History Creator / NINTENDO

* Good Feel: Knits together some of Nintendo's "craftier" games such as ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn'', ''VideoGame/YoshisWoollyWorld'', and ''VideoGame/YoshisCraftedWorld''.

* BleachedUnderpants: They briefly had a chain of {{Love Hotel}}s. Many a Nintendo historian will not let the Big N live that down.

** By far, the single most infamous example in their history is the original ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. Nintendo of America feared that the game's increased difficulty and graphical similarities to its predecessor would alienate players in Western markets, and opted to [[DolledUpInstallment reskin]] a [[VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic seperate-but-related game]] and christen that ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' instead. As ''Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels'', it would be [[RemadeForTheExport remade with enhanced graphics]] as part of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars'', and rereleased in its original form for the Wii Platform/VirtualConsole.

** In ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'', the protagonist can become transformed into a defenseless walking eggplant.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Legend of Zelda|1989}}''

* ''Sonic Rush Adventure''

* ''Gargoyle's Quest'' (Gameboy only)

* ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasons2014''

* Anime/FireEmblem
** Manga/FireEmblemChampionsSword
* Anime/PokemonTheSeries

* Anime/AmadaAnimeSeriesSuperMarioBros
** Anime/TheGreatMissionToSavePrincessPeach
** Manga/SuperMario
** Anime/SuperMariosFireBrigade
** Anime/SuperMarioTrafficSafety
** Manga/SuperMarioBrosMangaMania

* ComicBook/SuperMarioAdventures

[[folder:Film (Live and animated)]]
* Film/SuperMarioBros1993 (Also has a manga adaptation)
** Script/SuperMarioBros1991
* WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie

* WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster
* WesternAnimation/SuperMarioBrosDic
** Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow (partial hybrid with live action segments)
* WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989

* 2001-2007 - '''Platform/NintendoGameCube''': [[MediaNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Sixth generation]]. Nintendo's first system to use optical discs, albeit a mini-DVD format rather than the standard 8", with this and a lack of meaningful online functionality hurting the system's third-party support and putting it at third in that generation’s console race. Known for being host to new, more experimental franchises such as ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' and ''Franchise/AnimalCrossing'', as well as a number of collaborations with companies like [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]] and Creator/{{Capcom}}.

* 1995-1996 - '''Platform/VirtualBoy''': A portable console with a headset form factor that displayed games in [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDMovie stereoscopic 3D]], using a red-and-black color palette due to the commercial & technical practicality of red [=LEDs=] compared to other colors. The system is notable for being a [[ObviousBeta prototype that was rushed to market]], becoming both a critical and commercial failure; to this day, it still remains as Nintendo's least successful system.

* ''[[VideoGame/FitnessBoxingSwitch Fitness Boxing]]''

* ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden32012'' (Razor's Edge version)

* ''VideoGame/Pinball1984''

* ''VideoGame/{{X1992}}''

* SelfDeprecation: Their marketing does this on occasion. For example, their [[Platform/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3]] 2014 presentation contained a number of short sketches by the ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' crew which poked fun at themselves and their characters.

* VoiceGrunting: Most of its major characters have a voice even if they don't speak full lines of dialogue. Some of them also have short phrases they [[{{Catchphrase}} often use]] (Mario: "It's-a me," "Let's-a go").

* Creator/HudsonSoft: Developed the ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' series until ''VideoGame/MarioPartyDS'', after which they were purchased by and merged with Creator/{{Konami}}. They also collaborated with Nintendo on their ''Family BASIC'' keyboard and software, and ported or made sequels of several of Nintendo's games for use on Japanese home computers in the mid-1980's.

* Manga/PocketMonsters

In 1980, born from observing a fellow train commuter passing the time by idly playing with a calculator, Yokoi designed the handheld Platform/GameAndWatch series of devices, inadvertently kicking off a legacy of handheld gaming dominance that (depending on how you view their hybrid consoles) lasts until this day. But of greater note is the following year, when the North American commercial failure of an arcade game called ''Radar Scope'' led to a young artist named Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto being tasked to create a replacement game. Cue a [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros portly red-clad]] [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness carpenter]] and a [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong large hairy ape]] that dominated the arcade scene and are now among the most recognizable characters in gaming. But Nintendo didn't just end there, as they still had an eye on the home market and knew that simple ''Pong'' clones were not enough. Yamauchi wanted to create a more powerful gaming system; one that was so much better than the competitors that it would not even be a choice as to which the consumer wanted. Enter the [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Family Computer]] in Japan. The Famicom, after only a few years on the shelves, gained a lock on 90% of the Japanese home video game market; a trick that they wanted to repeat overseas. However, thanks to the UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, the home video game market in North America was deader than dead.[[note]]Yes, just in North America, and just the home market. Arcades and Europe were doing fine - in Europe's case, computer games were well established, hence European gamers who grew up in this era have fonder memories of games like ''VideoGame/{{Dizzy}}'' than any console exclusive titles. And if they were fond of any console games, it was most likely on the Platform/SegaMasterSystem.[[/note]] Despite this, Nintendo figured the Japanese and US markets couldn't be ''that'' different, and felt they could still have a shot if they packaged it correctly and avoided all the mistakes that Creator/{{Atari}} made. To make a long story short, though some cried foul at the domineering and aggressive tactics utilized, Nintendo succeeded in that task and single-handedly revived the dead-in-the-water North American home video game industry with the Nintendo Entertainment System, and have been a major player in video games ever since. Many renowned video game franchises, both from Nintendo and otherwise, were born on the NES, and the success of the company's own games is attributed to the talent and experience from developers like the aforementioned Shigeru Miyamoto, Creator/TakashiTezuka, and Creator/GunpeiYokoi.

