by Jim Hoft‚ The Gateway Pundit: Efforts are underway by Republican lawmakers to draft legislation aimed at removing Joe Biden from the ballots in key swing states Georgia‚ Arizona‚ and Pennsylvania. According to Breitbart‚ state representatives Aaron Bernstine from Pennsylvania‚ Charlice Byrd from Georgia‚ and Cory McGarr from Arizona are spearheading these proposed legislative efforts. Their […]

JUST IN – U.S. Supreme Court rejects special counsel Jack Smith's request to fast-track Trump's immunity case. — Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) December 22‚ 2023

The Amiga is certainly living the high life at the moment‚ what with all the homebrew games previously released‚ ones yet to come and of course the many mentions of unreleased games finally seeing the light of day. But there's another game that may grace our Commodore screens at some point in the near future‚ and that's Hyperborea Resurrected; an upcoming Amiga game from GoldenCode which is

Not satisfied with all the Amiga and C64 news that's been coming into our inbox day after day‚ then how about this new game for the speccy then called 'Cursed Castle' by Fransouls; A brand new ZX Spectrum game in which you play as Sir Aleron‚ the brave knight on a quest to collect the 17 scattered rings on a journey to the cursed and monster infested Luminaris Castle. To coincide with this news‚

Greg from Laser Bear has just opened pre-orders on three separate Virtual Boy power solutions:  One USB power adapter and two separate rechargeable battery pack replacements.  Prices range from $20 – $55 and they’re due to ship in February.  There’s a lot to discuss‚ so check out the details below the links: Virtual Boy Pak’s:  https://retrorgb.link/vbpowerpak […]

The history of England is filled with many military geniuses‚ influential politicians‚ and devout men of God.  However‚ no one else may have fulfilled all three roles at once like Oliver Cromwell did. The United Kingdom as we know it today wouldn’t exist if not for Cromwell’s role in the English Civil Wars.  A Painting of Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper Cromwell’s Complicated Legacy  The UK today is a constitutional monarchy‚ but it wasn’t always so. Until the 17th century‚ English kings and queens held all the executive power in government. They ruled in an absolutist monarchy‚ up until the reign of Charles I.  That all came to an end when Cromwell became responsible for the first-ever trial and execution of a king for treason. But why did he execute Charles I? To understand how Cromwell arrived at this history-making decision‚ we need to consider the time he lived in and the kind of person he was. On one hand‚ he was a devout Christian of the Puritan sect. On the other‚ he was a ruthless battlefield commander who was feared by his enemies. English republicans look up to him as one of the fathers of their movement while the Irish and Scots consider his military actions against them as the mark of a villain. So‚ which description suits Cromwell best? Was he a saint or a sinner? Cromwell was a man with many different facets to his personality. Pigeonholing him into a single category does not do his complicated legacy justice.  If we want to form an opinion on Oliver Cromwell‚ we will need to learn his whole story. A Remarkable Man of Unremarkable Origin It’s a tale that begins in a humble setting: the sleepy little town of Huntingdon near Cambridge. Cromwell was born at the turn of the 17th century‚ in 1599‚ into a family of landed gentry.  Even though Cromwell’s family name could be traced back to an influential minister in the court of Henry VIII‚ by the time of Cromwell’s birth‚ they held a title but not much in terms of material wealth. In Cromwell’s own words‚ in his early years‚ he was “by birth a gentleman‚ living neither in considerable height‚ nor yet in obscurity.” For a man who had such a considerable impact on British history‚ he spent the first few decades of his life in remarkable obscurity. Like many young landowner’s children‚ he received a formal education at the Huntingdon Grammar School. After this‚ he attended Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge. With its strong Puritan influences‚ the college likely played a role in shaping Cromwell’s own religious‚ social‚ and cultural views. Cromwell did not have the luxury of taking his education much further. Some historical sources state that he briefly attended Lincoln’s Inn of Court in London to study law. But in 1617‚ he returned to Huntingdon after his father’s death. As the eldest surviving son‚ he had the responsibility of caring for his widowed mother and unmarried sisters. During this period of domesticity‚ Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier‚ with whom he would eventually have nine children over the course of his life. Cromwell’s new father-in-law was a wealthy London merchant whose connections certainly helped him ascend to the post of Cambridge’s Member of Parliament in 1628.  