The Technology Innovation of Nintendo Game Consoles

The Technology Innovation of Nintendo Game Consoles

We live in the age of technology. Technology has changed our lives in ways that we only imagined in our dreams.  We commute by automobiles and airplanes and communicate by emails and mobiles. The media and the Internet provide us the latest information from all over the world. Movies filled with hi-tech special effects entertain us. Air conditioners and room heaters keep our life comfortable despite climatic inconveniences. Technology has changed almost every of our lives. Of course, technology may have concerns about the pollution and environmental problems.

From different technology that we were using in this generation, I will focus on the development and evolution of Nintendo’s home consoles up to the newest technology on this generation. Nintendo was introduced in 1985. The NES was an instant hit. Over the course of the next two years, it almost single-handedly revitalized the video game industry. Selling over 60 million units, people brought games like Mario and Zelda into their homes for the first time on the NES. (Nintendo 2014)

Nintendo’s first home console is Color TV Game 6 in year 1977 and featured only one game, Light Tennis, which is looked and played like Pong (Table Tennis) and it has 6 modes in the game including the original game play. It can be played up to two players, though there were no detachable controllers for the console, there were two knobs on the console to move their paddle up and down to make the ball go back and forth and prevent the ball to pass the paddle. (Baker 2013)

After the Color TV Game 6, Nintendo released Color TV Game 15, a sequel of the initial release but this time the controllers were detachable and it has a 15 game variation of the Light Tennis. The changes that Nintendo made in the controller was a good idea since people can play the game in a more relaxed position, unlike the initial version of the console the players movement was restricted since the controllers were attached in the console. (Firestone 2011)

The Color TV Game 6 and 15 NES released another series of the Color TV, but instead of creating more variation of the Tennis Light they created a racing game, the Color TV Game Racing 112 is a simple car driving game controlled using either the large steering wheel for 1-player games or two smaller control wheels attached to the back of the unit by cables for 2-player games. (Ninja 2012)

Even back in the late 70s Nintendo were trying to innovate. When you first look at this console it looks kind of odd. It looks like a Pong clone, but with just one built in paddle. It is also that orange colour that was used in the Color TV game 6 and 15, but the Color TV Game Block Breaker console has one feature that makes this a console many gamers would trade their right arm for. This feature is the Nintendo logo on the front of the console. The Color TV Game Block Breaker was the first console to have the Nintendo name featured on it. (Baker 2013)

In 1980 Nintendo created a home video game based on the Computer Othello arcade machine, which they had released two years earlier and it was called Computer TV Game. The game can be played head-to-head by two people, or against the computer. The algorithm the machine used to play Othello against a human opponent was quite sophisticated, for its time.

As time goes by for the game console industry, the Nintendo Entertainment System was the first system by Nintendo that featured interchangeable cartridges, meaning that the console could play more than just one game. The Nintendo Entertainment System was known as the Famicom, or Family Computer, in Japan. (Nintendo 2014)

After the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Nintedo Company created the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In Japan it was known as the Super Famicom. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System featured enhanced graphics and a brand new controller, but beyond that not too much was new.

It’s about time for the next generation of entertainment and Nintendo's Virtual Boy was developed. Among the first game consoles to display "true 3D graphics" and a cherished part of many childhoods. It's also the "coolest device" the iFixIt crew has ever taken apart and it's easy to see why. (Golijan 2010)

The Nintendo 64 was a vast improvement over the SNES. The Nintendo 64 controller introduced the joystick. This was the first system where there were little to know regional differences, though China did receive their own version of the Nintendo 64 titled the iQue Player, which featured a different design (the controller was also changed). (Nintedo wikia n.d.)

Nintendo’s sixth generation video game console was called the Game Cube. In 2001, the release year of Game cube, also saw the release of other video game consoles with similar technology by some of the other video game console manufacturing giants.

In Game Cube itself is the most compact and least expensive of all the sixth generation consoles and is Nintendo’s first game console to use optical discs rather than game cartridges. As of the end of March, 2007, there have been 21.59 Game Cubs sold nationwide.

2006, however, would be the biggest year yet for Nintendo when it comes to video game technology as they announced the innovative and for some extremely exciting Nintendo Wii. The Wii is Nintendo’s seventh generation video game console and started a buzz throughout the video game industry from the moment it was announced. (Max 2014)

And for the newest innovation, Nintendo created an entirely new system that will change the way you experience entertainment and it is called Wii U. (Nintendo 2014). Wii U, codenamed as Project Café, is an eight generation video game console, the successor to the Wii, and Nintendo’s sixth home console. It is the first Nintendo console capable of displaying up to 1080p high definition visuals and utilizes a more robust online experience than its predecessor. The system’s main controller, dubbed the Wii U GamePad, features a 6.2 inch touch screen which can stream content from console, allowing for playing away from TV, as well as asymmetrical gameplay. (Nintendo n.d.)

We have seen and understand the evolution of the Nintendo’s game consoles, this only implies that Nintendo would like to innovate so that it can cope up and use the new technology to their advantage. Technology and new discoveries helped them to achieve a better console in terms of design, functionalities and performance. There is no telling exactly where Nintendo will be able to progress in the future. Technology is always evolving and their video games will continue to evolve as well.