New York Times interviews Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, and Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Interesting discussion about the strategy and novel direction the Wii is taking.
Strong franchises with recognizable characters has always been Nintendo's strong suit. Wikipedia puts together a comprehensive list of the famous and obscure.
Gamespot article recounting Nintendo's beginnings as a hanafuda card manufacturer in 1889, its transformation into a electronic gaming powerhouse and right up to the present.