Nintendo

Nintendo is a Japanese video game developer, publisher, and hardware manufacturer headquartered in Kyoto, founded September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi as a playing card company. They entered the video game business in the 1970s and became the dominant force in the industry following the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US in 1985, effectively reviving the North American video game market after the 1983 crash. Their best-known franchises include Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, Metroid, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, and Fire Emblem.

Nintendo Hardware History

Nintendo’s hardware business has defined their identity as much as their software. The NES, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and Switch are all Nintendo home consoles. The Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, DS, and 3DS are their handheld lines. The Wii in 2006 was a cultural phenomenon that brought gaming to audiences who had never played before through motion controls. The Wii U in 2012 was a commercial failure. The Switch in 2017 combined home and portable play in a single device and became one of the best-selling consoles of all time with over 150 million units sold. The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 as a successor device with enhanced performance and backward compatibility.

I am sure millions of kids can remember opening up their first Nintendo console. I know I remember mine. For me it all started at the original NES. When I say original, I mean the one before the gun was orange, mine was grey. It was such a great gift to unwrap back then.

Nintendo Key Franchises

Super Mario

The best-selling video game franchise in history by number of games sold. Super Mario Bros. in 1985 remains one of the most recognizable games ever made. The franchise spans platformers, kart racers, sports games, RPGs, and party games. Super Mario Odyssey in 2017 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder in 2023 represent the series at its best in the modern era.

The Legend of Zelda

Breath of the Wild in 2017 was a landmark game that redefined open world design. Tears of the Kingdom in 2023 was its massive successor. The Zelda series is one of gaming’s most consistently excellent franchises across forty years.

Pokemon

Published by Nintendo and developed by Game Freak, Pokemon is the highest-grossing media franchise in history across games, merchandise, and cards. Scarlet and Violet in 2022 received mixed reviews for performance issues despite strong sales.

Nintendo’s Approach to Gaming

Nintendo operates differently from Sony and Microsoft, prioritizing unique gameplay experiences over hardware power. They rarely participate in industry trends unless the trend serves their specific design goals. They were late to online gaming, motion controls became their defining innovation for a generation, and the Switch’s hybrid design created a category that competitors are still trying to replicate. Their approach is sometimes maddening for players who want features other platforms take for granted, and consistently admirable for the quality of their first-party software.