Lots of studying, thinking, and planning led up to the event of this date in 1996, when the Nintendo 64 was put on the market in Japan.

After three years of developing the product with the code name "Project Reality," the console featured the world's first true 64-bit home video game system, a revolution in the gaming industry.

The product was released in the United States in September 1996. Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan estimated that by mid-1999 over 19.78 million Nintendo 64 units and 88.66 million games had been sold.

"Nothing succeeds like success," observed writer Alexandre Dumas.

And success and innovation are inherent at Nintendo. Founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, the company first manufactured Hanafuda cards, the Japanese playing cards so popular with adults and children in Japan, Hawaii, and throughout the world.

The founder's grandson, Hiroshi Yamauchi was CEO until 2002 and led Nintendo to it's stature as one of the world's leading game companies. In the ever-changing gaming industry, in 2004, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance continued to dominate the handheld sector.

"Along with success," said Euripides in Hippolytos, "comes a reputation for wisdom."

Success comes with heartfelt persistence.