Nintendo surprises all the time. You never know what you are getting with a new game or a new system.
With existing ip's you never know what you are going to get. Even the basic game mechanics changed from Mario64 to Mario Sunshine to Mario Galaxy. Zelda ALttP2 is a shock because it's retro. Previous Zeldas on hendhelds have been toon graphics with touch controls or the recent 3D OoT. Now they switch to classic 2D style...but even that looks like it will be a new and fresh experience because of 3D imagery, and the ability to switch perspective and walk on walls. I have no idea what MarioU is going to be like, and I fully expect to be surprised.
With new IPs Nintendo gives outsanding first-time titles like Xenoblade, or all new experiences or even genres like WiiSports, or Brain Training, or Nintendogs.
In all honesty I see very little innovation or surprising in the industry outside of Nintendo, especailly at the 1st party level. MS, especially, just gives Halo 1,2,3,4.. Forza 1,2,3,4... which are essentailly improved versions of the same experience. Sony titles tend to end franchises and move on to new themes Jak-->Uncharted and so on, but as far as new genres or types of experiences there is little innovation, and from one game in the franchise to the next they are basically an improved version of the same experience.
The one knock on Nintendo is that they re-use characters in various games, but each game tends to be very different, and Nintendo tends to pioneer most new types of game experiences. I think a lot of people would like if they surprised or innovated less and would be happy without unique controls or watercolor graphics.
