formerly named and was an annual video game trade show hosted by Nintendo from 1989 to 2001. Its three days of high-energy party atmosphere was the primary venue for Nintendo and its licensees to announce and demonstrate new consoles and games. Anticipated and dissected each year with hype and exclusivity, it was a destination for the international video game press, with detailed developer interviews and technology demos. The show was the launch or marketing flashpoints of countless major industrywide products, especially Nintendo's flagship platforms and video games. The show launched the Super Famicom, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, 64DD, and all the ongoing games in the Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon franchises. Some major exhibits would be teased and then never seen again, leaving fans and press to maintain hype and inquiry for years, as with the Super Mario 128 demo spectacle, the controversial Wind Waker teaser video, Mother 3 (EarthBound 64), and a litany of lost 64DD games. Format The three day format began with one day called Shoshinkai (lit. "beginning party") dedicated to press, and two days called Space World for full public attendance. Nintendo officially referred to the whole event as "Shoshinkai" for some years until 1996, and then as "Space World" since 1997. The show floor had many third party booths surrounding Nintendo's large main booths, all with videos and many playable prerelease games, and some with outlandish decor and character performances. Unlike most other video game trade events, it was not held at any set interval; Nintendo decided whether and when to hold the show at any time. It was in Japan, either in Kyoto which also hosts Nintendo's headquarters, or at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba. After the most recent Space World show in 2001, the company instead began to favor online publishing and industry-wide conferences such as E3. Nintendo Power explains: "Q: What is Famicom Space World? A: Space World is a free show for the public that follows the one-day Shoshinkai. Gamers who wish to attend need only pick up an entry pass at any official Nintendo retail location in Japan." History Shoshinkai 1989 The first Shoshinkai show was held on July 28, 1989. The Super Famicom was announced and Super Mario World was reportedly shown. Shoshinkai 1990 The second Shoshinkai show was held on August 28–29, 1990. The final version of the Super Famicom was