The dating sims in Japan i think gain their popularity from their semi-ecchi nature, something Nintendo wouldn't go for. Date sims in the west have always failed precisely because their developers haven't tried to make them ecchi enough (and thus part of the appeal that exists in their japanese counterparts is lost)
Something sort of closer to the Sims, period, Nintendo could totally do. Are doing already, infact, with Tomodachi Collection.

Monster Hunter: pissing me off since 2010.







