[jtuple]

TBH, its only been 20 years that Nintendo has focused on cheap hardware.

SNES was more powerful than Genesis, N64 arguably more powerful than PS1/Saturn but lacking CDs (and thus unable to rely on prerendered FMVs that defined that generation), and Gamecube more powerful than Dreamcast/PS2 (Xbox wins, but was unexpected new entrant)

Nintendo definelty pushed graphics advancements as key selling points back then.

The Wii is when they stopped competing on graphics, and switched to innovating in other areas (motion controls, 3D, connected tablet, hybrid gaming, etc).