This was where Cromwell would first establish himself as a Puritan firebrand‚ speaking out against Catholic bishops and clergy in England. Rising Through the Ranks: The English Civil Wars While Cromwell was growing his influence in the Houses of Parliament‚ England’s political arena was in a state of upheaval. Charles I’s insistence that he held a divine right to rule was driving a wedge between Royalists and Parliamentarians‚ setting the stage for a civil war. In 1642‚ relations between the King and Parliament broke down completely‚ kickstarting the English Civil Wars. When the conflict began‚ Cromwell was little more than a local lord who had raised a militia from his seat in Cambridge.  At the time‚ nobody could have known that Cromwell’s well-trained‚ tightly organized forces would form the nucleus of the New Model Army. They fought the Civil Wars on behalf of the Parliament. Facing forces loyal to Charles I‚ Cromwell participated in most of the key battles of the English Civil War. His leadership on the battlefield proved imperious‚ winning the day for Parliamentarians in several key clashes.  These included the Battle of Edgehill‚ and the Battle of Marston Moor. And finally‚ the climactic Battle of Naseby which resulted in a decisive defeat for Royalist forces in 1645. Battle of Naseby (June 14‚ 1645) marked the decisive turning point in the English Civil War By this time‚ Cromwell was the second-in-command of the Parliamentarian forces under Thomas Fairfax. He held this post despite his own proposal that no members of either house of Parliament should hold command or offices in the military.  He was now in a commanding position. His reputation as an effective commander added to his reputation as a devout puritan and firebrand politician. In 1646‚ Charles I was captured by Parliamentarians and Cromwell attempted to negotiate a compromise with the Parliament for the king’s life. When the king attempted to escape‚ only to be recaptured‚ Cromwell’s hand was forced.  Along with other members of Parliament‚ he signed Charles I’s death warrant. In doing so‚ he became part of the first-ever trial and execution of a ruling monarch on the grounds of treason.  Charles I was beheaded in front of the public in Whitehall in January 1649. Controversial Campaigns in Ireland and Scotland The execution of Charles I did not mark the end of the fighting. From 1649 onward‚ Cromwell waged bloody campaigns on enclaves of Royalists in Ireland and Scotland.  His Puritan‚ Protestant faith also put him at odds with the largely Catholic Irish who suffered some of his harshest assaults at Drogheda and Wexford.  When Royalists proclaimed Charles II‚ son of Charles I‚ as the rightful king‚ Cromwell led a campaign into Scotland to stamp out the opposition. In 1650‚ he defeated Charles II and the Scots’ army at the Battle of Dunbar. He followed it up with another victory in 1651 to finally bring the Civil Wars to an end.  Cromwell also had to deal with uprisings within his own sect. An extremist Puritan group called the Levelers led a mutiny against the landed gentry. They sought to eliminate the economic gaps between them and the tenants.  Lord Protector or Dictator? Once the English Civil Wars ended‚ Cromwell enjoyed a preeminent position among the Parliamentarians. He consolidated his power in 1653 by dissolving the existing Parliament. He achieved this by bringing musketeers into the chambers. He denounced his fellow parliamentarians as “corrupt and unjust men and scandalous to the profession of the Gospel.” Now firmly ensconced as the chief authority in the three kingdoms of England‚ Scotland‚ and Ireland‚ Cromwell was akin to a king. But his official title was Lord Protector. This was a possible concession to avoid losing the support of the Republicans who had enabled his rise.  Cromwell turned down the crown when it was offered to him by his new Parliament. This was another gesture that could be viewed as a way of distancing himself from the trappings of monarchy. Under Cromwell‚ the Commonwealth entered a time of puritanical austerity. Popular stories abound of Cromwell “banning Christmas.” While this is not strictly true‚ Cromwell’s philosophy did lead to celebrations being frowned upon and even punished in the later years of his rule. He viewed Christmas as a day meant for prayer and faith‚ not merrymaking.  Most of Cromwell’s acts as Lord Protector were meant to restore order after years of infighting in the British Isles. He also sought to decentralize administration so that power would not be in the hands of a single monarch again.  The Death and Afterlife of Oliver Cromwell  Cromwell’s time as Lord Protector would not last long. Within five years of assuming the role‚ he fell mortally ill and succumbed to disease in August 1658.  He was given a grand funeral. He was interred in Westminster Abbey‚ the traditional final resting place of royals‚ later that year.  After Cromwell’s death‚ the title of Lord Protector passed to his eldest son‚ Richard. However‚ Richard was unable to carry forward his father’s legacy. He was eventually overthrown in 1659 by resurgent Royalist forces under Charles II‚ the son of the king executed by Richard’s own father. After reclaiming the throne‚ Charles II ordered that Cromwell’s body be dug from the crypts in Westminster Abbey. In January 1661‚ two-and-a-half years after his death‚ the mortal remains of Oliver Cromwell stood trial for high treason.  Cromwell’s body‚ along with his fellow collaborators’‚ was hung from the gallows at Tyburn. His head was then cut off and displayed on a spike at Westminster Hall. This final indignity lasted for centuries. Oliver Cromwell’s spiked head became a curious relic of a turbulent time in England’s history. It passed through the hands of private collectors and public exhibitors. It was finally donated to Cromwell’s alma mater‚ Sidney Sussex College. Here‚ nearly 300 years after his remains were dismembered‚ the spiked head of Oliver Cromwell was finally given a respectful burial. Cromwell’s legacy is too nuanced to paint in broad strokes. Even today‚ citizens in the UK have strong opinions about the man. The controversy over his statues being taken down serves as a prime example. His story is proof that it’s impossible to shape the future without making some enemies along the way. The post The Complicated Legacy of Oliver Cromwell first appeared on History Defined.

August 6‚ 1945‚ marked a cataclysmic turning point in human history. The city of Hiroshima‚ Japan‚ became the epicenter of one of the most devastating events of the 20th century when the United States dropped the first atomic bomb.  Amidst the widespread destruction and unimaginable human suffering‚ the shadows left behind by the victims etched a haunting legacy of the horrors of nuclear warfare. One of the shadows left behind on the steps of a bank in Hiroshima‚ following the explosion of the nuclear bomb in August 1945. Universal History Archive The Unthinkable Unleashed The United States spent three years and millions of dollars during World War II to develop a revolutionary form of warfare: the atomic bomb.  On the morning of August 6‚ 1945‚ US military forces unleashed the bomb onto the world. The Enola Gay dropped the bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.  The detonation unleashed an immense burst of energy and heat. It instantly obliterated the city and left in its wake a landscape of unimaginable devastation.  Although not directly referenced‚ the movie Oppenheimer briefly explores the utter destruction wrought by the bomb. It highlights the titular character’s guilt for his role in its development.  Buildings crumbled‚ fires raged‚ and countless lives were extinguished within moments. But amidst all the destruction‚ something unprecedented occurred. Shadows of the bomb’s victims were imprinted on the surfaces that remained standing in the city.  The ground crew of the B-29 “Enola Gay” which atom-bombed Hiroshima‚ Japan. The Origin of the Shadows These shadows‚ which remain today‚ are a haunting reminder of the devastation of the atomic bomb.  At the moment of the explosion‚ the intense heat generated vaporized the bodies of those closest to ground zero. All that remained of their bodies were shadows imprinted on surfaces behind them.  