Unforgettable Mario moments: "Run into the first Goomba" "Can't catch up to the 1-Up mushroom" etc. 2

Unforgettable Mario moments: “Run into the first Goomba” “Can’t catch up to the 1-Up mushroom” etc.

Released in 1985 on the Nintendo Famicom, it was the best selling game in the world with over 40 million units sold, until 2006 when Wii Sports sold more than 81 million copies. Loved by both young and old gamers, Super Mario Bros. defined side scrolling action games with it simple yet addictive gameplay. Here …

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Another reason to learn Japanese: Xenoblade for Wii is now $200 for a sealed copy in America 3

Another reason to learn Japanese: Xenoblade for Wii is now $200 for a sealed copy in America

Xenoblade Chronicles, known simply as Xenoblade in Japan, is a role-playing game released by Monolith Soft (Xenosaga series) on the Nintendo Wii. Released in 2010 in Japan and 2012 in North America, the game became a hit and IGN even proclaimed it “the best Japanese RPG of this generation.“ Enjoying an average 4.6 out of …

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The etymology of video game company names: history behind SEGA, Capcom, Square and more 5

The etymology of video game company names: history behind SEGA, Capcom, Square and more

As a gamer you may be familiar with the Japanese giants like SEGA and Square Enix, but do you know how they were named? Here’s some trivia to share with your like-minded friends: SEGA With memorable game console releases like Genesis and Dreamcast, you can’t write about gaming history without SEGA. Public relations said that: …

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Sega SG-1000 turns 30 years old today 6

Sega SG-1000 turns 30 years old today

Not to be forgotten is Sega’s SG-1000, which is obscure in comparison next to the Famicom due to its limited release only in Japan and select markets, but is still an important part of gaming history. Released in Japan on 7/15/1983, the same day as the Nintendo Famicom, it was Sega’s first home game console. …

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15 things that the Japanese loved about the Famicom (NES) 7

15 things that the Japanese loved about the Famicom (NES)

With the advent of the internet and hardware specs similar to computers, video game consoles have changed quite  a bit since the humble cartridge-based days. Without a doubt, the 8-bit console that forever changed how kids play was Nintendo’s Family Computer, or Famicom for short (Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, elsewhere). Here are the top …

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