At the end of the day, modern-day Nintendo is known for a few things. First, their tendency to experiment with their hardware, with game controller mainstays such as rumble, shoulder buttons, and analog sticks being either pioneered or popularized by Nintendo, and especially its decision to go with motion controllers for the Platform/{{Wii}} (combined with the touch screen gaming of the Nintendo DS) helping to introduce a whole new collection of gamers to the hobby. Next, regardless of how they place in the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars -- ranging from unquestionably first (NES, Wii, and Switch) to barely first (SNES) to only beating out a dying Sega console (N64 and [=GameCube=]) to actually being a dying console (Wii U) -- and despite Nintendo's own flaws, all of Nintendo's consoles are beloved, and every one of them has a group of standout games that represent the best of their generation, if not the best of all time. Which leads to fans and non-fans being aware of the mantra "[[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail never count Nintendo out]]": no matter how weird or bizarre their ideas, no matter how badly they might stumble, Nintendo will never be out of the game and they will carve out some sort of victory. After all, your company doesn't last over 130 years by pure luck. Finally, and most importantly, making high-quality games that are simply ''fun'' -- they're often brightly colored, chipper in tone, incredibly well designed, and a blast to play with friends. Other companies devote themselves to rich story telling, intense FPS games, or year after year of sports titles, but Nintendo is known for honing in on gameplay that brings out the ten-year-old kid in everyone. Or as they put it, "putting smiles on faces."

* 1977-1983 - '''Platform/ColorTVGame''': UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames. A series of Japan-only UsefulNotes/PlugNPlayGame consoles and Nintendo's first attempt at the home video game market. Being some of the many ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' clones of the time, the releases consisted of the Color TV-Game 6 and 15, Block Breaker, and Racing 112, which collectively managed to be the best-selling consoles released during the era.
* 1983-2003 - '''Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem''': [[UsefulNotes/The8BitEraOfConsoleVideoGames Third generation]]. Known as the Family Computer in Japan, Nintendo's first official console served as the birthplace of several [[VideoGameLongRunners venerable franchises]] that are still around today, most notably the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' franchises. It is also credited with spurring the recovery of the US gaming industry after the crash of 1983.

* 1990-2003 - '''Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem''': [[UsefulNotes/The16BitEraOfConsoleVideoGames Fourth generation]]. Known as the Super Famicom in Japan, the 16-bit successor that also became the best-selling console of its generation, though by a much smaller margin than the NES had accomplished thanks to stiff competition from the Platform/SegaGenesis. The technology of its cartridges (by way of the Super FX chip) allowed for basic 3D graphics without the need for add-ons, unlike its competition.

* 1996-2002 - '''Platform/Nintendo64''': [[UsefulNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Fifth generation]]. While less successful than its predecessors thanks to sticking with the cartridge format over [=CD=]s, it played a key role in the [[VideoGame3DLeap industry's 3D shift]] by introducing analog sticks and force feedback on first-party controllers. Some of its first-party games, such as ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', continue to be seen as the most influential in the industry.

* 2001-2007 - '''Platform/NintendoGameCube''': [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Sixth generation]]. Nintendo's first system to use optical discs, albeit a mini-DVD format rather than the standard 8", with this and a lack of meaningful online functionality hurting the system's third-party support and putting it at third in that generation’s console race. Known for being host to new, more experimental franchises such as ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' and ''Franchise/AnimalCrossing'', as well as a number of collaborations with companies like [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]] and Creator/{{Capcom}}.

* 2006-2013 - '''Platform/{{Wii}}''': [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Seventh generation]]. Foregoing the power race in favor of motion controls, this console attracted a large casual gaming audience with its intuitive controls to restore Nintendo's dominance in the console space. The system allowed the playing of legacy software from Nintendo (and other companies) via the Platform/VirtualConsole, and early models also featured native [=GameCube=] backwards compatibility.
* 2012-2017 - '''Platform/WiiU''': [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Eighth generation]]. Nintendo's first HD console. The system's central feature was the touchscreen [=GamePad=] controller that could stream gameplay footage, allowing for "Off-TV Play" and second screen gameplay. It was backwards compatible with Wii games and controllers, and its Virtual Console included Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games. Unfortunately, due to bad marketing and a lack of third-party support, it ended up being the company’s second biggest hardware failure.

* EarlyBirdRelease: The ''Vs. System'' series of arcade cabinets was this for the [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]]. The [[UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashof1983 Crash]] scuttled Nintendo's original plans to bring the Famicom stateside (their deal with Atari collapsed), so they used the cabinets to preview their 8-bit games and hardware. The success of these cabinets gave Nintendo the confidence to move forward with releasing the Famicom in the America.

** Nintendo was approached by Creator/{{Atari}} to bring the Famicom to the United States, and were in the early stages of negotiation for the rights, but UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 put a end to those plans. As a result, Nintendo of America decided to employ a handful of now jobless Atari employees in order to do it themselves.

* 2001 - '''UsefulNotes/PokemonMini''': The smallest dedicated handheld ever made, the Pokémon mini was also the only game system ever created that focused on just one franchise, that being the popular Pokémon series. The system boasted only about a dozen games, but it did feature a fair number of features that the GBA, Nintendo DS, and even Nintendo 3DS would lack, such as force feedback and on-board vibration.

