Last March, the video game company Nintendo seemed to pull itself away from the brink of collapse with a game-changing console.
The Nintendo Switch hit shelves to hordes of positive reviews and hungry gamers eager to get their hands on the brand-new hardware.
To fully understand the impact the Switch had, it’s important to look at the past few decades Nintendo went through. In the early 2000s, the company followed up its most iconic console, the N64, with a mediocre home system, the GameCube. The GameCube was about as basic as you could get: four plug-ins for controllers and a disk drive to play games.
The graphical power was never resounding and the look of third-party games paled in comparison to other heavy hitters like the Xbox and PlayStation. However, what kept the GameCube selling was Nintendo’s first-party games. Almost everyone recognizes iconic characters like Link from “The Legend of Zelda” and the red-capped Italian plumber Mario. Those two combined with the “Metriod” series and a few games from the Pokemon universe sprinkled in, Nintendo-lovers like myself were more than happy to make a GameCube purchase.
Nintendo then followed up with the Wii. Like the GameCube, the power just wasn’t there. But what it lacked in graphics, it made up for in uniqueness, paving the way for motion-controlled games that families everywhere could enjoy. More first-party Nintendo classics made their way to the Wii, and it seemed like all was well.
However, the Wii’s sequel, the Wii U, disappointed nearly everyone. It’s release and marketing were unclear. No one seemed to understand what the console was, and very few iconic games were released with the console at launch. In short, it bombed, selling just under 14 million units.
Enter the Switch. With the future game of the year “Breath of the Wild” released alongside the console at launch, Nintendo’s newest console flew off the shelves, selling more than 14 million units in just its first year. “Super Mario: Odyssey” came out not long after, and a port of Mario Kart kept fans happy during the inaugural year.
But where does one of the oldest video game companies go from here?
There are a few avenues that could continue to drive Switch sales long into its lifetime, but in order to fully take advantage, Nintendo needs to rethink just about everything.
Ever since the Wii, Nintendo has tried to set itself apart from other consoles with what I consider fads. This would be motion controls on the Wii and Switch, as well as the second screen present on the Wii U controller. While these features may seem new and innovative at first, it eventually makes it harder for third-party developers to take their talents to the Japan-based company. Meanwhile, the Xbox and Playstation iterations continue to sell well because of the vast library of games.
To remedy this lack of competition, it should be up to Nintendo to do three things.
First, simplify their consoles. Do away with shoe-horned motion controls. Focus instead on building a powerful console that improves pure in-game experience. That’s where Nintendo excels, making games. Therefore, they should do just that, make great games that pair well with a basic yet impressive console.
Second, Nintendo should reestablish its role as the leader in local multiplayer. Some of my best memories come from my childhood battles on the GameCube with my friends. It was so simple: plug in the controller and play. Now, Nintendo charges up to $70 for an additional controller, seriously disincentivizing the ability to host Mario Kart parties or Super Smash Bros. tournaments.
Finally, to fully rise to the top of the game market, Nintendo needs to embrace nostalgia. With the emergence of Nintedo’s online store, the possibilities for emulators and ports of games long past could seriously drive sales. There could be an HD remake of “Ocarina of Time” and “Majora’s Mask,” just as two examples.
GameBoy emulators on the Switch could help relive the excitement of the original Pokemon games, and who wouldn’t want to replay “Super Mario Galaxy” on the new console?
Nintendo might be the most unique technology company out there, but without some serious consideration, it may always sit as a perennial second player.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]