The Early Years A Rocky Startīefore Nintendo started dabbling in full-on gaming systems, they had released a series of arcade games that were quite the hit with the public. But, with how quickly it rose to popularity and how seemingly unknown it appears to be today, it leaves us curious about the history of the NES.įrom its humble beginnings to its most popular years and ending with its fall in use, Level Unlocked is uncovering every inch of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s life. The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES for short, is one of the most iconic gaming systems the world has ever seen.