| Experimental42 said:
It only took a few good games to turn their fortunes around with the Game Boy, DS, and 3DS. You don't think MK8, Bayonetta, 2 types of Zelda games, Metroid, and possibly the biggest new JRPG constitutes a few good games? As for the best lineup, lets compare 2014 and then a little of 2015. 2014: Bayonetta 2, X, Hyrule Warriors, and Smash. That's a good spread. One killer app franchise, one very hyped JRPG (possibly the first system mover for the Japanese market), the first new Zelda related game in a while, and a third party exclusive that has a cult following. What's more, the timing of these titles couldn't be more perfect, being in the wake Mario Kart 8's elevated sales and allieviation of the doom cloud right before E3. Everyone knows that all eyes are on Nintendo and short of Microsoft buying Nintendo nothing can steal the show from them. Nintendo will either have an amazing show or pull an Xbone and embarass themselves. I believe they'll deliver because if they don't, Nintendo is dead, period. |
The Gameboy, DS, and 3DS all did significantly better even before their turnarounds than the Wii U has done. The GB turnaround was also more of just a prolonged life. It had a killer app from the very beginning with Tetris and sold well for years before Pokemon/color. They are also all handhelds which tend to sell much less software per unit of hardware which allows them to get along with less support and also have individual games make a much larger impact.
A game with a cult following isn't exactly one to hang your hat on as one of the four games that will drive Wii U sales. X feels like the same song and dance that was made around Xenoblade and The Last Story. It may very well be the best selling new JRPG this year, but with the state of JRPG sales that isn't saying much. ALBW wasn't that long ago and was probably more what Zelda fans wanted out of a new Zelda game than Hyrule Warriors. Also both Zelda and Musou games have been on the downswing in popularity. Smash should do well, but the 3DS release could hurt the hype for it. It'll be the first Smash game in less than 6 months instead of more than 6 years.
Do you really think the timing couldn't be more perfect? The only one with a sold release date is Hyrule Warriors in Japan. That won't come out until two and a half months after Mario Kart. Now maybe at E3 they'll announce Bayonetta for July, HyWa for August, and X for September, as well as another half dozen games to round out the rest of the year. However those things haven't happened as of yet. I don't see how you can say that four games, the closest one 2.5 months after MK is the perfect way to capitalize on the elevated sales and improved perception.
