Nintendo may have been around for over 100 years, but the Nintendo we know today does video games. And it first hit the handheld gaming big time with its line of Game & Watch units. Here's how they got their start!
A new "Iwata Asks" Q&A on Nintendo's website goes into great detail on the making of these iconic games. How they got their start on calculators, how each prototype had to be made delicately by hand, and what the infamous "Yokoi standard" was.
It also includes these fascinating glimpses into the design of the handhelds, including rough sketches and some final designs for games like "Fire".
If all this talk of Game & Watch has you hankering for a taste of the old days, you're in luck: Nintendo of America is, for a limited time, offering a version of "Ball" to Club Nintendo members.