SahashraLA

@khaosklub Abd here, I'm completely the opposite. I found Prototype to be extremely uninspired (having followed Witchblade and the Darkness) and remember being mesmerized by Darksiders' Zelda like gameplay and graphic art style. 2 was a bit of a let down, but the Gamepad actually helped simplify alot of the micromanagement the game added.
I have the poster hanging on my wall (framed and signed) and was a huge fan of the comic they did.
Darksiders 3 remains my most anticipated yet unconfirmed title. I like the idea of playing a shorter story but from multiple perspectives and would even welcome an episodic installment with a stronger conclusion.
As an aside, I'm excited to play Color Splash with my gf and her son, BotW on the 'NX', FFXV (sue me, I liked Kingsglaive), Rise of the Tomb Raider with classic Lara, Nier Automata, and Persona 5 (wasn't before, but I dig that Collector's Edition).
I don't wanna beat a dead horse here, but Nintendo is losing NX sales by withholding information.
Sony has shown PSVR isn't just a PS4 thing, and Microsoft is killing it with the XB1S. With Pro and Scorpio coming in less than 6 months, NX has about a month before people get into holiday mode and stop caring about what could be. It's just not a time of the year (spring) when people care that much about new hardware. The September to December window is half done (when you don't count the last week of the year) and still no news.
Dead horse meet stick. Stick meet NX.
They're pretty well interchangeable now.

Quaint.
It's not how we spell it in Canada either.
But neither the UK nor Canada is the market where this game is going to sell the most copies.
Just a heads up: the UK isn't the target market. If you haven't noticed, but the UK is kind of, I don't know, sporting a huge Xbox branding and has for years now.
It's clear that Wii U could have used 7 or 8 more FIFAs in these past 4 years..
2 positions worse the DQ7 and despite having a 3rd of the market (at best), a Wii U game still debuts comparably.
It's the wording between the articles I find offensive. One is 'reasonable', and a 'decent impact' while the other isn't 'particularly impressive'.
So 7% of 3DS owners buy DQ7 and 15% of Wii U owners buy COLOR Splash (just being a jerk now) and that's not considerable?

For what it's worth, this is the last week before PSVR launches. So it makes sense to get 2 big retail titles out there.
And a vastly improved Mario Party and a brand new Paper Mario sound good to me.
I'm getting the feeling that Nintendo is almost ready to reveal NX.
It will be before the end of the month. But it won't be until after the 12th.
If it doesn't happen before the 31st, it won't launch until May.

@bitleman contrary to what you might think, Sony cares more about the industry and probably more about Nintendo succeeding than you do.
The 3DS is in the 3rd party space it's in for the same reasom the Wii U is in. Developers don't want to have to cram their games onto it and waste resources dumbing down their assets so the hardware can barely handle them.
Nintendo screwed themselves by gimping both system for the sake of a bad gimmick.
And the sales charts prove that.
And no, the 3DS isn't doing DS numbers.
Not even close.

@Knuckles incorrect.
The 2DS launched (initially) in February of this year in Japan.
This is (as the title clearly states) the relaunch.
Or the 'we hoped people would forget about it and buy it now' sales pitch.
Which is basically what companies do with Greatest Hits SKUs, except in that case, there's actually a modicum of success involved.

@Royalblues you blame the consumer for developers who out and out refused to work on propreitary hardware.
PS4 and XB1 both went with a PC architecture.
That architecture is now severely outdated in comparison to actual PCs. It was 2 years ago.
So now they're releasing new options for the tech heads that want the biggest and best.
When the PS4 releases 10x as many games as the Wii U monthly and it's still a 'painful drought', you know some people have too much money and too much free time.
Pro is just that. It's an option for the 20 to 35 year old crowd that is slowly becoming a new, lower middle class. The kind of people where having the loudest car, the flattest abs and the biggest TV is a life goal.

@Royalblues PS4 Slim sells for 70$ cheaper than the original. So you can bundle your own game, but most retailers are already including games.
The SKU doesn't change because it replaces the original PS4. (Someone had wondered about that)
New 3DS is an additional model to the 'family', it's not the replacement model for the original. (That's the difference in SKU)

Not sure if anyone gets this, but getting upset this is 'wasting resources' or taking them away from another game is idiotic.
3rd party.
Remaster (not remake).
You can throw a billion dollars and a hundred thousand people at a project, but making something of quality still takes time.
Everyone wants the next Zelda now and can't be bothered to breathe before berating a game like Fallout 4 for bugs.
I have to respect the guys that write for IGN, Gamespot, Nintendolife and other game sites. Dealing with people, anonymous, priviledged, annoying people that jump to Wikipedia and Google just to try and make others feel like trash, would make me want to kill other people.
Consoles don't fight console wars, corporations don't fight console wars. Materialistic snobs with nothing better to do than crap all over one another fight console wars.
How any 'real gamer' functions socially is beyond me. I sincerely hope my son never takes an interest in gaming. I hope for more for him than that.
Screw all of you.
It's this kind of garbage that makes me hate gaming, loathe people and pity society for having to endure this kind of stupidity.

