Famicom Disk System

Family Computer Disk System
	Famicom Disk System disk drive and RAM adapter attached to the Famicom console
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Type	Video game console peripheral
Generation	Third
Release date	JP: February 21, 1986; HK: 1991;
Discontinued	JP: 1993 (device); ; JP: September 30, 2003 (software); ; JP: October 31, 2007 (technical support); ;
Units sold	4.4 million
Media	112 KB Disk Card
Memory	32 KB disk cache; 8 KB game RAM
Sound	1 extra channel of wavetable synth facilitated by Ricoh 2C33
Successor	Satellaview; Nintendo 64DD

The Family Computer Disk System,^[a] commonly shortened to the Famicom Disk System or,^[b] is a peripheral for Nintendo's Family Computer (Famicom) home video game console, released in Japan on February 21, 1986. The system uses proprietary floppy disks called "Disk Cards" for more affordable data storage and adds a high-fidelity sound channel to enhance audio in compatible Disk System games.

To support the Disk System, Nintendo installed "Disk Writer" kiosks in stores across Japan that allowed customers to bring their Disk Cards and have new games rewritten onto them for a small fee, making it a cost-effective alternative to purchasing games on traditional RAM cartridges. Nintendo also offered similar disk rewriting services by mail.

The Disk System was designed to enhance features already present in the base Famicom, offering better sound and cheaper, rewritable games. However, it came with drawbacks, including a high initial price for the device along with the storage medium's slower load times and reduced reliability. Despite these limitations, the Disk System’s rewritable storage served as an enabling technology, enabling the creation of new types of video games. This era saw the rise of expansive open world adventures like The Legend of Zelda (1986) and Metroid (1986) enabled by progress-saving, games with a cost-effective and swift release such as the best-selling Super Mario Bros. 2, and nationwide leaderboards and contests via in-store Disk Fax kiosks, which are considered to be forerunners of today's online achievement and distribution systems.

While sales of the Disk System peripheral ended in 1993, after selling 4.4 million units, making it the most successful console add-on of all time, support for the system continued well beyond that point. The final title for the Disk System was Janken Disk Jo, released in December 1992. Nintendo maintained Disk writing services by mail until 2003,^[2] and provided technical support until 2007.^[3]

^ Nakamanga (September 30, 2019). Famicom and Disk System Hong Kong Version - Commercial. YouTube. Retrieved May 5, 2025.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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[1] Nakamanga (September 30, 2019). Famicom and Disk System Hong Kong Version - Commercial. YouTube. Retrieved May 5, 2025.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[dskend-2] Cite error: The named reference dskend was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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[Revisiting_the_FDS-4] Cite error: The named reference Revisiting the FDS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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