Of all those games, Call of Duty and Battlefied, included, Mario Kart is the only one that makes sense in terms of the article.

THAT GAME will make anyone want to kill people.

I want to be able to buy Marvel tables. If I can do that, I'll plop down money for each one. If not, I'll get this and content myself with the freebies, most likely.

Very exciting news, though, and I hope to see a few more games (not all, but a few where it is fitting) take advantage of this business model.

Maybe Pokemon could work for this... but you'd have a hard time convincing anyone to buy Ratata when they can just purchase ubers and be done with it. And shelling out the money for 650+ 'mon is a LOT more than however many Skylanders there are.

Even if you just made the basic, unevolved versions purchaseable and even if you scaled prices by power and made rarer pokemon into rarer toys, it just wouldn't sell. It doesn't put everyone on the same level playing field as the games do, and Nintendo would never go for that.

@rjejr: I'm not necessarily referring to your spin-off comment with a limited Pokemon set. That would certainly be a lot more likely. I've just also heard a LOT of people talking about how this should be applied to the Pokemon main series. People who I don't think have actually given any thought to the idea at all outside of, "Collectable characters? Oh, boy, Pokemon!"

I think it was a mistake not to have more heavy advertisement as many others have pointed out, but...

I think the much bigger problem was the late launch. The thing launched so close to Christmas, you only got one rush. In the optimal scenario, you get two, one actually at launch, and the other sales rush for the holidays. Additionally, that holiday boost is bigger because it's had time to sink into the market, and people tell their friends about it, undecided customers get to try them and you get to add a couple more games to the catalog.

Had Wii U launched in September, this would have been a much different news article I woke up to this morning.

I'm at least interested. It wouldn't replace a 3DS for me, but it would complement one. If the price is low enough, I may very well consider it at some point.

Disney Smash Bros. has a lot of potential... but kind of like TMNT Battle Royale, without the right developer, like, I dunno... HAL, it would probably fail to capture the same magic as Smash. If Sakurai were to make a Smash Bros. game with Disney characters, though, I'd be all over that.

I apologize if this is a dumb question, but I've only ever owned Nintendo systems, so I am a bit ignorant.

Is piracy not an equal problem on other consoles? Or is it just Nintendo's that get gutted and toyed with?

For those of you who don't like the "Retro," here's another option.

http://www.decalgirl.com/skins/147702/Nintendo-Wii-U-Skin-Retro

And THIS is the one I'll likely be getting. The premium Wii U bundle was the one with all the features I wanted, but I wanted the white console. So this will be my compromise. Similarly, there is a black one, if you have the white and wanted black.

http://www.decalgirl.com/skins/148691/Nintendo-Wii-U-Skin-Solid-State-White

So... this is Farmville U? Essentially?

What do the golden mushrooms do?

Really interesting graphical approach there. The sprites look so out of place in the scenery... I almost kind of love it... but I'm not sure.

Why should it have to be drastically different? I can no longer play F-Zero GX (the best BY FAR) once the Wii U comes out, so I want one I can play. That's it. Make it fast. Make it pretty. Make cool tracks. And make it smooth. That's it.

@Raylax: NintendoLand.

This has been my number 1 most anticipated game since its WiiWare announcement. I LOVE this genre and this atmospheric style.

Unfortunately, I let a friend borrow my 3DS... six months ago... and then she moved. I still haven't seen it and until I do... can't play this game...

Nope. Still buying for the local multiplayer.

The idea is fine. PETA is targeting kids who play these games, though. And the kids who play these games realize what the games make clear: that pokemon, being different from animals, enjoy fighting and enjoy the bonds they form with their trainer in doing so. The trainer gives them purpose and fulfillment. And they also enjoy being inside pokeballs. The rare few that don't (like Ash/Red's pikachu) have shown themselves more than capable of breaking free. It's not a cage, it's a home; they're not captured against their will, they submit when a trainer proves himself worthy of them.

I could see Sony coming away with something from all this... but never winning on all counts. Tortious interference is difficult to prove, even based only on a preponderance of evidence.

I don't think many companies could start it up and do justice to the established competition. But if Kindle were to make an eShop (both 3DS and Wii U) app... I mean, they're already wonderful on iOS and Android, so why not? THAT, I would download quickly.

Looks very action-y. How much exploration is there? Is it legitimately Metroidvania or is it more Castlevania NES?

@Varia01: I love gyro aiming. But I really hope we don't ever see anyone try to implement it with the GamePad. It will have good gyro uses. NOT shooter aiming. Try grabbing a plate (or other flat ~12" object) out of your kitchen and pretending it's a gun and shoot things in your house. It's just not intuitive.

Seeing as how you guys are the one saying there could be a remake, it's not really a rumor. The rumor starts with you.

That said, it's probably not even that. I'd be willing to bet it's simply a routine updating of property trademarks.

I found a R.O.B. by complete accident a few years ago. I don't have a NES or any controllers, but as a Smash player who specializes in the character, I do have him sitting above my TV charging his gyro.

I'm with GameCube on Shulk. The game, perhaps, never got the widespread exposure it deserved, but a Xenoblade sequel (or prequel) would be great and could happen if Smash gives the game a bit of the spotlight. They could pretty easily replace Ike with him, as well (similar fighting styles/swords) and give us a new Fire Emblem character... like one with an axe or lance or magic (even though I love Ike as a character, more gameplay variety is never bad).