Similar to bodies preserved by ash in the town of Pompeii after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius‚ these shadows document the final moments of regular people caught in a historical tragedy. Children playing‚ people strolling through town‚ families huddled together in their last moments; all gone in an instant. One of the most iconic and heart-wrenching shadows is that of a person etched onto the steps of the Sumitomo Bank in Hiroshima. It is believed to be that of a man who was sitting on the steps at the moment of the blast.  These shadows document the final moments of the fear-stricken and the blissfully unaware.  The Science Behind the Shadows The science behind these shadows is both tragic and fascinating. When the bomb detonated‚ it emitted an intense burst of thermal radiation.  The heat was so extreme that it vaporized any biological material in the area. It bleached any stone or other non-biological material.  The shadows are the result of people acting as shields against the instantaneous bleaching. The explosion spent its energy vaporizing individuals‚ and thus could not bleach the stone or cement behind them.  That is to say‚ it is not that the shadows are some residual matter left behind by those who died. Everything else around the person was changed. The shadows are actually a glimpse into the original state of the material.  With this in mind‚ scientists were even able to determine where in the sky the bomb exploded by calculating the angle of the shadows with where people were likely standing.  It is important to also note that although shadows of people tend to be remembered‚ with this same science there were also shadows from various objects. Ladders‚ bicycles‚ and other daily objects similarly left shadows on stationary objects.  However‚ these shadows do not represent the immense loss of life from the atomic bomb. Therefore‚ they are often not considered as important to mention. Preserving the Shadows In the aftermath of the bombing‚ the survivors grappled with the immediate and long-term effects of radiation exposure. Efforts were also being made to preserve the shadows of people scattered around the city.  The imprints on the walls and surfaces became powerful symbols‚ not just of individual lives lost‚ but of the broader impact of nuclear warfare. Preservation efforts have included covering surfaces to shield them from the elements and the passage of time.  Some of these shadows were moved to museums‚ ensuring they could be studied and remembered. They serve as a stark warning against the use of nuclear weapons. Impact on Collective Memory The shadows of Hiroshima have become an integral part of the city’s collective memory of the atomic bombings of Japan.  Although an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki just three days later‚ the city does not remember the event with the same focus on atomic shadows. Hiroshima alone has centered their importance in the nuclear debate.  The shadows serve as a powerful educational tool. They ensure that the world does not forget the human cost of nuclear warfare.  Museums and memorials in Hiroshima‚ such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum‚ prominently feature these shadows for visitors to see. People who witness them often speak of the emotional impact these shadows have.  It is an eerie representation of both the fragility of life and the ultimate‚ destructive power of nuclear warfare. These shadows document the final moments of the fear-stricken and the blissfully unaware.  Hiroshima’s Ongoing Message Although it has been nearly 80 years since the Enola Gay dropped the bomb over Hiroshima‚ the shadows of those killed still instill the somber reality of atomic destruction.  Following the dropping of the bomb‚ the world entered a cold war for half a century. The Soviet Union and the United States raced to see who could produce the highest number of and most destructive nuclear armaments.  In the interim‚ a global movement for nuclear proliferation spread and included the imagery of shadows in Hiroshima to support their cause. Although who exactly each shadow represents may never be known‚ they certainly will never be forgotten.  References The United States Strategic Bombing Survey. “The Effects of Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” June 30‚ 1946. https://www.atomicarchive.com/resources/documents/bombing-survey/index.html.  Kish‚ Stacy. “Why did the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima leave shadows of people etched on sidewalks?” Live Science‚ August 1‚ 2023. https://www.livescience.com/nuclear-bomb-wwii-shadows.html. The post Shadows of Hiroshima: Testaments to Unimaginable Tragedy first appeared on History Defined.

