Nintendo could have happily stayed in the 8-bit era forever. Having single-handedly resurrected the industry from the great video game crash of the early 1980s, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was set to enjoy unparalleled success well beyond the normal lifespan of any other home console. Yet technology continued to leap forward, and new ways to create and experience interactive entertainment were rapidly emerging.
Nintendo’s answer was the next evolution to its history-defining machine: the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES). Originating in Japan as the Super Famicom, the intensely anticipated console launched on a Wednesday, with the resulting frenzy causing the Japanese government to formally request major product launches be done on weekends. To this day, Nintendo upholds international Friday launch dates instead of Tuesdays like the majority of new game and home video releases.