E3 2009 has passed. The annual Electronics Entertainment Expo appears to have found its rhythm once again after last years format change. This year, the “big three” publishers (Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo) announced new hardware peripherals to go with their current generation gaming consoles.

Of the three, Sony’s remained a concept, while Microsoft’s Project Natel was showcased at their conference. Neither is ready for release and both have yet to establish a price. As yet, no real games have been announced that use either new system of control to actually enhance the game-play. Nintendo on the other hand have now released their Wii MotionPlus add-on and games that utilise it are on their way; an unusual move on Nintendo’s part - a first party game to showcase the new peripheral would normally be considered a necessity.

E3 aside, Nintendo has found itself showered in both praise and criticism in recent years. The Wii console has brought game-play to the centre of home entertainment in a way that previous generations of consoles could only dream of. Gone are the days of the teenage boy, locked away in his messy room, spending hours completing one level of the latest, greatest game. Now, friends and family alike are uniting to play the likes of Wii Sports; everyone from mum, dad, grand-dad and baby sister is in on the action.

Nintendo has tapped into the casual gamer crowd - the other 80% of the population and is reaping the financial reward that such innovation deserves. Yet the problem now, stems from a lack of the hardcore games for which the brand shot to prominence; Those teenage boys, initially amused by the sight of their sister playing on Wii, are now embarrassed to admit that their favourite console is the one they play on with their mother. Hardcore gaming has moved on to the Xbox 360 or Sony Playstation 3, whose games make use of the superior technology to produce stunning graphics and interactivity; all very masculine. The perception of “childish Nintendo” has been evident since inception, nurtured by the brightly coloured cartoon characters such as Mario and Kirby and the immensely popular Pokémon brand - that which everyone refuses to admit to actually playing. Only Zelda and Metroid survive to maintain their place on the bookcase of the “cool gamer”. Even Sonic the Hedgehog has fallen from the dizzy heights of “cool” to play second fiddle to Mario.

Yet those that say Nintendo is for kids who and Sony/Microsoft is for the “big boys” should take a closer look at the history of the very video games they play. Nintendo has a legacy that has impacted upon every aspect of the video game industry, from the games we play to the way in which we interact with those games. Things we take for granted - across all consoles - were pioneered by Nintendo. The D-pad (the cross usually found under your left thumb whilst holding a controller) is unique to Nintendo consoles. All other console controllers attempt to mimic the same interface; Nintendo designed and patented it many years ago, back in the days of Game and Watch. The first ever truly 3D game starred Nintendo’s own Mario - now every 3D adventure is judged against Super Mario 64. With 3D came the analogue controller, introduced on the N64 and copied by every console maker ever since. The rumble-pak introduced on the N64 was the first vibrate in the user’s hands to complement events “on-screen”. More recently, wireless controllers were first pioneered on the GameCube. The latest Nintendo innovation, introduced with the Wii remote controller, is the most realistic method of game control on the market; instead of pushing a button or directing an action with the D-pad, you physically complete the motion. Every detail of your golf swing or your strike of a tennis ball is modelled by the machine to give a realistic interpretation of your speed and accuracy – on the screen. Originally dismissed as a gimmick, this innovation has transformed the Wii console into the best-selling device on the market.

Nintendo has a history of innovative hardware, of setting the standard for the rest of the industry to compete with, yet such innovation counts for nothing events on-screen do not match this level of originality. Here Nintendo draws most criticism. While the competition made use of technical advances to bring games to life in the “real world”, Nintendo chose hand-drawn characters and used bright colours to bring the game to life in the imagination. This served only to entrench the perceived immaturity of the software and brand the hardware a “child’s console”. To date, Nintendo’s flagship brand, Mario, has yet to mature, maintaining the same bright colours and cartoon style as when first born.

There is however, no doubt that Nintendo knows how to make games. While competitors go for bigger platforms, more realistic graphics and more complicated controls, Nintendo has frequently looked for a new feel, a new franchise, a new game. Nintendo’s creations are so iconic, that they have become synonymous with the industry. When asked to name a computer game character, almost every response will be “Mario”. Mario remains the undisputed platform game hero, whose star-quality has spawned new genre of computer games. Indeed the Super Mario Kart franchise has spanned numerous Nintendo consoles, each iteration more popular than the last. It was of course Mario that starred in the first ever 3D game – to this day, all new Mario games command the attention of all gamers (regardless of whether they choose to admit it).

Pokémon began life on the GameBoy back in 1995. Such was the popularity of this franchise, that the word ‘phenomenon’ is actually an understatement. Along with spawning numerous sequels, Pokémon has become the only continually successful cartoon and movie series based on a computer game. The brand now commands an ever growing library of toys and merchandise. The characters themselves have become pop culture icons - even the Simpsons have made reference to them. This level of integration in popular culture is unmatched, even by Mario. Critics cite the childish characters and feeble plot, yet strip away the facade and you have an RPG that can best the competition.

With more than 400 million games sold between them, these two franchises are easily the two best selling computer games of all time.

Nintendo’s greatest asset, however, is the creative genius of Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto-san is the creative mind behind Nintendo, conceiving the franchises Mario, Donkey Kong, Star Fox and The Legend of Zelda. He remains the only true celebrity in the computer games industry, such is the respect he commands. Having created the franchises, he continues to oversee the production of what are unanimously considered some of the best games ever. He remains top of the list of “Top Game Creators” and has been chosen as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

A truly innovative, creative and influential brand, Nintendo is surely the model to aspire to for any creative business. While its legacy has laid the foundations of the industry, Nintendo’s continued outstanding innovation will nurture its future. Without Nintendo, the hardcore gamer would simply not exist.