Nintendo's Greatest Hits and Misses

Nintendo’s latest video game console, the Nintendo Switch, is off to a great start. Since its global release on March 3 of last year, Nintendo sold 17.79 million units of the hybrid console, surpassing even the keenest expectations.

As our chart illustrates, Nintendo’s history is one of hits and misses. While its first two video game consoles for the living room were blockbuster successes at the time, the Nintendo 64 and GameCube didn’t sell as well. The Wii, released in 2006, turned out to be a surprise hit only for its successor, the 2012 Wii U, to flop miserably.