Yamauchi built the Nintendo Entertainment System from a playing-card company into a video-gaming empire . Nintendo confirmed the news Thursday in an e-mailed statement to media outlets . He oversaw such successes as Japan , `` Donkey Kong '' and iconic characters such as Yamauchi . Yamauchi died age 85 in Japan at age 85 .
Yamauchi built the Nintendo Entertainment System from a playing-card company into a video-gaming empire . He oversaw such successes as Japan , `` Donkey Kong '' and iconic characters such as Yamauchi . Yamauchi died age 85 in Japan at age 85 .