Just some thoughts I wanted to share.
I had a conversation with a friend recently (we've known each other since primary school and played video games together since the NES days). I didn't think about it much but he believes that 2017 is quite possibly the single greatest year in Nintendo's history (as far as their venture in video gaming started), even toppling the likes of 1985 or 2006 (NES release and Wii release, respectively). I definitely saw where he came from in his line of thoughts after he pointed at the main reasons:
- Not exactly expected by everyone initially, the Nintendo Switch ends up being a success. And all business-related decisions (such as the original delay) along with a brilliant pre-launch marketing period - again probably against a lot of 'experts' opinions at the time (such as the delay potentially hurting sales) - highly contributed to it.
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Wii U serves as the absolute best "good bye" game release you can possibly ask for as a 'true final title' for a console before it "officially" dies. Additionally, Breath of the Wild is (warning; praise level raising above 9000 from this point) indeed one of the greatest video games of all time (at least when it comes to consoles; but let's not kid ourselves, a lot of PC-exclusives would have loved to be even a third of what BotW is, especially in recent years), possibly THE best Zelda game in the franchise AND also ends up being a LAUNCH title - of all things - for a new Nintendo console in the same year of said console's release (when was the last time a 'full', 'main' Zelda game was released as a launch title for a Nintendo console? Exactly).
- Super Mario Odyssey not only meets pretty much everyone's expectations but crushes them and adds even more on top of them all. It does everything SM64 did, does it better and 10x over. It's also not only probably THE greatest 3D Super Mario game in the series, but is also one of the greatest 3D platforming game ever made.
- Now, might as well add Splatoon 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 which is now apparently being very positively reviewed as I type this as I, too, discover that we yet again have another 'epic' open world title with that one outside of BotW (and while a lot of people might not even consider Splatoon 2 to start with, it DOES contribute to the general success of the Switch this year, software library wise).
- And, perhaps more importantly than all of the above (although it's all part of it), this year's success stories for Nintendo means - ultimately - a Come Back story as well. It is true that the Wii U - while not being a terrible console overall with memorable titles released for it (and let's not forget that Breath of the Wild IS originally a Wii U game, then ported to the Switch) - did not "help" Nintendo as a business in the long (and even short) term. However, this year Nintendo is clearly back full force and are going through one of their Highs of their video gaming history; and indeed possibly THE best one for them yet.
I did put some thought into it and tried to come up with other successful years for them. There's some good contenders of course, but as I discussed it with my friend he sort of replied "Yep, but nope, not like this year" to everyone of them, lol. I came up with the following:
- Obviously, 1985: NES' release along with none other than Super Mario Bros., and the rejuvenation of the entire gaming industry at the time (at least in North America). The importance of that year in general gaming history cannot be denied to this day; even just for educational purposes.
- Of course, 1991: SNES' release with the acclaimed Super Mario World, along with F-Zero, and Metroid II: Return of Samus on the GameBoy that same year (heck, some would also include Pilotwings in there, why not). However, despite the grandeur (at the time) of Super Mario World, the SNES itself didn't quite get a "catapult" of a first year. From what I do remember it had actually a pretty slow start and took another year before the 'greatest' of the console hit the market (such as Link to the Past, and Super Mario Kart for instance). Still, it wasn't a "bad" year at all for Nintendo.
- Now, 1996 (Until now, my personal favorite): Nintendo 64's release, with * drum rolls * Super Mario 64 (which, let's all remember, was THE SHIT at the time), along with Pilotwings 64 (which at the time did also surprise me a lot with its free roaming gameplay). That same year also saw the release of Donkey Kong Country 3 (definitely not as good as 2, but still not bad at all overall), Kirby Super Star and Super Mario RPG (SNES titles). Not too shabby of a year for Nintendo indeed, if you ask me. Although of course, we all know, that the N64 - in general - wasn't the overall success story that at least Nintendo themselves probably hoped for (going cartridge at the time, losing Final Fantasy 7, etc... I could go on).
- Welp, doesn't it HAVE to be on the list? 1998: No console release, and not exactly a titan of a year for Nintendo expect that, well, it was; with the release of Ocarina of Time. Oh and... yeah, we also had F-Zero X (yeah, that game came out, too).
- Let's not forget, 2001 (yeah the movie, too): That one used to be my friend's personal favorite (until this year came up), with the release of the GameCube, and other titles that same year on other consoles, wasn't too bad of a year overall. I mean we had Conker's Bad Fur Day on the N64 (ok, not a first-party Nintendo game but still contributed to the success of the Nintendo 64 as a memorable console), Zelda: Oracle of Seasons / Ages (GameBoy Color), Luigi's Mansion, Mario Kart Super Circuit (GameBoy Advance), Mario Party 3 (N64), Paper Mario (N64, and definitely a good one there), Pikmin (very few thought it'd "work", welp, it did), Pokemon Crystal (GameBoy Color), Super Mario Advance (GameBoy Advance) and Super Smash Bros. Melee (GameCube). Not too bad man, not too bad.
- And 2003 as well: No console that year of course but worthy of a mention I'd say, check this out; The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Wario World, Super Mario Advance 4 (GameBoy Advance), Super Mario Kart: Double Dash, Mario Party 5, F-Zero GX and Star Fox Adventures. Not too bad huh? Not too bad at all I'd say. It's worthy of a mention.
- Definitely, 2006: With Nintendo's Wii release, along with Wii Sports... there's very little I could say to that one that hasn't been said before. Maybe in terms of gameplay and blissful joy it didn't "deliver" for a lot of people out there (it didn't for me, I mean I did play Wii Sports and... yeah; you just HAD to like that stuff to, you know, like it). Purely speaking in terms of revenue and financial success those two alone (the Wii itself and Wii Sports) are enough. But I could also mention that we had The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess that same year, on two consoles (Wii, and GameCube; and with a striking similarly to Breath of the Wild for the Wii U, it seems that Twilight Princess also kinda served as a "good bye" for the GameCube; albeit not to the extent that BotW did for the Wii U but still comparable).
That's what I could come up with. There's been other pretty solid years after 2006 for Nintendo mind you. I can think of 2010 already with Metroid: Other M, DCK Returns, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Wii Party, for example. But, indeed, after thinking about it, I can see why 2017 can be considering one of, if not THE best year for Nintendo. I'm still debating that with myself right now but I definitely see the points for it. In my (oldy) nerd nostalgic heart it's pretty damn tough to put even this incredible 2017 over my beloved 1996 or the too-important-to-move 1985. But objectively-speaking, had it not been for this year's overall successes for Nintendo I do have the feeling that the company would have been headed for a pretty hard collision course with a damn thick wall.