Two generations ago?
Really?
So the Wii copy I'm looking at right now doesn't exist?
Good to know.
I don't think anyone expected this to look like a game made from scratch for the Wii U, but based on the comments, that's kind of what it seems like.
Last of Us, Uncharted Collection (removing the multiplayer was nice of them), FF X / X2, DmC, DMC4 and alot of other games are barely upressed on the PS4 and still sell for new game prices. Or is 70$ reasonable for some upressing and half of the content?
MC Collection couldn't fix any problems and neither can this?
Color me surprised.
People are literally the worst part about gaming, the way fans are literally the worst part of professional sports.
Hate the product, support it anyways.
Buy a system and expect every game cater to your sensibilities and tastes.
And worst of all, hear about some product and complain about it like you HAVE to buy it.
Let's buy a giant crate of handguns and point them at one another. Then whiny, spoiled, smug, self important brats will know what it's like to really have a gun to the head.

A DLC update with a random empty peg generator, a small set of swappable backgrounds and another small set of alternately colored pegs would be a nice start.
I think it needs to be remembered that, during the last Curve Digital sale, games like the Swapper, Clone Inc 2 and others were practically the same price. Comparing the content across these games is almost impossible.
Not saying you don't deserve to get paid for your work, but as others have said, Nintendo systems just don't seem like the venue for many of these games as they currently are.
Consoles in general, in my opinion.

As an aside, Gamepad play is the only thing anyone should be excited about.
Even Pirate's Curse looked horribly retro (and not in a fun, Undertale or Shovel Knight kind of way either).
Nothing against Shantae on the big screen, it just looks 10x better on a handheld.

Played the DSi version on both the old 3DS and New XL (no, no difference) and on PS4.
Until Half Genie Hero, I literally couldn't care less about anything Shantae related (ok, ok, hers would be the only amiibo I would ever consider, but it's not happening, so why bother hoping for it?)

I'd passed on Tales of Zestiria when it released (though I did get SAO Lost Song day 1..) so getting it for half price was a steal (still 50 at retail).
Unfortunately, that's all I have to spend on games after Neptunia VII.
Freeze Me looks great in person (based off a demo unit I saw a few months back), very DK 64 meets Wind Waker.
It has me excited for the new Ratchet and Clank

Funny, Dragon Quest Heroes is a Koei Tecmo game. And one of (if not) the best Warriors games.
Call of Duty has 3 seperate publishers, meaning most of the games are in development for 20-28 months.
Maybe Nintendo should take more time.
Then we wouldn't get the perfunctory Mario Tennis with garbage online and 6 months of Splatoon updates, 14 months of Smash updates and junk games like Devil's Third and Fatal Frame.
Oh sorry, those aren't first party games. And Devil's Third took half a decade to be that horrendous.
Maybe the Vita does well because it has a better account system than the 3DS, games cost as much and look better, the system works with the PS4 and it's region free.
Oh and it doesn't look like it was made for 12 year olds.
This is exactly what Nintendo needs right now. A swift kick to remind them that, yes, you are competing with Sony. I'm rooting for the other guys right now, cause they're actually trying.
Nintendo seems content to wait things out and lean on their garbage toys to puff up their profit margins.

Let's drop this one fact:
Nintendo made a mint on Wii.
But by cutting costs and not advancing the graphics engine nearly enough, they really poured the Wii U's chances down the drain.
By the time Wii U was announced, it was already 2 years past its technical prime.
Because, like the Wii, they cut the tech corners to save gamers money.
Even though the Wii U is still 100$ more than what it should be selling for.

It's funny that people are talking about VR being a fad.
When we're on a Nintendo page.
Less than 5 years removed from the Wii.
Less than 4 years from the DS.
While Nintendo supports a tablet controlled console and a 3D handheld.
VR was a fad when Nintendo made the Virtual Boy and Nintendo fans seem to forget 20 years have come and gone.
It's easy to sit at your desk, couch, whatever and slam VR as a fad. But please, don't be immature about it. If you haven't actually experienced it, you don't actually know.
At the same time, I think more people need to realize that wages have nearly tripled since VR first debuted, so 600$ isn't exactly the super premium that 3rd world country gaming media would have us believe.
PS3 launched at 600$. I made 29k that year.
Oculus launches at 600$. I'll make 34-36k before September this year.
Just like the kids that bought games with their allowance then spend alot more on games now.
If we're talking the kind of hardware Nintendo buys from the wholesale store down the street, then maybe I wouldn't care.
But VR is using tech that Nintendo would be jealous of. Based on these little snippets, I get they are interested but don't have the stones to make that move.
You guys are right. They'll wait.
Especially after they did motion controls and then literally everyone ended up doing it better than them. They just get all the props because a bunch of casual morons bought into it.

