1991
- January 8
- American Video Entertainment files a US$105 million lawsuit against Nintendo, accusing the company of violation of anti-trust laws, by trying to prevent compatible game cartridges into the marketplace. American Video Entertainment had developed technology to allow their game cartridges to be played on Nintendo machines. [124.288] [182.D4]
- February 6
- Nintendo and Sony announce cooperation to develop a compact disk player for the Super Famicom in Japan. [184.D4]
- February 19
- American Video Entertainment accuses Nintendo of making secret technical changes to its Nintendo Entertainment System to make competitors' cartridges unplayable. Nintendo responds saying that changes are part of an ongoing effort to stop worldwide game counterfeiting. [31.364] [185.D9]
- March
- Capcom releases the Mickey's Dangerous Chase video game for the Game Boy in the US. Price is US$29.95. [715.93] [1092.38]
- When asked which computer company he fears the most, Apple Computer company president Michael Spindler replies "Nintendo". [124.6]
- March 28
- US District Court judge Fern Smith grants Nintendo's request for a preliminary injunction against Atari Games, in the lawsuits over Atari Games' compatible security chip for Nintendo Entertainment System cartridges. Atari Games is barred from selling or copying copywrited Nintendo programs for use in video game cartridges. Smith accuses Atari Games of lying to obtain Nintendo's 10NES security program from the Copyright Office, then lying that it had independently developed compatible code. [124.256] [186.D3]
- March 31
- Unit sales of Nintendo Game Boy game systems over the past twelve months: about 8 million. [271.D4]
- April 10
- A Federal Trade Commission investigation of Nintendo is made public. The focus was on allegations of price-fixing. It is announced that Nintendo had signed a consent decree, agreeing to not fix prices or punish retailers who lower suggested prices. Nintendo agrees to mail out $5 coupons to buyers of Nintendo Entertainment Systems between June 1, 1988 and December 30, 1990, toward future Nintendo merchandise. [124.271] [187.D1]
- April 11
- US District Court judge Fern Smith agrees to allow Tengen (part of Atari Games) to sell its game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System, pending the outcome of an appeal. [124.259]
- April
- In the lawsuit of Nintendo versus Lewis Galoob, an appeal to the Ninth Circuit upholds the injunction preventing the sale of the Game Genie. [124.287]
- Unit shipments of Super Famicom game system in Japan to date: 2 million. [124.360]
- Namco releases the Pac-Man video game for the Game Boy in the US. [609.9]
- May
- Parker Brothers releases the Monopoly video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Bandai releases The Rocketeer video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Toho releases the Times of Lore video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Nintendo and Philips N.V. agree on a deal to allow Nintendo compact discs on Philips' CD-I machine, and Philips would supply CD-ROM drives for use with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. [124.378]
- LJN releases the Beetlejuice game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Gametek releases the Family Feud game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Mindscape releases the Flight of the Intruder game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- May 24
- TriStar Pictures releases the film Hudson Hawk to theaters in the USA. A character says "Will you play Nintendo with me?". A crime family in New Jersey is known as "the Mario Brothers". [931]
- May 31
- At the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Illinois, Sony announces the Play Station video game system that can play Nintendo's new 16-bit game cartridges, as well as games on compact disk. The Play Station system is set to cost about US$400. [124.378] [189.36] [191.D1] [438.40] [1188.36]
- June 1
- At the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Illinois, Nintendo announces the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES). The 16-bit system will use new game cartridges, and compact discs using a CD-ROM drive developed with Philips N.V. The system is to be available for sale in September. [124.381] [189.35] [191.D1] [326.69] [563.97] [674.37] [1188.36]
- June
- Kemco-Seika releases the Uninvited video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1191.90]
- Tradewest releases the Battletoads video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1159.100] [1161.79]
- (month unknown)
- Total shipments of the Nintendo Entertainment System game system in the US to date: 31.7 million. [124.356]
- The Nintendo Entertainment System is introduced to Hungary. [124.416]
- The Nintendo Game Boy is introduced to Hungary. [124.416]
