The controller. While the Wii controller was kind of an NES controller turned on it's side, the Wii controller should be more of an SNES controller. It should have kind of a dog bone shape, so that it can still be gripped like a wand in the middle, but can also be more comfortable to hold on it's side for Mario Bros. It could potentially have L and R buttons flush with the controller for sideways use as well. Obviously it should have the Motion+ gyroscope included, and it should have a nunchuk attachment for analog stick control. Basically, don't reinvent the wheel; the basic goal is to be perfect for both Wii Sports and Mario Bros. The other games can fall in line from there.
The technology. Graphics power isn't important. Wii 2 only needs to be able to do Wii level graphics at 720 or 1080. The most important thing is that loading times must be reduced. Gamecube had the fastest loading times of any disc medium console, and that is what Nintendo need to shoot for. Games like Brawl and DKC Returns were significantly hampered by unacceptably long loading times. There are probably some inherent limitations to using discs as the medium, but that is the primary thing Nintendo needs to overcome. Also more important than simple graphic resolution are, in no order: Reducing controller response lag. Maintaining 60 FPS. Keeping the system small, quiet and efficient. Recognizing high amounts of controllers to make Wii Fit better.
The GUI. The channels system is great and shouldn't be changed that much. The main change should be a way to boot the game up right away. Put the intrusive government-mandated warning screen to good use, and have it say "press A to load menu" and in smaller text "press B to load [game name]."
The launch games. The key games you need at launch are Wii Sports 3 and Mario Bros. The goal for both should be to blow the top off of the amount of content. It goes without saying that the content must be high quality. But less attention should be paid to "saving" content for other games; for example Wuhu Island in Wii Sports Resort had tennis courts you could find with the planes. However tennis was not in the game, and the Mario Tennis game was released around the same time. That needs to stop. Instead, stuff Wii Sports 3 with about 20 sports, and put them in a new environment like Wuhu Island. Make sure all of the key sports are included (tennis, golf, bowling, sword fights, archery, and airplanes, for starters) but also have a bunch of new sports including more sports like airplanes where you can explore the environment. Mario Bros. should aim for about 120 levels instead of the 25 year old standard of 75. That would give it the space to stay "safe" with all of the traditional environments and bosses, but also add at least 4 worlds worth of totally new environments and bosses. The design of the maps and the power-ups in NSMBW was very good, and should not be totally reinvented.
In the package. There should be two launch packages: One with Mario Bros., and one with Wii Sports. Each package has 2 controllers. And each costs $300 US. The idea here is to drive massive levels of hardware sales, after all. Nintendo should sacrifice high margins on additional controllers and on extra software in order to drive huge levels of hardware sales. The goal here ought to be selling 250 million systems, not simply reaching 100 million as in the past.
Extra controller packages. Nintendo had huge success with Wii Play because it had good gaming value with an extra controller. However they basically had a huge debacle when they segmented the install base with Motion+. Selling extra controllers, nunchuks AND Motion+ all separately creates a nightmare for customers, who want to buy games, not doodads. Nintendo should be looking to get 4 complete controllers attached to every system possible, to maximize the amount of players per household. That means they should sell complete controllers, including a nunchuk, for $50. But, they should also have a 2 controller plus software package for $100. The game should basically include every classic game that could be remade for 4-players, and could instead be sold as a download to milk customers, all in one package. Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, Wild Gunman, Dr. Mario, Yoshi, Yoshi's Cookie, Panel De Pon, Puyo Puyo, Tetris, Picross, Tanks, Excitebike, Wrecking Crew, plus mini-golf, pool, darts, etc. Even with all of that, this would be a super cheap game to develop. Put all the definitive 4-player versions in one box, and package it with 2 controllers for $100. Nintendo would set a record for 4-controller penetration.
The software cycle. Year 1 is driven by Mario Bros., Wii Sports and the 2-controller package. Year 2 is driven by Wii Fit and Mario Kart. Wii Fit should be able to use 2 balance boards and up to 4 Wii remotes. This would allow you to do a lot of aerobics type exercises using 2 controllers without a cord, and allow 2 people to play or work out together. The focus, as is the theme here, should be tons of content. The way to maintain a phenomenon is to keep high volumes of new and exciting content with each new edition. Mario Kart should also up the ante on content. Instead of 8 cups with 16 new tracks and 16 old ones, maybe add a 9th cup, with only 3 retro cups, for a total of 24 new tracks and 12 old ones. And, keeping with the theme, put 2 wheel attachments in the box. Those 4 or 5 games exhaust the games that obviously have a reasonable chance to sell 25 million copies.
