True or False--The handheld consoles kept Nintendo alive?

[Lee]

Lets look, we'll go to the late 90's Sega has just released the DreamCast, Nintendo was struggling with the N64 failing behind the PS1. Then we got to 2001, the GameCube was launched and with the PS2 storming the front Nintendo looked to be ruined. As the years went on thoughts of the Wii came, it was written off, it did suprisingly well. Good stuff. How does that relate to anything though?

The year is 2001, the GameBoyAdvance is released, this console sells over 60million...before that we had the GameBoyColor which sold over 50million. This compared to the Cubes 22million and the N64's 33million. They were beaten by handheld consoles, and this really helped Nintendo out during those dark days.

So I ask...without the GBC and GBA would Nintendo have done a Sega or did they have the future sorted?

 

[Phoenix]

Well you could look back and say that Nintendo MADE the handheld consoles work which is why they remain the supremists in handheld gaming, naturally the main Gameboy came out when the NES was about halfway through its run in 1989/90 so it really gave a further spark to Nintendo's first start out to produce the SNES.

So it does seem that this was the effective way they got the sales in when they first brought out the original Gameboy, it makes sense that it would be the Gameboys again that save Nintendo if sales are having trouble, especially with the Colour and Advanced versions for the N64 and GC. Now, look at them with the Wii and DS, they've been on an uber-roll because they have managed to make their handhelds (and consoles) adaptable to all generations.

But had Nintendo failed via the N64/GC. I think they wouldn't have ****ed themselves off like Sega, but they would be solely handheld based until they got themselves back into the mix really.