Topic: Is a big problem in the Wii U's line up the lack of Divsertiy.

So we know for the most part third parties aren't coming back to the platform anytime soon other than token efforts like Skylanders or Scribblenauts. Now this leaves Nintendo in a place where they have to be able to cover most bases by themselves. So it brings in a interesting question if Nintendo's output has become too homogenized at this point in time Look at the first party Wii U games thus far

New Super Mario Bros. U
Nintendo Land
Sing Party

2013
Lego City Undercover
New Super Luigi U
Game & Wario
Pikmin 3
The Wonderful 101
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
Wii Party U
Wii Fit U
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Super Mario 3D World
Art Academy: SketchPad
Pokemon Rumble U
Wii Sports Club - Tennis
Wii Sports Club - Bowling
Wii Sports Club - Golf
NES Remix
Dr.Luigi

Not even arguing the merits of IP abuse, but I find it interesting that in the Wii U's first year alone we got so many games of similar typings coming from the same publisher. No doubt this was a move to capitalize on what made the Wii a success (Platformers, Party Games, etc). But it doesn't really do much in the regard of making the platform attractive than having multiple titles that compete with each other on the surface level or deeper

Now i'm not saying Nintendo should make shooters (though a star fox in the vein of GOW would be rad), but the Wii U's support cycle is heavily mirroring that of the N64 a system that was able to hold its own while having a diverse line up of games.

This year is looking much better for the company, but I wonder how up to the task Nintendo is too keep of with such a big advantage in the face of droughts, the other two big systems won't face.

I think this is why Nintendo is looking to partner up with more companies in an effort to have more variety (such as Hyrule Warriors) and devs familar with the Wii U

Maybe, but it's really just a symptom of the big problem; a lack of games in general.

@DefHalan

I agree which Is why I said this year is looking much better.

Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
Mario Kart 8
Yan Yoshi
Super Smash brothers Wii U
X
Bayonetta 2
Hyrule Warriors
Wii Sports Club Baseball

I don't think lack of diversity is the problem, by this time next year, they'll have platformers, racing games, fighting games, beat em ups, RPGs, etc. They're fine on that. The problem is that the games just aren't interesting, they don't take advantage of the Wii U Gamepad very well, and several of them are vanilla sequels to existing Nintendo games. What the Wii U's lineup needs is fresh ideas and gameplay mechanics, not necessarily different genres.

You know, I would have agreed with you until I actually looked at the list. I don't see "so many games of similar types."

I count...
(1) Open World
(1) 2D Platformer
(3) Mini-game collections (4 if you want to count Remix instead of where I count it)
(2) RTS
(1) Remade Zelda Game
(1) Fitness App
(1) 3D Platformer
(1) Art App
(1) Button masher / RPG-lite
(3) Wii Sports ports (arguably three parts of one title, but either way, there ya go)
(1) Retro Challenge Collection
(1) Puzzle Game

The WiiU has its issues, but diversity from Nintendo's own titles isn't one of them.

That's a good way of looking at it I guess. I admit I saw it like this

3 Platformers
2 RTS styled games
4 Mini game collections
An HD remake of Zelda
1 Open World game
4 arguable remakes of Wii Software
1 puzzle game

Maybe its the Nostalgic side of me but I find it pretty far away from the diversity of the N64 or Gamecube era. Where you had a game like Mario 64 launching alongside a pilot wings or a Golden eye.

Hell I'd wager that the only reason i'm scrutinizing Nintendo's output is lack of third party support to really cover it up. Either that or i'm probably asking too much for one company to do. My main beefs of wanting Older and New IP fostered conflict with the fact that I don't think the system can handle any more droughts.

Philip is right. The list does not make sense with the title. It proves the opposite. Maybe the OP is saying that Nintendo makes "cartoon-like" centered games. That would make more sense. Although it is hard to find videogames without cartoon characters. After all, they were "all" featured for example in the same cartoon like environment of that ridiculous Smash Bros. clone.

