Next-Gen the Nintendo Way

Never one to follow the trend, Nintendo is going its own direction in the next generation.

Evidence is mounting that, despite comments to the contrary, Nintendo is intending to strike its own path in the next generation. While Microsoft and Sony are positioning their consoles as high-definition entertainment systems, Nintendo is focussed on doing what it does best: making games.

Iwata shows off Revolution at E3 (Is he predicting
where Nintendo will end up?)

The latest hint that Nintendo is unperturbed by its rivals is the news that Revolution will likely launch after both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Nintendo had originally said that it would not fall behind its competitors again, but company president Satoru Iwata recently told shareholders that the console might come out only after Sony and Microsoft's consoles - though not too long after.

This does make sense, given how little Nintendo is sharing right now. Iwata's comments strengthen earlier reports that suggested Revolution could launch as late as 2007 in Europe.

Despite Nintendo's different approach, you can bet that
Mario will still play a vital role in the company's success

And while Sony and Microsoft have both given solid details about their respective futures, Nintendo has allowed the water to stay murky.

The focal point of speculation at the moment is Revolution's enigmatic controller. There are rumours of everything from gyroscopes to full-face touch-screens being included, though these guesses are based on slim facts.

Revolution is also getting a lot of attention for its taking of backwards compatibility to the extreme.

The console will play GameCube and Revolution discs and includes what Nintendo calls the Virtual Console, which allows it to play NES, SNES and Nintendo 64 games downloaded from Nintendo and other publishers.

All Nintendo has said on the matter is that the clues to the controller's design lie in the console's ability to play games from all of its past and current home consoles.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games