Video games come from humble beginnings. Something unique about the industry is that many of the names that were big on the early scene still remain some of the most successful today.  One such name that has constantly been part of the video game scene is Nintendo. Just the name evokes images of colorful plumbers‚ sword-wielding warriors dressed in green‚ and squishy pink balls that inhale everything around them.  Nintendo and their characters are one of a kind–unique and innovative in ways that other big-name companies aren’t. Nintendo hasn’t always been such a powerhouse‚ though.  Just like the world of video games‚ Nintendo’s origins were also humble. Not all of their projects were winners. There were times when it seemed like other companies may eclipse the bright star of Nintendo. But despite all of these challenges‚ Nintendo has prevailed and still reigns supreme as one of the world’s three biggest video game companies. To understand how impressive this is‚ we need to go back in time and look at the nuanced‚ sometimes complicated‚ but always joyful history of Nintendo.  Nintendo company logo neon sign‚ 2003 The Birth of Nintendo: Playing Cards and Early Ventures (1889-1965) Hanafuda Cards  What would you guess if someone asked you to guess the year that Nintendo was founded? For most people‚ the obvious answer would be in the late seventies or sometime during the eighties when video games really started to become a phenomenon.  What’s surprising is that Nintendo was actually founded in 1889 in Kyoto‚ Japan. It was created by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce traditional Hanafuda playing cards. Hanafuda playing cards are stunningly decorated with different types of foliage like cherry blossoms‚ plum blossoms‚ maple trees‚ and many more. They depict the changes in the seasons.  They can be used to play a number of card games‚ similar to Western playing card decks. The opposite side of the card is blank.  Yamauchi’s playing cards were handmade. They quickly became popular enough for him to hire assistants. Over time‚ Nintendo would branch out into other kinds of playing cards‚ continuing to be successful.  The company stayed in the family‚ but at the time‚ companies were typically passed down from fathers to sons. A problem arose when Yamauchi had only daughters.  He came up with a creative solution. He adopted his son-in-law‚ who took the Yamauchi family name. Amazingly‚ the same situation played out with the next generation as well.  Expansion and New Business Ventures  With Nintendo in the hands of the third Yamauchi‚ Hiroshi Yamauchi‚ the company continued to grow. Nintendo reached out to American card companies‚ specifically the United States Playing Card Company‚ to bring their cards to the United States.  Hiroshi was unimpressed with the small American card company‚ but the next American company he would speak to would be a great success. It was none other than Disney.  In 1958‚ Disney and Nintendo brokered a deal. This let Nintendo feature Disney’s characters on their cards. This partnership was such a smashing success that Nintendo had extra capital to try their hand at producing different products.  They gave all kinds of things a shot–instant rice and vacuum cleaners among others. But the only thing that really panned out for the card company was producing children’s toys.  The last big thing to happen for the company in this period was the hiring of mechanical engineer Gunpei Yokoi. He would end up inventing many of the toys that would make Nintendo successful in the coming years.  Nintendo Toys (1966-1972) The Rise of Gunpei Yokoi  Most Japanese households were declining to buy more trading cards. Therefore‚ Nintendo turned their focus to their second most successful area of sales–toys.  Compared to other companies‚ Nintendo was still small. Toys weren’t an easy market to break into. Most of the big names of the time‚ such as Bandai‚ had been around for a long time. This made it difficult for little Nintendo to carve out a niche.  If they were going to be successful‚ they needed something different from anything else on the market. Enter their conveyor belt repairman–Gunpei Yokoi. Hiroshi Yamauchi was visiting one of the Hanafuda card factories when he spied something odd–an extending-arm toy. Nintendo was producing a few toys at the time‚ but nothing like this. Yamauchi discovered it was built by none other than one of their maintenance men‚ Gunpei Yokoi.  Charmed by the enchanting toy‚ Yamauchi hired Yokoi to create his extended arm toy as a real product for Nintendo. This toy would end up being released as the Ultra Hand.  The Ultra Hand product from Nintendo It was a runaway success for the struggling card company. Yokoi was officially moved from maintenance to toy development.  