Hanafuda

Various Nintendo hanafuda cards.

Hanafuda are popular playing cards that initiated in Japan. It didn't become very popular elsewhere, though is known for being the first product that Nintendo ever produced. Nintendo's hanafuda cards were handmade using mulberry tree bark. To this date, Nintendo still publishes the cards in Japan only (some even featuring popular Nintendo characters such as Mario and Yoshi, which are only available through Club Nintendo), though it can be assumed that they will discontinue soon as the business isn't very successful anymore. Nods to the games have been present in various video games, including Nintendo's Nintendo DS video game Clubhouse Games, in which hanafuda games could be played among various others.

Interestingly, when Takashi Tezuka first became an employee at Nintendo, he helped design Nintendo's playing cards.

Nintendo decks

Nintendo developed many different hanafuda decks with each one featuring different designs. The most famous one of all is the Daitouryou deck, also known as the Napoleon deck, which featured an image of Napoleon's face on the cover. To this day Nintendo sells this deck, and apparently it is the most successful one on the market. Today each deck is made out of card and paper and are placed in a nicely made plastic storage box. To order one from Japan will cost you around $35.

Nintendo's other well known deck is the Miyako No Hana Hanafuda Deck. It doesn't sport an image of a political ruler, but is rather more traditional. Today the cards come in black or red depending on the person's preference. This deck is also much cheaper than the Napoleon deck at around $15. Despite this it also comes in a plastic box.

Mario hanafuda

Various Mario characters.

In 2007 Nintendo released special Mario themed hanafuda cards through their Club Nintendo service. Once a person accumulated 400 points in Japan, then they could get the Mario cards for free. The deck featured is supposed to reflect the Daitouryou deck Nintendo published way back, with even the characters on the cards posing in the same way as the people in the other cards did (such as Mario posing in the exact same way Napoleon stood).

The characters that were featured in the hanafuda set included (from clockwise top right in the image): Bowser, Mario, Yoshi, Lakitu, Luigi, Paragoomba, Toadies, Boo, Donkey Kong, Wario, Blooper, Koopa Troopa, Peach and Toad, and Piranha Plant.

In December of 2008, Nintendo opened up Club Nintendo in North America. The Mario Hanafuda cards were available among many other prizes. It, along with Game & Watch Collection, were the most expensive products available at 800 points each.

List of video games

Image from 64 Hanafuda.

The following are a list of video games with Hanafuda in them in one form or another.

• 1500DS Spirits Vol. 5: Hanafuda - Nintendo DS (Japan only)
• 64 Hanafuda: Tenshi no Yakusoku - Nintendo 64 (Japan only)
• Clubhouse Games - Nintendo DS
• Hanafuda - Super Famicom (Japan only)
• Hanfuda Ou - Super Famicom (Japan only)
• Hanafuda Trump Mahjong: Depachika Wayounaka - Game Boy Advance (Japan only)
• Honkaku Hanafuda GB - Game Boy Color (Japan only)
• Karan Koron Gakuen: Hanafuda - Mahjong - Game Boy Color (Japan only)
• Pocket Hanafuda - Game Boy Color (Japan only)
• Super Hanafuda - Super Famicom (Japan only)
• Super Hanafuda 2 - Super Famicom (Japan only)

Legacy

• In the Game Boy Camera accessory, one of pictures in the B-Album contains artwork from one of Nintendo's Hanafuda cards.