retrieved June 1, 2024. (Archived April 27, 2019, 02:58:42 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Семён Костин (December 14, 2021).Легенда о слоне: как IT-компания Steepler создала Dendy и основала российский консольный рынок.DTF (Russian). Retrieved June 1, 2024. (Archived June 1, 2024, 22:35:52 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Олег Хохлов (August 9, 2016).Приставка Dendy: Как Виктор Савюк придумал первый в России поп-гаджет.Секрет фирмы (Russian). Retrieved December 9, 2024. (Archived December 1, 2024, 05:49:08 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^上村雅之さん 大いに語る。 ファミリーコンピュータ インタビュー（後編）（2013年10月号より）.Nintendo DREAM Web (Japanese). Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^Nakamanga (September 30, 2019).Famicom and Disk System Hong Kong Version - Commercial.YouTube. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
- ^Plunkett, Luke (April 30, 2010).Nintendo's First 3D Technology Shot A Spaceship At Mario's Face.Kotaku (English). Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^September 29, 2016.ファミコンが、手のひらサイズで"再"登場！.Nintendo (Japanese). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^Sephazon, Robert (April 14, 2017).The Famicom Classic Edition Has Now Also Been Discontinued.Nintendo Life (English). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^abcファミリーコンピュータ.nintendo.com (Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2025.
- ^November 22, 2007.社長提問『Wii Fit』Vol.3.nintendo.com (Traditional Chinese). Retrieved September 15, 2025.
- ^패미컴 탐정 크루 에미오 -웃는 남자-.nintendo.com (Korean). Retrieved September 15, 2025.
External links[edit]
 | The Cutting Room Floor has an article onFamily Computer. |
