From playing cards to plumbers: Key dates for Nintendo

Here are some key dates in the history of a videogame giant that started life making playing cards:
    1889: Founder Fusajiro Yamauchi starts manufacturing Japanese playing cards called "hanafuda" in Kyoto. Western style cards follow years later.
    1962: Listed on the Osaka and Kyoto stock exchanges

    Visitors play Nintendo's new video game console Switch during its presentation in Tokyo on January 13, 2017. Nintendo on January 13 unveiled its new Switch game console, which works both at home and on-the-go, as it looks to offset disappointing Wii U sales and go head to head with rival Sony's hugely popular PlayStation 4. / AFP PHOTO 
    1977: Nintendo launches first home videogame machines known as TV Game 15 and TV Game 6.
    1978-1981: Starts selling arcade game machines, opens a US division, and lands a gorilla-sized hit with Donkey Kong.
    1983: Launches home videogame console Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
    1985: Starts selling Super Mario Bros. games for NES.
    1989: Handheld Game Boy system goes on the market    

Visitors play the game 'Arms' with the new Nintendo Switch video game console during its German premiere at a presentation in Offenbach, Germany, 13 January 2017. Nintendo presented his new video game console system 'Switch' worldwide tol be released on 03 March. EPA
    1996: Nintendo 64 game console hits shelves, with GameCube released several years later. Both fail to live up to success of NES. 
    2004: Starts selling handheld video game system Nintendo DS
    2006: Company scores huge hit with Wii motion-sensor system which lets players jump, run and swing in the comfort of their livingrooms. Over 100 million sold worldwide.

    (FILES) This file photo taken on October 30, 2009 shows a girl displaying Japanese video game giant Nintendo's new portable video game console "DS LL" at a press conference in Tokyo. Nintendo pulled the covers off its next-generation Switch games console on January 13, 2017 as the company behind Pokemon and Super Mario tries to score big in the 21st century. / AFP PHOTO
    2012: Follow up Wii U system launches but never matches success of first version.
    2015: Charismatic CEO Satoru Iwata passes away at 55, raising questions about company's direction.
    March, 2016: Releases first mobile game "Miitomo" -- a free-to-play and interactive game that allows users to create avatars.

A view of the new Nintendo Switch video game console during its German premiere at a presentation in Offenbach, Germany, 13 January 2017. Nintendo presented his new video game console system 'Switch' worldwide tol be released on 03 March. EPA
    July 2016: Nintendo brand mobile game app Pokemon Go is released by US-based Niantic, sparking a worldwide frenzy among users. Super Mario Run app is released in December to much fanfare.
    2017: Nintendo unveils its hybrid Switch console, a tablet-like system for home or when you are on the go.