How can anyone genuinely say the 3DS was Nintendo's biggest win this gen?? Its proof that the industry that has kept Nintendo relevant all these years is on a massive decline. It might not be a dead market yet but its sure as hell on its way there.

I dunno, Mario Maker seems to be a bigger deal in some respects. It's getting a lot of attention, and I feel like it's the kind of game that's going to have legs, especially as they continue to add more content. Mario Kart 8 is also pretty awesome, outside of the lazy ass job they did on the "battle mode".

I'm still willing to bet (hope) that Zelda U will wind up being the best thing on the system, from Nintendo themselves at least.

Indeed, the new franchise is born.

I don't really see how exactly good sales of biggest Nintendo IPs can be bigger win than totally new bit IP that literally we become one of the biggest NIntendo IPs too.

Mario Maker is Mario game where you making your levels and play others, Mario Kart was always huge, Zelda was always great, but Splatoon is totally new and big IP that will be on pair with Mario Kart and Smash Bros.

Definitely. I just can't wait to see how Splatoon 2 would perform on a system that's potentially more successful than the WiiU.

If Splatoon 2 will be cross device game, on NX home and NX handheld, only sky will be limit. :)

And about damm time, it's been what almost 15 years since the last big new franchise Pikmin?(if you can even call that big). People have been craving this for a long time, and it was my biggest critisism towards Nintendo.

Amiibo is bigger. Splatoon, while great to see an interesting new IP, is overrated both in terms of success and future legacy imo.

I'd go a bit further and say that Splatoon was gaming's biggest win this generation.

A fresh take on the shooter genre, one of the most addictive games out there, a game people like to call "The MarioKart/SuperSmashBros of shooting games" really says a lot. If anything, for Nintendo Splatoon was a total success because now, every new system, people will be expecting Splatoon every bit as much as they do with Zelda, Super Mario, Mario Kart, SSBros. It will be a new factor weighing when you're wondering wether or not to buy a Nintendo console.

Additionally, I believe Xenoblade will have the same effect but on a smaller group of core heavy gamers. Imagine a Xenoblade game on a console as powerful as a X1/PS4. That would be sweet.

Anyway, aside for not being a financially success, the WiiU will bring some good things to the Nintendo brand which impact on future systems you can't quantify as of now: the establishment of Xenoblade as a real top quality Jrpg series, Splatoon and amiibos.