The Nintendo VS. System is an arcade system that was developed and produced by Nintendo. It is based on most of the same hardware as the Family Computer (Famicom), later released as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). As Nintendo was planning to release the NES in North America, they became wary of the effects the video game crash of 1983 on the home console market. By March 1984, the U.S. arcade industry recovered enough for a plan to introduce NES titles, by having the VS. System serve as a preview of the console to prospective players. It became the first version of the Famicom hardware to debut in North America.