MrCanzine

@Captain_Gonru ah I just went back and reread the start of the article and completely agree with you about the perfect label.

@Captain_Gonru I wouldn't say it is a perfect scenario which is why I also laid out a few other quick scenarios at the end. Many people have phones and tablets but many don't.

@Captain_Gonru to answer your question, picture this scenario : family trip, parents have mobile phones with data but not willing to let little Timmy start mucking around with it, especially since they're listening to Spotify via Bluetooth, so they can tether instead to the switch Netflix.

It's always possible that the main device owner simply doesn't want it used for Netflix at that time. Could be a restaurant or car trip or hotel, parent won't want their phone unavailable or out of commission.

@Thisismycomment There are likely still people who don't own smart TV's or media sticks and the switch may be the only device they have that connects to their big screen. Though really I imagine they should just get a cheap Roku or something if that's the case.

Vrmode could be anything, doesn't mean VR or virtual reality just because it used those letters. It could just as easily mean "video recording" mode; does/will switch do video capture like the others?

If it works on Wii u as well as Wii mode, I'd be interested when it released. Wii u pro controllers are still too expensive, so something that can be used on all my systems would be neat.

Then again I don't really need a Wii u pro controller that bad and already have controllers for every other system, no need for more as I've nobody to play with.

Creating and showing off glitch levels is one thing, but having them come up in the 100 Mario challenge stuff is really annoying. All levels should be beatable without having to rely on knowledge of glitches or super timing that took the original uploader 500 tries to finally beat before uploading.

Maybe it's just their updated fit meter, so it can track your steps and workout progress while you wear it.

They've likely found a bug that can be exploited and are shutting down online capabilities until they patch it. They probably just discovered it and so don't actually have a patch yet, but can't have people discovering it while they work on it.

Just my 2 cents.

These are why Mario Maker needs a new category to upload to. I'm getting tired of these types off levels showing up in expert in 100 Mario challenge. They're neat to look at but I should not be penalized for not completing it.

@FragRed true, I wasn't aware of that. Though looking into it there appears to be very few DSi only games but with the new 3ds there may be more developers going after not only the better hardware but also extra button features. Hopefully that's not the case here. Either way I'm not buying a new handheld until next generation with all this uncertainty floating around.

One thing Nintendo did wrong though is release the more powerful 'new' 3ds which fragments the software landscape. 2 years from now how many games will be just for 'new' 3ds? I don't consider a console still being relevant if the console can't play newly released games. That's why games made for Xbox 360 today will still work on the first model of 360. Fragmentation isn't good.

Something to keep in mind is that console sales overlap. Even if Nintendo released a new console handheld next year the 3ds would still be on store shelves for at least a year afterwards. Games currently in development will still be released upon completion and not simply abandoned. The 3ds install base means a lot of potential sales still available. So yes the 3ds will definitely last another 2 years.

@HollywoodHogan not many mature games have sold well but those games usually have no advertising and often the studios themselves seem to not want it to sell.

@HollywoodHogan I meant will it be considered a flop for those systems if it doesn't hit two million out of the gate.

So if the game doesn't sell a million or two in the first week is it a flop?

@Hotfusion The Wii U may not be a profit juggernaut but releasing a new console so soon has a lot of downsides financially as well.
It's not like they released a weak tablet pc and can go release a better spec and improve sales. The console market is about more than the hardware, it's about the software, the community, the 'investment' by consumers who buy a console expecting a certain amount of support into the future and marketing.

Releasing a new console so soon is no slam dunk profit guarantee, since a good chunk of their loyal fan base, those who would most be likely to purchase a new console at launch, may feel resentment at having to spend more money so soon just to keep up.

Nintendo has to loom at whether it's better financially to stay the course with this console and support it as best it can until the 'next-gen' race comes around again and compete well, or if releasing a console now, potentially losing loyal fans, and trying to get current gen gamers who may have already spent their console money to but a new one, with a system that is guaranteed to be under powered by the next generation.

We'll find out eventually.

