1. Nintendo
There could only really be one winner. From the mid-80s right through to today, the Japanese powerhouse has been responsible for some of the greatest, most instantly recognisable games in history. Just as with any developer, you can accuse Nintendo of 'sticking with what they know', but they've shown an incredible level of mastery in every genre they touched. They mastered the platformer with the Mario series, before converting it brilliantly to the 3D realm. They're behind arguably the most important adventure game of all time in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and haven't been afraid to experiment with existing genres like the beat-em-up (Smash Bros), or more recently the shooter (Splatoon). As well as having a flawless games repertoire across every generation since the NES, Nintendo have created characters that engaged not only gamers, but everyone in the world. They're universally recognised and loved, and have helped integrate video games with mainstream culture like nothing else in the industry. For all the tired opprobrium about video games as a menace to society, Mario, Luigi et al. will always be around to remind people that there's a little gamer in all of us. The continuing impact of Nintendo's games as technical and cultural products is unparalleled, and for that, we should always revere them. Notable titles: Super Mario series, Metroid series, Zelda series, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Pikmin, Splatoon, Yoshi series, Wario series, Mario Tennis, F-Zero, Pilotwings, Star Fox, Wave Race, Luigi's Mansion
Robert Zak
Contributor
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
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