Nintendo's history as a video game company began under the leadership of a young Hiroshi Yamauchi (Fusajiro's great-grandson) after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when the company looked to expand its business model, and to that end, they tried everything: from a taxi service, to (allegedly) a chain of {{love hotels}}, to instant foods. Most of these junctures failed and the hanafuda sales were not enough to keep the company afloat forever. Nearing bankruptcy, Yamauchi reached out to one of his workers, Creator/GunpeiYokoi, for product ideas. Yokoi was noteworthy for his penchant for tinkering in his spare time and creating interesting devices, and it was the modest success of some of those inventions (including the Ultra Hand, the Love Tester, and the Ultra Machine) that led to Yamauchi deciding that Nintendo would become an entertainment and games company. The transition was aided by the fledgling video game market, as early video games like ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' and the UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey were becoming popular globally in the [[UsefulNotes/The70s 1970s]], and Nintendo [[https://thegamescholar.com/2020/04/28/the-nintendo-odyssey/ became the console's Japanese distributor]]. Emboldened by this, Nintendo soon created their own home consoles in Platform/ColorTVGame line, which took Japanese homes by storm. They also entered arcades with titles like ''VideoGame/EVRRace''. However, it wouldn't be until the [[UsefulNotes/The80s 1980s]] that Nintendo would become known outside its home country.

** 1995-2000 - UsefulNotes/{{Satellaview}}: A Japan-only add-on for the Super Famicom best known for players to download and stream [=SoundLink=] games through satellite radio during specific timeslots, backed by live-streamed audio that sometimes featured voice-acting. These included both unique titles and variants of existing SNES games like ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast''.
** Unreleased - UsefulNotes/{{SNESCDROM}}: A scrapped CD-ROM add-on for the SNES made in collaboration with Creator/{{Sony}} that ultimately led to the development of the Platform/PlayStation line of video game consoles... as well as the ill-fated UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi. Nintendo and Sony had ordered all 200 of the prototypes destroyed, but a surviving machine was discovered in 2015 and restored to working order two years later.

* 2006-2013 - '''Platform/{{Wii}}''': [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Seventh generation]]. Foregoing the power race in favor of motion controls, this console attracted a large casual gaming audience with its intuitive controls to restore Nintendo's dominance in the console space. The system allowed the playing of legacy software from Nintendo (and other companies) via the UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole, and early models also featured native [=GameCube=] backwards compatibility.

* 2011-2020 - '''Platform/Nintendo3DS''': On par with the [=GameCube=] in terms of graphical power, its major selling-point was glasses-free [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDMovie stereoscopic 3D]]. Had backwards compatibility with the Nintendo DS, and featured a UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole for legacy handheld games. Later gained two variants in the budget-priced [=2DS=] (which lacked stereoscopic 3D) and the more powerful New Nintendo [=3DS=] (with more controls and Toys/{{amiibo}} support).

** Much of the first-party libraries of the Platform/VirtualBoy and, oddly enough, Platform/NintendoGameCube have never been rereleased, resulting in [[CrackIsCheaper high secondary market prices]]. This is most notable on the Platform/WiiU, where its iteration of the UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole boasted every other major Nintendo system going back to the NES ''except'' these two.

** In the 1980s, Nintendo allowed ports of their arcade and early NES games to be made for consoles like the UsefulNotes/{{Colecovision}}, as well as personal computers. Since the 1990s, however, this trope has been averted '''hard''', with their first-party titles never seeing release on other platforms.

** By far, the single most infamous example in their history is the original ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. Nintendo of America feared that the game's increased difficulty and graphical similarities to its predecessor would alienate players in Western markets, and opted to [[DolledUpInstallment reskin]] a [[VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic seperate-but-related game]] and christen that ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' instead. As ''Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels'', it would be [[RemadeForTheExport remade with enhanced graphics]] as part of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars'', and rereleased in its original form for the Wii UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole.

* NoPortForYou: With a few exceptions, all of Nintendo's catalogue has been exclusive to their own platforms. Besides brand integrity, selling hardware is obviously a major part of their business hence why they've never been -- and will likely never be -- bothered to release their games on other platforms so long as they keep making consoles, though they would start developing [[MobilePhoneGame mobile]] spinoffs such as ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRun'' in the wake of the Wii U's underperformance in the 2010s. They did a few ports early in their video game creation lifetime, such as conversions of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' for the Platform/Atari2600 and UsefulNotes/ColecoVision, and ''Videogame/SuperMarioBrosSpecial'', a conversion of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' for the NEC PC-8801 and Sharp X1 computer platforms, and later for the Samsung SPC-1500, a South Korean home computer, but one shouldn't expect an official PC release of a ''Mario'' or ''Zelda'' game any time soon though.

** ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'': Its localization was finished in 1990 and penciled in for a 1991 release. However, the release was cancelled, chiefly due to the impending release of the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. It would see an official release on the Platform/WiiU UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole in 2015, 25 years later.

** The Platform/PlayStation was originally a collaboration with Sony known as the UsefulNotes/{{SNESCDROM}}. Long story short, tensions rose up over how software would be controlled and profits distributed, and so Nintendo backed out of the deal on the same exact day Sony publicly announced it, saying they'd be working with Philips on the CD project. Sony executives, angered by this, decided to release the [=PlayStation=] on their own (but not until after Sega rejected them too). The Philips arrangement fell out as well, leading Nintendo to avoid optical discs until the Platform/NintendoGameCube, but Philips did manage to secure permission to develop games based around Nintendo's [=IPs=] for the Platform/PhilipsCDi.