There are still a few issues that need to be considered when it comes to new hardware. If they launch next year like so many suspect, they will launch in the middle of a 'generation' with what everyone is hoping to be a massively powerful x86 console, which would have the price tag that goes with it.
This means they fight for the same pieces of the pie ad the others, after many people already made their purchase for this generation. If an NX released next year and somehow sold 10 million in its first year, that would still leave numbers like 10m for NX, 30m for Xbox and 50m for ps4(pulled numbers out of my ass just for example and arguments sake).
Will supporting Wii U until its end of life while supporting a new device help the bottom line? will third parties flock to the system or just find other reasons to avoid fragmenting their developments?

How will Nintendo's launch Line up look? it would have to be extra fantastic in order to compete with the games libraries of the other consoles which will have been out for close to 3 years by that point.

People seem to be hoping they'll launch all of their top franchises at launch like the end of a fireworks display, here's metroid, here's Mario galaxy 3 and star fox zero reloaded and donkey Kong and Mario kart 9 and Zelda nx.

Maybe they'll launch next year, maybe they won't, but if they do, I don't think it will end well. Then they're stuck in the mid generation cycle for every new console, unless they make one that remains a seller for one and a half or more generations.

I don't have the game, but for the sake of those who do and the reputation of Wii U I hope they get it up soon.

Sounds like a lack of content put off the gate that annoyed reviewers will jump on, not to mention its Saturday, and many of the user base won't be happy to wait until Monday to be able to play a new mode.

When third parties don't release the same product or offer the same release dates or dlc options, then yes blaming the third party for not supplying enough to give an even field for sales is a valid reason. If sales are weak, is it simply because Nintendo owners don't like this party games, or is it that the inherent value of the product was diminished and people choose to spend elsewhere?

The likelihood of actual paid for games being deleted from a console are very slim. And if the company actually deleted the games from every console, no doubt they'd also have some patch to refuse play for the physical games.

Amazon did pull 1984 from peoples devices, which was scary enough and very ironic, and I can't recall if refunds were given(or maybe that was a free book?). I remember the issue was that they didn't actually have permission to sell the book, so nobody should have been able to get it in the first place.

I think the timed checks others mention for Xbox and PlayStation are to make sure the paid subscription is still in tact, but I don't think applies to the 360 since the free games for that are kept regardless of subscription level.

I wouldn't worry too much about companies deleting paid for games without some form of refund, otherwise they could possibly face a big backlash. Most of that stuff is likely in the EULA to protect them from lawsuits for more minor offences, like removing free demos, software that wasn't legally able to be sold or deleting DLC that infringes on someone else's copyright.

That said, I still prefer physical but have considered digital more lately as I start seeing some benefits to not having to change discs, just to go "hmm, maybe not actually in the mood for this after all"

@igfnafdhmis as many others have pointed out these test fires were mainly meant to test server load. I think more people would be disappointed if Nintendo didn't do this, and just allowed the servers to crash after launch like some other big multiplayer games have.

I would love to see RockSmith brought to Wii U. I might consider that. It'd be neat to also make the balance board useable as a multi use sound pedal thingy.

Don't think I can bring myself to spend they money and collect yet another plastic guitar. I t think there should be a rule about how many plastic guitars anybody over thirty should possess.

First, I doubt anything would be released in 2016, only announced with little info, then E3 the following year with release the year after that, like others have said, 2018 possibly.

Second, like others have said, you won't get the power you desire in a one console for all system.
There's a big difference between "over platform" and "one system". Windows 10 is a platform, you can make games that work on any windows 10 device, or you can make games that only work on Xbox. Same could be done with a handheld system and a more powerful home console counterpart. Some serves could develop a game with low enough sources to work on both, others may only work on the home console version.

Lots of rumors will fly now but it's too early to even speculate at this point, though admittedly it's fun to imagine.

@Bolt_Strike That's what I was trying to cover with my post.

For those who only want one device, the Nintendo device could suit their needs, especially if it was compatible with Android software like I suggested.

For those who may not want that Nintendo device to be their phone, but still want the Nintendo device (Just like people do today with their phone and also carrying around a 3DS), then they'd have that option too.

So it's not about buying 2 phones, it's about the Nintendo device being able to be a phone if needed, but also not just be a phone.

