[Skulhedface]

The biggest thing is that Nintendo has much more powerful competition this time around. In the 80s, it only had fellow video game companies to compete with (Sega, SNK, etc.) But in the new millenium Nintendo the video game empire is taking on two of the biggest technological empires on the planet, "We Make Everything From TVs To Kitchen Sinks Now" Sony and "You Just Landed On Boardwalk With A Hotel" Microsoft. I think Nintendo realizes this, and is taking the initiative by hammering the only market they KNOW they can milk for all it's worth (The Children, Them Sugar Rushed Bastards That Gotta Catch Em All!) The stakes are much higher, and in my opinion it looks like Microsoft is already trying their Monopoly scheme again (In case you didn't know, Rare, the company behind the Donkey Kong games and Killer Instinct, was bought up by the Big Daddy Gates)

Of course, Nintendo has been the premiere name brand of video games and has more name value in the videogame market than Sony or Microsoft. But they're gaining.

Nintendo's BIGGEST hope is Japan, where reception to the Xbox was lackluster at best. If they can top the competition in Japan, there's still hope yet. Getting exclusivity for Resident Evil didn't hurt either, I suppose.