According to the article, they could actually complement each other nicely: Ninty can thrive where Apple would struggle, Apple thrives where Ninty doesn't want to go. Keeping the brand separated should avoid problems to both, while Apple could receive some Ninty games for Apple platforms, but to be sold at far higher prices than 99¢. For no reasons Apple would ever destroy what it paid tens billions $, but owning it it could benefit as much as possible from it, while, as the new master, avoiding dangerous overlappings, a thing that now it can't be sure about, it's just not happening now, but nothing is granted for the future. Anyway, IMVHO, for Apple buying Ninty would make a lot more sense than buying Sony, that could be a far better purchase for Samsung, LG, or other consumer electronics giants.

Edit:

Currently broken, but with huge potential to get things right again, the right moment to buy at as little as possible, fix what's wrong and make a huge profit and market expansion.

It would only make sense for Apple if Nintendo was in a growing industry with a growing market share. Currently Apple market share in the gaming industry is growing without much support.

If you want to know if this makes sense take a look at Nintendo's profit and do a rough estimate on how long it would take to pay off the cost of purchasing Nintendo. If it's 5+ years it will never happen and last I heard Nintendo lost money last quarter.

I am sure Yamauchi would tell them to suck his balls.

I guess the reason these articles keep popping up every few years is that people will never be satisfied with Nintendo being "different" and not conforming to standards in hardware, software or services, so they want someone to go in and fix them.
TBH if any company ever ended up buying Nintendo, I would much rather they make use of that extra support in order to go in even weirder oddball directions, rather than try to become "normal".

If you want a more mainstream experience just buy a Wii and a 360, it's still cheaper than what a hypothetical "Pippiin" would cost you

not so long a go apple was bying Sony lol how things have changed

Summer is a slow period, truly.

Apple's trying to take over the world, starting with Nintendo!!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

I would not mind because I dislike both apple and nintendo. :P

Good objection, estimating whether the investment is worthy would be very difficult, first Apple should predict how much its cash will be devaluated (or the net value of its interests reduced) by the current crisis if it's not invested, then it should estimate whether current Ninty problems, that drove its shares down, can be solved easily, with better management, advertising and marketing, or if they'll require further investments and resources, then there are assets to be evaluated too, then there's also the possible opposite problem that if Ninty shares are currently undervalued due to excessive, hysterical stock market reactions, even a plausible rumour of a bid by Apple could drive them up again as fast, making the investment totally unprofitable... In the end the financial aspects of the deal could really be the trickiest.