Z80-based arcade hardware by Nintendo

Z80-based arcade hardware by Nintendo
Designer	Nintendo R&D1, Nintendo R&D3
Manufacturer	Nintendo
CPU	Zilog Z80
Graphics	Space Firebird: 224×512 Donkey Kong hardware: 224x256 Popeye hardware: 512x448 Punch-Out!! hardware: 224×288 Mario Bros.: 256x224
Memory	512 bytes
Media	ROM chips
Released	1980-1985
Added to Museum	Not yet

Z80-based arcade hardware by Nintendo used the Zilog Z80 processor for Nintendo's arcade games.

These arcade hardware sets were designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 and Nintendo Research & Development 3. The games that utilize them were released from 1980 to 1985.

There are five unique board sets by Nintendo that use the Zilog Z80. The board set used by the majority of the games running on the Z80 processor was produced from 1981 to 1983. This board set is commonly referred to as "Donkey Kong hardware", after the most popular game to use it.

Likewise, the board set used by two other games that use the Z80 processor, the 1981 shoot 'em up Sky Skipper, and the 1982 platformer Popeye, is commonly referred to as "Popeye hardware".

Also, the board set used by three other games that use the Z80 processor, the 1984 boxing games Punch-Out!! and Super Punch-Out!!, as well as the 1985 arm wrestling game aptly named Arm Wrestling, is commonly referred to as "Punch-Out!! hardware".

Finally, the 1980 shoot 'em up Space Firebird and the 1983 platformer Mario Bros. also use the Z80 processor but have unique board sets.

The successors to the Z80-based arcade hardware by Nintendo use hardware based on the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console and include a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor. The first of these two successive arcade hardware platforms was the VS. System which was produced from 1984 to 1990. The second was the PlayChoice-10, which was produced from 1986 to 1991.

History

Radar Scope was a hit in Japan when it was released in 1980, but when it was released in North America, it sold poorly. Nintendo of America asked for a game that could be installed in the unsold Radar Scope cabinets. Nintendo asked its designers for ideas, and Shigeru Miyamoto's idea was chosen. The resulting game was Donkey Kong, which was a worldwide success.

After Nintendo found worldwide success, several other games were produced using Z80-based hardware, including two Donkey Kong sequels.

Home versions of the games

Most of Nintendo's Z80 arcade games were released on many different computers and video game consoles, both through traditional game ports and through emulation.

Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Junior, Donkey Kong 3, Mario Bros., and Popeye were ported to various computers and home video game consoles.

Through emulation, the actual arcade versions were later made available on home video game consoles. Hamster released the arcade versions through their Arcade Archives series for Nintendo Switch. Mario Bros. was released on September 27, 2017, Punch-Out!! was released on March 30, 2018, Donkey Kong was released on June 14, 2018, Sky Skipper was released on July 20, 2018, Donkey Kong Junior was released on December 21, 2018, Donkey Kong 3 was released on April 5, 2019, and Super Punch-Out!! was released on August 14, 2020.

Games on unique hardware

Title	Developer	Release	Notes
Space Firebird	Nintendo R&D1	1980
Mario Bros.	Nintendo R&D1	1983

Games on Donkey Kong hardware

Title	Developer	Release	Notes
Radar Scope	Nintendo R&D1	1980
Donkey Kong	Nintendo R&D1	1981
Donkey Kong Junior	Nintendo R&D1	1982
Donkey Kong 3	Nintendo R&D1	1983

Games on Popeye hardware

Title	Developer	Release	Notes
Sky Skipper	Nintendo R&D1	1981
Popeye	Nintendo R&D1	1982

Games on Punch-Out!! hardware

Title	Developer	Release	Notes
Punch-Out!!	Nintendo R&D3	1984
Super Punch-Out!!	Nintendo R&D3	1984
Arm Wrestling	Nintendo R&D3	1985