Pictonico! means Nintendo is making mobile games again. Why?

Nintendo has released Pictonico!, a new smartphone microgame collection, marking a cautious return to mobile after years of relative quiet.

The company also launched Hello, Mario! and Fire Emblem Shadows over the past year, signaling that mobile is back in the mix.

Rather than a broad free-to-play push, Nintendo appears to be using smartphones as a selective way to extend and reinforce its brands.