Many look at Nintendo Land as Wii U’s very own Wii Sports but personally I don’t think it is. At least, not in every aspect.

Wii Sports was the tech demo that instantly showed the average consumer what the Wii was all about. Thirty seconds of watching someone play Wii Tennis or Wii Bowling was enough for gamers and non-gamers alike to get the concept and understand what that weird controller could do.

Nintendo Land does have the same purpose. The games included in the package are there to explain asymmetrical gameplay (i.e. what the weird control can do). However, they aren’t as easy to grasp as those of Wii Sports (the excruciatingly long demo of the Luigi’s Ghost Mansion mini-game at E3 should be ample proof of that) and more importantly they lack that “That’s incredible, I’ve gotta have this!” or “I didn’t know videos games could do that!” effect that was triggered among non-gamers when they saw Wii Sports in action.

I remember, back in 2007, people were arguing about the relevance of including Wii Sports sales in the weekly software totals because the game was bundled with the console. My stand on that subject was (and still is) that it was the right thing to do since I firmly believe that it was mainly Wii Sports that was selling the Wii and not the other way around. That’s the main difference Nintendo Land has with Wii Sports, I can’t see people rushing to the stores to get a Wii U because they saw someone playing that game. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of other reasons to get a Wii U but I don’t think Nintendo Land will be the main reason for the purchase of the console like it was the case for Wii and Wii Sports.

Hmm... Agreed.

This is more of a "Super Smash Brothers Party"-title than a "Holy shit! Look at this game!! WE HAVE TO BUY A WII U SO WE CAN PLAY IT!!!"-type of game. Still, that doesn't exclude it from being a possible bundle option at launch.

The main problem Nintendo will have to overcome is the fact that just watching people play Wii Sports and seeing the characters move on the screen in conjunction with their movements is FUN to watch. The reason the Wii sold so well to the mass consumer audience is because it looked fun to play from the start.

The Wii U doesn't have that same vibe when you watch someone play right away.

So.... Nintendo needs Wii Sports U?

I agree, I want my Wii U Sports.

WiiU sports Resort 2 please

Agreed.

I think Nintendo Land is more a subliminal marketing tool for Nintenod's main IPs. trying to get the little kids to get familiar with the franchises, so when they grow up they stick around for another generation and buy those.

Think of it as a conditioning of a new generational core audience.

Yea WiiU Sports would have been better, but we must remember these are just 5 of the games we have seen of the 12 total.

Agreed. Flawless logic.

Here, take this karma points with you: 9765+

On another note, I also believe were gonna see Wii Sports the 3rd. Hopefully with an orgasmic online structure, please.

Oh, and boxing using dual wiimote+

Well, I wrote a whole post disagreeing until I realized that I agree.

The Wii Sports experience was more than a video game, it was like buying an arcade for your house at a very good price that also served as a video game console with a very promising input.

Here, it's a video game console with a very promising input that can also do things like play chess and other fun stuff.

But regardless it's very compelling to me, but I'm a gamer. So, will the party-like experience drive people to the stores? Do people rush to board game shops? Does Mario Party sell all that well?

It does, but nothing like what Wii Sports and Resort were able to achieve. End of JoelCool post.