Nintendo's history as a video game company began under the leadership of a young Hiroshi Yamauchi (Fusajiro's great-grandson) after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when the company looked to expand its business model, and to that end, they tried everything: from a taxi service, to (allegedly) a chain of {{love hotels}}, to instant foods. Most of these junctures failed and the hanafuda sales were not enough to keep the company afloat forever. Nearing bankruptcy, Yamauchi reached out to one of his workers, Creator/GunpeiYokoi, for product ideas. Yokoi was noteworthy for his penchant for tinkering in his spare time and creating interesting devices, and it was the modest success of some of those inventions (including the Ultra Hand, the Love Tester, and the Ultra Machine) that led to Yamauchi deciding that Nintendo would become an entertainment and games company. The transition was aided by the fledgling video game market, as early video games like ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' and the UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey were becoming popular globally in the [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventies 1970s]], and Nintendo [[https://thegamescholar.com/2020/04/28/the-nintendo-odyssey/ became the console's Japanese distributor]]. Emboldened by this, Nintendo soon created their own home consoles in Platform/ColorTVGame line, which took Japanese homes by storm. They also entered arcades with titles like ''VideoGame/EVRRace''. However, it wouldn't be until the [[UsefulNotes/TheEighties 1980s]] that Nintendo would become known outside its home country.

Notably, Nintendo is the only one of the three major players in the gaming industry to have gaming hardware and software comprise the majority of its business. Chances are high you've used a computer running UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, has Creator/{{Microsoft}}-created software, and/or used something that makes use of their Azure cloud computing system. And even if its strength in consumer technology has weakened since the early 2000s, you probably own at least one piece of tech from Creator/{{Sony}}, and you've definitely seen or listened to a film, TV series, or song produced by one of their media branches. While you'd think this would be some cause for concern, Nintendo is never hurting for cash, having a tremendous bank account saved up for "rainy days". Indeed, there has rarely been a generation where Nintendo has not made a profit from day one, whereas their competitors generally require years before hardware and software begin to make money. Much of this comes in Nintendo just being ''that'' strong of a brand, and having direct ownership or partial ownership of over a dozen {{Cash Cow Franchise}}s across various demographics and genres. Suffice to say, while the stakes are higher for Nintendo, it's in the business of video games because it wants to be despite easily being able to branching out into a more general media company.

[[http://nintendo.com Nintendo]] (任天堂) is one of the most successful and widely known video game companies in the world. Headquartered in Kyoto, UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}, it was brought to international prominence with the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem in the mid 1980s. It is best known as the creator of a number of popular video game franchises, such as ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', and ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''.

In 1980, born from observing a fellow train commuter passing the time by idly playing with a calculator, Yokoi designed the handheld UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch series of devices, inadvertently kicking off a legacy of handheld gaming dominance that (depending on how you view their hybrid consoles) lasts until this day. But of greater note is the following year, when the North American commercial failure of an arcade game called ''Radar Scope'' led to a young artist named Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto being tasked to create a replacement game. Cue a [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros portly red-clad]] [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness carpenter]] and a [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong large hairy ape]] that dominated the arcade scene and are now among the most recognizable characters in gaming. But Nintendo didn't just end there, as they still had an eye on the home market and knew that simple ''Pong'' clones were not enough. Yamauchi wanted to create a more powerful gaming system; one that was so much better than the competitors that it would not even be a choice as to which the consumer wanted. Enter the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Family Computer]] in Japan. The Famicom, after only a few years on the shelves, gained a lock on 90% of the Japanese home video game market; a trick that they wanted to repeat overseas. However, thanks to the UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, the home video game market in North America was deader than dead.[[note]]Yes, just in North America, and just the home market. Arcades and Europe were doing fine - in Europe's case, computer games were well established, hence European gamers who grew up in this era have fonder memories of games like ''VideoGame/{{Dizzy}}'' than any console exclusive titles. And if they were fond of any console games, it was most likely on the UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem.[[/note]] Despite this, Nintendo figured the Japanese and US markets couldn't be ''that'' different, and felt they could still have a shot if they packaged it correctly and avoided all the mistakes that Creator/{{Atari}} made. To make a long story short, though some cried foul at the domineering and aggressive tactics utilized, Nintendo succeeded in that task and single-handedly revived the dead-in-the-water North American home video game industry with the Nintendo Entertainment System, and have been a major player in video games ever since. Many renowned video game franchises, both from Nintendo and otherwise, were born on the NES, and the success of the company's own games is attributed to the talent and experience from developers like the aforementioned Shigeru Miyamoto, Creator/TakashiTezuka, and Creator/GunpeiYokoi.

At the end of the day, modern-day Nintendo is known for a few things. First, their tendency to experiment with their hardware, with game controller mainstays such as rumble, shoulder buttons, and analog sticks being either pioneered or popularized by Nintendo, and especially its decision to go with motion controllers for the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} (combined with the touch screen gaming of the Nintendo DS) helping to introduce a whole new collection of gamers to the hobby. Next, regardless of how they place in the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars -- ranging from unquestionably first (NES, Wii, and Switch) to barely first (SNES) to only beating out a dying Sega console (N64 and [=GameCube=]) to actually being a dying console (Wii U) -- and despite Nintendo's own flaws, all of Nintendo's consoles are beloved, and every one of them has a group of standout games that represent the best of their generation, if not the best of all time. Which leads to fans and non-fans being aware of the mantra "[[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail never count Nintendo out]]": no matter how weird or bizarre their ideas, no matter how badly they might stumble, Nintendo will never be out of the game and they will carve out some sort of victory. After all, your company doesn't last over 130 years by pure luck. Finally, and most importantly, making high-quality games that are simply ''fun'' -- they're often brightly colored, chipper in tone, incredibly well designed, and a blast to play with friends. Other companies devote themselves to rich story telling, intense FPS games, or year after year of sports titles, but Nintendo is known for honing in on gameplay that brings out the ten-year-old kid in everyone. Or as they put it, "putting smiles on faces."

