It’s alwaysNintendothat’s one of the driving forces shaping the modern games industry. This isn’t just the case with their array of charming and enjoyable software, but with much of their unique gaming hardware as well. Durable, sleek, and often groundbreaking, Nintendo consoles have typically stood out in one way or another, often enhancing the experience with unique control inputs.
While they’ve managed to strike gold when it comes to a good many of their consoles, there have certainly been some duds, blunders, and odd design choices which fell flat in terms of market success.
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With this list, we’ll cover over 3 decades of Nintendo’s console history and go over some of their biggest successes and blunders.
10Most Successful: Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo has typically thrived more in the handheld arena than on the home console front, to the point where even their tepid success stories have outperformed the iconic NES. Yes, believe it or not, while it isclose, the 3DS has managed to ultimately outsell that console, clocking in at 75.45 million to date.
While the occasionally eye-straining 3D effect received mixed reactions from the market, overall, this handheld was able to ride the coattails of its hugely popular DS predecessor. New features like the intuitive thumbstick, eShop, and camera won some gamers over.
It also didn’t hurt that this thing had an impressive library - with more releasesstilltrickling out. This includesMonster Hunter Stories,Super Mario 3D Land, and the first portable rendition ofSuper Smash Bros.
9Least Successful: Nintendo 64
It may be remembered fondly by many 90s kids for its slew of awesome multiplayer romps likeGoldeneye, in addition to having two of the most renownedZeldatitles. Yet, the Big N’s first true 3D console didn’t quite translate as well as the company likely hoped, with sales south of 33 million worldwide. This isn’t a failure by any means, andN64isstill beloved by many, despite the limitations of the carts and the funky three-pronged controller.
Yet, given the whirlwind of hype surrounding the touted fully-3D visuals, and the fact that its main competitor,PlayStation, sold overthree timesthat amount, it’s at least a minor blunder.
8Most Successful: Game Boy Advance
This sleeker, more technologically competent upgrade to the Game Boy was similar to the DS line in that it was a step back in terms of success compared to its iconic predecessor. Still, the GBA still managed to be a pretty big success in its own right, with sales of the original model and clamshell SP combined totaling over 80 million units.
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It was great to finally see handheld games from Nintendo with semi-pleasing, colorful graphics, and it certainly helped that there were some great games, especially on the RPG and platforming front. Despite its age, the most recent GBA SP model isstilla solid machine, which is capable of playing GBAandGB games in their prettiest, most vibrant state.
7Least Successful: GameCube
The GameCube came with an odd look akin to what many gamers criticized as a “purple lunchbox,” with a controller that continued the N64’s legacy of bizarre designs. While it’s ironically the controller of choice for mostSmash Bros.players now, this controller and its weird button layout was jarring to fans at first.
The GameCube not only used its own limited, smaller proprietary media disc, but its library was arguably on the weaker side, and much of the great software thatwasthere didn’t quite have mass-market appeal. Nintendo’s biggest two properties,MarioandZelda, didn’t exactly have the best showings on this machine either.
Competition was also fierce with this one, between Sega, Sony,andnewcomers Microsoft all fighting for a piece of the gaming pie. These factors led to GameCube’s meager 22 million sales worldwide.
6Most Successful: Wii
Coming off the disappointing GameCube, Nintendo needed a home run, and they got it with this revolutionary motion-controlled console, theWii. The Big N truly went back to basics here, with a 3D-motion device that resembled a remote control, and accessible software that everyone from young children to Grandma could get into.
With the Wii, you had the typical entry-level price, durability, and great Nintendo games, but you also had a console largely revolving around a new style of mass-market games, enhanced by the exciting new control input. You also had the Virtual Console, allowing fans to revisit many of the Nintendo classics of yesteryear.
While the Switch has the potential to surpass it, Wii is the Big N’s most successful home console, as it propelled to over 100 million units sold.
5Least Successful: Wii U
Like the GameCube, Wii U was a tough console for many to get into, given its odd, bulky Gamepad, and the convoluted “Miiverse” menu which booted up before starting each game.
Nintendo’s touchscreen-laced foray into the HD gaming era was too little too late, as Sony and Microsoft’s powerful hardware and expansive libraries allowed them to easily surpass them. Its library was lacking in a number of areas, and software droughts were plentiful. There was also some confusion when it came to the marketing of this thing, as it resembled a Wii add-on for many, rather than a true successor. Nintendo even had to take to Twitter to clear this up.
Because of these factors, Wii U only managed to sell under 14 million units to date.
4Most Successful: Game Boy/Game Boy Color
The iconic Game Boy brand is usually what’s thought of when it comes to handheld gaming, and there’s a good reason for it. This hardware had it going on in just about all areas - well, other than its horsepower. It was revolutionary for its time, in addition to being durable, comfortable, and simple to use. It also had a ton of great software, from the classicSuper Mario LandandTetris, to the phenom ofPokémon, which helped spur a “second wave” of success with the Game Boy Color.
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Combined, the Game Boy and GBC managed to sell close to120million units since its release back in 1989.
3Least Successful: Virtual Boy
Those who know about the Virtual Boy aren’t too surprised that it failed as spectacularly as it did, given its traits, which weren’t too user-friendly. Aside from being uncomfortable, and residing in an impractical middle ground between handheld and home console - squinting too long at the rough red and black graphicsstrainedthe eyes of users if played too long!
Not only this, but the competition was in high gear during the mid-90s; not the least of which from the Big N themselves, which was readying the release of the hyped N64. This, coupled with a minuscule library of just over 20 games, set the stage for the brutal sales of just 770,000.
2Most Successful: Nintendo DS/DS Lite
With Sony entering the handheld market, it was probably a good idea for Nintendo to think differently with their next device. Enter the DS, a dual-screen, clamshell portable device that was among the first to utilize the intuitive nature of the touch screen when it released in 2004. This new design was made even sleekier and sturdier with the DS Lite, which, coupled with huge hits likeNintendogsandBrain Age, launched Nintendo into financial prominence.
The unique, user-friendly features of this machine, along with one of the best, most diverse lineups of games, are the reasons for its sustained success of several years, especially in Japan. It has sold a whopping 154 million to date.
1Least Successful: Nintendo 64DD
This gaming add-on was meant to enhance the N64 experience - but did this 3D consoleneedthis (especially given its small library and unnecessary added costs)? The market certainly didn’t think so, as the 64DD only managed to eek out 15,000 units worldwide - well, really just in Japan, as it never made it to Western shores. This thing was meant to promote user-creation software and online play; both concepts that were simply premature.
Nintendo canceled production of this clunky peripheral just over a year after its release in late ‘99.
