I'll buy any new Nintendo console/handheld. Got mine on launch day.

2014 for Mario Kart and Smash

2013

New Super Mario Bros U + Super Mario 3D world. + thinking about a new Paper Mario console game/new Zelda game.

Was slightly disappointed by SM3Dworld... wishing it was a Mario Galaxy game instead.

2013 - Price was $199 8gb model.

NSMB+Bayonetta+Mario Party

Summer 2013, in preparation for Pikmin 3 release. NSMBU was a system seller for me, and neither was Nintendo Land (although I was generally surprised and it's one of my most played games). Other than that, very few games in between launch and Pikmin 3, so I wasn't missing anything either..

Launch day 2012 mostly because of the off-tv play and the fact that I was very curious about the workings of the dual screen set-up (funny how that ended up). Not really any game in particular though obviously I knew the system would have follow-ups in my favorite series eventually. If all else failed I could at least play Wii games off-screen. I got Nintendoland, which was surprisingly decent, and ZombiU that day and NSMBU a couple days after.

I got mine during the launch week, back in 2012. I had pre-ordered Rayman and ZombiU. I still hate Ubisoft for delaying that game. The game that I really wanted to play was Pikmin 3, which also got delayed. Wii U had a really bad start. I didn't really play on it that much in the first few months.

The game itself is probably good, espacially if you havent made up your mind what Xenoblade is supposed to be if you havent played the first one. The problem is the piss poor optimisation of the UI, small text, cluttered and shops arent even displayed unless you are in the actual street of the town.

I got it either in late 2013 or early 2014

Games is the reason why I got it (The Wind Waker HD, 3D World, Mario Kart 8, Smash 4, Pikmin, Zelda U)

Launch. The promise of a playing the upcoming Smash title was probably the most important reason (not sure if it was announced but we all knew it would eventually)

That and just Nintendo software in general, with Mario, Zelda and Mario Kart as my other 'most anticipated' games. At launch I bought NSMBU, Nintendo Land which seemed fun to me. NSMBU was pretty good. Mario chase, the Luigi's mansion and AC candy games were pretty amazing mini-games that made Nintendoland worth it. Still play it with friends at times.