"What If?"

As it is the month of December and everyone (well I hope everyone) is in a happy mood looking forward to Christmas, I thought I should do a different type of investigation. Instead of one long article of my moans, I've compiled a whole load of "What ifs". So basically It's a collection of little moans, but as it's Christmas I haven't really taken this too seriously, come on it's Christmas!!

What if: Nintendo had never joined the Video gaming business?

Well let me put it in simplest terms, there wouldn't be any such things as the NES, SNES, GB, GCN etc... And Video-gaming wouldn't be as it is today. Nintendo over the years have shaped the way we play video games, they created the D-Pad for instance, now where would we be if we didn't have the trusty D-Pad? How would we move the characters? Interesting idea this.

What if: Gunpei Yokoi never joined Nintendo?

Well Nintendo would definitely be totally different from what it is today. Gunpei Yokoi was the one and only person to invent the greatest portable system of today, the GameBoy. Without the GameBoy, Nintendo would most probably have given up in the console market and do a Sega (make games for other consoles). Sadly Yokoi-san died in 1997, but even now Nintendo have a lot to thank him for.

Just think, one in 5 - 4 (ish) people in the world owns a type of GameBoy, but without this popularity, Nintendo would have never made it this far.

What if: Miyamoto never joined Nintendo?

If Miyamoto had never joined Nintendo, we wouldn't be seeing the likes of such great Video gaming characters as Mario, Donkey Kong and Link especially. Miyamoto has put a lot of input into Nintendo and the Video gaming world and has gained a lot of respect from many people over the past years. He has been involves with many other gaming projects looking over how good the games are and how they are getting along, Miyamoto really knows how to make a great game and without him the world would never know what great gaming is.

What if: Nintendo carried out the CD add-on for the SNES?

Let's put one thing straight and I'm afraid I'm going to have to admit to it, it's Nintendo's fault that the PS1 was made. But just think things could have been different, way back in 1994 Nintendo enrolled the help from both Sony and Panasonic to make a new CD add-on for the SNES, it was going to be Nintendo's answer to the MegaCD. But as the MegaCD failed Nintendo decided to scrap the project, allowing Sony with the idea of making a games-console themselves. So, the Playstation was invented, but if Nintendo had carried out the project the PS1 would most probably been never invented. How would this ever effect Nintendo? The GameCube at present is basically second best from the PS2 (who reigns all mighty high), but without the PS2 the GCN would most probably going a lot stronger than it is. Also Sega would most likely still be in the running and the battle between them would have never changed. All these factors need to be accounted for, there are some good things about Sony being in the console market and there are some bad sides.

What if: The N64 was a CD playing console?

Ah, here's a good one. If the N64 were a CD playing console, it would have had a better chance in the battle with the PS1, simple as that. Square would have never left and still carried on making games for the N64. More units would have been sold, it's quite hard to say really, some games could have looked better, but loading times would have got on people's nerves.

What if: Sega carried on making consoles?

The world would be a normal place to live in, Nintendo and Sega would still be at each other's throats and Sonic would have never made his way onto the GameCube and GBA. Companies like Microsoft would have never dared entered the console business (see below) and things would just be taking its natural course.

What if: Mario is Santa in disguise?

I'm sorry I just couldn't resist the urge to write this one. But it's a very good point, just consider the similarities, very popular (especially with the Kids), has a beard/moustache (give or take the colour and everything), round belly, puts smiles on children's faces, wears red. Come on! All the evidence is there, Mario has got to be Santa! Oh okay fine Mario isn't Santa in disguise, but it's a possibility. Though I doubt Santa would want to be seen jumping around and on things shouting, 'It's-a-meee-Maaariooo!'

Well that's it, my December 2002 edition of the investigations, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!