JimLad

Another thing that irritates me about their advertising is how they somehow make a cool game look less cool. Everything looks so safe and friendly with some idiot on a couch smiling with their fake family.
It's like they're marketing towards the parents of the child rather than the child themselves. KIDS WILL NOT THINK THAT IS COOL.
It worked for the Wii, but it is time to ditch this style of commercial.

I've seen the odd advert on TV for each new game, but they never properly advertised the hardware to explain how it works.
Off TV play is what sets the Wii U apart, they need to show that more.

This seems like a very admirable way of saying "we're selling out this christmas, up yours longtime fans"

That second picture says it all really.
"Buy all this stuff and you can be like this guy!"
"...nope"

I never thought Nintendo was doomed, but I think the Wii U is if it doesn't turn a corner this christmas.
I'd hate for them to stop making consoles because of it.
They released too early and didn't have enough ideas to make the pad worthwhile. That's all.

@PixelPerfect Couldn't agree more. If they were really serious about indie games, they'd be funding guys like this to give them exclusive games.
Of course then they'd no longer be 'indie' but you know.

I would actually like to see him do some modest downloadable titles. He could get back to his roots and create something brand new on a much smaller scale. Super Mario Bros took less than a year to make, and people still play it.

People still buy Wii's for WiiSports, Mario Kart and New Super Mario Bros alone. They don't need online, or Gamecube support or SD cards. Why not produce a system for them? It's not their fault the Wii U is being marketed so badly that people can't tell the difference.

I wouldn't trade RS2's visual style for the world, I loved it. And it had the coolest lead character of any game. I just wish the game had been longer. That online mode would have been nice too.

@Tsuchinoko It's an officially licenced sequel to River City Ransom (Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari) made by a Canadian developer. Most Kunio-kun games never make it to the west sadly, hopefully if this game is a success they might start localising more of them.

I think it will happen eventually. Once this game is released I can see it easily making enough money to secure other versions.
I can't wait to get my backer rewards.

Their family friendly image is all that's keeping them afloat right now, so I don't blame them even though this whole thing is ridiculous.

This was one of my first SNES games. The co-op was fantastic.
It's a great example of using puzzle solving and ingenuity to overcome levels rather than endlessly killing enemies.
I got more fun from those five stages than any modern AAA shooter or hack & slash.

Games come in all different genres so I think it's hard to have a 'game of the generation' not everyone likes 3D platformers.
Personally I love them and Mario Galaxy is one of the absolute best. Not the hardest game but I enjoyed every second of it, and the level design was so innovative.

"we felt that it would be difficult to hope that advertising and releasing our games in a standard fashion would be sufficient to create enough buzz in society."

While that quote basically sums up Nintendo's current business mantra, I can understand how it applies to WiiFit U. The game has less appeal than a diarretic camel.

I'd be scared to wear it. :/

This is why kids shouldn't be allowed on the internet, period.

@IxnayontheCK They could very well make it an optional peripheral.
We know third parties are barely doing anything with the screen, Nintendo are the only ones likely to make any use of it so what have they got to lose?

I get the feeling that Mario 3D World won't make as much impact because they've oversaturated the series recently. Once upon a time you got one new Mario adventure every four years+ and it was a truly special event. Now they're crammed down our throats so often I'm not sure the general public will care so much.

@Senario Not everyone wants a gaming PC. You need desk space to use 'better controls', and the PS4 by comparison is cheaper than buying a rig with similar specs. Not to mention you get virtually no local multiplay from PC games, and not everyone is fluent in Windows/Steam.

"the Nintendo president did confirm that company executives would review the performance of these new titles and then decide "what the company needs to do, over the long-term, about its platform"

That's promising to hear. It shows they aren't completely burying their heads in the sand.

On any other year I would say there is a chance for the Wii U...
But this year? With PS4 & Xbox One launching, and current gen systems still getting games like GTA V, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Fifa...
Not to mention Pokémon distracting all the kids...

No, I don't think it's going to happen.

I don't think they need to make completely new hardware, just re-brand what they have.
Change the name, change the look of the console, drop the tablet (but keep it optional) increase the memory, then re-release it at a budget price the same day Mario Kart is released.

They do hardware revisions on their handhelds all the time, and this way anyone that already bought a Wii U won't be shafted.

@Jazzer94 If 3DS could be played on a TV by itself I don't think we'd even need a Wii U.

That tagline says it all.

@LDXD
But they're making a loss on each console. I know the other companies do this too but they make up for it in software sold. Nintendo is not selling enough Wii U software for this to work, due to the low install base.

Like I've said many times, if you're afraid of taking risks with an established franchise, then make an entirely new franchise. God knows it's been long enough since we've had anything fresh.

It's the same story all over again. Nintendo has always gotten gimped online modes. Historically It's hurt their third party reputation almost as much as their family friendly image. The Gamecube lost out on many games that were online on Xbox and PS2. The Wii didn't help matters with it's friend codes and overly protective chat restrictions.
The problem is most people who buy Call of Duty play it online and are very serious about it. These people probably already have either a 360 or PS3, or have ordered one of the new systems. The Wii U version was never going to be a priority for them, I'm actually surprised they bothered at all.

