Has Nintendo's Efforts to Entice Third Parties Worked Against It?

[jarrod]

LordTheNightKnight said:

jarrod said:

I'd prefer not ranking factors, it seems like an effort in futility.  I do feel pretty safe saying were NSMBWii not a Mario branded game though, with all that brings with it, it would be selling a small fraction what it is...

That's brand recognition, not nostalgia.

In (New) Super Mario Bros. case, it's both.  Again, nostalgia is in the game's DNA, from the brand to the gameplay to the marketing.  You can't get away from it.