2004
- January 4
- Sega releases the Sonic Battle video game for the Game Boy Advance in the US. [779.41]
- January 6
- Sega releases the Sonic Heroes video game for the GameCube in the US. [568.52] [576.30] [644.190] [779.41]
- January
- The US Patent and Trademark Office grants a patent to Nintendo for software emulation of handheld video game hardware. [600.22]
- Nintendo announces the Nintendo DS handheld video game system. It features dual 3-inch TFT LCD screens, powered by ARM9 and ARM7 processors. [565.28] [573.21]
- January (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: Sonic Heroes. [573.28] [580.24]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. [577.28] [580.25]
- February 9
- Nintendo releases the Metroid: Zero Mission video game for the Game Boy Advance in the US. Price is US$29.99 [550.53,93] [577.34,92] [645.67] [779.25]
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube in the US. [461.150] [574.9] [577.34,81] [869.19] [1162.13]
- February 20
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Fairly Oddparents TV show in the US. One character hands another a handheld video game system looking like a Nintendo Game Boy Color, saying "I want you to relax and play mindless video games..." [864]
- February (month)
- Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube. [547.27] [581.26]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Metroid: Zero Mission. [547.27] [581.27]
- March 9
- Konami releases the Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes video game for the GameCube in the US. [573.30,79] [581.10] [644.190] [645.67]
- March 11
- Lions Gate Films releases the film Phil the Alien to theaters in Canada. A Nintendo Zapper light-gun controller is worn like a real gun. [936]
- March
- A confidential specification sheet detailing the Nintendo DS (code-named Nitro) is leaked to the Internet. The system will use touch-screen and button inputs, 67 MHz processor, microphone, and 802.11 wireless connectivity. [600.22]
- March 22
- Nintendo releases the Pokémon Colosseum video game for the GameCube in the US. Price is US$49.99. [508.120] [550.61] [573.30,83] [579.34] [582.109]
- March 23
- One year after the release of the Game Boy Advance SP in North America, over 6.5 million units have been sold in North America, a record for any game system in history. Total shipments of all Game Boy systems to date worldwide: 160 million. [585.C11]
- March (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Colosseum. [561.26] [566.32] [578.124]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. [561.27] [566.32]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in Japan for the month: Pokémon Fire Red / Pokémon Leaf Green. [578.124]
- April
- Nintendo alters the GameCube design, removing the digital AV out port, and the removable lid nameplate. [596.56]
- Tiger Hill Studios purchases the film rights to Nintendo's Metroid series. Tiger Hill is owned by Hong Kong film director John Woo. [645.52]
- April (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Colosseum. [557.25] [562.26] [578.124]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Namco Museum. [562.27] [578.124]
- Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Pikmin 2 for the GameCube. [578.124]
- May 11
- In Los Angeles, California, Nintendo unveils the Nintendo DS handheld video game system. It features ARM 9 3D processor, ARM 7 2D processor, dual backlit 3-inch LCD screens, DS compact card slot, GBA cartridge slot, wireless 16-player local communications, 802.11b wi-fi connectivity, D-pad controller, face and shoulder buttons, touch screen with stylus, headphone and microphone jacks. Nintendo also announces it is working on a new console code named "Revolution". [562.31] [566.36] [597] [613.16] [1090.52]
- May (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Colosseum. [572.26]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Shrek 2. [572.26] [1163.12]
- June 7
- Sega releases the Sonic Advance 3 video game for the Game Boy Advance in the US. [578.123] [606.11] [779.41]
- June
- In Shanghai and other Cantonese areas of China, Nintendo subsidiary company iQue introduces the Game Boy Advance hadheld video game system. Price is about US$84. [645.56]
- Nintendo releases the WarioWare video game for the Game Boy Advance in China. [645.56]
- June (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure. [570.32] [590.28] [1164.18]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Super Mario Bros. - NES Classic. [590.30] [1164.18]
- (month unknown)
- Cam Allen sets a new time record for completing the Super Mario Bros. video game on the Nintendo Entertainment System: 21 minutes 33 seconds. [866.140]
- July (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: Spider-Man 2. [746.148] [965.24]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: Spider-Man 2. [598.32] [746.148] [965.25]
- Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Final Fantasy I & II Advance for the Game Boy Advance. [746.148]
- Top selling GameCube video game in Japan for the month: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. [746.148]
- August 17
- Sega releases the Astro Boy: Omega Factor video game for the Game Boy Advance in the USA. [569.C9] [570.34] [606.11] [645.72] [1149.62]
- August 18
- Nintendo drops the price of the GameCube in Canada to CDN$139, including Metroid Prime. [571.C7]
- August (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the US during the month: Madden NFL 2005. [611.160] [614.38] [966.28]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the US during the month: Yu-Gi-Oh!: Reshef of Destruction. [614.38] [966.29]
- (month unknown)
- Messiah Entertainment releases the Wireless NES Controllers for the Nintendo Entertainment System (and Wireless SNES Controllers for Super NES). The controller has a range of 30 feet, and can operate about 40 hours on AAA batteries. A single controller costs US$29.99. A limited edition set with two controllers, other goodies, and a metal "lunchbox" costs US$49.99. [667.50]
