The WiiU being a hybrid console doesn't actually have to game using "dual screens" it can just run all it's games on the handheld and simply switch between the TV and handheld with the press of a button. (Get it, Switch?)

That is the foundation of the entire Switch's crux on what made it a success.

The Switch's game library largely consisted of copies/ports of the WiiU's titles which became some of the best selling games of all time and in Nintendo's history. I.E. Mario Kart 8, Breath of the Wild, Super Mario 3D World, Hyrule Warriors, Xenoblade Chronicles, Captain Toad, Tokyo Mirage, Tropical Freeze and more.

The majority of Switch's first party library is new titles. There are a number of Wii U games, (why waste great games on a failed console after all) but it doesn't "largely consist" of them technically.

Right you are, I thought the DSi preceded WiiWare by a few months, but it was the opposite.

Wii laid the groundwork closing the gap between mobile and (non power chasing) consoles. If the Wii and subsequently WiiU hadn't been behind PS4 and XBox One, it would not have been that easy to put WiiU games on the Switch for a second chance. (Or get BotW as a launch game)

Nintendo focused on the dual screen use and asynchronous multiplayer with the WiiU. It's not groundbreaking to launch a 'failed' device. Then it's either the Switch (salvaging the working part of the WiiU as a handheld that can also be connected to a TV) or the Wii setting the trend to make it possible for the mobile and console division to be merged into one. 


Wii is also groundbreaking for other reasons, mainly for tapping into the blue ocean and make video games easy / approachable for different generations, games the whole family can enjoy. That trend continued as well, 1-2 Switch for example was a hit for my younger kids to play with their grand parents. But then Switch kinda abandoned the blue ocean again, or the blue ocean lost interest.

NES single-handedly resurrected the video game industry in the west

USA. 

I never experienced a 'crash' in Europe. Happily playing on Atari, MSX, C64 at the time.

Switch actually has quite a few blue ocean/casual/expanded audience successes; Ring Fit Adventure, Switch Sports, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Suika Game...

NES, hands down.
Saving console market and setting a new standard for gaming. Nothing comes close to what NES did.

I mean, maybe Playstation 2/Xbox 360 can be compared to Nes? But still, we are focusing on Nintendo systems, and NES is king when It comes to "being" groundbreaking system.

Just look at your controller, It still carries NES Dpad.

Well. If you are a WiiU owner it's a waste of a purchase unless you like the resolution/framerate bump, so for those who were "loyal" Nintendo fans, they certainly got screwed over.

But without a doubt, some of the Switch's most popular (Actually THE most popular) games were from the WiiU, Mario Kart 8 and Breath of the Wild were dominant titles.

The Switch and Switch 2 are Handhelds first and foremost... And in the handheld space, Nintendo has literally never chased power, they were always a generation or two behind their competitors.

The WiiU had "dual screen" capability, but it's support was rubbish, it's main use-case simply gaming on the tablet instead of the TV and switching between the TV or tablet mode.

Wii was basically a gamecube in every aspect, even the motion controls were originally developed for the Gamecube originally, but never reached the consumer market... And when the Gamecube failed to achieve significant marketshare, Nintendo *had* to change it's strategy... So why not simply re-use what has already been invested? And it worked.

3DS because 3D. Like, I know whatever fad the industry had didn't take off but having not experienced 3D HD games when they were a thing, I'm sad we have more power and better TVs than every before and the technology has gone... and yet there was Nintendo adding it to a small handheld device.