Nintendo’s Top Hardware Failures: From Virtual Boy to Wii U
Nintendo, a leading name in the gaming industry, has seen its fair share of failures and missteps in its over 40 years of existence. While Nintendo has created iconic consoles and games such as Game Boy, Wii, and Super Mario Bros., it has also produced some of the most significant failures in gaming history. In this article, we’ll be discussing five of Nintendo’s biggest hardware failures.
1. Virtual Boy
Released in 1995, the Virtual Boy was Nintendo’s attempt at bringing virtual reality to the masses. However, the console turned out to be a commercial failure due to its high price, limited games, and monochrome display. The 3D aspect also did not add much to the gaming experience, making the console a flop. Despite its commercial failure, the Virtual Boy is now a collector’s item and is considered to be Nintendo’s ability to think outside of the box and take risks to create something original.
2. Wii U
The Wii U, launched in 2012, was Nintendo’s follow-up to the hugely successful Wii. However, the console was a colossal failure due to its tablet-like controller aimed at casual gamers. The Wii U was designed as a home console that works with a main controller that looked like a smaller, thicker, lower-resolution iPad. This design made it confusing for casual gamers, who thought the Wii U’s controller was a new accessory for the Wii. The Wii U sold fewer than 15 million units over the course of five years, and Nintendo declared it a commercial flop.
3. Nintendo 64DD
The Nintendo 64 was a successful console, but Nintendo’s add-on for it, the 64DD, did not go as planned. Nintendo’s answer to PlayStation’s dominance was the 64DD, which offered an expansion for the N64 that could connect online and had more data storage. However, the add-on’s design was weird, and Nintendo failed to communicate its purpose to gamers. Only ten games were released for the 64DD, and it sold just 15,000 units in Japan before Nintendo discontinued it in 2000.
4. Nintendo e-Reader
The e-Reader was an accessory for the Game Boy Advance that allowed users to scan specially encoded cards to play games and unlock bonus content. It was unique, letting gamers slide the cards through the add-on accessory that would automatically upload the game or bonus content to the system. However, due to its high price and poor durability of cards, the e-Reader failed to sell in the US. Nintendo even cancelled its European launch due to the lukewarm response.
5. Wii Vitality Sensor
Teased at E3 2009, the Wii Vitality Sensor was a fingertip pulse oximeter sensor for measuring the levels of oxygen in the blood and pulse rate. However, Nintendo announced in 2013 that the product would never see the light of day due to issues with the product’s functionality. The device had the potential to be used in horror games to measure how scared players were.
conclusion;
Nintendo has had its share of failures throughout its history, but it has also shown its ability to innovate and take risks. These hardware failures have taught Nintendo valuable lessons that have helped it to create some of the most iconic consoles and games in the gaming industry.