If Nintendo is to compete with cell phones, they can't just have one dedicated phone, because people who don't want a Nintendo branded phone also won't get Nintendo things. And if Nintendo doesn't make a Nintendo Device that can be used as a phone, then gamers of the future will still be buying 2 devices anyway(1 phone, and 1 Nintendo portable console/3DS successor)

I think if they would branch out to mobile they should go all in then. Make their next handheld system in such a way that it can operate as a phone but is not so phone centric that it couldn't be carried around along with another phone. some people may want a Nintendo phone but others may want a Samsung as their phone but still have a Nintendo mobile game system.

Shouldn't be much harder than adding network connectivity like the 3g vita.

As for the OS I think they'd be best off making their own so their games can operate as they always have and not be Android based. But the key would be to also have an android emulator or compatibility later like blackberry has so people who choose this phone aren't also choosing to have a phone with no apps.

Only one exclusive game made the list. So I think any comments about bayonetta 2 not making the list are a little unwarranted.

I would not expect a nintendo exclusive like bayonetta 2 to sell more on the Wii U alone, than minecraft or destiny in all other platforms combined.

I always enjoyed the movie. I think it gets so much hate because people can't separate the game from the movie. If viewed as a series of events that lead to the video game story being created then it's easier to let go.

Like many have said you can't really compare each as more influential since world is the next in the series, it's been influenced by 3. Yoshi's abilities could almost be said to be an evolution of the boot Mario could jump around in in 3, being able to walk on terrains that would normally kill Mario.

If you were to ask which were more influential to gaming, sonic the hedgehog or Mario bros. It might be more debatable, but otherwise each Mario game brought something new to the table which influenced everything else going forward.

Meh, in Canada these events are always in the same places. If you don't live in or near Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, St. johns, Winnipeg or a couple other major centres then it's hardly worth it.

Always get a little jealous when they run promotions like the one this summer going city to city. I ain't driving hours to stand in line and play some demos though.

Be nice if they showed some love for other cities, and not just Toronto, etc.

@willgord it may sound fanboyish but some of the reasons may actually be because some don't like Nintendo. While it may not be overly accurate at a management level, when you watch interviews with some of their development heads and other programmers they have very little good to say about Wii U or their Wii U versions. These attitudes can carry some weight going up the chain of command. If enough programmers and such say Wii U is just too underpowered then management will believe it.

But I'm not saying that's the only reason. Most of it is their poor marketing. While they may have lots of numbers in their databases to crunch which may show the market isn't interested, those numbers arrived after poor ports and bad marketing. So the only thing their numbers should prove is that their marketing strategies are failing in the Wii U market, rather than the Wii U market failing to be willing consumers.

Perfect example is the watch dogs issue I mentioned. They'll blame Wii U market for poor sales of the game like Wii U owners simply don't purchase "mature" games, rather than blaming themselves for releasing the game almost a year after the other versions, in the middle of the holiday shopping season with all the new AAA titles.

They've got the numbers but they choose to interpret them in a way that justifies their lack of investment. After all if investors knew how much money they could make if they improved marketing in that market rather than abandon it they may start asking questions about the company leadership.

Currently almost 10million console owners are not being marketed to.

@willgord with the install base being what it is, it's economically viable as long as it's given the same treatment as other platforms.

But if they release a bad port or talk crap about that version or just pretty much make no mention of its existence in any ad campaigns or interviews then it's not economically viable.

Watch Dogs was selling for $39 yesterday on all systems except Wii u since it's not released yet. By the time it's released it'll probably be $39 even when not on sale, and Wii u will be $59.99 with very little advertising or hype and yet Ubisoft will complain and the viability of the Wii U market rather than look at their own poor marketing practices.

Saw a setup like this on dragon's den, or maybe it was shark tank. Seemed neat but as it's currently just a concept at this point I'd avoid investing too much. Even if this goes all the way it's still reliant on too many 3rs party hardware to be a finished product. Once they're out the door one of the bigger players may come out with the same thing with a fully supported user base, etc. Such as project morpheus.

After market add-ons rarely find commercial success so I'd say they were wise not to go all in with this. While it may be neat, it would probably have found as much success in the world market as Sega CD, turbo graphics 16 add on, and such.

