Nintendo

Nintendo is one of the top brands in the electronic gaming industry. Makers of such world famous consoles as Gameboy, GameCube, Wii and Nintendo DS are a presence in almost every home in the UK. The company has introduced the world to some of its most iconic computer games such as Donkey Kong, Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

Nintendo was founded as a card company in late 1889. the business produced and marketed a playing card game called Hanafuda. Nintendo continues to manufacture playing cards in Japan and organizes its own contract bridge tournament called the "Nintendo Cup".

In 1977, Nintendo began producing its own Colour TV Game home video game consoles. The Nintendo GameCube followed, and was the first Nintendo console to use optical disc storage instead of cartridges. The most recent home console, the Wii, uses motion sensing controllers and has online functionality used for services such as Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Virtual Console and WiiWare.

Nintendo also has dominated the hand-held market since its launch of the Gameboy in 1989 and further with the DS in 2004 and the DS lite in 2006.

The name "Nintendo" translated from Japanese to English means "Leave luck to Heaven" according to the company’s website.