Where were you when Atari collapsed? The Video Game Crash of 1983 is a part of gaming history, not only the factors that led up to it but what rose from the rubble. The same year, Nintendo went international with its video game consoles and the rest is history. Nintendo already had a thick slice of the gaming market in Japan and the time was right to go global.
There are two consoles made by Nintendo, the Color TV-Game and the Famicom, which were limited to the national market and therefore aren’t included in the rankings. The Color TV-game consists of a series of separate units with games like Pong, block breaker, and racing games. The Famicom is just the Japanese version of the original Nintendo, followed by the Super Famicom and the Super Nintendo, and is essentially the exact same thing. Also missing is the Panasonic console, which was developed in partnership with Nintendo but not by the company itself.
7 The GameCube
Nobody is surprised that the GameCube is at the bottom of the list. It’s the Nintendo console that everyone seems to forget. It was the first Nintendo to use compact discs instead of cartridges, which competing consoles had switched to a generation earlier. Released in 2001, when it had to compete with the Playstation 2, the Sega Dreamcast, and the original Xbox, it’s no wonder the GameCube got overlooked. The console is close to being officially vintage, which is one of the reasons it’s experiencing a resurgence with collectors and gamers.
6 Wii U
The Wii U continued along the path set by the Wii along with some other great ideas related to backward compatibility, online functionality, and multiplayer games. It also was capable of a high-definition display that was lacking in the Wii. However, some confusing and poor choices on behalf of the marketing team made it one of the least popular consoles Nintendo has produced.
Like the Switch, which has enjoyed considerable success, the Wii U was more of a hybrid console than strictly for the home. The design of the controller, which resembled a tablet, foreshadowed how the Switch would eventually look. The Playstation 4 and the Xbox One came out a year later, each with a comparatively better library, pushing the Wii U even further into obscurity.
5 Wii
Nintendo finally got compact disc technology right with the release of the Wii, and that’s not all. The real strength of the Wii was that it appealed to a much wider audience that not only included casual gamers but those who weren’t into gaming at all. The popularity of the console’s sports, fitness, and musical programs are all examples of this universal appeal.
The Wii remote, a new take on the conventional controller design, was also a feature that set it apart from other systems. The console was a major success for Nintendo, bringing out from behind the shadow of the Playstation and Xbox for the first time in years.
4 Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The first console was already a commercial success, and the release of this follow-up in 1990 confirmed Nintendo’s status as a household name and the unquestioned ruler of all home gaming. The Super Nintendo was the company’s entry into the Bit Wars, a period when gaming went 16-bit, meaning enhanced graphics and speed. Nintendo’s main competitor, Sega, used the 16-bit angle incessantly to market the Genesis.
If it’s a question of sales when declaring a winner to the Bit Wars, the trophy has to go to Nintendo. Almost 50 million systems were sold worldwide, compared to the Sega Genesis tally of 40 million.
3 Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is the most recent Nintendo console and represents the next generation of video gaming. The design and technology actually change the whole concept of gaming consoles, expanding on ideas started with the Wii U. This is actually a hybrid console that can also be used as a portable device.
The Switch can stand on its own as a handheld device or be connected to a television in a more conventional console. It’s the versatility that explains the popularity. The Switch Lite, also released in 2017, is a strictly hand-held version.
2 Nintendo Entertainment System
The original, and still one of the best, this is the home video game console that picked up where Atari left off. The old console still has a lot going for it despite its age. It has one of the largest video game libraries in existence, making it popular with gamers and collectors, and the sheer variety is impressive. Some of the most expensive and cheapest Nintendo games are intended for this console.
Virtually all of the big names in the Nintendo franchise got their start right here, with this humble 8-bit console, Mario and Luigi. Link from The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, and many other heroes became a part of our childhood through the NES. It’s safe to say that nostalgia is a major reason for its continuing popularity.
1 Nintendo 64
There’s some irony to this being at the top of the list. The pressure was on from Sony and Sega in 1996, and Nintendo was facing a backlash from its strict rules regarding third-party game development. While its competitors went the way of compact discs, Nintendo stubbornly made another console that ran on cartridges and went 3D anyway, bucking the trend for once.
The gamble was successful. the N64 not only proved that the existing technology would carry the weight of modern games but also that compact discs weren’t the only game in town. At least, not yet. Some of Nintendo’s most iconic titles are associated with this console, including names like Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, and Goldeneye 007.
NEXT: 10 NES Games That Made (Almost) Everyone Rage Quit
