Mortenb

Nintendo would make more money in the short term, but loose more money in the long run as Mario's name would no longer be a stamp of quality for consumers. Also, everyone who loves Mario both at Nintendo and as customers would be sad to see him in lots of half-assed spin-off type games.
If Nintendo ever does release games for other systems, they could consider doing Picross or something for a tablet, but please never make silly games that do not really fit the platform and are just frustrating to play like most games that are not puzzle or physics play games are on tablets.

The problem is the lack of ownership and responsibility for ones own actions that our culture promotes these days. When even police men talk like that, well... I don't know, but I do not think it bodes well for the immediate future.

It's not a violation of a Trademark so long as one does not use it to identify ones own product (which they might have done). Nyan Cat is possibly copyright, but in my opinion it should be ok to use certain copyrighted material like this for reference uses. This references popular culture, and is not a work about Nyan Cat itself, so I think a judge would rule it to be fair use. However, if they made a game where Nyan Cat was one of the main characters, that would certainly violate the copyright and trademark (if it's possible to be a meme and a trademark at the same time, seems a contradiction in terms somehow).
Similarly, I think it would also be ok for Microsoft to make a game where Mario appeared briefly in a similar fashion as he is at this point not separable from the game culture. However, if they sold a game about Mario, or where he was a main character, it would violate both trademark and copyright.
Keyboard cat is just that, a cat and a keyboard. It is not distinct enough to make a claim that it is anyone's "creation", and it has certainly not been used as a trade mark.

These guys have misunderstood what Trademarks are for. They are for letting individuals and companies to have an identity, not for owning a name. They only apply where misunderstandings of identity could actually occur or someone could pretend to be someone else, and as such very rarely are enforced across different industries. If Nintendo were to set up a restaurant with this name, that is when troubles might arise. No one is going to buy a Wii U in stead of going to a restaurant because they were confused.

There are tons of ways to use this. Difficulty scaling, knowing when you are bored, some others here mentioned other great alternatives. This guy has no imagination. Although it would be best to include in the controller instead of a separate peripheral. I think Nintendo dropped this because no one would buy a separate device for this, not because there is nothing to use it for.

I think pretty much all kids in Norway read comics with scrooge.

This would be even better if it could play blue rays.

Basically this "quantative easing" amounts to lowering the salaries of every Japanese worker and taking their savings, and giving the value to Nintendo (and other export companies) stock holders and European gamers. Lowering wages in Japan is of course necessary, but doing it through inflation and political means in stead of letting each company do it on their own if necessary is the biggest sillyness of this age.

In Norway I can't join Club Nintendo.

There is nothing wrong. Just a bunch of whiny people "investing" but not thinking it through. Why not have it exactly like kickstarter, but where investors actually gain ownership in the project. That is what reasonable people do who have a great idea, or want to invest in a great idea.

I don't really care. I expect Nintendo to make the great games they always have, and that is why I bought the console. So far I'm satisfied.
If Nintendo's console should prove to be unpopular, who cares? That will simply mean that Nintendo can dedicate more time towards making great games, and they can publish on other platforms.
If it should prove to be popular, who cares? That will be great for people with stakes in the company, and Nintendo will continue like it always has. For me the situation is the same. The only thing that changes is from whom I buy my consoles.

Since when did ideas become patentable? They are supposed to protect actual implementations that need investment and risk, not ideas you dream up on your couch. And they should be complex enough that it's not obvious, from looking at it or hearing about it, how it works.

Why is there a ratings board in the first place? I guess because people in general do not take offence when similar things happen to almost all industries, but are to blind to see that their not doing anything then (and some times even demanding such regulations and taxes/fees for 'the others') is presisely why this can happen.

Gaming is about playing. It's an inherently childish activity. Would anyone aks "Where are sports' grown-ups?"? Ok, games have a story, and sometimes good ones, but withouth the playful element it wouldn't be a game. This does not lend itself to every kind of story.
That said, it might be possible to have some alternative themes in games that he is asking for, but perhaps not more than there already is, because most people play games to satisfy that basic playing instinct first and foremost.

I don't agree. I can't see why Japanese games must reach the top 10 worldwide to be a success. What if Japanese players want those kind of games that will not be popular elsewhere?
What if we find life on other planets, and all they want to play is versions of Tetris? Should then all Earth game developers start making versions of Tetris just to reach the top 10 universe game sales?

I agree completely with MagicEmperor. Disney is making a business decision. If games companies didn't make such decisions, there would be no good games getting made. LucasArts didn't make good enough games any more to warrant keeping a bunch of developers around. This way they will probably get hired in other companies, with better management and vision for making games, which all of you who are hating on Disney now, will end up loving.

Honestly, I probably would not consider buying this game if the best gameplay required a big ugly plastic add on that pretty much destroys the whole point of a portable console.