Ok, I will tell ya what I think.
Nintendo was NOT ready to release WiiU back in 2012. A lot of mistakes, not ready to go hardware and the worst... not enough games to justify buying the system apart from the factor of the new. Instead, they should have focused on Wii, bringing more new games on it and keeping the exciting on that console WHILE planning a proper WiiU release. And I believe that if it was released near the time of PS4/Xbox1 that would have helped lots.
But even though the early and messy release, we get a long period of no new games and lack of 3rd party. From bad to worse. Nintendo needed over one year to actually do proper work on WiiU! Since MK8 and E32014, the sales of WiiU have improved lots and it shows that the console CAN compete the other 2.
What is next? More good games and try to gain as much as possible 3rd party support. Needless to day that promotion of the WiiU is fucking critical!!! The first TV ad I have seen was the MK8. Unacceptable!
I am still sure WiiU can have HUGE legs if the right things are done.
And 3DS is not WiiU's enemy but not a friend as well.