Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story Season 1 Episode 5 Reset Button

Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story is a documentary series that focuses on the rise of Nintendo's gaming empire. In season 1 episode 5, titled "Reset Button," the story centers around the struggles that Nintendo faced in the early 2000s after the GameCube failed to gain significant traction in the market.

The episode opens with a brief history of Nintendo's success in the gaming industry, including the launch of the NES and Super Nintendo. However, during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nintendo began to struggle with the emergence of new competitors in the market, such as Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox.

The episode then focuses on the development and release of the GameCube, which was seen as a risk for Nintendo as it abandoned the conventional cartridge format. Despite positive reviews from critics, the GameCube failed to capture the same level of success as its predecessor consoles. This resulted in dwindling profits and a significant loss in market share for Nintendo.

To combat these issues, Nintendo began to explore new and innovative ways to revamp their gaming consoles. One such innovation was the creation of the Wii, which utilized motion control technology and became a new phenomenon in the gaming world. This new approach to gaming, of using the entire body to interact with the game, helped Nintendo to reinvent itself and regain its place in the market.

"Reset Button" also features interesting interviews with key figures who witnessed the development of Nintendo's gaming consoles. We see excerpts featuring Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of legendary game series, Super Mario and Zelda, as he talks about the philosophy behind Nintendo's innovative approach to gaming. Other interviews with industry insiders provide a glimpse into the impact that Nintendo's consoles had on the gaming industry.

Overall, "Reset Button" is an engaging episode that sheds light on some of the obstacles that Nintendo faced throughout its history, and how the company tried to overcome them. It is a fascinating look at the video game industry and the ways in which innovation and creativity can drive a business forward.