I didn't intend to rank the versions.
Just pointing out that the game now has 4 seperate versions.

Cheaper physical (Nintendo is wonderful for overpriced digital content), late to the service (Halloween might have been smart) and later than both RE4 HD and Origins Collection HD.
Now, I'm not one for kicking someone for when they're down, but Megaman Collection isn't going to sell more copies on Nintendo systems because another Capcom game just re-re-released.
Gamecube > Wii > HD > Wii U
Great ambiance, entirely done in by a (still) middling combat system, unbreakable animations (like the Evil Within but somehow worse) and one of the most self important and entirely obnoxious 2nd party characters in gaming history.
After the solo experiences of RE1-3, both 4 and 0 were unbearable for at least a third of their campaigns. At least when alts showed up in earlier games, they didn't hang around like broken wheels, dragging the game into the mud.
As an early adapter for the Dreamcast (much better architecture than any of the 32-bit systems and 5x better than the N64) Code Veronica disappointed on so many levels while Blue Stinger did alot to differentiate itself (very arcade style games).
And yet, I still preferred both that DC game and the first 3 REs to 4, just because I felt like a babysitter to an absolute moron for half the game.

Nintendo LA seems like the only other store Nintendo should have.
We all speculate about the NX and the analysts are talking it could be a pretty hot commodity.
But if it's not, we have to be prepared for what that means for Nintendo.
If this is another Wii U, or even a Gamecube, it won't be enough for shareholders.
Personally, I'd turn the store into 80% museum and consolidate the actual store and new sections to a smaller, yet still centralized area.
The whole idea of expansion just seems stupid at this point.

20000 systems sold is a success.
10000 systems sold is a failure.
But the definition changes based on perspective.
In the light of 20000 systems sold, 10000 systems sold would be a failure.
In light of 0 systems sold, 10000 systems sold would be a success.
Yes, you're right @maceng, success and failure are as opposite as momentum and decline.
But if systems are still selling, the sales modicum cannot be directly changed to 'failure' when previously it was 'success'.
To decline, in any instance, is to fall. Falling has, in and of itself, a momentum.
You seem to hinge your perception on what you have read on dictionary.com, so let's simplify.
/________/________/__
This line represents the sales life of the Wii U. Note that along this line, there are 4 seperate peaks and 4 seperate declines.
Each peak and subsequent decline represents a pivotal period in the Wii U's lifespan in Japan.
3 holiday seasons and 3 peak purchasing times. After each decline, the market stabilizes before peaking yet again.
This is commonly referred to as 'sales momentum'. The decline, as you refer it, is the period at the end of a product's lifespan where a period of decline will no longer end with stability and stability will no longer end with a peak.
Should another peak occur after a time of stability (and inactivity is not the same as stability), then both the current decline, the mounting stability and the subesquent peak (it is a cyclical, yet unrounded cycle) are all merely part of the system's 'sales momentum.
The line in question is rather like a pendulum. The important thing to remember about a pendulum is that (as with sales) it is not when the pendulum is at its highest or lowest point that it shows us the true weight of its mechanism.
The Wii U shows itself as a failure through its averages, not its peaks and declines.

Killer apps, which may or may not include 'main series games'.
I picked Zelda, because they dropped the ball with Wii U and it deserves to succeed.
NX Sports, but only because it was a killer app. I don't want NX Sports, I want a game that Day 1 says to people: 'You need an NX.' And for people to buy one.
And F-Zero. Racing games are essential. Absolutely. I hate 'em. The XB1's focus on racing titles pushed me to a PS4.
But I still bought Project Cars and I own Rocket League and have rented both NFS games. Not because I like racing games. Because racing games showcase a system like few other genres (FPS is another one that is essential, Black Ops 3 is proof of this).
Do I have other games I'd want more? Clearly. But I don't want to rely on Nintendo for NX games. This is the true optimist in me. The guy that says, yes the NX can get 3rd party support and yes gamers will buy it.
My wishlist would likely include a modern reworking of the first Mario RPG, with all the Nintendo characters. Call it Smash Quest or whatever, but that's a dream.
A fully open world Mario in the vein of 64.
And a DKC in the same spirit as Mario 3D World, but harder, faster and with better boss battles.

