Fourth generation of video game consoles
Nintendo executives were initially reluctant to design a new system, but as the market transitioned to the newer hardware, Nintendo saw the erosion of the commanding market share it had built up with the Nintendo Entertainment System. Nintendo's fourth-generation console, the Super Famicom, was released in Japan on November 21, 1990; Nintendo's initial shipment of 300,000 units sold out within hours. The machine reached North America as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System on August 23, 1991, and Europe and Australia in April 1992.
Nintendo VS. System
The , officially sold simply as the , is a coin-operated video game platform sold to arcades from 1984 to 1990. Designed for two-player competitive play using the VS. UniSystem or VS. DualSystem and with arcade system boards based on the Nintendo Entertainment System, many of these stand-up or sit-down arcade machines have two screens and controllers joined at an angle. Cutting costs compared to higher powered arcade hardware, games were ported from existing home video games for the Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System.