Gunpei’s background education was in electrical engineering. The toys he produced all had an electronic element to them.  This made them stand apart from the crowd since electronic toys weren’t the norm quite yet. Some of his other hits were the Ultra Machine‚ the Love Tester‚ and a programmable drum machine called the Ele-Conga.  By 1972‚ Nintendo and Gunpei knew that they could push the limit further. Video games were on the horizon‚ and Nintendo was going to be right there to meet the new wave of future toys.  Electronic Gaming  When Nintendo first dipped its toes into the video game world‚ it wasn’t with a console or even a game of their own. Instead‚ they made an accessory for the Magnavox to go along with their brand-new video game console‚ the Magnavox Odyssey.  This accessory was the light gun for the Shooting Gallery game on the Odyssey. This would be the precursor to the light gun that would be used with Nintendo’s own consoles in the future. But before Nintendo’s famous home consoles could be created‚ they began to produce arcade game cabinets. It would be in these arcade games that some of the most famous Nintendo characters would make their first appearance.   Arcade Gaming and the Nintendo Entertainment System (1972-1992) Early Arcades and Consoles  Nintendo’s first independent arcade game once again featured their light gun once again. This proto-arcade game was called the Laser Clay Shooting System. It featured figures moving behind a screen that the player could use the light gun to shoot at.  The company also got the rights to distribute the Magnavox Odyssey in Japan. At the same time‚ the company produced the first original Nintendo arcade video game‚ EVR Race.  Their next venture would be the biggest yet. Nintendo was ready to create their very own console. They called it the Color TV-Game 6. It was a bright orange console that featured very simple games like Pong‚ but it was considered a success for Nintendo. Without the Color TV-Game 6‚ there would be no NES. Shigeru Miyamoto and Game in Watch Yokoi‚ now head of the video game division of Nintendo‚ still had his hand firmly on the creation of Nintendo’s new electronic toys. His next huge success was a series of arcade games that were the first time famous characters such as Donkey Kong and Mario would appear.  But the success of these games wouldn’t have been possible without legendary video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto was the creative mind behind Donkey Kong and Mario. These colorful arcade characters and their games were soon ported to home systems.  Next was the first foray into handheld gaming systems with the Game &; Watch. The Game &; Watch games were very simple. As their name suggests‚ they featured a clock as well as the game.  Despite being small and uncomplicated‚ Game &; Watch was an unmitigated success‚ selling 43.4 million units worldwide and setting the stage for future handheld Nintendo systems.  The NES Era: Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy (1982-1995) Nintendo Entertainment Center or NES One of the most famous consoles ever released was the Family Computer‚ shortened to Famicom‚ in Japan. It was wildly popular. Nintendo jumped on this popularity‚ redesigning the Famicom for a release in the United States. In the US‚ the Famicom was branded as the Nintendo Entertainment System for a release in 1985. Just like it was in Japan‚ the NES sold unbelievably well. It outsold all other consoles on the market. By the time Super Mario Bros was released later that year‚ there was no stopping Nintendo. They were on a roll‚ and Mario was swiftly followed by Metroid and The Legend of Zelda.  This success was a surprise to everyone at the time‚ since the popularity of video games as a whole had been on a downward trend. Nintendo was just different from its competitors. It offered something that Atari‚ Magnavox‚ and other smaller companies just couldn’t provide–novelty.  Nintendo and the NES were credited for the revival of the video game market as a whole. It’s possible that without the NES‚ video games would have never reached the ubiquitous popularity they have today.  Different Nintendo console generations – from Game Boy to Switch. Game Boy and Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System  Following the success of Game &; Watch‚ Nintendo knew that they had struck gold with portable games. In 1989 Nintendo followed up Game &; Watch with the Game Boy.  Unlike competing handheld systems‚ the Game Boy was durable‚ affordable‚ and most importantly‚ came with Super Mario Land. The Nintendo success train kept on moving‚ and the Game Boy sold 118 million units.  On the heels of the Famicom‚ or the Nintendo Entertainment System as it was known in the United States‚ came its successor–the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System. These were released in 1990 and 1991 respectively.  