Nintendo's biggest mistake was depriving the world of colored cartridges for all their systems

[Ikagura]

This is the narrative I remember too, yet in recent years the narrative shifted that Nintendo wanted to make the NES look more like a toy than a video game and people keep regurgirating that over and over, even big youtubers.
I distinctively remember that they changed the design so that they appear less like video game/toys and more like VHS tapes, they even designed the NES so you insert the game inside like a VHS tape.

Odd to see that narrative shift...

I kinda like the VHS tape style of inserting the cartridge but I think I still prefer the classic Famicom/Super Famicom/SNES "up-slot" inserting.

 

[χKai]

Of course the way the comapny is would be total crap, it's a corporation and I hate them all.
Just seeing what they did to the Sonic Mania/Origins developers is enough to make me feel sick.
They WANTED Origins to be good, but SEGA's management stepped in and purposely rushed and ruined what could have been as amazing as Sonic Jam and better even. Then they wouldn't even let them patch it correctly.

Did you know they ordered like
100,000 extra copies of Sonic & Knuckles they never sold

 

[Jeff]

I'm baffled by their choice

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Imagine how gorgeous colored NES, SNES and N64 carts would have looked
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Never understood why though. Costs perhaps? Kirby should've have a special pink cartridge like Zelda with gold.

But what I think the biggest mistake from Nintendo was giving a strict licensing restrict order for 3rd party developers/publishers to release only 5 of their games per year to avoid another market crash which I bet caused so many great games from Japan not to get localized/translated. And they let LJN, THQ and Acclaim to release their bad games to screw up the market?

 

[PhaseJump]

This is the narrative I remember too, yet in recent years the narrative shifted that Nintendo wanted to make the NES look more like a toy than a video game and people keep regurgirating that over and over, even big youtubers.
I distinctively remember that they changed the design so that they appear less like video game/toys and more like VHS tapes, they even designed the NES so you insert the game inside like a VHS tape.

They also packaged and launched it with a robot toy peripheral to get it into toy sections and toy stores.

Probably a tax evasion move around importing electronics and toys.

Nintendo's biggest mistake was Playstation, and it will haunt them forever.

 

[Birdneest Birdneest]

GORGEOUS collection! Absolutely stunning.

 

[Sonic Boomer]

They also packaged and launched it with a robot toy peripheral to get it into toy sections and toy stores.

Probably a tax evasion move around importing electronics and toys.

Nintendo's biggest mistake was Playstation, and it will haunt them forever.

yes Rob indicates that they were interested in the toy market and wanted to pass it off as a toy too, but then why go full gray VCR style?

Post automatically merged: Apr 12, 2026

Never understood why though. Costs perhaps? Kirby should've have a special pink cartridge like Zelda with gold.

But what I think the biggest mistake from Nintendo was giving a strict licensing restrict order for 3rd party developers/publishers to release only 5 of their games per year to avoid another market crash which I bet caused so many great games from Japan not to get localized/translated. And they let LJN, THQ and Acclaim to release their bad games to screw up the market?

The US Market crash is always interestingt o me and I wonder if it isn't overblown.
Because here in Europe home computers, "micro" computers were so big and those things had way worse games than the Atari 2600 did, we're talking completely unplayable games sold for peanuts on tapes made by whoever.
I don't think a market crash was ever documented in Europe, if anything the demo scene became big and while Euro developers continued to stick to their Eurojank design style, gaming kept going and growing. Tho I will be honest I don't know if it's as popular a hobby as in the US when it comes to real games but that's for another topic.

 

[PixelNostalgia]

The Game Boy was the one that really nailed it with colored cartridges. Pokemon Red and Blue with the actual red and blue carts was genius marketing. Made every kid on the playground want both versions just because the cartridges looked different. The N64 had a few colored ones too (the gold Zelda cart was iconic) but yeah, making that the standard for every system would have been so much cooler.

 

[Ikagura]

Probably a tax evasion move around importing electronics and toys.

You're assuming that without actual proofs.

Nintendo's biggest mistake was Playstation, and it will haunt them forever.

It was mostly around the PS1 and 2 era but the recent models don't haunt them that much.

but then why go full gray VCR style?

Being coherent with the NES'? Also robots are often metal-coloured.

 

[PhaseJump]

You're assuming that without actual proofs.

You're responding to a post blatantly speculating a probable reason, not a definitive statement requiring proof.

It was mostly around the PS1 and 2 era but the recent models don't haunt them that much.

 

[Ikagura]

Please don't go that way, thanks.

 

[Theriise]

I'm still upset that I bought what I thought and looked like was a cartidge game the other day and instead it was a 'keycard' for a massive download.
Anyways Nintendo doesnt even colour their pokemon carts anymore other than the sticker. I love seeing old NES game collections on Game Centre CX because they look so bizarre and unique.

 

[Ikagura]

Color Dreams had coloured cartridges but were unlicensed:

 

[Sonic Boomer]

Color Dreams had coloured cartridges but were unlicensed:
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Never heard of this! Looks like Adventures of Rad Gravity at home lol
very cool info

Post automatically merged: Apr 14, 2026

I'm still upset that I bought what I thought and looked like was a cartidge game the other day and instead it was a 'keycard' for a massive download.
Anyways Nintendo doesnt even colour their pokemon carts anymore other than the sticker. I love seeing old NES game collections on Game Centre CX because they look so bizarre and unique.

Supposedly they're starting to use smaller Switch 2 carts now, so if they do away with the keycard BS it'll be great. That won't make the Switch 2 not ban people over nothing and brick itself tho

 

[7eve70rd]

Nightmares are

Dealing with Gold Plastic Syndrome - Majora's Mask​

and wasn't there a gold Pokemon cart too?

 

[DjQuick2008]

gameboy cartridges coloured were a cool concept

 

[Deleted member 913503]

I'm baffled by their choice

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Imagine how gorgeous colored NES, SNES and N64 carts would have looked
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Zelda carts should always be gold like the Triforce. That needs to be standard.

 

[Badseed Badseed]

Nintendo's biggest mistake was becoming even bigger (post-wisdom tree)
litigious asshats

 

[Ikagura]

Nintendo's biggest mistake was becoming even bigger (post-wisdom tree)
litigious asshats

Wisdom Tree games weren't that great to be honest.

And avoiding religious references in their game was understandable too.

 

[Badseed Badseed]

Wisdom Tree games weren't that great to be honest.

And avoiding religious references in their game was understandable too.

Wisdom Tree Games were TERRIBLE. I was merely using it as a example
of the beginning of the big N's lawyerly ways. I am not sure what religious
references you are talking about.

 

[BrawlMan]

Sacrifices must be made...for profit.