Nintendo still make great platformers, a great racer, a great beat 'em up, great adventure rpgs, a great real time strategy game, great party games, great sports games, and a great what ever Wonderful 101 is classified as (action/walk along/beat em up?) if Nintendo has a weakness, they don't make realistic games. You could also argue that if Nintendo was producing the same sort of games as Assassin's Creed and COD, they would be competing with Assassin's Creed and COD, and would probably beat them at their own game (on the Wii U). If these titles went away, then Nintendo would have to try to diversify.

the PS and Xbox have a lot of Sandbox games, FP Shooters, Sports, and realistic Car racing games- mostly made by third parties. But they don't have much in the way of zanier, 'kids' titles. Now ask the question: is the big problem with Sony's and Microsoft's line ups that they lack diversity?

@Shinji_70 - The Nintendo 64 never had diversity, everything was either a platformer or a shooting game, with a few fighting games and racing games here and there. Plus 2 or 3 Adventure games. The Gamecube had diversity, but only because Nintendo only did one or two of everything, and it took quite a while.

I'd honestly say the Wii U has had more diversity in a short span of time than any of the last 3 Nintendo consoles that came before it...

PS4 and Xbone don't have nearly as much variety as Wii U, yet they are clearly doing fine. I rest my case.

Well just by having third party support they both will have it. Looking at the responses I think my main problem stems from a Lack of diversity in Genre than it is in actual IP usage. That or I want Nintendo to not be Nintendo I guess.

Take Donkey Kong Country TF, If I were running NCL Retro would have been making in something in the vein of Metroid or Star Fox, maybe even bringing back the old Raven Blade concept.

Yes they are clearly doing fine because both of these companies have built up a great reputation over the last 2 generations gaming wise. The Gamecube was great and the Wii had its fair share of great games but when you compare them to the PS2/PS3 and the Xbox/Xbox 360, there is a clear winner in terms of diversity. I'm not trying to knock on Nintendo, they make the best first party games in the business without a doubt but the fact is they cant release enough of them per year to justify having almost no third party support. Also I don't think its exactly fair to compare the Xbox One and PS4 gaming libraries to the Wii U considering they haven't even been out for 3 months, just like it wasn't fair to compare the Wii U to the PS3/Xbox 360.

It seems with third party's everyone is so worried about the same five company's supporting the console. Even if it's not announced I can promise you we will see some third party support. I'm banking on xseed and askys to shine very bright on this platform when they are ready. I also expect others everyone seems to forget about.

But Xseed and Axsys work on niche games and boast of those developers are targeting PlayStation consoles so its a bit of a moot point.

I think people are comaining about the same devs (number more than 5) because that's where most of the market goes to.

I'm pretty sure you are more likely to see Xseed and Aksys working on 3DS or Vita than on Wii U........

I know everyone loves to follow the "Wii U has no third party support" mantra but aren't we forgetting the third party support the Wii U did get in 2013? Saying that it lacked shooters, fighters and racers last year ignores the fact that it got CoD, Injustice and NFS. It also got Dues Ex, Assassin's Creed, Batman and Rayman. Then there are indie games like Bit Trip Runner, Mutant Mudds, Toki Tori, Knytt and The Cave.

If that's not enough variety..........

. Both of the company's I mentioned put games on the wii long after it was dead. The last non shovelware release actually came from xseed but I'm sure you know this I'm also sure you know that they released games on both ps3 and wii constantly. Even when the ps3 was considered dead. Xbox 360 only received one title from them I think. Could be wrong. Also what's wrong with niche?

The lack of diversity can be pointed at the fact that AAA titles of the "mature" and "brocore" field are overflooding the market which is making it impossible for good games (even niche ones) to see a decent profit thus why most potential ones often see digital release (case in point the recent Ace Attorney game and Order Up! on the 3DS)

Gamers today are mostly to blame for today's gaming woes
Why else are we seeing endless CoD clones and once good IPs deviating so vastly just to get the big bucks from the gamers that ONLY play CoD (i.e. Dead Rising 3)?

you can't do that. Because that would require gamers to admit they are part of the problem and they are too pathetic to do so.