Despite also being a commercial success‚ the SNES faced one of Nintendo’s first real competitors‚ SEGA and its Sega Genesis. And just like that‚ the first console war was on.  Flummoxed by the Genesis‚ Nintendo overreached with their next product‚ the Virtual Boy. Meant to catapult video gaming into the future‚ the Virtual Boy was marketed as a 3D console.  Unlike its predecessors‚ the Virtual Boy did not sell well. But there was more success for the company from Kyoto coming up.  The Nintendo 64‚ Game Boy Color‚ Game Boy Advance‚ and GameCube (1996-2003) From that point on‚ Nintendo’s consoles and handheld console releases came quicker than before. After the less-than-successful Virtual Boy‚ Nintendo was back on the top of their game.  The next generation of consoles were: Nintendo 64 (1996): Where the Sega Genesis had been Nintendo’s main competition in the previous generation‚ it was the Sony Playstation that threatened the Nintendo 64. Nintendo stuck with the cartridge format‚ whereas Sony’s Playstation ran CD games.  Despite CDs being the more popular format‚ the Nintendo 64 was still a win for Nintendo. Game Boy Color (1998): After Pokémon became a huge hit for the Game Boy and Nintendo‚ the Game Boy Color was released in 1998. With the new handheld system and Pokémon‚ Nintendo was at the top of the video game market once more.  Game Boy Advance (2001): Nintendo’s first full-color handheld console was the Game Boy Advance. It was significantly more powerful than its predecessors.  Gamecube (2001): In the same year as the Game Boy Advance was released‚ Nintendo released its next home console‚ the GameCube. Following up the Nintendo 64‚ the GameCube was the sixth generation home console for Nintendo‚ going up against the PlayStation 2 and the new system on the block‚ the Microsoft Xbox.  The GameCube was the first Nintendo system to use discs‚ but instead of CDs‚ it used small optical discs.  The Nintendo Wii‚ Nintendo DS‚ Nintendo 3DS and Wii U After the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance‚ which were relatively safe systems that resembled their competition‚ Nintendo decided to switch things up for the next generation of systems.  Experimenting with dual screens‚ 3D‚ and motion tracking‚ Nintendo’s next consoles would change the field of video game consoles forever.  Nintendo DS (2004): The Nintendo Dual Screen‚ shortened Nintendo DS‚ was different from any other handheld console ever released. It featured dual screens‚ one of which was also a touch screen. The Nintendo DS could also produce basic 3D graphics. Wii (2006): Nintendo’s next big swing was the Wii‚ and it was a home run. The public loved the motion tracking controllers’ library of fun titles meant for family and group play. Xbox and Playstation were targeting more serious‚ adult audiences‚ and the market was prime for a console like the Wii to be a smash hit. Nintendo 3DS (2011): The follow-up to the DS was the Nintendo 3DS‚ which had improved 3D graphics. The 3DS would be Nintendo’s flagship handheld console for over a decade. Wii U (2012): On the other end of the spectrum was the Wii U‚ the successor to the Wii and Nintendo’s worst-selling home console of all time. It featured a gamepad with a screen that worked as an advanced controller. Sales of the 3DS were steady but not impressive. The Wii U turned out to be a commercial failure and Nintendo was struggling for the first time in decades.  Return to Power: The Nintendo Switch Nintendo knew it was time to take another risk. This risk could make or break the company. They knew that somewhere between the popular Wii and the failing Wii U‚ there was a sweet spot of what gamers really wanted from Nintendo.  Despite the odds‚ they managed to pinpoint this spot. In 2017‚ Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch. The hybrid console could switch effortlessly between television play and handheld play‚ and features removable “joy-con” controllers.  Amazingly‚ the Switch was more than a rebound for Nintendo–it was a rebirth. The Nintendo Switch is the company’s current system‚ as well as holding the title of Nintendo’s best-selling console of all time.  References “The Traditional Beauty Of Nintendo’s Playing Cards” https://kotaku.com/nintendo-japan-hanafuda-cards-beauty-gambling-tradition-1848724872 “Nintendo: 8 Weird Products They Made Before Video Games” https://gamerant.com/nintendo-8-weird-products-they-made-before-video-games/ “All About/Nintendo;As the Craze Cools‚ A Youth-Based Industry Matures” https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/29/business/all-aboutnintendo-as-the-craze-cools-a-youthbased-industry-matures.htmlThe post Origin of the Iconic Nintendo Videogame Brand first appeared on History Defined.