How Much Did the NES Cost in 1985?
By the Price Time Machine team · Updated
The NES launch price was $179.99 when it went on sale in the United States on October 18, 1985. Adjusted for inflation, that is about $557.92 in September 2026 money, roughly 3.1 times the original price.
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NES / Famicom at a glance
- US launch price
- $179.99
- In today’s money
- ≈ $557.92October 1985 to September 2026 (CPI-U, BLS)
- US release date
- October 18, 1985
- Where it was designed
- Kyoto, JapanDesigned by Nintendo in Kyoto, Japan. The NES case was restyled for America by Nintendo of America in Redmond, Washington.
- Category
- Gaming & tech
- Price source
- en.wikipedia.org
Today’s price is the US launch price adjusted for US inflation with the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, comparing the launch month with the latest published month. It updates automatically as new figures come out.
What did you get for $179.99?
The first NES sold in America was the Deluxe Set. For $179.99 it included the console (the “Control Deck”), two controllers, the Zapper light gun, R.O.B. the Robotic Operating Buddy, and two games: Gyromite and Duck Hunt.
The robot and the light gun were there for a reason. After the video game crash of 1983, many American shops did not want to stock games consoles, so Nintendo presented the NES as an electronic toy. Before the nationwide launch in 1986, Nintendo added a basic set with two controllers and Super Mario Bros. for $99.99.
The NES launch price in today’s money
Inflation means a dollar buys less today than it did in 1985. Using the US Consumer Price Index, the original NES launch price of $179.99 works out at about $557.92 in September 2026 money, around 3.1 times the original figure. That is what the same amount of spending power would cost now, not what the NES sells for second-hand.
When was the NES released?
- Japan (as the Family Computer, or Famicom): July 15, 1983
- United States test launch, New York: October 18, 1985
- United States nationwide: September 27, 1986
Where was the NES designed?
Nintendo engineer Masayuki Uemura designed the Famicom in Kyoto, Japan. Nintendo’s president Hiroshi Yamauchi wanted a simple, cheap console, aiming for ¥9,800 at a time when rivals cost ¥30,000 to ¥50,000. For America, Lance Barr and Don James restyled it as the grey NES so that it looked more like a video recorder than a toy.
NES facts you might not know
- The Famicom launched in Japan in 1983 with just three games: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. and Popeye.
- Nintendo sold 61.91 million NES and Famicom consoles.
- It helped revive the American games industry after the 1983 crash, and started series such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man and Final Fantasy.
- Nintendo stopped making the NES on August 14, 1995, but kept making the Famicom in Japan until 2003.
Frequently asked questions
How much did the NES cost in 1985?
The NES Deluxe Set cost $179.99 at its US launch on October 18, 1985. It came with two controllers, the Zapper, R.O.B. and two games.
How much is the NES launch price in today’s money?
Adjusted for US inflation, $179.99 from October 1985 is about $557.92 in September 2026 money.
Was there a cheaper NES?
Yes. Before the nationwide launch in 1986 Nintendo added a basic set with two controllers and Super Mario Bros. for $99.99.
When did the NES come out in America?
It went on sale in a test launch in New York on October 18, 1985, and across the United States on September 27, 1986.
Want to compare the NES launch price with other launch prices? See what the Game Boy launch cost, browse more famous launch prices, or play this question in Price Time Machine.
Sources
Launch prices and dates are checked against the sources below. Today’s price is calculated from official US inflation data and updates automatically when new figures are published.
- Wikipedia: Nintendo Entertainment System
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)