Proto-nintendocore refers to various artists who were influential in the early history of nintendocore and video game cover bands in general. This tag also includes very early Nintendocore and video game cover releases.

Pop group Buckner & Garcia is often considered an early precursor to the genre, as they are the very first band to write and record an entire album about video arcade games, and even used sampled arcade game sound effects in their songs. Their 1981 album Pac-Man Fever contained songs such as Do the Donkey Kong.

Despite not being rock music, a huge leap in video game music history was achieved on August 20, 1987 when composer and conductor Koichi Sugiyama presented his Family Classic Concert at the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, making it the first video game music concert ever.

The first known rock band to cover a video game song from an actual game however was the all-female indie rock group Autoclave with their cover of the theme song from popular video game Paper Boy which was recorded in 1990. The second rock group known to cover a video game song was experimental metal band Mr. Bungle, with their live cover of the Super Mario Bros. theme song, which was a regular staple throughout their 1990s live concert setlist.

Other pioneers of Nintendocore include:
The Jenova Project, formed in 1997 and disbanded in 1999, the band was created by guitarist Aaron Burke and drummer Matt Wood along with other friends from the same dorm at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In January 2000, Burke and Wood recruited bassist Ben Baraldi to form Minibosses.

The Advantage, formed in 1998, an instrumental rock band formed by two students attending Nevada Union High School, with the original two band members first heard by drummer Spencer Seim at a 1999 Nevada Union High School talent show.