@rjejr It's funny, 2 of the games you listed as quiet Nintendo published and probably knew they were going to be garbage.
Ultra Smash was more like Tennis Lite.
And Chronicles X probably stung a bit too much like Bayonetta 2 (big build, could be critically acclaimed, probably going to flop).
Star Fox is a Platinum game and repeatedly delayed. Zelda has been the quiet front and Nintendo clearly wants people interested in Zelda when hell freezes over and the new game sees the light of day.
Zelda's last delay caused my abandonment of Wii U, so it's a legitimate concern.
Sure, they could easily promote a game like Pokken Tournament (doing Bandai Namco's job for them) and lose money when people realize it's the same arcade game with the same terrible controls.
Or pour the money the didn't have to spend on TP to promote the game.
To clarify, Wind Waker was the game that dropped with the price cut.
Why spend money talking about something when the numbers speak louder than any advertisement?
(Post script: complaining about an HD remake as being too expensive in the same rant as amiibo Festival gets a mention is ironic. Particularly when you failed to rant about AC's cost. Or Ultra Smash's for that matter.)

With the current trend of VR (gimmick or not, not the point), I think Nintendo plays the portable game (which is Nintendo's money tree) first.
A second box will be released next year sometime to fully replace the Wii U as a hub style system.
Like the Gamecube adapter, it will broadcast to the TV, with each device acting as a controller and one NX portable necessary for processing.
Wireless consoles? This is the first step.
Nintendo may or may not adapt an additional tech into this eventually, but I feel Iwata was speaking to the second screen experience with their QoL program and that the hardware may have been rushed to market with Wii U.

Zero Escape.
Fair amount of replayability.
Huge improvement on 999 (imho).
And the rest can't hold a candle to every other platform out there.
I saw a review for Minecraft Episode 1.
For that price, I got Game of Thrones season 1 and Tales of the Borderlands.
Kind of sad, no?
1$ for flower.
Vs 7$ for Xeodrifter.
Hmm.
Guess I'll go play flower and Hotline Miami some more..

So a Monster Hunter game with FF themes and elements?
Huh, exactly as advertised.
I get the feeling I'd enjoy this more than MH (the game that compartmentalizes every feature, every moment, every breath into a strategic planning, effectively sapping fun for the promise of a sense of accomplishment).
From Damo's review, I got that the soundtrack is cool, the jobs are a nice addition, there's plenty of depth, no 3D sucks, the game can be pretty barren visually, FF is interesting (but only older games) and the MH elements are light but depending on the gamer that might be good.
So it's a 6 visually, an 8 for gameplay and a 9 audibly? Sounds like a fair 7 to me.

For pro players.
You asked, I answered.
This is a replica of the same controller used in the arcades.
Theoretically, you could use it at home as practice and head to the arcade with your improved skills.
And Nintendo didn't make this. They licensed it out and Hori made this.
Bit of a difference.

I mean, these deals mentioned are great. But the game cases are close to the size of a system and yet still too small to store properly.
I feel old saying this, but wow do handhelds not appeal to me right now.

Skull Girls 2nd Encore (really, a steal at 10$), Hotline Miami for 2$ and Transistor for 5$ is great.
And still enough cash on the card to grab Cel Damage and Flower.
Jeez, sorry guys.
I'm just dreaming about what a Nintendo flash sale would be like, but I honestly can't stretch my imagination that far.

A FF game crossed with MH?
Sounds like my least favorite game of all time.
7, 8 and 9 were all pretty good games, but 10 isn't really that great, 11 is ok, 12 is unplayable, 13 is cutscenes and garbage, 14 is half decent and 15 (until it releases) is just vaporware.
And the MH games?
No offense to Capcom, but after like, 20 MH games (and 60% are Japanese exclusive) you'd think they'd have the cash for some better games. Like Dragon's Dogma or a new, not retro, Megaman.
I have faith SFV will be incredible when completed, but little faith in much else they do.
So when Squenix, a company whose own ideas are hit and miss, swings for another game's fences, I'm expecting them to strike out. Doesn't hurt it's on portable, but still. I'm doubtful it'll be much more than a (not so cheap) knockoff of an overrated, bloated franchise.

@CB85
Nintendo, like many other companies, would rather the professional types stuck to areas like game testing.
Which means, in a nutshell, that the person they put in front of the camera probably isn't going to be the best gamer ever.
She's easy on the eyes, has a vibrant personality, hasn't been involved in a scandal, stays covered up (has a 'safe' image) and seems like she helps guests open up alot easier than her talented male co-host.
That and she did say that until just before the video, she had only ever played the game with the waggle controls.
I wouldn't watch these videos if the game in question wasn't interesting to me, but she does make the videos I want to view easier to watch.

