[marketingfool]

Nintendo is known to be quite behind on innovation since the n64.

I think most gamers would consider any innovation since a gimmick or a terrible executed idea.

I don't think Nintendo could invent a new logo or new game. They seem like an antiquated company with a big marketing budget and high margin products.

[setr]

..?

They're the only ones trying anything at all in terms of hardware; Sony and MS have always just targetted being a locked-down PC.

And in terms of games, it's also the same case; most first party games are evolutions or reiterations in Sony and MS universe, whereas Nintendo both does rehashes as well as dramatically different designs in each of their staple series.

That they're flawed innovations (turning them into gimmicks), perhaps, but looking at the big 3, they're the only hope of change. The innovation you expect from MS and Sony boils down to media center and absurdities like disks being shipped with only the data necessary to tell your Xbox where to download the game..

[johnzim]

Noted terribly executed ideas such as wildly successful Dual Screen portables and the dockable/portable current best selling console in the USA.

[crooked-v]

The Switch's design is a pretty big innovation, and has been wildly successful despite all of the many, many hurdles in both the hardware and software implications of its various modes.

[killface]

they hit that sweet spot of folks who like to play games but aren't into the graphics as much as spec-heads. you can argue all you want about frame rates and resolutions and shaders, but at the end of the day, smash brothers is consistently more -fun- than any other game. that's why nintendo is basically able to keep selling us the same games over and over with each generation: they're all -fun- to play.

plus, my switch can play skyrim, so...

[seventhtiger]

Also pretty much the last refuge of video games as a social activity offline. Everyone on the couch playing together.

For PS4, Xbox, and PC I never find someone with enough controllers for 4+ players. Even if indie developers make these games people don't buy the gear to play them. They're almost designed for single player and only online multiplayer.

On the other hand almost every Nintendo console will always have many controllers. They company produces high quality party games, and in the case of the switch they're literally selling joycons two at a time which means indie developers can rely on players having 4 or 6 or even 8 controllers.

I honestly think the revival of board games is because of this gap that video games created when this type of play was abandoned in favor of online experiences and graphics.

[agumonkey]

I've heard that some major titles don't even have local multiplayer mode.

[seventhtiger]

This has become the norm now. High quality local multiplayer is the exception. Split screen was more common on the 30" CRT than the 60" flat screen.