Nintendo is defiant that it will return to profit this year after reporting a mammoth and first ever annual operating loss of 37.3 billion yen – that's $459 million.

Sales of the Japanese firms Wii gaming consoles are shrinking to say the least, and their 3DS handheld device - which was launched in February last year - hasn't exactly been setting the world alight either.

It's sure to be something of a blow to the firm which started by making playing cards in the back streets of Kyoto over 120 years ago. But Nintendo's boss, Satoru Iwata, blames the poor sales on a strong yen and the economic cloud in Europe.

So it's pinning its hopes on the Wii's successor – the Wii U – which we'll see just in time for Christmas. It'll be interesting to see if that can turn its fortunes around.