1990
- January
- American Technos releases the River City Ransom video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.41]
- February 1
- Nintendo ships the Super Mario Bros. 3 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. (It becomes the best-selling video game of all time, grossing US$500 million, selling 17.28 million cartridges.) [412.24] [871.38] [1147.30] [1159.89] [1161.79] (March [124.191])
- February 11
- Enix releases the Dragon Quest IV game for the Famicom in Japan. On the first day in stores, 1.3 million copies are sold, for about US$75 each. [124.69] [298.48] [816.12]
- February
- Nintendo releases the Golf video game for the Game Boy in the USA. [1159.95]
- The Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general in charge of enforcing anti-trust laws serve notice on Nintendo of a civil investigation on charges of price-fixing. [124.272]
- March 7
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit makes a ruling in favor of Nintendo, allowing Nintendo to sue retailers who buy unauthorized video game cartridges. [174.D5]
- March
- Nintendo hosts the start of the Nintendo World Championships contest in Los Angeles. The competitions will take place in thirty cities in the US and Canada, with finals in Orlando in the fall. [816.12]
- March 31
- Unit sales of Nintendo Game Boy game systems over the past twelve months: about 2.8 million. [271.D4]
- April
- Ultra Games releases the Snake's Revenge video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. The game is a sequel to Metal Gear. [471.51] [1262.127]
- Square releases the Final Fantasy III video game for the Famicom in Japan. (Total sales over its lifetime: 1.4 million.) [556.98]
- April 16
- Nintendo files four copyright infringement suits in the US and Canada against retailers and distributors accused of selling counterfeit video game cartridges. [175.D4]
- May 8
- Lewis Galoob Toys introduces the Game Genie cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The Game Genie allows players of Nintendo Entertainment System games to make them easier to play. [178.D3] (June [674.36])
- May
- Tecmo releases the Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [304.132] [514.28] [1159.95]
- Hi-Tech releases the Remote Control game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Nintendo notifies Lewis Galoob Toys that its Game Genie product infringes copyrights on Nintendo games, and demands that the product be abandoned. [178.D3]
- Nintendo begins an eight-month, thirty-city, nation-wide video game competition in the US. [124.191]
- May 17
- Lewis Galoob Toys seeks a court declaration that the Game Genie does not infringe on Nintendo's copyrights. [178.D3]
- (month unknown)
- Unit sales of 8-bit Nintendo video game systems worldwide to date: 40 million. [319.46]
- June 3
- Nintendo sues Lewis Galoob Toys to try to prevent the Game Genie from being sold. (A preliminary injunction prevents Lewis Galoob Toys from producing or marketing the product.) [124.287] [178.D3] [192.33]
- June 11
- A U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco declines Nintendo's request to issue a temporary restraining order against Lewis Galoob Toys selling the Game Genie product. [179.D20]
- June
- Capcom releases the Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [715.93] [1159.99]
- Duo Computers announces the Duo FC, incorporating a PC-AT compatible and a Nintendo game system in one case. [30.10]
- (month unknown)
- Nintendo establishes a subsidiary company in Frankfurt, Germany. [313.136]
- Capcom releases the Adventures in the Magic Kingdom video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Code Name: Viper video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Destiny of an Emperor video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Mega Man 3 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Yoi Noid video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Duck Tales video game for the Game Boy in the US. [715.93]
- Russian cosmonauts take Nintendo Game Boy handheld video game systems into space with them. [1131.99]
- July 12
- Nintendo releases the Final Fantasy video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [869.19] [1181.113] (May [412.87] [514.28] [1159.93] [1161.79]) (August [556.98])
- July
- SNK releases the Crystalis video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1159.96]
- Nintendo releases the Snake, Rattle & Roll video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.43]
- Capcom releases the Gargoyle's Quest video game for the Game Boy in the US. [715.93] [1135.116] [1159.101]
- July 27
- Nintendo releases the Dr. Mario video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [871.38]
- August 17
- Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film My Blue Heaven to theaters in the USA. The game The Goonies II is played on a Nintendo Entertainment System, with the sound of Pac Man on the Atari 2600. [926]
- September
- Square Soft releases the Final Fantasy Legend video game for the Game Boy in the USA. [1159.98]
- Nintendo releases the Dragon Warrior II video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. The game had been previously released in Japan for the Famicom as Dragon Quest II. [298.48]
- Konami releases the Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [304.140] [1161.79]
- Electronic Arts world premieres Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble at the National Skateboard Association's "Back to the City Streetstyle and Freestyle Skateboard Competition" in San Francisco, California. [1130.88]
- IREM releases the MetalStorm video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.41]
- The second Nintendo television show, Captain N: The Game Master airs in the US. [124.192] [1161.79]
- October 3
- Nintendo sends letters to its licensees, offering to let them manufacture their own game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [180.D5]
- October
- IREM releases the Kickle Cubicle video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.42]
- Tradewest releases the Solar Jetman video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.42]
- Capcom releases the Little Nemo The Dream Master video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.42] [715.93]
- Jaleco releases the Maniac Mansion video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USa. [713.42] (September [1159.96])
- November
- Capcom releases the Mega Man III game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [420.68]
- November 21
- In Japan, Nintendo releases the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom) game system. The system uses a 16-bit processor, has 512 kB RAM, displays graphics in over 32,000 colors, and includes the Super Mario World game. (300,000 units ships on the first day of release; four million ship within the first year.) [124.360] [189.36] [313.136] [318.93] [674.36] [1092.14]
- Nintendo releases the F-Zero video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. [298.40] [1092.14]
- Nintendo releases the PilotWings video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. [298.40]
- (month unknown)
- Nintendo announces it will release the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA in September 1991. [1131.94]
- F.A.O. Schwarz in New York City premieres the video game Solar Jetman for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [1131.94]
- Market share of US home video game industry: Nintendo 93%, Sega Enterprises 3.8%, NEC Home Entertainment 1.3%, Atari 1.1%. [181.35]
- According to "Q" ratings, the Nintendo character Mario is more recognized by American children than Mickey Mouse. [124.9] [959.79] [1161.79]
- December 1
- Nintendo releases the Dr. Mario video game for the Game Boy in the US. [401] [543.9] [1159.94]
- December 7
- At Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, Nintendo holds the Nintendo PowerFest grand finale to their nation-wide video game competition, over three days. [124.191] [1130.94] [1132.7] [1161.79]
- December
- FCI releases the Ultima: Quest of the Avatar for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1159.101]
- Natsume releases the Shadow of the Ninja for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1265.80]
- Nintendo releases the Star Tropics video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [513.11] [713.43] [1159.96]
- Nintendo releases the Nintendo World Cup Soccer video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1157.18]
- December 31
- To date, Nintendo has sold 4.4 million Disk Systems for the Famicom. [124.75]
- Unit sales to date of Nintendo Entertainment System game systems: about 27.5 million. [189.35]
- Year
- Unit shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System game systems in the US during the year: 7.2 million. [183.D4] [189.36]
- Unit shipments of game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System game system in the US during the year: 60 million. [185.D9]
- Sales of Nintendo game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: US$3.4 billion. [183.D4] [185.D9] [188.48]
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 80%, Sega 12%. [349.35]
- Market share of worldwide video game industry: Nintendo 90%. [375.60]
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