Currently, Nintendo is skillfully riding the Platform/NintendoSwitch wave, which had an overwhelmingly successful launch, outselling [[UsefulNotes/WiiU its predecessor]]'s lifetimes sales in under a year and becoming the fastest-selling console ever in the US. A steady stream of strong first-party releases and a large amount of third-party and indie support turned the Switch into a hell of a comeback for Nintendo, and the console now stands as their best-selling home console of all-time. As for the handheld side of things, Nintendo gracefully exited that field with the 3DS's discontinuation in late 2020, shifting focus entirely to the hybrid approach that the Switch offers. Oh, and despite mainly focusing on video games these days, Nintendo still continues to manufacture hanafuda cards.[[note]]Plus other playing cards, TabletopGame/{{shogi}}, and TabletopGame/{{go}}.[[/note]]

* 1990-2003 - '''Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem''': [[UsefulNotes/The16BitEraOfConsoleVideoGames Fourth generation]]. Known as the Super Famicom in Japan, the 16-bit successor that also became the best-selling console of its generation, though by a much smaller margin than the NES had accomplished thanks to stiff competition from the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. The technology of its cartridges (by way of the Super FX chip) allowed for basic 3D graphics without the need for add-ons, unlike its competition.

** 1994 - UsefulNotes/SuperGameBoy: An SNES cartridge containing Game Boy hardware, allowing games for the handheld (and Game Boy-compatible Game Boy Color games) to be played on a television. Games developed with the SGB in mind featured custom color palettes and borders, with some (most notably ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'') featuring exclusive sound effects that took advantage of the [=SNES's=] hardware.

** Unreleased - UsefulNotes/{{SNESCDROM}}: A scrapped CD-ROM add-on for the SNES made in collaboration with Creator/{{Sony}} that ultimately led to the development of the UsefulNotes/PlayStation line of video game consoles... as well as the ill-fated UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi. Nintendo and Sony had ordered all 200 of the prototypes destroyed, but a surviving machine was discovered in 2015 and restored to working order two years later.

** 2003-2007 - UsefulNotes/GameBoyPlayer: An add-on that allowed games from the Game Boy line to be played on a TV, with the additional requirement of a start-up disc. Unlike the Super Game Boy, it did not play original Game Boy games in color and was limited to a single set of interchangeable borders regardless of what game was inserted. Was the last official add-on made for a Nintendo home console.

* Creator/{{Grezzo}}: Responsible for remakes of Nintendo games, most notably the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 installments of ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', as well as ''VideoGame/EverOasis''.

* Creator/{{Rare}}ware: Developed the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' trilogy, as well as countless games for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64. Was sold to Microsoft in 2002.
* Creator/SiliconKnights: Developers of ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid: The Twin Snakes''. Parted ways with Nintendo after they were dissatisfied with the specs of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}. Filed for bankruptcy in 2014.

* ArtistDisillusionment: The UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube-era, on a global level. The console not only saw Nintendo lose its position for first place against Creator/{{Sony}} again, but unlike the previous generation, it actually had to ''fight'' for second place. In the West, Nintendo's marketing teams were starting to feel [[http://web.archive.org/web/20130819010845/http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2013/08/15/the-struggles-of-marketing-the-gamecube contempt for Western gamers]], as the industry had shifted towards catering to teenage and young adult males who were more interested in more mature and violent fare like ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''. Meanwhile in Japan, a general "gamer drift" was also occurring that was causing lower sales in that region as well, meaning interest in Nintendo on either side of the Pacific was appearing to dwindle. It was for this reason that they adopted the "blue ocean" strategy of attracting non-gamers with the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii.

** Starting with the ''UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}'', Nintendo allowed players to create ''Mii''s, characters that could look like the player and be inserted into various games to participate in them.

* ChristmasRushed: While Nintendo is known to prefer to delaying games, as well as also occasionally sit on completed ones for a few months to pace out their releases, there are ''some'' notable hiccups. These include the Virtual Boy (Nintendo wanted to divert development resources to the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 as soon as possible), ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' (after a strong start, [=GameCube=] sales quickly became sluggish and needed rejuvenation), and ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'' (which was [[https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-25-nintendo-mario-kart-3ds-completed-as-act-of-emergency "an act of emergency"]] for the first holiday season of the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS).
* ColorMotif: Historically and currently, '''red'''. This contrasts them with both their former rival Creator/{{Sega}} and current rival Creator/{{Sony}}, who would often use blue in their branding. They switched to white in 2006, with grey, red, and blue being used as accent colors (for the Wii, 3DS, and UsefulNotes/WiiU, respectively), before returning to red as a dominant color in 2016 in the build-up to marketing the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch. As an aside, with UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} having a green theme and Sony sticking with blue, each of the [[ChromaticArrangement current console manufactures is associated with one of the three additive colors.]]

** In May 2020, source code for various UsefulNotes/Nintendo64, UsefulNotes/NintendoGamecube, and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} games were leaked, in addition to various Franchise/{{Pokemon}} source codes.
** In July 2020, a second "gigaleak" occurred in which the source code for countless UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem and Nintendo 64 games was leaked, providing truckloads of previously unknown information about the development of several major games.

** UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem-era cart shortages were frequent, particularly for hot new games, since a limited amount of copies could be pressed monthly, and the North American lifespan of the system had the misfortune of coinciding with a global chip shortage. There were actual news reports of parents driving out-of-state just to get copies of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' and ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''.
** When the UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem launched in Japan, demand was far higher than Nintendo anticipated, resulting in them only being able to fulfil 20% of stores' preorders (1.5 million units requested, 300,000 shipped); some retailers resorted to giving out systems through lotteries. Setting a standard for Nintendo, consumers accused them of engaging in artificial scarcity, claims that Nintendo denied, stating that they'd manufacture more systems to keep up with the demand.
** The UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} was constantly sold out from its launch until late-2008, only to have yet another temporary shortage with the release of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii''.

** The [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES Classic Edition]] was released in November 2016 and sold out worldwide in mere seconds on websites like Amazon and [=GameStop=]. The [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES Classic Edition]] suffered a similar fate the following year.

** The UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch was this for its first year on the market in the West and continued to remain this in Japan for even longer, with Amazon Japan tending to run out of pre-orders '''in just 15 minutes''' and physical retailers regularly cleaned out of their stock within hours at most, even with lotteries.
** The ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''-themed UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube controller and adapter released alongside ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' sold out almost immediately after the game's release, and weren't restocked at all until they were re-released alongside ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', only to sell out almost immediately again. Somewhat subverted in that there are third-party alternatives available for both (albeit without ''Smash'' branding in the case of the former), as well as original UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube controllers being perfectly usable if you have them.

* EarlyBirdRelease: The ''Vs. System'' series of arcade cabinets was this for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]]. The [[UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashof1983 Crash]] scuttled Nintendo's original plans to bring the Famicom stateside (their deal with Atari collapsed), so they used the cabinets to preview their 8-bit games and hardware. The success of these cabinets gave Nintendo the confidence to move forward with releasing the Famicom in the America.

** The [=GameCube=] marked the final time that Nintendo directly competed with other video game hardware manufacturers in a power race for the strongest and most technologically advanced console. Starting with the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and cemented with the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, Nintendo's new modus operandi was to instead focus their efforts on creating unique gimmicks and concepts for each new console that would make them stand out amongst the crowd, and by extension, more appealing to wider audiences outside the "hardcore" gamer.

** Much of the first-party libraries of the UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy and, oddly enough, UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube have never been rereleased, resulting in [[CrackIsCheaper high secondary market prices]]. This is most notable on the UsefulNotes/WiiU, where its iteration of the UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole boasted every other major Nintendo system going back to the NES ''except'' these two.
** Nintendo games based on [[LicensedGame licenses]] (e.g. ''VideoGame/{{Popeye}}'' and their ''Anime/{{Hamtaro}}'' games), games with celebrity tie-ins (e.g. ''[[VideoGame/PunchOut (Mike Tyson's) Punch-Out]]'') and unique first-party ports of third-party games (e.g the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]] port of ''VideoGame/KungFuMaster'', the UsefulNotes/GameBoy port of ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' and the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] port of ''VideoGame/SimCity'') are particularly susceptible to this because of [[ScrewedByTheLawyers legal issues]] that prevent re-release.

** The standout example is the UsefulNotes/GameBoy, with Nintendo NY having one that managed to ''withstand a bombing'' during the Persian Gulf War and is still fully functional on display (showing off the AttractMode of ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'')

** Averting this tropes was enforced with third-parties with the UsefulNotes/{{NES}} -- for the first few years anyway. The developer contract stipulated that a game released for the NES could not be released for any other U.S. system. This had the effect of killing the UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem in its infancy and sealing the UsefulNotes/Commodore64's fate (in the States -- both systems fared better in other countries). It took antitrust litigation to force Nintendo to loosen its stranglehold.
** Ever since the underwhelming sales of the [=GameCube=], the company has tended to sacrifice hardware power in favour of unique hardware features to differentiate itself, meaning that multiplatform games for their systems often lack parity with same generation Xbox or [=PlayStation=] versions. If they receive ports at all, that is. In the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch era, the advent of cloud gaming has allowed publishers to circumvent the hardware differences by publishing cloud versions of certain games (such as Creator/SquareEnix releasing the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' trilogy on the Switch this way).

* NoPortForYou: With a few exceptions, all of Nintendo's catalogue has been exclusive to their own platforms. Besides brand integrity, selling hardware is obviously a major part of their business hence why they've never been -- and will likely never be -- bothered to release their games on other platforms so long as they keep making consoles, though they would start developing [[MobilePhoneGame mobile]] spinoffs such as ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRun'' in the wake of the Wii U's underperformance in the 2010s. They did a few ports early in their video game creation lifetime, such as conversions of ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600 and UsefulNotes/ColecoVision, and ''Videogame/SuperMarioBrosSpecial'', a conversion of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' for the NEC PC-8801 and Sharp X1 computer platforms, and later for the Samsung SPC-1500, a South Korean home computer, but one shouldn't expect an official PC release of a ''Mario'' or ''Zelda'' game any time soon though.

** UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube: Its joystick has touch-sensitive shoulder buttons, with another button at the very bottom of each of the buttons.
** UsefulNotes/NintendoDS: The touchscreen can tell between a light and a hard press.[[note]]Although some games don't register light presses at all, forcing you to stab the screen with the stylus and pray you're not damaging it[[/note]]

* SelfDeprecation: Their marketing does this on occasion. For example, their [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3]] 2014 presentation contained a number of short sketches by the ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' crew which poked fun at themselves and their characters.

