I think Mario's success is an amazing back bone for Nintendo. But I feel Mario is becoming to important to Nintendo's success. The idea that new hardware has to have a Mario launch title to be successful is absurd. It hurts Nintendo's ability to release new IP and third parties abilities to sell software.

Nintendo needs steady Mario releases to survive but at the same time they need to be spaced out. A Mario game should never be present within Tue first six months of Jew hardware in my opinion. Mario games should also be launched in seasons when sales suffer. Release Mario during an off season and sell new IP and other games during the good seasons to give them a fighting chance.

I do not think Mario was in any way responsible for 3DS bad start. Nintendo has a dozen powerful IP that could have easily turned 3DS around. 3DS did poorly because Nintendo over estimated its third party support and the sales capabilities of Nintendogs.

The answer to Nintendo's longtime problems will be to wean themselves off of reliance on Mario. Nintendo needs to create another Mario or Pokemon level franchise and they can't achieve that if Mario remains present all year round every year.

Blah blah blah whatever, give me Mario Golf. Been too long. Make it more like the N64 version, I liked it better than Toadstool Tour.

I have never played a Mario Golf game, ever. But, I would like to see Strikers make a comeback on the Wii U. Have you ever played that? It is a really fun Mario Sports type game.

Mario is the kick start to Nintendos new hardware. It is almost the life to it. It always brings in a bigger install base which in turn generates more sales for all games on Nintendo's new platform. Also, since there are more users more developers would want to build a game for Nintendo's Platform. Companies like Square Enix always gravitate towards larger install bases. And then other devs would see that Square Enix's game is doing well so then they would want to develop for Nintendo's new Platform, it is a chain reaction sort of thing. I do agree with the bolded though. ^.^

Yes, Mario Strikers Charged was very good. I did not play the Gamecube game, but we played the Wii version a lot in my dorm.

I just

I just want a new Mario Golf. It's the only golf game I've ever really liked.

Yeah, all the other golf games can be so boring! But, lets not go off and de-rail this thread with our agreements about Mario Sports games. XD

hA HA HA this guy needs to share what it is hes smoking .

heres what i blame some arent bad
1 -r and d of new console and handheld
2 - the yen problems
3 over estimating your sales.

thats about all i think happened.

the 3ds begins profiting this april so , that one down term is not bad ,

its when your like sony - 5 streight years without a single turn around.
thats when ill start questioning the companys income problems.
one short fall is nothing compared to 5 yrs worth . and counting

Software is what sells hardware, portable or not.

Mario sells hardware. The problem isn't mario, what would be a problem is the other games.

Look at the DS vs 3DS. Top 10 games.

Mario - ~30% attachment rate
Nintendogs - ~25%
Mario - 23%
Brain Age - 21%
Pokemon - 19%
Brain Age 2 - 16%
Pokemon - 14%
Animal Crossing - 12%
Pokemon - 11%
Mario - 10%

Now lets look at 3DS.

Mario - 33%
Mario - 30%
Zelda - 15%
Nintendogs - 13%
Monster Hunter - 7%
Pokemon - 4%
Pilotwings - 4%
Super Street fighter - 4%
Star Fox - 3.5%
LEGO Star Wars - 3%

First let me say, holy shit zelda made it in Top 10, I wonder how long that'l last. Second, notice a trend? Mario makes Nintendo their money and the attachment rate of the 3DS (first party and 3rd party games) is attrocious atm.

It's the hardware that is the problem. The 3DS itself cost Nintendo alot of money. Money that is not getting offset enough by the software. Bad economy, high yen, and the price cut. There's your answer.

Umm yes Mario can he a kick starter. But LoZ did a great job with Wii without Mario. 3DS began picking up after the price cut and with the release of Star Fox and Zelda, Mario was only needed because Nintendo had really fucked up with the launch.

Mario is Nintendo's nuke it doesn't need to be used at launch unless the platform completely flops. Titles like Zelda or Star Fox or Donkey Kong. These franchises are more then strong enough for launch.

Rol and others, Mario cannot increase hardware numbers anymore then Star Fox and/or DK LoZ. You can't increase sales when you don't have the hardware to sell. Demand almost always out paces supply if a console is launched with a three to four million selling IP. A 10-20 million dollar seller will do nothing better for Nintendo when they have a four million selling IP. Hardware can't sell more then 7-10 million units in launch holiday season and that would he explosive. As I said no need for Mario till the six month mark or first year. Launching in an off season, Mario is a sure thing.

Legend of Zelda on Wii didn't need the help from Mario as it had Wii Sports and lots of other games selling better than Super Mario Galaxy. Yes, 3DS did pick up after the price cut but not because of Star Fox and Zelda (both of which you seem to highly overestimate). The lack of Mario did, in fact, pay a large role for the horrible 3DS launch. Now, try to imagine the sales of the 3DS last christmas whithout Mario, how would they look? Pretty bad huh? And I can't think of any single franchise that could have pushed sales better than 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 did; not Zelda, not Donkey Kong and definitely not Star Fox. Not even all those combined.

As the 3DS didn't have it's own Wii Sports, Mario was the only way to go, and that's always a safe way. Now add the much needed price cut and you'll realize just how deep shit handheld gaming is in altogether.