Pokemon is one of Nintendos biggest franchises ever. But it is a franchise that recieved massive sales during nintys most turbulent years. It is the game that effectivley sold the Gameboy colour and advance, keeping it's dominance in the handheld market, which has carried it to where it is now. IMO if pokemon had never existed ninty would be a software company now.

still using almost the same engine from GB's day, it still sales on DS like no tomorrow.

but where NIntendo be without Pokemon? Just look at where Nintendo is without FF.

I disagree with the last sentence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But Nintendo wouldn't be a popular right now. Who knows, something like that maybe could have made the Wii not exist! and instead Nintendo created a different console which a lot of people hate/like/love. I don't know.

Did they? huh that's interesting

Pokemon kept the original Gameboy platform solevent for more years then it should have been.

While no one can say for sure wether they would have left the game, I agree with the original thought in the first post that the Pokemon fanchiase alone did save Nintendo from the Sega route.

Sometimes it takes just 1 original IP to make a company succeed or fail.

It's hard to imagine they would be so dominant in handhelds without the Poke games...

They would be the same in the console business. For handhelds they would still be dominant, its not all about Pokemon but the game does sell a lot.

are you meaning before or after the games became 1st party titles? the GB/GBA titles were 2nd party so Nintendo didnt make as much as they did off each game sold.

I realise gamefreak are second party, but the game shifted a good portion of Gameboys

Pokemon, Mario, The legend of Zelda and Metroid are Nintendo. Without one of them Nintendo disappears.