Nintendo of Japan has finally drawn a line beneath some of the most venerable and influential names in video gaming history. According to Japanese site, itmedia, the company is to cease support for the Famicom, Super Famicom, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy (and the Game Boy Pocket).

For those too young - or too ignorant of great moments in the history of everything important - the Famicom (FAMily COMputer) name translated to Europe as the 'Nintendo Entertainment System' (NES) and 'Super Nintendo Entertainment System' (SNES).

Bear with us, we need a moment here...

Right... the 8-bit NES launched in Europe in 1985, it's 16-bit younger, more dashing off-spring made its European debut in 1992 in our part of the world.

It's no good... we can't go on... but we must.

Nintendo has apparently said that parts for these two units (as well as the ground-breaking Game Boy) are just too difficult to source now - and anyway, what are you moaning about like some drunk uncle at a wake? You've got the Wii Virtual Console downloads now, so you can play all the old favourites on that.

It's sort of a Shinto kind of thing.

After all, when was the last time you dragged your SNES or NES out of the attic and plugged it in. Enough of this morbid, mordant nostalgia, it's time to move on. As SPOnG was informed earlier today, "There has to come a time where older technology is no longer in demand and thus becomes obsolete."

Absolutely - although some of the elder SPOnGers are beginning to look a little nervous...

Good Spotter prize goes to Arcade Renaissance for this one.

^{Source: Arcade Renaissance}