Nintendo’s Struggle to the Top

nintendo-fallAs if we didn’t all know, Nintendo is currently at the top of the heap in terms of the console wars of this generation. Not only are they kicking ass in terms of that market, they are also dominating worldwide in the handheld market. People are buying their products like hotcakes, and the execs are probably sleeping on their beds made of money and gold bars while they giggle themselves to sleep.

But it wasn’t always like this. While Nintendo is now once again synonymous with gaming, there was a time when the company struggled, hopped on its last leg, and then took a series of chances that have now put it back on top. Edge Online just did the first in a series of articles documenting Nintendo’s fall during the late 90’s, starting with the Nintendo 64 and some of the decisions that went into that.

It’s definitely an interesting read, and they talk specifically about the greatness of design in games like Mario 64. It’s worth pointing out that Nintendo seems to design consoles and products specifically around Miyamoto games (Nintendogs for the DS, Mario 64 for the N64, Wii Sports for the Wii), and it hasn’t always lead them to success.

What do you guys think of the article? How many of you remember Nintendo’s fall?

Source- Edge Online

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I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

9 thoughts on “Nintendo’s Struggle to the Top”

  1. I had PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube. I remember not even counting Gamecube into arguments about what current system is the best. Honestly, I thought PS2 and Xbox were on a whole different level. I never thought Nintendo would recover. Even when they showed the Wii and I saw how you play I was skeptical. I usually play my games at night or sometimes weekend mornings. Im not dancing around when I can barely stand. You know whats sad, I got a Wii because of Red Steel. I remember on G4 they said there would be online sword fights and the wiimote reacted to your every little movement. I should have looked into it…*sigh*

  2. Raider, I made the same mistake in expecting Red Steel to be as good as it was meant to be. I still enjoyed it though. I can’t think of a console war without Nintendo since I’ve been playing games since the N64 came out. I’m impressed that they’re still around after all the hardships their company has faced but until they give me a reason to turn on my Wii I’ll not even try to like them.

  3. The Gamecube was a great console, what are you talking about? Sure, it didn’t have online capabilities (outside of Warp Pipe, a third party program that takes the only three LAN-enabled GCN games online) but it still had a solid list of great titles.

  4. The Gamecube did indeed have a few gyms, but overall, it did just what Nintendo’s last few consoles have done- super long droughts with no games. I still enjoyed it as a system, but the thing tanked and was dead last in terms of sales. For a while there, people were scared Nintendo was going to have to pull a Sega and go all software.

  5. The Game Cube had under rated games. It was more fit for the N64/DreamCast days, and got eaten up the same as DreamCast by the PS2. XBOX didn’t help either. For some reason, even though Nintendo games are fun, there’s something sneaky inside of me that wishes they had actually fallen. I mean, they were they main source of inspiration for most of the genre’s we have today (besides some of the older systems) but I feel like we’d have a much different gaming world today if nintendo wasn’t around. Then again, you have to hand it to them. They have made gaming a more accepted thing to the public.

  6. Honestly, at about the time that Nintendo fell, I switched back from the N64 to the PC. the deal was sealed by Halo…
    I do have a Wii, though, and hope for the best in terms of new stuff (only “next Gen” console I have, being a PC gamer. though I am getting a 360 soon so I can play a few games that are 360 exclusive)

  7. Sigh…Nintendo makes enough games, third parties just like to take shits on Nintendo more often than not.

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