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Nintendo Entertainment System: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Home video game console}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|NES|control deck|the type of card deck used in ''Magic: The Gathering''|Magic: The Gathering deck types#Control{{!}}''Magic: The Gathering'' deck types § Control|other uses of "NES"|NES (disambiguation)}}
{{Pp-move|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}


{{Infobox information appliance
| name          = Nintendo Entertainment System / Family Computer
| aka            = {{Video game release
  | KOR = Hyundai Comboy
  | IND = Samurai Electronic TV Game System
  | CIS = [[Dendy (console)|Dendy]]
  }}
| logo          = [[File:NES logo.svg|frameless|Official Nintendo Entertainment System logo]]<br /><div style="margin-top:5px">[[File:Family Computer logo.svg|frameless|Family Computer logo]]</div>
| image          = <div style="background-color: #fff; border: #dadada solid 1px; white-space: nowrap;">
[[File:NES-Console-Set.png|frameless|Nintendo Entertainment System with controller]]<br />
[[File:Nintendo-Famicom-Console-Set-FL.png|frameless|Nintendo Family Computer]]
</div>
| caption        = '''Top:''' NES Control Deck (with detachable controllers)<br />'''Bottom:''' Family Computer ("Famicom") main unit (with hardwired controllers)
| developer      = [[Nintendo Research & Development 2|Nintendo R&D2]]
| manufacturer  = [[Nintendo]]
| type          = [[Home video game console]]
| generation    = [[Third generation of video game consoles|Third]]
| release date  = {{Video game release
  | JP = {{Start date|1983|07|15}}
  | NA = October 18, 1985<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2010/10/1018nintendo-nes-launches/|title=Oct. 18, 1985: Nintendo Entertainment System Launches|date=October 18, 2010|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|WIRED]]|access-date=June 11, 2015|last1=Kohler|first1=Chris|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126134701/https://www.wired.com/2010/10/1018nintendo-nes-launches/|url-status=live}}</ref>
  | EU = September 1, 1986{{efn|For distribution purposes, most of Europe and Australasia were divided into regional markets, with staggered launches.}}
  | AUS = 1987
  }}
| discontinued  = {{Video game release
  | JP = September 25, 2003
  | NA = August 14, 1995
  | EU = 1995
  }}
| price          = US$179 (NA launch, 1985)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/10/feature_the_nes_launch_in_north_america_-_october_18th_1985|title=Feature: The NES Launch in North America - October 18th, 1985|website=Nintendo Life|date=18 October 2015|access-date=11 June 2024}}</ref>
| cpu            = [[Ricoh 2A03]] (NTSC) / [[Ricoh 2A07]] (PAL), based on [[MOS Technology 6502]] @ 1.79 MHz (NTSC) / 1.66 MHz (PAL)
| memory        = 2 KB onboard RAM, 2 KB video RAM; expandable via cartridge
| storage        = ROM cartridges (max 1 MB, typical 8–512 KB)
| display        = 256 × 240 px, 48 colours (palette of 54), 25 on-screen simultaneously
| sound          = 5-channel mono (2 pulse, 1 triangle, 1 noise, 1 DPCM); expansion audio via cartridge (Famicom)
| dimensions    = NES: 254 × 203 × 89 mm<br>Famicom: 150 × 220 × 60 mm
| weight        = NES: 1.4 kg<br>Famicom: 1.1 kg
| os            = None
| predecessor    = [[Color TV-Game]]
| successor      = [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
| model          = NES-001 (NTSC), NES-101 (top-loader), HVC-001 (Famicom)
| codename      = GameCom, AVS (prototype)
}}
The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''' ('''NES'''), released in Japan as the '''Family Computer''' ('''Famicom'''), is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console developed and manufactured by [[Nintendo]]. Launched in 1983 (Japan) and 1985 (North America), it revitalised the video game industry after the crash of 1983 and became one of the most influential consoles of all time, selling over 61 million units worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/release/en/2020/200507.html|title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region|publisher=Nintendo|date=7 May 2020|access-date=11 June 2024}}</ref>
== 🧠 Architecture and Processor ==
The NES is powered by the [[Ricoh 2A03]] (NTSC) or [[Ricoh 2A07]] (PAL) microprocessor, both based on the [[MOS Technology 6502]] core. The CPU runs at 1.79&nbsp;MHz (NTSC) or 1.66&nbsp;MHz (PAL), and integrates audio generation hardware. The Famicom and NES share the same core architecture, with minor regional differences (notably in the lockout chip and video output).
The system architecture is simple and highly efficient, with direct memory access between the CPU and the Picture Processing Unit (PPU), and a cartridge interface that allows for hardware expansion via "mappers" (memory management controllers).
== 💾 Memory and Storage ==
The NES contains:
* '''2 KB internal RAM''' (work RAM, or WRAM)
* '''2 KB video RAM''' (VRAM, within the PPU)
* Additional RAM and hardware could be added via cartridges (e.g., battery-backed save RAM, extra VRAM, custom chips)
* Games are stored on ROM cartridges, typically 8–512 KB, with some later titles reaching up to 1 MB using advanced mappers.
== 🖥️ Display and Graphics ==
The NES uses a custom [[Picture Processing Unit]] (PPU), the Ricoh 2C02 (NTSC) or 2C07 (PAL), supporting:
* Resolution: 256 × 240 pixels (NTSC), 256 × 240/256 (PAL)
* Colour palette: 54 colours (48 usable), 25 on-screen at once (including background)
* Sprites: Up to 64 per frame, 8 per scanline
* Hardware scrolling, tile-based backgrounds, and palette swapping
* Advanced cartridges enabled effects such as split-screen scrolling and expanded colour use
== 🔊 Sound Capabilities ==
The NES audio subsystem provides five channels:
* 2 × pulse wave (square) channels
* 1 × triangle wave channel
* 1 × noise channel
*