Game costs 50.
amiibo costs 15.
Bundle costs 60.
Bundle saves 5.
People get the amiibo, save with the bundle and as a bonus get a non-essential additional cave fight.
That looks just as barren and soulless as the rest of the game.
And apparently, people who openly choose not to pursue the bundle are upset that this (the most lacklustre content 'upgrade' ever produced) isn't available to purchase or play otherwise.
Skylanders and Disney Infinity didn't 'ruin' gaming. It's talking like they did. Or inferring that amiibos are going to do so.
Hey @zool, you know why amiibos sell so well?
Why people actually buy them?
More often than not, it is NOT for the games.
Have you ever seen those capsules in malls, those random access 'machines' where you put in some money and get some terribly made toy that eventually becomes part of a dedicated collector's set?
That's amiibo. But instead of paying hundreds and having to deal with the frustration of doubles, people pay more for both a) the knowledge that you will never get the same amiibo twice and b) the build quality.
Don't believe me?
The manager at my local Game like store (EB Games, for reference) doesn't have any Nintendo systems. But he is a Nintendo fan. And his home has over 25 amiibos, in their boxes, on his display shelves.
It's humorous that people who critcize those who collect sports memorabilia endorse amiibo and vice versa. As if anyone has any right to judge anyone else.
Unless you build your house out of chocolate. That's just stupid.

@Peach64
I second the 'no Platinum sequels' mentality.
Korra (crap), Transformers (better), Bayonetta (good), Bayonetta 2 (better).
With TMNT, Scalebound, Nier: Automata, Star Fox Zero and more to look forward to (some much more than others), Platinum should keep moving forward. Doing another sequel would likely make a much better Wonderful 102 / 201, but sequels are what Bungie, Naughty Dog, Ubisoft and Oddworld Inhabitants (et al) do.
Platinum moves forward, they need to keep moving forward.

Played the demo 4 times through and each time seemed more and more infuriating than the last.
Had the option to get this for 12$ used and passed.
Don't regret that choice for a second.
Drawing those stupid symbols, with the stick or screen, was literally the worst design choice.
It reminded me of the QTEs from Bayonetta 1 (which were way more annoying on the Wii U than the 360).

The article is poorly worded and non-specific, so allow ne to clarify.
The survey does not ask for activity.
It asks for interest.
Nintendo has mobile interest, thus they might have said mobile, but if the Wii U was their top priority, they'd say mobile.
With each platform, a developer is asked how much interest they have in making games for it.
Now, if say Bethesda was working on a PC game like Doom or whatever, they'd likely say PC out of a current works interest.
Stop adding the percentages, each platform gets it's own line of questions.
And please stop using this to judge interest in one platform vs another or even as a way of upcoming games.
All the GDC survey is, is to determine how many developers see each unit as a prospective platform.

I find it funny that every time negative Nintendo sales are brought up, people point the finger at Call of Duty, like the annual releases are truly just simple rehashes of the same game.
For anyone who doesn't know, CoD has 3 active developers who alternate years.
Why keep putting them out?
Late November release, year's best selling game. In 5 weeks, CoD outsold every other game on the market.
Keep slandering the sports games (roster update 7.2) and Assassin's Creed games (despite the last 3 being world's apart) but I honestly think CoD has moved past it's reputation.
Some of the best FPS campaigns and the best DLC around.
I get it, underpowered pixelated cartoon jumping simulators are all the rage. But let's call a spade a spade and admit that, Nintendo hasn't put out anything since Mario Maker to really deserve a place in a multi-format chart. It's obvious they can't escape their trappings as a 'kiddie game maker' and a family first, family friendly console.
Not that they haven't tried (poorly) but they just don't understand the culture or the audience anymore.
They've gone '94 on us, trying to subtlely parent the people even remotely interested.
Nintendo: give up the ghost. Let gamers decide what to play and just make your games. You've fed the politically correct machine long enough. Start saying something or you won't find anyone to listen.

Nintendo has done a wonderful job selling their games. But they focus on consoles because the Wii was a hit.
Trying to do a Wii 2 was a mistake. Especially after downturns with both the N64 and GC. It just wasn't realistic.
The thing that upsets me is always the fact that Nintendo's fundamental gaming, a solid point near every time, is often overshadowed by extraneous factors.
Whether by experimental controls, art style, censorship, it seems Nintendo gets in their own way all too often.
Keeping to the basics made the GC's Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, Smash Melee and F-Zero franchises some of the most beloved games in the company's 30+ year history.
Fire Emblem Awakening was a game that used the second well, even if only for statistics. Then again, it worked to simplify the onscreen display. Which is what Nintendo needs to touch on with this next run: practicality and basics.

