Everything Everywhere Daily – "The History of Nintendo" (December 3, 2025) Host: Gary Arndt

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gary Arndt takes listeners on a journey through the fascinating transformation of Nintendo, tracing its origins in 19th-century Japan as a playing card company to its status as one of the most influential names in the global video game industry. He explores the company’s resilience through wars and economic setbacks, its creative pivots into toys and electronics, and the breakthrough that propelled Mario and Nintendo’s consoles into homes worldwide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 19th Century Origins: From Playing Cards to a National Icon

• Founding (1889, Kyoto): Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo to produce karuta playing cards, decorated with plants and animals.
  • "The company's origins date back to 1889 in Kyoto, Japan... known in Japan as Karuda." (04:33)
• Name Significance: ‘Nintendo’ combines Japanese words interpreted most often as “leave luck to heaven.”
  • "The conventional... reading is leave luck to heaven or entrusted to heaven." (05:41)
• Legal & Market Challenges: With gambling largely banned, Yamauchi capitalized on limited competition but faced high costs.
  • "Japan had banned most forms of gambling, so any cards that were tolerated... were desirable." (06:10)
  • "If he wanted Nintendo to stay afloat, sacrifices needed to be made... to develop cheaper, lower quality cards." (07:10)

2. Early 20th Century: Expansion and Survival

• Western Export (1902): Began exporting to the Western market, boosting popularity.
• Russo-Japanese War Impact: New taxation made business more difficult.
  • "During the Russo Japanese War, Japan imposed new taxes, including one on playing cards." (09:02)
• Strategic Partnership: Linking with Japan Tobacco (Nihon Senpai) ensured vast distribution, making Nintendo Japan’s top card company.
  • "By working with Japan Tobacco, Nintendo ensured its cards were in stores across the country." (10:07)

3. Transitions through Wars and Leadership

• Generational Leadership: After Fusajiro's retirement (1929), his son-in-law Sekiro Kaneda (later Yamauchi) took over.
• World War II: Focus shifted to propaganda/war-themed games for morale; records from this era are sparse.
  • "Nintendo was involved in the creation of propaganda... backgammon boards painted with war imagery." (13:07)

4. Postwar Innovation and Disney Partnership

• Modernization: Grandson Hiroshi Yamauchi takes over (1950), decentralizes production, and expands reach.
• Disney Collaboration (1959): Leveraged Disney characters to enter the burgeoning children’s market, launching Nintendo further.
  • "Nintendo made the strategic decision to partner with Walt Disney Productions... helping the company to expand into the children's market." (16:07)
• Market Challenges: The company became too dependent on children; when card sales faltered, diversification was necessary.

5. Entering Electronics: Toys and the Beam Gun

• R&D Investment: Birth of an R&D department – eventually leads to their first electronic toy, the Beam Gun (1970).
  • "The Beam Gun inadvertently started the company's shift towards video games." (17:22)
• First Video Game Links: Beam Gun technology used in Magnavox Odyssey, the world’s first home video game system.

6. The Leap into Video Games

• Struggles in Late 1970s: Despite some arcade game success, American market remains tough; major risk of insolvency.
• Critical Moves:
  • Opening a US subsidiary (NYC)
  • Creating a dedicated arcade game department
  • "Then, two major decisions changed everything. One, they opened a US subsidiary in New York City, and two, they opened a new department dedicated solely to developing arcade games." (21:04)
• Game & Watch (1980): Becomes a smash hit and signals Nintendo’s future in handheld/electronic entertainment.

7. Arcade Hits and Introduction of Donkey Kong

• Radar Scope/Sheriff: Early arcade efforts struggle outside Japan.
• Donkey Kong (1981): Huge hit—invented by Shigeru Miyamoto, introducing Mario (“Jumpman”) to the world.
  • "The company found success with 1981's Donkey Kong, which not only became a smash hit in Japan, but also broke through in the United States..." (22:47)
• Building on Success: Encouraged further investment in home entertainment systems.

8. Rise of Home Consoles: Famicom, NES, and Beyond

• Famicom Launch (1983, Japan): Early technical issues resolved; becomes a sensation.
• U.S. Market Strategy: Redesigns Famicom as NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in response to the 1983 video game crash.
  • "To overcome retailer skepticism, Nintendo redesigned the Famicom aesthetically and strategically for North America..." (27:40)
  • Bundles with Super Mario Bros. and unique peripherals to distinguish it as a family entertainment system.
• NES (1986 U.S. National Rollout): Securely positions Nintendo as the era’s home console leader.
  • "This marked Nintendo's full emergence as the home console leader of the era." (28:54)

9. Iconic Consoles and Global Reach

• Notable Releases: Game Boy (1989), Super NES (1991), Nintendo 64 (1996), GameCube (2001), Nintendo DS (2004), Wii (2006), Nintendo Switch (2017).
• "Fully describing how each and every Nintendo system came into being would honestly make for its own episode." (29:39)

10. The Journey and Endurance of Mario

• Mario’s Origin: Side character “Jumpman” in Donkey Kong (1981), villain in Donkey Kong Jr., hero in Mario Bros., and icon in Super Mario Bros.
  • "Mario was actually born as a secondary character in Donkey Kong..." (31:10)
• Cultural Dominance: Deliberate branding—Mario featured in nearly every game, genre, and system.
  • "Mario and Super Mario became so successful that Nintendo dominated American console sales mainly because of the strategic decision to include Mario in its new systems." (33:00)
• Sales Impact: Appeared in over 200 games, with Super Mario Bros. series exceeding 240 million units.
  • "As a result, Mario has become one of the best selling and most famous characters of all time." (34:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nintendo’s longevity and transformation:
  "Its success has led to the creation of amusement parks, movies, stores and tournaments... not too shabby for a 19th century Japanese company that made playing cards." (35:13)

• On Mario’s rise to fame:
  "Nintendo pushed Mario by putting him into almost every video game they released. He was in every game in every genre, making him a star and symbol of the company." (33:19)

• On corporate resilience:
  "If he wanted Nintendo to stay afloat, sacrifices needed to be made... to develop cheaper, lower quality cards." (07:10)

Important Timestamps

• 05:41 – Meaning of 'Nintendo’
• 10:07 – Partnership with Japan Tobacco (Nihon Senpai)
• 13:07 – Nintendo’s activity during World War II
• 16:07 – Disney partnership and market expansion
• 17:22 – First electronic toy, the Beam Gun
• 21:04 – Strategic creation of U.S. subsidiary and arcade department
• 22:47 – Donkey Kong and Shigeru Miyamoto’s impact
• 27:40 – Rebranding and NES introduction in American market
• 31:10 – Origins and evolution of Mario
• 34:22 – Mario’s cultural and commercial impact
• 35:13 – Nintendo’s ascendance and modern influence

Tone & Style

Gary Arndt delivers this episode in a friendly, conversational, and instructive tone, embracing storytelling that feels both educational and accessible. His enthusiasm for the subject is evident, and he weaves technical, historical, and pop culture details into a compelling narrative.

Conclusion

This episode provides a clear, engaging, and comprehensive overview of Nintendo's unlikely journey from a 19th-century Kyoto card shop to a modern entertainment titan. Arndt’s storytelling highlights both the resilience and the risk-taking that enabled Nintendo to navigate industry upheavals, world wars, and the ever-changing tastes of global gamers—culminating in the creation of Mario, one of history’s most recognizable icons.