"...and Metroid Prime 3 is the latest entry in a huge Nintendo franchise. Yet its sold 1.55M LTD -- no where near any of the 360 or PS3 CoD games, or many of the big shooters at all."
Wrong. Metroid is not a huge selling franchise. Did you even bother to look up the sales of the other games?
A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.
Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs