The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NESd[›] or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australia in 1985. In most of Asia, including Japan (where it was first launched in 1983), the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore, it was released as the Family Computer (ファミリーコンピュータ, Famirī Konpyūta?, also known as the Famicom (ファミコン, Famikon (listen )?), or simply FC for short). In Southern Asia (such as India), it was known as the Tata Famicom.
The best-selling gaming console of its time,e[›] the NES helped revitalize the US video game industry following the video game crash of 1983, and set the standard for subsequent consoles in everything from game designf[›] to controller layout.g[›] In addition, with the NES, Nintendo introduced a now-standard business model of software licensing for third-party developers.