This is a very strong point, though it needs to be reiterated.
Nintendo tries very hard to create games with a universal appeal.
The problem with losing 3rd party support is that the Wii U tried wearing so many hats that resources were stretched too thin.
HD development involves alot of time and money and it's all too easy for someone to look at graphics or name brand.
It's easier for a customer off the street to judge a game by its cover.
And Nintendo has become (maybe they've always been) very obvious as to what they offer.
In order to draw a larger audience, they just need more options.

Are these just empty musings? Let's see:
Aside from horrible textures, static backgrounds, extremely tiny levels and frame rate stutters, Pikmin 3 looked great.
The best looking Wii U games have all been side scrolling 2D games with 3D models.
Xenoblade X was choppy with tons of pop-in, poor draw distances and extremely low res character models.
Splatoon could easily have been an early PS3 game and the matchmaking and level 'selection' is terribly unfriendly for users.
Nearly half of 3rd party projects planned for the system either suffered due to the poor man's CPU or were outright cancelled.
3D World is the HD version of 3D Land with a few course packs thrown in.
And most of the best selling games (MK8, Smash, Hyrule Warriors) suffer from the 'same old, same old' that gamers routinely complain about with games like CoD.
The only difference is, instead of every year, it's every 4 years.
Which is why I don't want any sequels, any remakes, or any updates on the NX. I just want Nintendo to go back to making new games, instead of polishing the same games over and over.
I remember, when Assassin's Creed firat debuted. EVERYONE was sick of Prince of Persia. So Ubisoft shifted the same game to Europe and made the Prince a killer. And somehow, people started buying it again.
I know. I own two. If you gave me Unity or Syndicate, even Chronicles, I'd play those too.
But it was the same game.
Between those 2 series', there's over 20 different games. It's idiocy. Call of Duty. Halo. Uncharted. Tomb Raider. Battlefield. It goes on and on. The difference between those games (add Zelda to it) and the Mario and, let's face it, Metroid games, is that the story changes.
It takes more to write a story that is interactive than one that is not. I get it. Gameplay. But when you can get both, a few turtles and a special gun isn't enough anymore.
Which is why I liked Fusion and why Other M exists: because gaming isn't just for special kids that like to make their own stories. It's about experiencing and participating in someone's story.
To quote Freddie Prinze Jr: when you play Mario, you're not Mario. When you play (a character driven, story driven game) you become that character. It becomes your story.
Zelda is Nintendo's sole character driven, story driven game. It doesn't have voice acting because Nintendo has spent over 15 years trying to escape the N64 games' shadows.
I said all of this for that last sentence.
Nintendo will never move forward when the vocal fanbase only wants them to stagnate.

I'm pretty done with the Prime series, Tropical Freeze was a platforming mess and Star Fox is done.
I'm ready to see something new.
Pikmin, hopefully, is done on Wii U. The controls were ridiculous to someone not using just the Gamepad, which was suggested by Nintendo.
In all honesty, aside from what is set in stone (including Zelda) I hope Nintendo switches gears to the next system soon.
It would be nice to see some renewed 3rd party support (few PS4 / XB1 games have sold well as exclusives) to take what is now obvious stress off Nintendo's first party studios.
Like Platinum moving from licensed games to Star Fox, Scalebound and Nier 2, some of these studios (Monolith, Retro, et al) need to start working on truly worthwhile, hopefully original, projects.
It's one thing to suggest QoL is going to do anything useful, but this list is full of speculation and pending disappointments. Alternates to good ideas, maybe.
It's cute to me that Nintendo made Pikmin, the most PC game with the most un-PC controller (though, it's like using a mouse, if you think about it). It's cute because people act like games like Command & Conquer never existed when they review them.
Pikmin is the dumbed down version of C&C, something that the days format makes painfully obvious. It's a game that tries hard to be something that it's not and that something is a deep and rewarding experience.
I don't know what Nintendo needs to be successful and it's clear to me now that Nintendo doesn't know either. But parity with the other console makers wouldn't hurt. At least something comparable.

So MH4 sells a million copies. In 2 days. In Japan. And it takes Mario Maker 4 months to sell a million? And that should be impressive?
I'm sorry, I'm being that guy again.
I just think celebrating a million copies sold is, in this era, celebrating the Wii U's astounding mediocrity.
It's a fifth or so of all system owners, which is a great number. But from where I'm sitting, it's just reinforcing how poorly the Wii U has sold.
Ten million, even five million sounds impressive. I just don't get how more games aren't on this list. It's pretty depressing how poorly the Wii U has sold overall. Again, less than a third of PS4 sales, with a year's headstart.

