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Former leader of the console market, before abandoning die-hard fans to appeal to people that can't chew solid food.

Summary

Starting off as a trading card company, Nintendo, based in Kyoto, Japan, basically founded the video game industry. It is also probably the source of most of your childhood games and creator of some the largest franchises of all time. This is thanks to Shigeru Miyamoto who made most of these franchises.

In the United States and Canada Nintendo dominated in the 8 bit days and entered in a very competitive console war with Sega in the 16 bit days. In Japan, Nintendo dominated the 1980s and early 1990s. In Europe, Sega had slightly better performance in the 1980s and early 1990s because of their superior distribution systems. In Brazil Sega was dominant.

The scenario changed when Sony entered the Console Wars with its Playstation, and later the Playstation 2, which could play games for adults as well as games for kids (because face it no one used their Gamecubes for Mature games). Having lost the Mature gaming market, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata had the great idea of straying from the hardcore gamers and launched the most gimmicky console ever, the Wii, which everyone bought and now regrets because they're idiots and didn't realize motion controls would get old after 2 games.

As far as games go now, Nintendo can only seem to beat a dead horse and only makes sequels to their successful franchises.

Origins

Originally a trading card company that stepped into the arcade market with Donkey Kong. Taking the hero character from their arcade game they made the platformer Super Mario, which launched its success.

Current status

Unless they've just come out of a coma or were raised in the forest by wolves, it's unlikely that anyone missed the deafening speculation surrounding the rumour - and then announcement - of Nintendo's next big thing.

Originally announced under the (bizarre) working title of Project Café, and with virtually no other information, internet speculation predictably ran wild.

However, even the most hysterical Nintendo fantards weren't expecting what the big 'N' had up it's sleeve.

In the most spectacular U-turn since Jesus told his disciples it was okay to punch lepers in the throat, Nintendo pretty much ditched their earlier contention that it didn't matter if a console had 10 year-old graphics and less power than a sewing machine - so long as your grandma wasn't confused by the controls.

Instead, they've elected to go toe-to-toe with Sony and Microsoft in the power stakes.

Facts

Images

All the franchises in one space.

A shikishi with artwork from several famous Nintendo personalities: Takaya Imamura, Ryota Kawade, Aya Kyogoku, Shigehisa Nakaue, Kensuke Tanabe, and Hirokazu Tanaka

Nintendoast

Videos

Related Pages

Final Fantasy

Japan

King Dedede Drooling While Eating

The Legend of Zelda

Mario

Megaman

Metroid

Pokemon

Project Café

Sega

Star Fox

Wii U

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This article is part of a series on video games.
You can find additional games here.
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This article is part of a series on software.
You can find additional software here.
Explore our other categories for information on different subjects!

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This article is part of a series on phenomena.

You can find additional phenomena here.
Explore our other categories for information on different subjects!