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Revision as of 13:12, 4 May 2025





Specifications
Manufacturer
Type
CPU
Memory
Storage
Display
Sound
OS / Firmware

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Template:Redirect-multi Template:Use dmy dates

Template:Infobox information appliance

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), released in Japan as the Family Computer (Famicom), is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Launched in 1983 (Japan) and 1985 (North America), it revitalised the video game industry after the crash of 1983 and became one of the most influential consoles of all time, selling over 61 million units worldwide.[1]

🧠 Architecture and Processor

The NES is powered by the Ricoh 2A03 (NTSC) or Ricoh 2A07 (PAL) microprocessor, both based on the MOS Technology 6502 core. The CPU runs at 1.79 MHz (NTSC) or 1.66 MHz (PAL), and integrates audio generation hardware. The Famicom and NES share the same core architecture, with minor regional differences (notably in the lockout chip and video output).

The system architecture is simple and highly efficient, with direct memory access between the CPU and the Picture Processing Unit (PPU), and a cartridge interface that allows for hardware expansion via "mappers" (memory management controllers).

💾 Memory and Storage

The NES contains:

  • 2 KB internal RAM (work RAM, or WRAM)
  • 2 KB video RAM (VRAM, within the PPU)
  • Additional RAM and hardware could be added via cartridges (e.g., battery-backed save RAM, extra VRAM, custom chips)
  • Games are stored on ROM cartridges, typically 8–512 KB, with some later titles reaching up to 1 MB using advanced mappers.

🖥️ Display and Graphics

The NES uses a custom Picture Processing Unit (PPU), the Ricoh 2C02 (NTSC) or 2C07 (PAL), supporting:

  • Resolution: 256 × 240 pixels (NTSC), 256 × 240/256 (PAL)
  • Colour palette: 54 colours (48 usable), 25 on-screen at once (including background)
  • Sprites: Up to 64 per frame, 8 per scanline
  • Hardware scrolling, tile-based backgrounds, and palette swapping
  • Advanced cartridges enabled effects such as split-screen scrolling and expanded colour use

🔊 Sound Capabilities

The NES audio subsystem provides five channels:

  • 2 × pulse wave (square) channels
  • 1 × triangle wave channel
  • 1 × noise channel


  1. ↑ Consolidated Sales Transition by Region, Nintendo, 7 May 2020—link(accessed 11 June 2024)
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