** ''VideoGame/SkySkipper'': One of the earliest creations of Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto. It was completed in 1981, but poor reception from test players resulted in Nintendo cancelling its release. Hamster, with Nintendo's blessing, rereleased the game as part of their ''Arcade Archives'' series for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2018, a whopping 37 years later, using Nintendo's sole extant cabinet as the source for the ROM.
** ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'': Its localization was finished in 1990 and penciled in for a 1991 release. However, the release was cancelled, chiefly due to the impending release of the UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. It would see an official release on the UsefulNotes/WiiU UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole in 2015, 25 years later.
** ''VideoGame/StarFox2'': The game was fully completed in 1995, but cancelled to make a clean break between the 3D graphics of the SNES and those of the upcoming UsefulNotes/Nintendo64. It would see a release as part of the SNES Classic in 2017, 22 years later.

* UncreditedRole: A number of the earliest NES games attributed to Nintendo were actually programmed by Creator/SatoruIwata and developed by Creator/HALLaboratory, uncredited. Examples include ''VideoGame/BalloonFight'', ''VideoGame/MachRider'' and ''Golf'' (which was at one time hidden in the Nintendo Switch firmware as a tribute to the recently-departed Iwata). Similarly, a number of UsefulNotes/GameBoy titles were developed wholly or partly by outside development houses uncredited(like Creator/{{TOSE}} and Pax Softnica), with varing degrees of imput from Nintendo's internal teams.

** The UsefulNotes/PlayStation was originally a collaboration with Sony known as the UsefulNotes/{{SNESCDROM}}. Long story short, tensions rose up over how software would be controlled and profits distributed, and so Nintendo backed out of the deal on the same exact day Sony publicly announced it, saying they'd be working with Philips on the CD project. Sony executives, angered by this, decided to release the [=PlayStation=] on their own (but not until after Sega rejected them too). The Philips arrangement fell out as well, leading Nintendo to avoid optical discs until the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, but Philips did manage to secure permission to develop games based around Nintendo's [=IPs=] for the UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi.

Currently, Nintendo is skillfully riding the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch wave, which had an overwhelmingly successful launch, outselling [[UsefulNotes/WiiU its predecessor]]'s lifetimes sales in under a year and becoming the fastest-selling console ever in the US. A steady stream of strong first-party releases and a large amount of third-party and indie support turned the Switch into a hell of a comeback for Nintendo, and the console now stands as their best-selling home console of all-time. As for the handheld side of things, Nintendo gracefully exited that field with the 3DS's discontinuation in late 2020, shifting focus entirely to the hybrid approach that the Switch offers. Oh, and despite mainly focusing on video games these days, Nintendo still continues to manufacture hanafuda cards.[[note]]Plus other playing cards, TabletopGame/{{shogi}}, and TabletopGame/{{go}}.[[/note]]

* 2001-2007 - '''UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube''': [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Sixth generation]]. Nintendo's first system to use optical discs, albeit a mini-DVD format rather than the standard 8", with this and a lack of meaningful online functionality hurting the system's third-party support and putting it at third in that generation’s console race. Known for being host to new, more experimental franchises such as ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' and ''Franchise/AnimalCrossing'', as well as a number of collaborations with companies like [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]] and Creator/{{Capcom}}.

* 2006-2013 - '''UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}''': [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Seventh generation]]. Foregoing the power race in favor of motion controls, this console attracted a large casual gaming audience with its intuitive controls to restore Nintendo's dominance in the console space. The system allowed the playing of legacy software from Nintendo (and other companies) via the UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole, and early models also featured native [=GameCube=] backwards compatibility.
* 2012-2017 - '''UsefulNotes/WiiU''': [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Eighth generation]]. Nintendo's first HD console. The system's central feature was the touchscreen [=GamePad=] controller that could stream gameplay footage, allowing for "Off-TV Play" and second screen gameplay. It was backwards compatible with Wii games and controllers, and its Virtual Console included Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games. Unfortunately, due to bad marketing and a lack of third-party support, it ended up being the company’s second biggest hardware failure.
* 2017-present - '''UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch''': Nintendo's most successful piece of hardware to-date. Denoted as a "hybrid" console, it technically serves a successor to the Nintendo 3DS as well by being a touchscreen tablet with detachable controllers that can be placed in a docking station for television usage or utilized on its own, allowing one to easily swap between home and portable console form factors.

* 1989-2003 - '''UsefulNotes/GameBoy''': Nintendo's first handheld console with interchangeable cartridges. Despite being less powerful than its competitors, its superior battery life, Nintendo's hold on third parties at the time, and a little game known as ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' led to widespread popularity. ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' would revitalize the system later in its life, with the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' franchise becoming the KillerApp for all future Nintendo handhelds.
* 1995-1996 - '''UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy''': A portable console with a headset form factor that displayed games in [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDMovie stereoscopic 3D]], using a red-and-black color palette due to the commercial & technical practicality of red [=LEDs=] compared to other colors. The system is notable for being a [[ObviousBeta prototype that was rushed to market]], becoming both a critical and commercial failure; to this day, it still remains as Nintendo's least successful system.
* 1998-2003 - '''UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor''': A successor to the Game Boy, with [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin full-color displays]] and slightly more power. Not only was it backwards-compatible with the Game Boy library, but the original Game Boy was also forwards-compatible with around a third of the Game Boy Color library; such games used the same plastic shell as Game Boy titles, while GBC-only cartridges used transparent plastic shells.
* 2001-2010 - '''UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance''': Roughly equivalent to the SNES in graphical power, this was the last 2D-gaming dedicated device created by Nintendo. Backwards-compatible with all Game Boy and Game Boy color games, it received a clamshell form factor redesign known as the Game Boy Advance SP two years after the GBA's debut that featured a backlight.

