Dengeki Software Sales for 2002!

[Dark Jaguar]

Nintendo does do backwards compatibility, with the GBC and the GBA for instance (though the GBC was such a minor change that NOT making it backwards compatible would be suicidal), but as is known, the 'cube is not a cartridge system, and putting a slot on there would be silly. Of course, this doesn't excuse Nintendo's lack of backwards compatible thinking BEFORE the GBC, the SNES should have been NES compatible, and thus the N64 should have been SNES/NES compatible. Heck, they could still be selling NES and SNES classics in their original format if they just did that from the start! Well, they did stop with GB and some GBC game production even though the GBA can easily play those... In any case, with the future formats using a "laser" now, they can do backwards cube compatibility. We all know Nintendo at least announced they are working on the next system already, the question is to what degree... Would they be willing to cut back on some power features just to get it out in the same week as the PS3? They would really have to get it out on that week, hopefully same day, to really tie with Sony. They would also need to do that in BOTH Japan and US territories. Europe is smelly so they don't count (yeesh, only recently is the dentist getting the credit s/he deserves there, bunch of anti-dentites). Anyway, it's pretty certain that until a really major format change, backwards compatibility will be a mainstay. Hopefully all three companies will keep the easy to design for ideals (PS2 did horribly, but at least Nintendo and MS did well, keeping them stocked in 3rd parties I think), thus making them all ideal development platforms. Also hopefully, everyone will include some sort of online adaptor (hopefully, BOTH broadband and narrowband from the start), AND a hard drive already in the system (for that matter, correcting an MS design flaw and making it a removable HD, that can be replaced with seperatly buyable HD at the store).