Nintendo is a Japanese video game company that originated in Kyoto. In 1889, the company began developing and designing hanafuda (a type of playing card). This then led to Nintendo creating some of the most successful video game consoles and gaming franchises in history. In 2024, Nintendo opened the Nintendo Museum for fans to learn more about the company, play games and feel like a kid again.
Inside the Nintendo Museum
Upon entering the museum, Toad and his friends greet everyone with their signature cheers and laughs. Every visitor is given a card that has ten coins on it to play games on the first floor. The entire first floor resembles a giant arcade and is dedicated to super fun Nintendo games to play. In the center lies a massive digital hyakunin isshu karuta (a matching card game), which visitors can walk across while holding small devices to collect points.
On the second floor, visitors can listen to famous theme songs from Nintendo games in the tunnel. The entire second floor showcases the evolution of Nintendo games, with giant model controllers above each display area. Explore each section to see how Nintendo crafted and designed its entire range of games, from Mario Kart and beyond. It’s quite an impressive line-up and if you’re a Nintendo aficionado you can spend hours here appreciating all of Nintendo’s revolutionary games and consoles from the 1980s to today.
Nintendo Museum Highlights
The big controller game room features Super Mario Bros. games designed for two people to play together. The Nintendo Classic area hosts old-school games to play including Mario Kart on a Nintendo 64 console and even games on retro Famicom consoles.
One of the most exciting experiences on this floor is the Zapper and Scope Game, where players compete against each other on a mega screen. Kids and adults alike have tons of games to choose from, including a cool shadow game on a wall.
Nintendo buffs can also design their own hanafuda cards. This workshop has an additional fee and requires reservations.
The Nintendo Museum Store sells exclusive items from giant controller pillows to hanafuda cards.