Today marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America. Called NES for short, it revolutionized gaming in the U.S. since October 18th, 1985, following the Japanese release (where it was named Famicom, and actually looked a lot cooler in its red and beige livery) two years before.We can easily say that the NES paved the way for console gaming in the west, and the folks at Sony Computer Entertainment agree, as they sent their 30th anniversary wishes to rival company's venerable console:

We can only agree, and join in the celebrations. Happy anniversary NES, and thanks for opening the gates of our hobby to a much wider audience.

Incidentally, the NES' wasn't the only North American anniversary today, as Shadow of the Colossus celebrates its 10th birthday. It was launched in the U.S. on October 18th, 2005.