A partnership with the iQue
company is established to release Nintendo games in China through official channels in
an effort to crack down on widespread piracy in the country. The iQue Player is
released.
The iQue Player is a video game console that was manufactured
by iQue, a joint venture between Nintendo and Chinese-American scientist Dr Wei
Yen. The system also goes under the Chinese name of Shén Yóu Ji
also serves a double entendre because the term also means "realistic
experience". The console itself takes the form of the controller and plugs
directly into the television. A box accessory is available that allows
multiplayer gaming. At the moment, it is only marketed in mainland China, likely
part of a market segmentation strategy.
The iQue was first
announced at the 2003 Tokyo Game Show, and it was released in mainland China on November
17, 2003. A Japanese release was originally planned for mid-October 2004, but
was delayed. iQue and Nintendo have no current release dates for the rest of
the world.
Games for this console are
stored on a 64MB flash card which is contained within a cartridge that plugs
directly into controller/console. Games are purchased at a special "iQue
depot" where games may be downloaded onto the cartridge and played later,
in a similar manner to the Famicom Disk System. Demo games that come with the
iQue include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64,
and Star Fox 64. These demos are time-limited versions of the games.
Full versions of the three titles are available, as are other first party Nintendo
titles such as Dr. Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Wave Race 64,
and F-Zero X.