Z80-based arcade hardware by Nintendo

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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