Much of Nintendo’s success in the DS/Wii era came from games in unusual, previously unpopular, or brand new genres — like, say, the daily math minigame genre invented for Brain Age. During an investor presentation, president Satoru Iwata said that Nintendo is wisely working on inventing some new kinds of games to get the wide appeal that Brain Age and Wii Fit achieved, planning to release some games in new genres over the next fiscal year.

Iwata noted that it is more difficult now to invent surprising new styles of game with smartphone developers doing weird stuff by the boatload. “However,” he said, “the company will aim to develop and launch products that can provide meaningful surprises to the public by taking advantage of the company’s position of being able to make new proposals that integrate both hardware and software, and of its ability to develop products that can be accepted by a wide variety of consumers, irrespective of age, gender or past gaming experience.”

After all, you can’t bundle an iPhone game with a balance board or something like that. Well, you could, but wouldn’t. Nintendo still has that advantage.

Nintendo looking to develop ‘new genres’ again originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via ps3fanboy