There are a LOT of possibilities (and some are pretty dire).
(Image credit: Wii)
The Nintendo Wii logo isn't one of the most exciting logos of all time, but it does the job. It's simple, it's recognisable and there's something quite pleasing about the dots on the 'i's. The name Wii is perhaps more controversial, but it has stuck.
But it all could've been quite different. This week, the Nintendo Memories Twitter account shared pages from a 2007 Nintendo company handbook featuring unused designs for the Nintendo Wii console logo.
There are a lot of them, and some of them are, let's just say, rather outlandish. We're not sure any of them would make our best logos list. It's also interesting to think about how a change to the Wii logo might've affected the Nintendo brand. Would Nintendo Switch deals be so popular if Nintendo had gone for one of these options for the Wii?
There's quite a lot to unpack here. There are people holding hands, docking together, there are multiple dots, there's some slanty typography action. It's quite hard to decide on a favourite (we're leaning towards some of the orange ones, but that might just be because they tie in with the Creative Bloq branding), although it is easy to see why some were rejected.
The thread has gone down a storm with gaming fans, with users pointing to their favourite designs that never were. See just a few opinions below.
this one is awesome, it looks like a wiimote being swung around and it even has the player number dots pic.twitter.com/nj4oWkawPyJanuary 28, 2021
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some personal highlights for me include: 1) "who hired the guy who designed the sony vaio logo"2) "hey apple can i copy your homework?" 3) wrr. ~wrr.~4) "let's lean into the whole 'channel' thing" pic.twitter.com/9v4G4SXqPoJanuary 28, 2021
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This one's cute. They're holding hands ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dGRu9G7lRHJanuary 28, 2021
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What do you think? Which is your favourite? Would the Nintendo Wii have been the Wii if one of these other designs had been chosen? How might a different logo have changed things for gamers, and for Nintendo?
You can explore more about the world of logo design in our guide, and while you're at it, why not check out where to find logo design inspiration, too.
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Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.