Nintendo should then focus on games with the potential to sell 10 million copies, and ignore anything else. This does not mean Nintendo should not work on new properties, but new properties should be "back to basics" instead of competing directly with the types of games made for PlayStation and Xbox systems. Design a top-down JRPG, or a 2D space shooter, with great core mechanics designed to allow players to choose their play style. Existing franchises that are worthwhile as possible 10 million sellers include Mario Party, Mario Sports, 3D Mario, Donkey Kong, Smash Bros., Zelda, and even the likes of Kirby and Star Fox. Anything that was a phenomenon in the past can probably be one in the future if you go back to the basics of gameplay, design the game around the player so they can choose their own play style, and overload the game with new content. Not new features, and not fundamentally different mechanics. Just new content. Mario Sports, for example, largely gets the gameplay right, but not the content. Treat Mario Sports like Wii Sports, and load it with a dozen or more sports, all in a continuous Mushroom Kingdom world. Zelda tries to load a game with content, but misses the core gameplay. It's about action and adventure, not puzzles and scripted gameplay. When items are used to solve puzzles, every item feels like a key. When items are used to fight hoards of enemies, they feel like they make you more powerful and let you choose your playstyle.
And no game series should be milked. This means that every game should be made like it is the last game in the series. Wait 3 years between games in any series, and for many series, keep it at 1 per console. No need to have more than one Zelda or Mario Kart. But Mario Party you could do once in the 2nd year and once in the 5th year, for example. Mario Bros. and Wii Fit should definitely have 2 entries per console, and Wii Sports probably should too. Every new entry should be a serious reaction to the way players played the last entry, and just keep cranking up the new content.
Online store. Focus on the classic games. There is no need to compete directly with social gaming or mobile gaming, or to even worry about social gaming or mobile gaming. The bread and butter of the console industry is $50 games, which means you just have to make games that are worth $50. That means games where players can choose their own play style and have a ridiculously large amount of content to explore. Mobile and social games companies aim to present a low overall value to each customer, but to reach a high amount of customers through non-game centric platforms. This is why any classic puzzle or arcade style games that are better suited for social and mobile gaming should be bundled as 4-player party games and sold at retail instead of sold piecemeal online. No one buys a $300 system to access $5 games, and no-one uses a free platform like Facebook to access $50 games. 10 $50 customers are worth as much as 100 $5 customers plus 1000 free users.
Online gaming. Why worry about this? Put online into as many games as possible, but worry more about 4-controller penetration than online penetration. You want to own the living room and own house parties, not own online gaming. That said, the friend code system is ridiculous and should be made system-wide instead of game-by-game, and be overall less obtrusive.
Third party policy. Third parties are not that important. Nintendo should not focus that much on catering to third parties, because they will never have as much incentive to do so as Sony or MS, due to their weaker 1st parties. So Nintendo should just focus on the games which can drive the install base the highest, so that in years 5, 6 and beyond, when Nintendo is focusing on the next system, third parties can rule.
A truly healthy cycle. A truly healthy cycle would be selling an average of 30 million consoles a year for six years, before launching the new console, and then selling another 70 million after the new one launches. That would be 250 million consoles. This is what Wii might have done if Nintendo had kept the pedal to the floor. Too many games focused on features instead of content (Animal Crossing, Wii Music) and on rich linear experiences instead of player freedom (Zelda, Mario Galaxy, Donkey Kong, Kirby). Plus the way that controllers were sold piece-by-piece and with a high margin, was focused on maximizing profit per customer instead of reaching more customers.
Basically, get desperate again. Cut out the non-gaming nonsense (graphics, online features) and get down to business. Get every game back to it's strength, load it with new content, and make sure the players are in charge. Sacrifice your margin on controllers and the idea of constant controller innovation (and upheaval) to achieve an unprecedented controller attach rate. Don't worry about or compete with social and mobile gaming, but make sure every game is worth $50. Cut down on loading times and make the channels screen optional to get players into the games faster. That is how to make Wii 2.
I will be shocked if anything close to this happens.
"[Our former customers] are unable to find software which they WANT to play."
"The way to solve this problem lies in how to communicate what kind of games [they CAN play]."
Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President. Only slightly paraphrased.