@zezhyrule: Whoa. Easy, man. Regardless of your opinion of the magazine and its quality, that's people's jobs you're talking about there. This is sad news, not only for the industry history the publication represents, but because it means everyone involved is about to lose their livelihood. Being in the news industry, I feel for them and their families right now. They put out a pretty solid product and sadly, these kinds of things are ultimately just out of their hands.

I have a lot of good memories with that magazine. I no longer subscribe, but only because I don't have a mailbox at the moment. When I got it, I always looked forward to reading their features and I trusted their reviews, and used to take them hand-in-hand with NintendoLife's before I ever bought a game.

Good news. More people should add significant changes to their "ports," giving people a reason to actually buy them or rebuy them without feeling slighted.

I will get this game almost regardless... especially if I enjoy the original I just won. A level editor would be a HUGE addition, though, and would GREATLY amplify my longterm enjoyment of the game.

I can't believe I had that many spelling errors. Kinda embarrassing.

Very awesome, though. Thanks, Two Tribes!

Well, we've never seen them barefoot. They could very well all still have robotic lower legs... just with boots put on over to look less jarring/perhaps help with running over rough terrain.

Ignoring the quite possible Rolling Western 2...

Could it be Miyamoto's new IP project?

You guys really leapt off the diving board with this one. I mean, I read through it all the way, so that says something about the entertainment value, but... tighten down them head screws. Haha

The Wario Wars idea, though... Yeah, I'd actually play the heck out of that.

Cool. i think you should post several of the top choices, even anonymously if needed, just for kicks and giggles. I'll be interested in seeing what some of the responses were.

Traditional controls? As in... joysticks and buttons? Like the ones on the GamePad?

Much better than a poll question everyone will get right.

Will you be posting the winning answer?

In other news, I never picked up the retail version but always meant to, so I'll probably download this when it lands. Looks fantastic.

Wait... isn't that one TINY warp pipe?

Not for Wii U?

Why do you do this to yourself Nintendo? Non-commitment is not a good look for you.

These decks (or taglines or whatever you want to call them) just keep getting better.

And here I thought losing James might hurt amount of laughs I get from NL news articles.

@Miroku: Did you just imply that you think there will be Xbox and PS3 versions? Are you outside your mind?

I don't want several. But I have no problem with having third party characters. I love the variety Snake and Sonic brought to Brawl. I wish they would stay and that a few more would be added. I don't want an influx of some particular third party, though. If Namco's to be represented, great, but don't do many and make them varied. At most, I'd be game for PacMan, Heihachi or Yoshimitsu Tekken (or Panda, who would probably fit in the game the best), Nightmare (Soul Calibur) and Lloyd (Tales of Symphonia 1 &2). Four characters, five maximum. Beyond that it will feel more like a Capcom Vs. game (albeit without Capcom) than a Smash Bros. game.

To translate: "We like making money. So if the Wii U takes off like it's the reinvention of bread and it sells 100 million worldwide in a month or two, then yeah, we'll probably port it. Otherwise, I don't think it will be worth the time and money investment to get it running on the system. So yeah, it could happen. Don't rule it out."

I'm with him on this one. I think the XL will boost sales. Considerably so, in fact. And now, don't get me wrong, I don't think that the 3DS is or will be a failure, either. I don't think handhelds are going away just yet.

I don't think, however, that the 3DS will ever have the success of the DS or the GBA or the GameBoy. And I think handhelds will continue to fall slowly in terms of sales numbers. The 3DS XL, while it will move more 3DS consoles, won't be any sort of kickstart for the system and won't send it's sales figures into orbit like previous Nintendo handhelds.

On the other hand, I don't think Nintendo ever thought it would become the MUST-HAVE item in gaming. Just a solid boost. Nothing more, nothing less. Pachter may be putting words in their mouth in interpreting it that way, but his literal words aren't incorrect this time. As I see things, anywho.

If we're only getting one, I hope it's 4, because I probably won't buy 3G.

Never played the game, so I have no idea how it's done, but these screen shots remind me of Link's Awakening...

I saw the picture on the homepage on got really excited.

Then I saw the headline.

YOU BIG TEASE!

@LittleIrves: Sure, but most chalk that up to the timing and lack of marketing. BG&E is NOW pretty well regarded, however. It has a very dedicated fanbase and a LOT of core gamers looking intensely at what a sequel could offer. I think that could be the game to really change minds if it somehow were to come.

@ajcismo: If Nintendo were to SOMEHOW work out an exclusivity deal for Beyond Good and Evil 2... the Wii U would begin jumping off of shelves and into shopping carts almost on its own.

You know... it's not hard to get a license to carry a tazer. Nor are they really all that expensive, though that's probably not a major factor for royalty, anyway. Why is Peach not armed at this point? I mean, a pistol is pretty easy to get a hold of. I would totally play a game where the unarmed plumber bros get 'napped and Peach goes on a rampage capping koopas in the face.

New Super Gangsta Princess... Bros.

I just hope it contains all the modes of the other two consoles AND the extra features. The Wii U is a more advanced system. Maybe not by a whole lot, but it's still stronger. There's no reason at all why it couldn't have as much content and more and I'll start getting really worries about the system's future if it starts off by getting lesser ports of PS360 games.