It's difficult for Nintendo to decide what's cool because they're a Japanese company who has an international appeal. Many other game companies focus their products towards limited regions and demographics. Even franchises like Sonic which was mostly developed in Japan was made to be more American-focused. I actually like Nintendo's approach to their games. They make the games they want to make without having to worry about competing with the games of other companies. They don't try to appeal to a strict demographic or make sure they're up with the times (from a marketing point of view, not a gameplay or game design perspective). Because of this, a lot of their products have a very timeless appeal to them that transcends demographics and generations of gamers.
Compare this to a lot of games created during the PlayStation era, a lot of which are being rebooted or "reinvented" in order to appeal to a modern audience. This is the consequence of a game trying to be too cool for it's own good.
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