Nintendo’s consoles are always among the more fascinating products in the video game industry. From the original NES all the wayto the Nintendo Switch, every console made by the industry giant has its own unique features and gimmicks that are hard to find anywhere else in the gaming world.
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Over the years, Nintendo consoles have changed drastically, with every new generation bringing something completely new to the table for players to try. But while Nintendo continues to find interesting ways to innovate their devices, there have been some features that have been left behind and even forgotten about.
7Console-Specific Start-Up Music
Nintendo has a history of producing iconic music, and that is not limited to a game’s soundtrack. It also includes music that players associate with a console’s ecosystem, with a more recent example being the Wii Shop Channel theme.
But ever since the Wii, Nintendo has not had console-specific start-up music when launching games on its hardware. The last time there was anything like thatwas the GameCube, which had the memorable theme as a block moved around the screen to form the shape of the GameCube logo.
6Everybody Votes Channel
There are not many instances of current Nintendo Switch owners interacting with each other on the platform outside the various games that allow for online play. Backon the Wii, when Nintendo was first getting its feet wet with online compatibility, there was theEverybody VotesChannel.
This silly concept brought many users together from around the globe to poll them on trivial matters such as “Which are better: dogs or cats?” or “What is the better Valentine’s Day gift: chocolate or roses?” There was a worldwide poll and a nation-specific fun. After some time, the channel would release the results and tell the player how tuned in they were.
5Multiple Screens
While the idea of multiple screens initially came from the Nintendo DS, the company’s console saw the first and only dual-screen setup with the Wii U. While players would be able to play their games on their TVs, they would have a separate screen in their hands.
This concept was left behind with the Nintendo Switch, with the console only offering one screen but allowing players the choice to either play it on their TV or in handheld mode. While this was a welcome changebetween the systems, some Wii U exclusives that utilized the dual-screen well have been left behind, having not been ported yet.
4Check Mii Out Channel
There’s another discontinued feature of Nintendo consoles that came in the form of a Wii channel. It was called theCheck Mii Out Channel, with its main focus being on the creativity around the avatars made famous by the Wii.
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This user-curated service allowed players to search for a Mii that someone uploaded and add them to the Mii Plaza. In addition, there were unique contests that all players could participate in. Each one had its own theme that creators needed to stick to. At the end of the contests, which lasted two weeks, creators will find out how well their Mii performed in the contest.
3Connecting Handheld To Console
The Nintendo Switch marked the end of an era where the company wouldhave a handheld devicealong with a console. This was thanks to the Switch’s hybrid nature that catered to both handheld and console players. But with the Switch’s presence came the end of unique compatibility between the current Nintendo handheld and console of note.
For years, dating back to the Nintendo 64 and the GameBoy Color, there was a way for players to connect devices together to either transfer data, earn unique prizes, or unlock a mode that would otherwise not be available without having both devices connected. A great example of the latter is the originalAnimal Crossingon GameCube, creating an island on a GameBoy Advance.
2Miiverse
As noted earlier, the Nintendo Switch doesn’t have too many tools that allow players to communicate outside of games. The Nintendo Online app does have a voice chat feature, but that isn’t built into the console itself. This differs greatly from the Wii U, which had itsown social media platform.
Miiverse was an exclusive network for both Nintendo 3DS and Wii U users. It allowed players to post anything that came to mind through text, in-game screenshots, in-game videos, and more. Notably, Miiverse was famous for allowing players to draw as a post, which led to many viral moments.
1Virtual Console
Nintendo has a long history of great games but has struggled to port games for players to experience on newer consoles. The Nintendo Switch does have a component to its Online services that allow players to experience a handful of NES, SNES, and N64 titles for free with a subscription to the services.
But this pales in comparison to the Virtual Console, which allowed users to purchase older games and play them on newer hardware. This was introduced during the Wii era and extended to the Wii U, allowing buyers the ability to buy plenty of games from the NES to GameBoy Colorto Nintendo DS.