That's great to hear, orchestrated music and Mario go together like bread and jam.

Thing is, I want a WiiU now. It just about has enough games to warrant me getting one. (If I can find a good price) But I've decided to wait until next year, because I want to make sure it has a future.
If things keep going this way in 2014 it will only be a matter of time before they pull the plug. If they move onto something else, these great games they have planned will probably be ported over. If they stick with the WiiU with these numbers then they're completely mad, but at least I'll know by then it's safe to buy one.

Second highest selling Wii U game...
1,435 copies...

I'm quite fortunate in that I still have all my old consoles and games.
But if I didn't, I still wouldn't bother with Virtual Console.
It works out cheaper to buy the actual console on ebay and I can play games from Rare and all the third parties that will never show up on VC.

You know what else is a good project for a development partner?
MAKING NEW GAMES

It's like the world's best theme park.
Would like a bigger image though.

That makes my hands hurt just looking at it.

I agree with pretty much everything in the article.
The Wii was just so much more accessible. They were never going to win over mum, dad and grandma with a tablet controller because for the most part these people don't use tablets.

For me, everything up to Skyward Sword was fantastic.
I don't mind waiting for them at all, but Skyward Sword was definitely not worth the wait.
As others have said, it wouldn't be so bad if they released more of their other franchises in the meantime. Namely something in the action adventure genre to fill the void.

I'l still be giving it a go at some point, the reviews aren't encouraging though. Seems like the same story all over again.
They really should hand Sonic over to Dimps and focus on 2D games.

I don't get why they stopped making Sonic Adventures. Sure they had camera issues but they were so much fun.
I have high hopes for this one though.

They're not exactly big names in gaming anymore.
That said I do wonder how different the WiiU's first year would have played out if Rayman had been there to prop it up. Their fortunes may well have been intertwined, but we'll never know for sure.
I just want them to make Red Steel 3 :]

Yeah I remember being angry about seeing Wind Waker for the first time. After seeing the Space World 2000 demo and waiting 5 years for another 'adult' Link it was such a blow. But I still bought it, and the style grew on me pretty fast. I still feel like the game was a bit too easy, but it was still very enjoyable.
It must be hard for them to decide on a style. On one hand they want to please the long time fans who take this series very seriously. On the other they need to make it more accessible for new audiences (young children) to bring in the next generation of Zelda fans.
This is why Nintendo need to start making new IPs, so they can try new ideas without fear of a backlash.

This looks to be the first proper system seller.
My main concern back at E3 was that it looked cheap. I knew the game would probably be fun to play but it seemed like more evidence of Nintendo scaling back quality to make a fast buck.
These new videos and screens have put my doubts to rest though. They've clearly put the effort in and I can't wait to play it.

@unrandomsam Yes.
10 years ago I would pay full whack for a Nintendo game no question.
Games like F-Zero GX, Wind Waker and Smash Bros Melee were worth the money. But they haven't made anything that good in a long time.

I agree with Falco. (except for the part about families buying XB1/PS4s)
The fact that the Wii is still selling (more than WiiU) is proof that people don't want to upgrade. It's a cheap system for those who just want something to play at parties or gatherings.
Nintendo really should adopt a third pillar strategy for this reason. Keep supporting the Wii with Mii games for families to play, and focus WiiU squarely on hardcore gamers. All the casual stuff would still be backwards compatible anyway.

I've been playing Star Fox Adventures recently for the first time since it came out. I remember at the time being so dissapointed that it wasn't a proper Star Fox game. But now I look beyond the IP and realise just how high quality of a game it is.
What made Rare so great was they could create family friendly games that were actually good enough for adults to enjoy, much like Nintendo. It's a practice that is sadly missing from today's market.
Like others have already said though: Rare is just a name now.

Wow that is bad, I mean really really bad.

@PinkSpider That's what I'm thinking.
Zelda games for me are about exploration first and foremost. I want the world to be big and interesting (not like Skyward Sword). That said the one other thing I don't want them to change is the targeting system combat. I still think it's the best melee comat system there is, and I wish more games would use it. Motion controls I actually liked, not sure if I'd want them in every game though. Touch screen controls (touch to move) I didn't like.
This got me thinking though...
If they want to keep trying new things, why not make a brand new IP?
In a perfect world I'd like to see Zelda (and Star Fox and F-Zero and all the other forgotten franchises) handed over to people that don't mind sticking with tradition. Then Aonuma and Miyamoto and all the other innovators can focus on making they game they want, and maybe we'll get some worthwhile additions to the Smash Brothers roster.

Hahaha Slurpuff: The alcoholic Pokémon.
>Slurpuff missed!
>Slurpuff missed!
>Slurpuff missed!
>Slurpuff fell down!

I gotta admit, 3D World looks about 100% more appealing now with that trailer.
I hope they give it the marketing push it deserves.

@Kirk You can hardly blame us for being disappointed at E3 when they showed us that lackluster trailer.
Just look at the trailer for Mario Galaxy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmN8DHZYNCg
or even Mario Sunshine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arvnhNPUrl0
and tell me those don't look more visually exciting than what they showed us at E3.

This one looks like it has some awesome gameplay, but some people like myself just prefer the more open Mario games.