Nintendo was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in 1889 as a Japanese playing-card company.
Yamauchi began the business in Kyoto, making hanafuda cards. Unlike Western-style cards, hanafuda uses illustrated cards organized into suits associated with flowers and seasons. The company initially operated under the name Nintendo Koppai and built its reputation in Japan’s traditional games market.
Nintendo’s transformation into a global entertainment company happened gradually. It expanded into products including toys and electronic amusements before entering the home-console business. The Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, and later franchises such as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda made the company a defining force in video-game history.
The founding date is often surprising because Nintendo is much older than its video-game identity. Konami, Bandai, and Sega are also Japanese entertainment companies, but none is the company established by Yamauchi in 1889.