The Nintendo Entertainment System was Nintendo's first home console and the first console to be released after the videogame crash of 1983. It was the consistent market leader of the third generation of consoles, dominating the American and Japanese markets but facing some competition from Sega's Master System in certain PAL territories.

The NES is estimated to have sold 60million units over its lifetime. This success is largely attributed to a small selection of "must-have" first party titles that appeared on the console, such as Super Mario Brothers and The Legend of Zelda.