Nintendo’s 20 most inspirational and innovative products that changed the game industry - Part 4

5 . Donkey Kong (1981: Arcade - Shigeru Miyamoto’s first game)

“Donkey Kong” was the game that placed both “Nintendo” and “Shigeru Miyamoto” on the gaming map, leading Nintendo to become one of most inspirational leading video game console manufacturer and publisher ever. Without the great success of “Donkey Kong” there would be no “Nintendo” that we know now, probably still producing toys and cards which was their main business before their gaming boom took place during the early 80’s. “Donkey Kong” is a great success story not due to the game itself, as I think it isn’t the most innovative or playable game that Miyamoto has made (still amazing achievement for your 1st game title) but the actual impact of the game had on the whole industry and remains the most iconic game character along with “Mario” (who was known then as “Jumpman”) a huge part of pop gaming culture.

4. Metroid and Zelda (1987: Nes)

You are probably wondering why I grouped “Metroid” and “Zelda” together under position 4, well I think they explore the “adventure game” genre with the same innovation of the first non-linear game experiences although they both take very different directions with the gameplay, they also share many similarities, they are head and tails of the same coin so to speak. “Metroid” was designed by “Gunpei Yokoi” who designed the “Game boy”, and “Zelda” was designed by “Shigeru Miyamoto” (Miyamoto’s 4th game he designed), both releasing in the same year and console, the NES (“Nintendo Entertainment System”). At the time, all side scrolling games would only require the player to go left to right (one direction) whereas “Metroid” required to explore all directions (up, down, left and right) backtracking to previous areas using new found items/weapons to unlock new areas. This is a huge innovation towards gaming. It’s interesting to see how these two games have created two popular franchises which have shot off very different influences towards other games through the years of their evolution, like “Fable” games are inspired by the 3D Zelda games, “Castlevania” games are inspired by the 2D Metroid games, “Bioshock” (Sci-fi adventure FPS game) is inspired by the “Metroid Prime” titles. These two games have created the design template of ideals for the “Adventure game” genre and how many games can say that?

3 . Nintendo 64 controller with the 3D analog stick (1996: Nintendo 64)

Analog stick for games console controllers was nothing new as many 1970’s game consoles used the analog sticks on their controllers which proved inoperative with the games at the time which was replaced with the more suitable d-pad on successor controllers. “Nintendo” redesigned and modernized analog stick for Nintendo 64 controller enabling varied levels of pressure and 360-degree control within 3D space, translating into more precise movements in games such as “Super Mario 64”. In other words, they designed a controller for (at the time) the new evolution of gaming using 3D space and this was revolution by itself not just making Analog stick gaming standard for 3D gaming but how the games were designed with the full use of the controller and many gamers would argue that the games themselves wouldn’t be as good without the controller. This was the first controller to be designed with mentality/way of thinking; you could say that “Wii” has applied the same approach as the controller interface confines the experience of the gaming software. Yet again, this controller feature (just like Rumble Pak) was copied by Sony for the “PlayStation” with the “Dual Shock” releasing it two years later in 1998 with two analog sticks (a massive innovation in itself). For me, personally this still remains to be one of my favorite controllers for user comfort, button layout and controller design along with Xbox 360 controller for comfort, although 360 controller is evolution and the N64 controller will always be considered revolution in my book.

2 . Lock on system within Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998: Nintendo 64)

This is another one of Nintendo’s genius game design moments when they introduced to the world the “Lock on system” which first appeared within “Zelda: Ocarina of time” released for Nintendo 64 at 1998. Now every 3D game almost in existence uses the basic principles of the lock system enabling the player the ability to lock on/aim at moving target within 3D space. This is an amazing innovation which changed the way we play games and amazingly this system is still getting used with modern games development improving the concept/system with extra depth and mechanics like with Grand Theft Auto series with GTA 4. This is one of most reasons why this game is rated to be one of the best games ever made, as you always see “Zelda: Ocarina of time” within top 10 of any best games ever list and the other thing I can’t believe is how no one else has come up with alternative system as yet.

1. 3D camera control within Mario 64 (1996: Nintendo 64)

Mario 64 is certainly one of the most important 3D games ever made along with of course “Zelda: Ocarina of time” and titles like “Tomb raider”, “Quake”, “Virtua Fighter” which were the first create the core principles for 3D gaming. Mario 64's biggest achievement wasn't only the obvious transition of placing Mario from 2D to 3D world but the creation of the 3D camera system creating the simple principles which us gamers take for graded such as collision detection, level boundaries and the ability to change to a preferred camera angle following Mario around 3D environment so seamlessly. The user friendly controls via the N64 controller making the camera control seem so natural and non – mechanical running with such freedom and flexibility with great sense of energy unlike other previous attempts with 3D space movement, a lot of people believe that the N64 controller was built with Mario 64 in mind, which I deeply agree with. Even Mario 64 made the camera a character which I thought was charming touch/hint at Nintendo's own awareness of the importance for this 3D camera system, “Lakitu” is the camera man, if you remember that character? Mario 64 was so revolutionary for it's time not only changing the way 3D games are made but also the way we play them and even to this day, I don't think there even has been a game that has achieved so much but remains to be so playable to this day. A timeless classic that deserves the one number spot.