Top 10 Biggest Nintendo Fails

Nintendo has been a cornerstone of the gaming world for decades, delivering iconic consoles, unforgettable games, and shaping entire generations of players. However, even a company with such a rich history has its share of missteps.

This list shines a light on some of Nintendo's biggest blunders. It's a mix of commercial failures, poor decisions, and experiments that just didn't work out. Some of these missteps were ambitious ideas that didn't land, while others are simply baffling in hindsight.

The Top Ten

  1. Virtual Boy

    The 1990s was too early for virtual reality to be feasible.

    It causes seizures and headaches. Perhaps it was intended as a torture device.

    Yeah, this is a really big flop for Nintendo, and most people know it from the amount of seizures and headaches people got. Seriously, how is it supposed to be virtual reality when you can see the character you're playing as? If you want a realistic VR game, make it first person, and don't make the screen completely red.

  2. Making CD-i Games

    It sure is boring around here.

    Mai boi, this is a thing all true warriors strive for.

    I wonder what's for dinner.

    I'm so hungry, I could eat an Oktorok.

    Oh, boy! I can't wait to bomb some Dodongos!

  3. Losing to Philips in court

    Can you believe it? First, Philips demands video games made by Nintendo for their console, also known as CD-I, then they sue Nintendo over motion control. They're killing the Wii U. How could you, Philips?

    I hate Philips so much. They are so rude.

  4. Nintendo 64DD

    Nintendo did it because of their CD rivals, and it would be pointless to produce a game for this platform. Perhaps the 64DD will trigger another video game crash.

    This is a Japanese add-on for the Nintendo 64.

  5. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

  6. Game Boy Micro

    It can't play original Game Boy games, has low lighting, and the faceplates are poorly designed. It also looks dumb and bulky.

  7. Nintendo Switch

  8. Nintendo Switch Online

    They make us pay $20 for subpar online servers that were initially free during the first year of the Switch. They really screwed up here!

    Why does Nintendo charge us $20 for one year, yet online-heavy games like Splatoon 2 give us 5-minute penalties (which is short but still) and unstable online battles?

  9. Radar Scope

  10. Wii Mini

    The Wii Mini is a scaled-down version of the Wii that lacked most features like internet connectivity and GameCube backward compatibility.

    Ugh. I bought one and immediately wished I had bought a used Wii instead.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Releasing childish games

  12. ?

    Pink Gold Peach

    Pink Gold Peach is a character who debuted in Mario Kart 8 as an unlockable playable character. She is a metallic variant of Princess Peach, similar to how Metal Mario is a variant of Mario. Pink Gold Peach has appeared in several subsequent Mario Kart titles.

    13. The Contenders

  13. GameCube

    This was a time of depression for Nintendo. Their choice of purple as a theme color deterred dedicated gamers.

    A good system with amazing games like Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, but it becomes frustrating when it malfunctions.

  14. Wii U

  15. Selling Rare

  16. Power Glove

  17. R.O.B.

  18. Splitting with Sony

  19. SNES CD

    It's never been released. It's only a cancelled Nintendo-Sony collaboration console or Nintendo-Phillips collaboration console. If this had been released, it would have been the first CD-Nintendo console.

    If it weren't for this, we might have had the 64DD in the USA!

  20. No Flipnote Studio 3D for Europeans

  21. HDMI for the Wii

    Nintendo didn't prioritize HDMI functionality on the Wii, which affected its usability in the latter half of the Wii's lifespan.

  22. Cartridges instead of CDs

  23. Color TV Game 6

  24. Removing Furret in Pokémon Sword and Shield

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