I disagree. When purchasing a console, like purchasing any other TV format, be it Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD (or VHS vs Beta) or a cable box ... people want access to CONTENT. 

They don't want a purple cable box with 1/3 the channels of the other competing boxes. 

Consoles and handhelds are different, Nintendo can get away with having so-so/OK third party support (virtually nothing interesting from Western devs) because people don't need a new handheld game every month. 

But you can't get away with that on a console. 

That's why the Playstation has trounced the N64, GameCube, and Wii U ... the whole "please buy our home console to just play our first party games" formula doesn't cut the mustard to the majority of the home console audience. It didn't against Nintendo either, Sega basically tried that formula with Sega Master System versus the NES, and the NES whupped 'em. 

When people buy a home console they are buying a format, not a toy. That's what I think Nintendo still doesn't really understand. This is also why the PS4 is spanking the Wii U four ways to Sunday even though the Wii U has a better lineup of games and is cheaper. People know and trust Sony to deliver them with the wider flow of content they want -- racing sims, sports sims, RPGs, FPS shooters, third person shooters, etc. etc. they know they will get those games on the PS4. That are purchasing it as a format investment for the next 5 years, doesn't matter that Wii U has more Mario/Zelda themed games at the moment. No one cares other than core Nintendo fans and the sales numbers plainly reflect this. 

Hmm, it probably wouldn`t change much in the end, but it would have one killer launch if it was released as it currently is ; ) Honestly, I didn`t think the Wii U`s launch was that bad. People gave a lot of flak to the Wii U`s launch, while PS4`s and XB1`s launches weren`t even that better or as good, IMO.

Would it "make a difference?" Yes. Would it "ensure better fortunes?" No.

The WiiU's biggest problems haven't changed since it was first announced, much less since launch. It was kicked out onto the stage too early, it wasn't built for the right environment, and Nintendo are still at a loss when it comes to selling their products to the wider gaming audience.

I think your scenario would actually have made things worse for them. Having a somewhat smoother interface and Mario Kart 8 at launch would have only shifted a million or so earlier rather than later. But without the one-two-punch of MK8 and SSB in 2014, the system's momentum would be even more crippled than it is now.

It probably would have had more launch sales with big games like Smash, Mario Kart, Bayonetta and Pikmin, but it may have ended up slowing down again if it still had the poor marketing, poor third party and weaker hardware compared to the other consoles. The games out now would help but other aspects still help boost sales since games can't always sell consoles alone.

But with the higher install base and more sales, along with the lack of negativity from the gaming public don't you think that 3rd party support would have stuck around? It would mean that there would be less of a chance for droughts which would keep up system and game sales. I'm not saying that it would be a miracle turnaround, but it would have erased one thing right off the bat, and that would be all the negative publicity that they had to put up with.

Amazing idea! Include with it, the new handheld: the Portable Nintendo Entertainment System, perhaps? Let's be real - nothing could stop the ultimate combination of PNES + ANES! 

On topic: It would've helped greatly, but the poor marketing, customer confusion (Is Wii U an add-on for Wii??), weaker hardware, and software droughts would still gimp the system enough that I don't think it would've changed its fate overall. I do think that having a better launch would have given 3rd parties a reason to stick around, though. Maybe that alone could've changed the Wii U's fate. 

It would have sold faster out of the gate but its fate would have ultimately have been the same.

I can see how there would be less negativity as there would be more games but if they kept the same marketing tactics, would people still only see the Wii U as a Wii add-on?  While what you say is true, more than just the games would be needed to really increase console sales.  If Nintendo still poorly advertised the system, then the third parties would do the same and then we would be back to where we currently are, though they may have earned more sales due to the initial rush.  Games and exclusives are a selling point for a console but at the same time, there are things like marketing and hardware to consider, and hardware is one of the reasons that third parties did abandon Wii U, as it made games harder to port.  I can see the negativity around some of the issues that plagued the system earlier being less of a problem though but I'm not sure that that would exactly accumulate into big sales, just less bad press and possibly a slight increase in sales.  There's a chance that I'm seeing this all wrong and if this was the launching Wii U then sales would skyrocket but these are just my 2 cents.

The WiiU actually had a good launch.
But it was hurt by  game cancellations:
2 Star Wars games
bad ports and port choices:
Mass Effect 3 instead of Mass Effect Trilogy
and game delays
Rayman
Third parties simply left the console out in the cold to let it flounder and die.
But they will suffer the consequences for doing so.

Please elaborate. How will they suffer?