* 2004-2014 - '''UsefulNotes/NintendoDS''': The most successful console ever created by Nintendo, the DS line were the first mainstream gaming devices to utilize a touchscreen. Similar to the N64 in power, the DS and DS Lite were backwards-compatible with the GBA. A more powerful, upgraded version called the [=DSi=] released in 2008 and featured a built-in camera and downloadable games, though removed GBA support.
* 2011-2020 - '''UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS''': On par with the [=GameCube=] in terms of graphical power, its major selling-point was glasses-free [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDMovie stereoscopic 3D]]. Had backwards compatibility with the Nintendo DS, and featured a UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole for legacy handheld games. Later gained two variants in the budget-priced [=2DS=] (which lacked stereoscopic 3D) and the more powerful New Nintendo [=3DS=] (with more controls and Toys/{{amiibo}} support).

Nintendo's history as a video game company began under the leadership of a young Hiroshi Yamauchi (Fusajiro's great-grandson) after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when the company looked to expand its business model, and to that end, they tried everything: from a taxi service, to (allegedly) a chain of {{love hotels}}, to instant foods. Most of these junctures failed and the hanafuda sales were not enough to keep the company afloat forever. Nearing bankruptcy, Yamauchi reached out to one of his workers, Creator/GunpeiYokoi, for product ideas. Yokoi was noteworthy for his penchant for tinkering in his spare time and creating interesting devices, and it was the modest success of some of those inventions (including the Ultra Hand, the Love Tester, and the Ultra Machine) that led to Yamauchi deciding that Nintendo would become an entertainment and games company. The transition was aided by the fledgling video game market, as early video games like ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' and the UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey were becoming popular globally in the [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventies 1970s]], and Nintendo [[https://thegamescholar.com/2020/04/28/the-nintendo-odyssey/ became the console's Japanese distributor]]. Emboldened by this, Nintendo soon created their own home consoles in UsefulNotes/ColorTVGame line, which took Japanese homes by storm. They also entered arcades with titles like ''VideoGame/EVRRace''. However, it wouldn't be until the [[UsefulNotes/TheEighties 1980s]] that Nintendo would become known outside its home country.

* 1977-1983 - '''UsefulNotes/ColorTVGame''': UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames. A series of Japan-only UsefulNotes/PlugNPlayGame consoles and Nintendo's first attempt at the home video game market. Being some of the many ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' clones of the time, the releases consisted of the Color TV-Game 6 and 15, Block Breaker, and Racing 112, which collectively managed to be the best-selling consoles released during the era.

* 1983-2003 - '''UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem''': [[UsefulNotes/The8BitEraOfConsoleVideoGames Third generation]]. Known as the Family Computer in Japan, Nintendo's first official console served as the birthplace of several [[VideoGameLongRunners venerable franchises]] that are still around today, most notably the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' franchises. It is also credited with spurring the recovery of the US gaming industry after the crash of 1983.

* 1990-2003 - '''UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem''': [[UsefulNotes/The16BitEraOfConsoleVideoGames Fourth generation]]. Known as the Super Famicom in Japan, the 16-bit successor that also became the best-selling console of its generation, though by a much smaller margin than the NES had accomplished thanks to stiff competition from the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. The technology of its cartridges (by way of the Super FX chip) allowed for basic 3D graphics without the need for add-ons, unlike its competition.

* 1996-2002 - '''UsefulNotes/Nintendo64''': [[UsefulNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames Fifth generation]]. While less successful than its predecessors thanks to sticking with the cartridge format over [=CD=]s, it played a key role in the [[VideoGame3DLeap industry's 3D shift]] by introducing analog sticks and force feedback on first-party controllers. Some of its first-party games, such as ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', continue to be seen as the most influential in the industry.

* Creator/{{Sega}}: Former rival console manufacturer turned third-party developer. Responsible for ''[[VideoGame/FZero F-Zero GX]]'' and the ''VideoGame/MarioAndSonicAtTheOlympicGames'' series, as well as owners of the ''Bayonetta'' franchise.

* Creator/GrasshopperManufacture: A company headed by notable video game designer Suda51. Many of Grasshopper Manufacture's games initially came out on Nintendo systems, such as ''VideoGame/Killer7'', ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'', Contact, or would receive their first localizations in English on a Nintendo system, such as ''VideoGame/FlowerSunAndRain'' (''VideoGame/TheSilverCase'' also had a full localization finished for the Nintendo DS, but plans fell through and wouldn't arrive on a Nintendo system until the Switch).

* BorrowingFromTheSisterSeries: Nintendo brought in developers from subsidary Monolith Soft, creator of the ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' series, to bring elements from that series to the first WideOpenSandbox installment of the ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, ''Breath of the Wild''. Many ''Xenoblade'' staples were included in ''[=BotW=]'', including SceneryPorn environments, an AfterTheEnd setting with dangerous LostTechnology, HumongousMecha boss enemies, and CrowsNestCartography towers/landmarks to reveal the map.

*** ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' always allowed you to customize your Inkling's appearance and gender, but with ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'', Nintendo took it a step further and eliminated the restriction of having Inklings be male or female, [[GenderInclusiveWriting allowing more flexibility for LGBTQIA+ players]].
*** While previous games in the ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' series had established protagonists, ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' instead places players in the role of a rookie whose appearance can be changed, while their gender is intentionally left undescribed for the same reason as ''Splatoon'''s elimination of gender selection.