Fun Facts and Musings - Nintendo

So, this is more musing then fun facts, although there are some facts littered in here, anyways, Nintendo-

(man so much of this blog is about gaming, I guess I'll just have to accept the truth, I am a nerd)

Theres a name that needs no introduction, nintendo is a name known throughtout the world, a name as synonymous with videogaming as ipods are with mp3 players.

Nintendo's flagship character, Mario, has been the face of gaming ever since his first debut in 1985 (thats a long time to keep that throne) and probably will be for a long long time to come.

Even Mario's theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7xnsNFN4Ts) is known the world over.
In fact I read somewhere one time that it was one of the worlds most recognizable pieces of music.

So I called my dad (who is the fucking king by the way) into the room, played it, and asked him if he recognized it.

And he did, 'oh, thats uhh, mario plumbers!'

Imagine if you really saw a guy like this?
Thats some scary shit.

The name Nintendo roughly translates to 'leave luck to heaven' and they sure did, having put in plenty of hard work in the last 25 years.

So where am I going with this?



25 years of hard work paying off.



Well I feel that Nintendos gotten a bad rep in the last 10 years or so, and I thought I'd try to set the record straight abit.

Lets start with the biggest thing, innovation.
Most companys these days just blantently copy everything from nintendo (or others).
Now I'm not saying theres anything wrong with that perse, but Nintendo dont get the credit they deserve, they are revolutionarys.
Like for instance the ever humble D-pad.

The D-pad was invented in 1982 by one of Nintendo's staff, Gunpei Yokoi. (The computer arrows keys were also invented in 1982 I believe, hmm wonder who got it first?)

Now most people think 'so what?' but I tend to think about random stuff like this a little deeper.

How did he invent it?

Do you realize how hard it is to 'invent' something, to come up with something from nothing?

to create an abstract idea?

sure some inventions, like the wheel, can be observed in nature and thus had an inspiration behind them, but a dpad?

up down left and right?

When I think of moving forward, I dont try to move upward (although most games back then were 2d)

If you were alive back then and you were asked to come up with a way of controlling a character, would you have been able to come up with something unique that works?

And what gaming console since then hasnt used a dpad? which company came up with their own revolutionary idea?

well nowadays analog thumb sticks are used for gaming, guess who came up with those?

Nintendo again (although they based the design on the arcade joystick, which had been around for a long long time, so thats a far less impressive invention)
Games even use motion sensing technology, guess who came up with that again?
Well, I daresay Nintendo DIDNT invent that, but they were the ones to take a chance and bring it into mainstream console gaming. (although the eye-toy beat them to it, less impressive again)
How about the DS's use of touchscreens?
Memory cards?
Rumble features?
Light guns?
Shoulder buttons?
pressure sensative shoulder buttons?
the standard 4 button face layout on controllers used today?

A console that never breaks and can be used as building blocks for a nuclear bunker?
need I go on?

Seriously, Nintendo go out there and do all the hardwork, they innovate, they invent, they revolutionize, things which are so hard they are almost impossible, and everyone else sits back, lets them do all the hard work, then takes it for themselves,(reminds me of the little red hen) and everyone thinks that those companys are better then Nintendo?

What the hell? (somebodys getting a little bit heated up, fanboy much?)

Its understandable though, people are afraid to take that step into the unknown. (people that arnt Nintendo that is)

I know what I just said, but this is ridiculous.

And they dont care about graphics or any of that stuff, they care about making good, fun games that appeal to as many people as possible, and making quality consoles that dont break when you breathe on them.
They even teach you valuble life lessons like this.

When the WII was announced, everybody thought it would fail, but it didnt.

Same with the new console they are about to announce, people think it will fail.

But those people dont realize that Nintendo is magic, they are all wizards, and a wizard is never late, he arrives precisely when he means to.

They've always been the kings, the magic of the SNES has never been topped, and their games are some of the greatest ever made, as well as some of the best selling games of all time.

Wii sports is the best selling console game to date with 75 million copies sold.

The original Super Mario Brothers on NES sold over 40 million just on the NES alone, so thats not counting all the other remakes and rereleases.

Tetris on gameboy got 35 million, and thats not counting the literally hundreds of other versions and releases of tetris (although Tetris wasnt actually devolped by Nintendo, it was devolped by this king right here)



Alexey Pajitnov, the creater of tetris, hexic, and lots of other cool puzzle games.
What a king.



Anyways this rant is getting rather long, so let me first say that although I have dissed the other companys here, they've done good work too, you cant disrespect Sony since the PS2 is the highest selling console of all time at 150+ Million copys sold, and the second highest selling console of all time is the PS1 at 100+ million, not a bad effort.
Nintendo come in at number 3 with the Wii at 86 million (and thats not counting their handhelds with both the gameboy and ds reaching well over 100+ million each)

Although highest number of sales isnt really a very accurate way of determining whats best, but in a world full of opinions what else can you do?

Anyways to sum up, if you've ever dissed Nintendo as being second-rate, maybe you should think again about the spirit of innovation, maybe try inventing something revolutionary of your own and see how hard it is.

Just remember not to leave luck to heaven, cause you'll need god on your side to make as much of an impact as Nintendo have.