Hopefully it does well. It may not seem like a fit with what Nintendo usually has available but that's a bit of the point. Nintendo isn't just for children, and developers can realize this, and Nintendo is also diving into these types of games showing they don't just work with non violent stuff. What Nintendo has been doing recently being involved with games like this and bayonetta reminds me a bit of when Disney started going into more risky territory as well. Back when pirates of the Caribbean came out it seemed a bit violent for a Disney movie, but now Disney does plenty of action and violence. This can hopefully start to be Nintendo's Disney turnaround time where they start shedding the "just for kids" reputation so many people avoid Nintendo for.

Don't like the idea of digital only since it can't be sold with the disc. Hopefully the original can be purchased on eshop as well so people buying used have the opportunity to purchase the original, but depending on the price of the original in the eshop it may end up being better to just purchase new and het the free download code than buy used and pay full price for the first.

in either case, I have to fo hard drive shopping, my little basic model can't take it. Additional USB stick only had enough room for Wii fit U. Now I can't fit my free pikmin from mk8 and this just adds to my dilemma,

If it' s better than the others, meaning proper use of the gamepad to add more interesting game play and maybe some extra bonuses not seen in the other versions.

otherwise if it's just a bad port with nothing much to add, it could be hard to justify the price premium since the other systems will probably have it discounted by then. Buy it for $29.99 for PS4 with exclusive content, or buy it for $59.99 with nothing extra. Like the Mass Effect 3 dilemma this may be.

Nintendo has invented the Matrix as their Quality of Life platform. Improving paralyzed and comatose patients' QOL by living out the remainder of their lives inside the Tomodachi Life.

Don't have a classic controller so no Mario kart for me. How hard would it be to update the system to use the game pad in place of the classic controller?

So for $69 or whatever retail price I get Mario kart 8 and one of these games? That's a damn good deal, considering they're real and recent games. After reading the headline I assumed they were offering old VC games, free bubble bobble!

If it were the Mario toys the UK had maybe, but these look cheap and also I'm not a big Pokémon fan.

Really hate that they're mostly Wii and not Wii U, and that they require the classic controller add on.

@DinoFett perhaps. Or Nintendo should add a new feature, "shorten this post" and have it "translate" common words into the Ninty newspeak. That way we could write normally, then just click the shorten option and it makes it txt frndly.

Hopefully they increase the allowed size of a post. Sometimes I've had to write two posts back to back in order to explain something. It's like twitter, imposing that character limit just causes more two and three part posts.

though maybe I just need to practice writing shrtfrm txt spk 2sv space. I just canna do it cap't!

Technically the 3ds still has more sales when considering 3ds and 3ds XL combined, which I don't see why it wouldn't be when comparing numbers, not like we split out ps3 and ps3 slim and each model of Xbox 360.

but also good on vita, competition is good and maybe I'll look at one in future. Recently got my hands on a psp go from a phone trade, not a bad piece of hardware, and games are fun. Would still prefer my 3ds but 3ds doesn't have hot shots golf and little big planet.

I'll use my Wii wheels thanks. Doesn't seem like an overly bad idea, but it doesn't appear to actually add any extra functionality aside from keeping the wheel in a fixed position.

I wouldn't mind if Nintendo had one of those force feedback wheels with gas/break pedals though, my friend had one for Xbox and it was kinda cool, though it had to be bolted to his table, good arcade experience.

Makes sense in a way, since post play surveys are meant to get opinions and such for use in possible improvements to games in future.
opinions on a 7 year old game may not be very useful in helping improve or innovate.

@ICHIkatakuri also it's a very difficult to find game.

@cookiex or the store owner, in this case Nintendo. They'd have records of all sales for anything going through the eShop. Sony would also have records of anything moving through the playstation store.

Wii U is good for all gamer types. Call of Duty and ACIV have the best game experiences on Wii U. If more "hard core" gamers would allow themselves to look beyond slight increases in shading systems or graphics detail(look I can see 40% more stubble), then maybe more systems would sell and more 3rd party support would be there. Instead they jump on the things they can find lacking and avoid all of the selling points.