It's a really difficult question. I mean there are multiple factors at play here.
A) Had Nintendo waited until 2013 to launch Wii U, what would have been released for Wii in Q4 last year that would have driven the holiday sales? NSMBU and Nintendo Land were built for Wii U. Nintendo wouldn't have released a second NSMB for the same console, as Iwata has stated in the past it's a "one-per-console series". So there's that, right? What would have been the first-party games for Wii in 2012 if there had been no Wii U launch until 2013.
B) More importantly, had Nintendo waited, they would be going up against the assault of the Xbox One and PS4 pissing contest. All the shooters, all the racing games, next-gen blockbuster glitz and glamour, etc. Nintendo's never been into that kind of thing. They would have been over-looked and Wii U wouldn't be viewed well in comparison to the more powerful competition. I think that releasing in 2012 was the right thing to do, I just think that they had to delay too many games outside of the original launch window, and thus sales dried up due to extremely low demand. I mean, no one wants to pay $349 for a console with no new software. They clearly over-estimated long-term demand for NSMBU and Nintendo Land, and under-estimated the development time for Pikmin 3, Wii Party U, and Wonderful 101. The perfect storm that kills the momentum of any new game system.
C) Wii U sits much prettier this year as a one-year old console, 1) For the Nintendo fans who love Mario and Zelda, 2) For the Xbox 360/ PS3 owners who want something new but aren't ready to jump onto PS4/ Xbox One until next year or the year after, and 3) The family-friendly mass-market audience that looks far more appealing to people looking for "having fun with the family at home" with Mario or Wii Party, instead of playing CoD or Kill Zone on PS4, and 4) Lower price = more affordable point of entry than the competition
The Screamapillar is easily identified by its constant screaming—it even screams in its sleep. The Screamapillar is the favorite food of everything, is sexually attracted to fire, and needs constant reassurance or it will die.