The ignorance that has people assuming Nintendo holds as dearly to the N64 / SNES as they do. In any respective era, the newest game is the most important. Because it sells systems. Nintendo is in a painful place and thus, remasters and reissues are necessary.
Sony and Microsoft, waiting for new releases (or to supplement new releases in an okd franchise) have followed suit.
But make no mistake, like DLC, this is simply to pad the time between major titles. When games take years to develop, these things are necessary at times.
Holding to this past glory with an attitude of superiority doesn't produce the result people think it will. Calling a new game garbage because it doesn't measure up to one you played before your first girl friend slept with the guy who is now her husband doesn't make it a better game.
And Nintendo gamers, like gamers from every avenue, become unable to truly appreciate new experiences. I feel bad for game developers who craft an opus early in their history and spend the rest of their time trying to live up to the fans' personal history.
Cause it's never going to happen. Not because the game isn't good. But because the fan doesn't let it.

I ended up picking up Project Cars (used @EB Games was 25$, PSN was 15$) and Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate.
Nintendo's big first party titles sure do hold their price for a long, long time. But it really pushes impulse buyers to 3rd party equivalents. And, of these last 3-5 years, other consoles entirely.
I haven't seen a better deal on a Nintendo system in years and the eShop is outsold so badly, that even the same game sales for more there anyways.
Retro City Rampage DX is a good game, but I still found the details were drowned out on the smaller screen. That and it's not a great game. Injustice is MK lite, and a cash grab that uses DC's characters quite poorly. Star Fox is well overpriced for what it offers (one of the few 3DS 1st party games I've seen for less than 20$ new).
Maybe, just maybe, the sales dry up on Nintendo systems for a reason.
For example: I contemplated DA Inquisition for the longest time before siding with Project Cars. Reason? I'd rather download the 20GB game and purchase the 45GB game as a physical disc.
There's no deliberation with Nintendo. It's A or look somewhere else. When Inquisition first came out, I chose Shadow of Mordor instead. When Witcher 3 released, Inquisition was there again. I know I'll pick it up, but I always had other options.
Nintendo doesn't really have that anymore.
Nintendo hasn't really had that in a while.

An extra dungeon wouldn't surprise me, to be entirely honest. They worked with textures, lighting, sailing, item management (like Wind Waker and OoT, TP's biggest selling point on Wii U is Gamepad inventory management) and even simplified the 'end quest.
I too would hope that particular amiibo isn't necessary to unlock it. The Shovel Knight case I'll give a pass, seeing as they're a pretty small studio. But this should be included, or at the least, be unlockable with every Zelda amiibo.
Speaking of Zelda amiibo, can we start speculating on the figures' functionality in Zelda U / NX yet?
Cause my dream would be a Hyrule Warriors like deal, where you command an army (in a not so essential side quest) against opposing armies of moblins and the sort. And the amiibos would be used to summon warriors to fight while you continued the story.
Kind of like Bravely Default, but a bit more fleshed out. Would be a great excuse to craft new and better weapons (until endgame came and presented you with ultimate equips).
Open world games have so many cool little, entirely optional, minigames and adventures. And Zelda is usually chock full of secrets and collectibles. I guess I want this and that to take full advantage of the advancement those games have made since Skyward Sword.
ALBW HD would be a pretty awesome 20$ Wii U game to release between now and the NeXt Zelda.

If the PS4 can close the gap..? The Wii U had holiday seasons in 2012 and 2013 without the PS4 to compete with and struggled to sell. There may be 700k sales between them, but PS4 took 14 months longer to hit Japan. It's not a million systems in a month kind of country, so yeah, PS4's climb to the Wii U seems slow, but holiday numbers only account for 5-8% of the year.
And for people calling the PS4 a flop: look at how long it took for Japanese consumers to buy into Wii U. I agree. Wii U install base will pinnacle this year, while the PS4 is only growing. Western games selling in Japan doesn't help Nintendo, but Sony sure is going to benefit.

The Wii sold with motion control.
With one flagship game.
Motion bombed with so many 'core' titles.
Which is why Nintendo fans don't get the hype.
It isn't the niche games, the play it once and done 'sports' games, the 'it was a good idea at the time' games. It's EVERYTHING.
Shooters. Sports. Action. Adventure. Puzzles. Horror.
And here's the thing Nintendo gamers don't consider: it isn't just gaming. It's news, movies, social networking, even music.
You say it flops, but literally EVERYONE said the same thing about the Wii.
The biggest difference is the price: VR isn't a cheap cash grab.
The Wii was a smash hit, until it fizzled out and the Wii U has smeared Nintendo's reputation.
Honestly, if Nintendo couldn't kill gaming with the idiotic decisions they've made these last 10 years, VR isn't going to be that bad.

