Wii U’s Success at E3 Depends on a Single Nintendo Franchise

GenGAME writes: "This year’s E3 is a critical one for Nintendo. With Wii U slipping in popularity with each passing month, the company’s struggling to ensure that the system picks up steam before the release of other next-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft, and that means it needs to get everything in gear by the holidays to be successful for the long haul. As was the case with 3DS, it’s possible to turn things around with enough momentum, but before long Wii U’s chance to build that momentum will be lost.

"People have been looking to a number of different franchises as possible saviors for the system’s image – The Legend of Zelda, Pikmin, and a Retro Studios-developed Metroid, just to name a few – but at the end of the day, there’s only one franchise that really matters for the future of Wii U."

[legendoflex]

TL;DR Show me the system-selling Mario game, Nintendo.

[raytraceme]

The moment either a pokemon rpg,metroid prime w/online multiplayer, mario kart, mario galaxy, or super smash are announced for the wii u I am getting it.

[gamer42]

I want all of those...

[ATi_Elite]

Nintendo is gonna have to show Metroid, Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Pokemon to save the struggling WiiU and I don't mean ALL of them in a Kart game I mean ALL of them in their OWN AAA Game.

[kirbyu]

Super Mario 64 SOLD BADLY! I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

[legendoflex]

It did, sadly. Took a HUGE hit compared to Super Mario World. 3D Mario in general just doesn't sell as well. It still can help show that Nintendo can still make great-looking games even on lower-powered hardware, but it doesn't come even close to the potential of 2D Mario.

[TongkatAli]

3D Mario is just as good as 2D Mario. I'll never forget when my tough ass 50 cent loving only plays Grand Theft Auto/Fifa friend opened up about Mario 64 and he told me it helped him learn English when he first came to America.

[MegaLagann]

"3D Mario in general just doesn't sell well"

Super Mario 64: 11 Million Copies Sold
Super Mario Sunshine: 5 Million Copies Sold
Super Mario Galaxy: 10 Million Copies Sold
Super Mario Galaxy 2: 7 Million Copies Sold

"3D Mario in general just doesn't sell well"
11 million, 5 million, 10 million, 7 million
"Doesn't sell well"

Either you're trolling or you really think this isn't good sales numbers...which scares me if you actually think like this. Also, after reading all the comments on here, this page should be fire bombed.

[ddurand1]

and thats why idont own any nintendo systems.

[Thatguy-310]

Exactly they just rely on the same franchises especially Mario. They should just bring new life to the system and company itself by introducing new Ip's.

[JonahNL]

Unlike a shitload of other developers on this planet Nintendo almost always manages to bring an IP back again and again in a fresh and exciting manner.

I'd rather have a company sticking to what they're good at and bringing me a new 3D Mario every couple of years that blows my socks off than a dozen failed attempts at trying something new.

Remember, it's Nintendo we're talking about here. The last time we wanted something new we got Wii Music. Yay.

[gamer42]

@ZidaneNL

No, the last time we wanted something new, we got xenoblade, the last story, and Pandora's tower. which one of them is widely known as one of the greatest RPGs this gen. Other than that I agree.

[Jagsrock]

It always make me laugh when people like to belittle nintendo for using for "relying on same franchises" as if there has been some sort of drop in quality in their work. It's even more laughable when people target Mario games which have managed to maintain a quality other developers can only dream about obtaining and most of all remain fun after all these years. Just look at Mario galaxy the game is pure fun and that's what games should be about. Nintendo needs Mario and so do gamers because mario games remind us all why we game in the first place, to have fun.

[RTheRebel]

cause your a sony drone?

[ddurand1]

no, thanks though.

[kirbyu]

Not even any of the old ones?

[ddurand1]

passed down to younger brother/cousins.

[Errefus]

If wish the mario games would not be repetitive. (referring to nsmb)

[TongkatAli]

That theme repeating over and over again was fing annoying and kinda ruined the whole game for me even though it was still fun. Nintendo were too poor to have a soundtrack for New Super Mario Bros Wii U, online multiplayer co-op, obvious jk.

[LOL_WUT]

I hope it's not Mario Galaxy 3 that'll be a huge letdown. ;)

[PopRocks359]

Yes, what a letdown for another sequel of the best of the 3D Mario platformers. Such a horrid waste. /s

[Thepcz]

i agree, mario galaxy 1, yes, good. 2? bored me.

we need a new mario game in a new setting

[antikbaka]

Nintendo should have released not a single WiiU console but two consoles - ZeldaU and MarioU all other tittles could have been left for DS..

[andrewer]

Sony/Microsoft exclusives don't attract me (except PS2 - Shadow of the Colossus and Sly Cooper); with so many incredible Nintendo titles, it simply don't let me down.

[brewin]

These same articles have appeared in the beginning of every Nintendo console life cycle, yet the only one that could actually be considered a failure is the Gamcube. These were the worst when the 3ds stumbled out of the gate. Look how that is turning out... Those people who shit on it then are eating shit and crow now. History will repeat itself and the U will be a top selling system in the coming generation. Mark my words...

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

I will probably look at the New 3D Mario with Awe but I, probably, won't play it.

I haven't played a Mario game in a while- I keep being told that I should play MG2 but I am still playing other games-

For me the thing I want to see the Most is RETRO's Project.

Then: SSB, MKart, Watch_Dogs (WiiU version), Zelda WW & WiiU, "X"enoblade, and SMT X Fire Emblem-

After I see all of these things, I will wake-up in a mental institution because I am sure people will mistake my frantic excitement for mental illness.