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While the Nintendo Switch has sold over 125 million units, very few people know much about the second-highest-selling Nintendo console of all time behind the Nintendo DS, and very few people know much about the humble beginnings of the Nintendo brand. The company was started by a man named Nintendo Karuta all the way back in 1889 as a manufacturer of hanafuda-style playing cards. The company ventured into many other lines of business over the next 88 years. However, they wouldn’t release their first video game console until 1977, when the Color TV-Game hit the market in Japan only.
Since then, Nintendo has been a dominant player in the international gaming market, creating some of the most popular games (Pokemon, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, etc.) as well as some of the most popular consoles of all time. In fact, I wrote an entire article about why the Gamecube is the best console ever made. And, while you may not agree with the previous statement, no one can deny that the Gameboy, the Nintendo 64, and many of Nintendo’s other consoles have had a profound effect on the history of video games.
However, throughout Nintendo’s long history, not every console has been a home run. In fact, the iconic brand has had some major flops over the years that you probably forgot about. So, let’s go back through the years and take a look at the six worst Nintendo consoles ever made.
1. Nintendo Virtual Boy
If you don’t remember the Nintendo Virtual Boy, that’s probably because its lifespan in the United States was about one single year. And, during that year, it cemented itself as Nintendo’s biggest failure of the modern era. Still, you have to give them credit for being ahead of the times and trying to make virtual reality a thing back in the mid-90s. However, while the Virtual Boy may look similar to a modern VR headset, the gameplay barely utilizes VR technology whatsoever.
Not only that, but the Virtual Boy had a notoriously lackluster lineup of games, mostly consisting of underwhelming shoot ’em-up games, rudimentary sports games, and puzzle games. The biggest problem with the Virtual Boy, though, was that many users claimed that it caused uncomfortable or even painful psychological symptoms. For this reason, the Virtual Boy was discontinued just a year after its initial release in 1995.
2. Nintendo Wii U
Just like the Virtual Boy, the Nintendo Wii U definitely had the potential to be a smashing success. This console was essentially a poorly made prototype of the Switch, which ended up being super successful. The idea of a console that could be used either at home or on the go was obviously a good one. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Wii U was plagued by glaring design failures that made it an easy choice for one of the worst Nintendo consoles ever.
The portable tablet component of the Wii U was the real issue. It was uncomfortable to hold. The screen wasn’t big enough. The joysticks and buttons were placed awkwardly. And the battery life was only around three and a half hours, meaning you’d probably spend more time charging the tablet than actually using it. While the Wii U lasted around five years, from 2012 to 2017, its sales were pretty meager, and no one really missed it when Nintendo decided to discontinue.
3. Nintendo 2DS
Everything about the Nintendo 2DS was just weird. This handheld was released after the Nintendo 3DS. And instead of making it a progression from the 3DS, they took the 3DS’s three-dimensional capabilities and made them two-dimensional. Why would you intentionally aim to reverse progress?
According to Nintendo, the reason for this was that the 2DS was meant for children seven years old or younger who shouldn’t use the 3DS because of potential eye health concerns. So, not only was Nintendo admitting that the 3DS could cause eye pain (reminiscent of the Virtual Boy), but they were also trying to sell parents on the idea of 5-year-olds playing video games. Not to mention, the design of this console was just ugly as hell. Somehow, this console lasted seven years, from 2013 to 2020, but unsurprisingly, not many units were sold.
4. Game Boy Color
Now, personally, I owned a Game Boy Color, and I enjoyed every moment that I owned it. In fact, it almost hurts me to put this console on a list of the “worst Nintendo consoles” because the Game Boy Color was, all in all, a pretty solid handheld. It was essentially just the Game Boy but in a variety of different fun colors. And who doesn’t want to add a little color to their life?
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The main issue with the Game Boy Color was its lack of exclusive releases. After the smashing success of the Game Boy and the endless list of iconic games that were exclusively released for the Game Boy (such as Super Mario Land, Pokemon Red and Blue, and, of course, Tetris), the fact that the Game Boy Color didn’t have many exclusive releases of its own came as a real letdown. The only notable games exclusively released for Game Boy Color were Pokemon Crystal, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. Luckily, you could play any game from the Game Boy catalog on the Game Boy Color, but that was this console’s only saving grace.
5. Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii was a major moment in gaming history. This console really ushered in the new technology of motion detection. Sure, the EyeToy for PlayStation 2 (which also utilized motion detection) came out around three years earlier. However, the EyeToy was a pretty half-baked piece of hardware, and you’d spend hours trying to calibrate it. The Nintendo Wii was really the first console utilizing motion detection that somewhat worked. It was easy to set up, so much so that even non-tech-savvy users could configure it with relative ease.
Still, this console had its issues. The motion-sensing technology was still far from flawless, and the connection between the Wiimote and the gameplay would often lag, sending users into a fit of rage (or maybe that was just me?). Still, the Nintendo Wii was a ton of fun and was great for getting non-gamers involved. Who doesn’t want to go bowling from the comfort of their own living room?
6. Game Boy Advance
The Game Boy Advance was a good console. And, honestly, Nintendo is such a great developer that it’s hard to find any more bad consoles. The only reason that the Game Boy Advance appears on this list is the lighting issues. If you’ve ever owned a Game Boy Advance, you undoubtedly have a memory of trying to play on your handheld in a sunny park and not being able to see a damn thing.
However, that’s the only real complaint I have about the Game Boy Advance. This console had so many incredible games (think Metroid Fusion, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap), it felt amazing in your hand, and it had 32-bit visuals that were very impressive for its time.