Nintendo Dolphin? Microsoft MARZ? The embarrassing first attempts that almost happened
Revolution
You know it as: Wii
After two sound defeats at retail (sorry N64/GC fans), Nintendo needed something big to get gamers excited again. More and more were flocking to Xbox while PS2 continued its uninterrupted dominion over all of Gameland. The first hint Nintendo gave about its next system, that it was codenamed "Revolution," almost became an instant legend. Could this be Nintendo's big comeback? Will the past 10 years of staunch loyalty be rewarded?
Whether or not you consider Wii a reward, it's kicking everyone's ass up into their collective necks. It was first dubbed "Wii" on April 27, 2006. - we covered it here. Nintendo had this to say about the change:
"Wii has a distinctive 'ii' spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play. And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video games that sets it apart from the crowd. So thats Wii. But now Nintendo needs you. Because, its really not about you or me. Its about Wii. And together, Wii will change everything"
Color Game Boy
Before we head off, let's take a second to point out how Nintendo's many codenames actually appear on the games you buy. Some of you probably already know about the codes that appear on the boxes, but if not, here's a little Easter egg session.
Game Boy Color was known as Color Game Boy before the adjective jumped to the end of the title. Here it is on a typical GBC game.
Dolphin (again)
GameCube, formerly known as Dolphin, makes its presence known via a "DOL" stamp.
Nitro (redux)
The DS, once Nitro, slaps NTR at the beginning.
Revolution (reprise)
And finally, Wii gives a microscopic shout-out to what was considered a revolution.
No more codenames, but here's some console-ation
Any we've missed? What's your favorite console codename? Do you think any of these names would've done better at retail than the final machine monikers?
A fomer Executive Editor at GamesRadar, Brett also contributed content to many other Future gaming publications including Nintendo Power, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. Brett has worked at Capcom in several senior roles, is an experienced podcaster, and now works as a Senior Manager of Content Communications at PlayStation SIE.
