by Henry Wong

Several new and also classic products are being produced by Nintendo – just in time for the busy holiday shopping season.  One of Nintendo’s newest items is a console that is a hand-held hybrid and is scheduled to debut on January 13, 2017.  Nintendo is being quiet about the details and building suspense by keeping the specifics of the console secret. Apparently, a “Tokyo webcast” is scheduled for January 12 to give the media and investors more details about it, which includes the price and the exact release date.

Due out in December, Nintendo is also releasing its first traditional game for smartphones which will first be available on the App Store. It is called Super Mario Run. Contrary to the name of the game, there is no running involved.  Instead, players will navigate a two-dimensional Mario stage.

Older video-game enthusiasts will be happy to see the come-back of the Nintendo NES Classic which Nintendo brought back for nostalgia. Marketing nostalgia has worked because after being released on November 11, it sold out within minutes from many on-line stores. The current model is smaller than the original 1985 version but is the hottest Nintendo product on the market these days. Nintendo has promised to have more produced for the holiday season. Originally priced at $60, it is now selling to upwards of $390 due to the low supply.  With a new smartphone game, a console hand-held hybrid, and a classic gaming system – Nintendo has been and will continue to be successful in bringing gamers of all generations together.