- Capcom releases the Snow Bros. video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge for the Game Boy in the US. [715.93]
- Bandai releases the Dick Tracy video game for the GameBoy in the US. [563.68]
- Capcom releases the Who Framed Roger Rabbit video game for the GameBoy in the US. [563.52] [715.93]
- LJN releases the Wolverine video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [626.93]
- July 5
- In San Francisco, California, US District Court judge Fern Smith rules in favor of Lewis Galoob Toys over Nintendo, allowing the manufacture and sale of the Game Genie. Nintendo maintains that the product does infringe its copyrights, and plans to appeal the decision. [124.287] [192.33]
- July 12
- Columbia Pictures releases the film Boyz n the Hood to theaters in the USA. The game Duck Hunt is played on the Nintendo Entertainment System. [922]
- July
- Square releases the Final Fantasy IV video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. (Total sales over its lifetime: 1.8 million, including Final Fantasy II in the US.) [556.98]
- Capcom releases The Little Mermaid video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [517.14] [563.38] [713.72] [715.93]
- Capcom releases the TaleSpin video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [517.14] [715.93]
- (month unknown)
- Unit sales of Nintendo Entertainment System video game systems in the US to date: 28 million. [315.42]
- August
- Nintendo releases the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) video game system in the US. It features 3.58 MHz 16-bit 65c816 processor, 128 kB RAM, 256-color graphics in 512x448 resolution. The 65c816 processor is a 16-bit version of the 6502 processor, but the new system cannot use game cartridges from the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Price is US$199.95, including game Super Mario World. (Total North American sales over its lifetime: 22 million. Total games released for the system: 717.) [70] [193.D1] [453.40] [483.56,62] [972.94] [1161.79] (September [124.362] [674.37] [956.76]) (2.68 MHz processor [972.94])
- Nintendo releases the Super Mario World game for the Super NES in the US. (Total sales: 20.61 million.) [304.150] [401] [410.9] [412.24] [453.40] [871.38] [1159.90]
- Konami releases the Gradius III game for the Super NES in the USA. [531.9] [1159.98]
- Nintendo releases the F-Zero video game for the Super NES in the USA. [1159.91]
- Nintendo releases the SimCity video game for the Super NES in the US. Price is US$34.95. [391.56] [1159.93] (1996 [391.96])
- September 9
- Nintendo of America reports that the Super NES is now available nationwide in the USA. Price of US$199.95 includes Super Mario World. [1141.D4]
- September
- Atlus Software releases the Rockin' Kats video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.43]
- Capcom releases the Final Fight video game for the Super NES in the USA. [715.93] [1159.101]
- Capcom releases the U.N. Squadron video game for the Super NES in the US. [715.93] [1135.116]
- November 5
- Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles, California, officially declares the day Nintendo Fun Day. [638.6]
- Mayor Xavier Suarez of Miami, Florida, officially declares the day Nintendo Fun Day. [639.7]
- November
- Nintendo releases the Metroid II: Return of Samus video game for the Game Boy in the US. [451.9] [1159.93] (October [1192.73])
- Enix releases the ActRaiser video game for the Super NES in the US. [304.127] [1159.96]
- Nintendo releases the Super Tennis video game for the Super NES in the USA. [1159.101]
- Capcom releases the Super Ghouls 'n' Ghosts video game for the Super NES in the US. [304.134] [715.93] [721.114b]
- Square Soft releases the Final Fantasy Adventure video game for the Game Boy in the USA. [1159.97]
- American Sammy releases the Vice: Project Doom video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.41]
- Nintendo releases the Kid Icarus of Myths and Monsters video game for the Game Boy in the USA. [1135.116]
- Unit shipments of Super Famicom game system in Japan to date: 4 million. [124.360]
- November 23
- Square releases the Final Fantasy II video game for the Super NES in the US. This is the same game as Final Fantasy IV in Japan. [401] [412.87] [556.98] [608.101] [637.9] [1159.89]
- December
- Bulletproof releases the Faceball 2000 video game for the Game Boy in the USA. [1159.99]
- Capcom releases the Mega Man: Dr. Wiley's Revenge video game for the Game Boy in the US. [420.70]
- Konami releases the Super Castlevania IV game for the Super NES in the USA. [304.146] [1159.95]
- Year
- Total shipments during the year of Nintendo game systems in the US: 30 million. [78.149]
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 70%, Sega 22%. [349.35]
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