A game that actually makes sense having a New 3DS gets railed on by the reviewer for taking advantage of new hardware?
Sounds par for the course.
They said it would run. They never said it would run well.
But hey, devs have done a great job warranting buying a new system. A port, a lazy port and a few new bells and whistles in MH and Smash.
Why Nintendo ever released a 'New' 3DS in the first place is being proven as the 2nd most useless revision. The first being the 2DS.
'NX' is looking like Nintendo probably isn't going to get it right. Again.

@AtlanteanMan child's play?
You want to talk 'child's play?'
3 core CPU, running at 1.2 GHz.
2 GB of RAM.
Compare that to an 8 core CPU running at 1.7 GHz.
And 8 GB of (still fairly high end) GDDR5 RAM.
Nintendo pooched the Wii U by not listening to the people MAKING games. Most cellphones have better specs.
They were CHEAP.
And their games are toys that do nothing to advance one the largest grossing entertainment industries.
Money drives the wheel, not good ideas.
People pay to see Fast and Furious movies. The 3rd worst Star Wars film is one the most successful films of all time.
Clearly, you're stuck in an era where numbers meant nothing. Partly due to the fact the industry had just CRASHED. Anything looked good in the 80s and 90s when compared to the disaster that came before it.
But that era is DEAD.
Buried a long, long time ago.
And your theory about rehashing boring old FPSes and sandbox games holds little water when a new Nintendo game isn't better and the 'rehash' is.
GTA is getting better. CoD is getting better. Assassin's Creed is sort of getting better (kind of). But it inspired Dishonoured. Tomb Raider is better than it ever was on the PS1 / PS2. Borderlands. Skyrim. Witcher 3.
Compare the first 2 DA games to Inquisition.
Now go ahead, find enough people that liked Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword nore than the N64 games. I'll wait.
Find enough people that liked SM3D World and NSMBU more than 64 and World. Or even Mario 3.
Find anyone who liked Other M more than Super Metroid, Zero Mission or even Prime.
Find someone who genuinely thinks the DKC Returns games are better than the originals.
FPSes, sandbox games, sports games are getting better. Nintendo is shadow boxing it's own rose tinted past and LOSING. The point isn't that the Wii U was a failure or that Nintendo failed or that the fans didn't get it.
It's that Nintendo is as passe as you see Sonic. They haven't mattered, not really, since they broke the motion control barrier and even then, it was only relevant in one game that no one even cares still exists.
They've been bettered in every way, shape and form.
There is no recovering from the Wii U. Nintendo's been dead for 6 years.

@shinokami has had the most likely guess thus far.
Sonic 4, Episode 3, to be announced on January 21.
As much as I would like a Sonic Adventure HD remaster / remake.
Speaking of remakes, anyone with a PS4 or XB1 considering FF Type 0 HD.. Stop. AI, music, animations, textures, controls, levelling, combat, loading times, even voice acting. It is honestly the worst FF game ever made. It is terrible. It's a game that makes me wish for a day when remasters / remakes are banned from being made. One of the 5 worst games I've ever played. Worse than that Aliens game that skipped the Wii U. Worse than Duke Nukem Forever. Worse than RCMadiax could ever create. Worse because it spits on FF while posing as a 'good' game. It's the kind of game that made me weep for Yoshitaka Amano, just having his art associated with it..
Even a worse Sonic Boom would be better. Black Knight 2 would be better. Werehogs in a top down RPG with no storyline would be better.

Why get upset @Pod?
Hmm, let's see.
Kuju, parent of Zoe Mode and Headstrong, hasn't exactly been a 2K (the biggest games developer in NA).
They made some decent games during the Gamecube generation (nothing Nintendo enthusiasts would have played) and never really moved on.
Unless you're one of those gamers that enjoys Art Academy, kitchsy dance games and shovelware.
How is this bad for Curve on the eShop? The eShop makes next to nothing for Curve as is. When Curve is part of a bigger, more financially sound entity, supporting a money pit no longer takes precedence.
Consider how quickly we saw the 'exclusive' Clone 2 on other platforms.
The thing is, the games only just break even of Nintendo systems. Despite less competition. Despite Nintendo be bending over backwards to get them.
On Wii U, Clone 2 looked like an awesome game, even at 10-12$ (not 15, which is why I never bought it).
On PS4, it was an afterthought at 3$.
That's right. I passed on Clone 2 at 3$.
So how sad is it that the eShop's indie games have no competition and still can't make Curve money?
Catalis can probably see this (hopefully see this) and will have Curve making better games that PS4, XB1 and PC gamers will have to acknowledge.

This sounds like a mutually beneficial situation. Catalis has the money and the man power, Curve has the existing network and the experience.
The inclusion of Wheatley's name seems to inforce the decidedly negative tone of the final paragraph. I can guarantee you it means EXACTLY what you're subtly suggesting: no more Curve on the eShop.