- Total shipments of all Game Boy systems to date worldwide: 170 million. [597] [660.30]
- September 1
- Nintendo drops the price of the Game Boy Advance SP in the US from US$99.99 to US$79.99. [597] [663.36]
- September 9
- Nintendo releases the Pokémon Leaf Green and Pokémon Fire Red video games for the Game Boy Advance in the US. [562.40] [570.27] [572.94] [581.100] [590.22] [598.113] [645.126] [746.146] [1149.64]
- September 24
- The Cartoon Network airs the TV show Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends in the USA. A Nintendo GameCube appears. [933]
- September (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the US during the month: Pikmin 2. [619.34] [621.26] [669.120]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the US during the month: Pokémon FireRed. [619.34] [621.27] [1289.84]
- (month unknown)
- Quote by Reginald Fils-Aime of Nintendo: "In the next 15 years just like the last 15, handheld gaming will be known by one name: Nintendo.". [619.32]
- Nintendo releases the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Bonus Set, with Nintendo GameCube, one controller, US$5 certificate to spend on another game, for US$99.99. [621.22]
- October 12
- Nintendo releases the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door video game for the GameCube in the US. [562.36] [570.27] [598.113] [614.42] [667.160] [746.48] [871.38]
- (month unknown)
- Electronic Gaming Monthly presents a list of the ten most important video games since the magazine started in 1989. Number 1 is Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. [664.48]
- Nintendo releases a GameCube bundle in the US with Mario Kart: Double Dash!! video game for US$100. [664.53]
- November 3
- Nintendo begins taking orders for the Nintendo DS on Internet shopping sites. After receiving two million orders during the day, most sites are closed to taking any further orders. [597]
- November 8
- Nintendo releases the Mario Tennis video game for the GameCube in the US [619.44] [667.54] [871.38]
- November 15
- Nintendo releases the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes video game for the GameCube in the US. [562.36] [571.C7] [602.22] [614.39] [619.44] [645.79] [667.54] [779.25]
- November 21
- Nintendo releases the Nintendo DS handheld video game system in the US and Canada. It features 3-inch diagonal screens, stereo speakers, microphone, IEEE 802.11 wireless communications with range about 30 feet. It includes built-in software PictoChat and a demo of Metroid Prime: Hunters. Size is 5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 inches. Price in the US is US$149.99; price in Canada is CDN$199. This is the first Nintendo system to debut outside Japan. Eight launch titles are available. (500,000 units are sold in the first week; 1.2 million in the first month.) [597] [604.B3] [611.26] [616.C13] [617] [619.18] [620.77] [622.D8] [635.4] [645.63] [663.42] [666.77] [669.46] [673.24] [674.53] [962.20] [1116.46]
- The video game Spider-Man 2 is released for the Nintendo DS in the US. [617] [670.84]
- Nintendo releases the video game Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt for the Nintendo DS in the US. [670.84]
- The video game Madden NFL 2005 is released for the Nintendo DS in the US. [670.84]
- The video game Asphalt Urban GT is released for the Nintendo DS in the US. [670.82]
- The video game Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits is released for the Nintendo DS in the US. [670.82]
- The video game Ridge Racer DS is released for the Nintendo DS in the US. [670.82]
- The video game Feel the Magic: XY/XX is released for the Nintendo DS in the US. [617] [670.81]
- Nintendo releases the Super Mario 64 DS video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [617] [645.126] [670.81]
- November 27
- Total sales of the Nintendo Game Boy Advance (including SP) during Thanksgiving week in the US: 800,000. [673.24]
- November 30
- Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls video game for the Game Boy Advance in the US. [645.80] [667.82]
- November (month)
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the USA for the month: The Incredibles. [645]
- Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Super Mario 64 DS. [645]
- Top selling GameCube video game in the USA for the month: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. [645]
- Top selling GameCube video game in Japan for the month: Mario Party 6. [645]
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in Japan for the month: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. [645]
- (month unknown)
- In San Francisco, California, the Metreon entertainment center unveils the first six inductees in the Walk of Game. A Lifetime Achievement award is given to Shigeru Miyamoto. Inductees in the Games/Characters category include Link and Mario. [672.12] [673]
- Electronic Gaming Monthly presents a list of the ten best video game machines since 1989. Number 1 is the Nintendo Entertainment System. [665.62]
- December 2
- Nintendo releases the Nintendo DS handheld video game system in Japan. (500,000 units are sold in the first four days.) [619.27] [620.79] [622.D8] [645.63]
- December 6
- Nintendo releases the Mario Party 6 video game for the GameCube in the US. [645.117] [871.38]
- December 14
- Spike TV holds its annual video game awards in California. Best New Technology: Nintendo DS. [622.D8] [663.76]
- December (month)
- Top selling GameCube video game in the US during the month: Mario Party 6. [671.108] [964.22]
- Top selling Game Boy video game in the US during the month: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. [964.23]
- Year
- Top selling Game Boy Advance video game in the US during the year: Pokémon Fire Red. [671.108]
- Market share of sales of videogame systems in the USA for the year: Sony 43 percent, Microsoft 19 percent, Nintendo 14 percent. [597]
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