Eh? Super Mario 3D Land sold 8.67 million to date according to VGC numbers. That doesn't account for digital sales, which ought to put it well over 9 million. It's the game that really kickstarted the 3DS after its sales slumped for months (along with Mario Kart 7, but that released later and has sold less LTD). 3DS has sold 34.25 million to date, that's a attach ratio of what, around 25%?

3D Land is also tracking WAY ahead of NSMB 2 and NSMBU, looking at aligned launches: http://www.vgchartz.com/tools/game_comparison.php?reg=Global&ending=Cumulative&game[]=Super+Mario+3D+Land+%283DS%29+[50395]&game[]=New+Super+Mario+Bros.+2+%283DS%29+[70735]&game[]=New+Super+Mario+Bros.+U+%28WiiU%29+[70766]&game[]=

If anything, I'd say 3D Mario is particularly strong currently. Also, it can be argued that Mario games appeal to a very different audience than the likes of COD and BF4. People that were going to buy a rival console instead of Wii U over COD and BF4 aren't going to be persuaded otherwise just because Donkey Kong is on it or not.

@ 2nd bolded, Wii U had a bad drought, undeniably, but not any longer, and imo delaying a game to release it during a period which would otherwise be yet another drought seems like a good move. MK8 is (presumably) launching around april, which is a LONG way off, after the holidays. Having a big hitter like DKC smack-dab in the middle of that time period can only be considered a good thing, considering the alternative is nothing (significant) until april or so. Also, I can't help but think that SM3DW and DKCTF would've cannibalized one another's sales, had Nintendo stuck to its original schedule.

I think most objective people here would agree this makes sense.

How is that making it interesting? Vita is heading toward 6mil soon and then much more, with holiday sales it'll end up having 9mil -11mil sales. Im trying to prove you wrong by stating wii u sales will get over 5mil. You not taking the bet means your not confident with your own "its impossible for wiiu to sell 5million without DK" statement. If you cant back it up fine. No bet

Wait a minute you actually think the vita will do 9-11mill by the end of this year ? Sure I'll take the bet but what's at stake first ?

The usally here. sig control for a month (meaning anything we want written in the losers sig but has to be just one sentence for space reasons) if you except its you win if wii u sells under 5mil units before 2014 comes, i win if it reaches 5mil.

obviously donkey kong is not rayman

Good decision. The Wii U already has the best lineup for holidays but they could use some extra AAA titles for early 2014.

I disagree, in that i think that Tropical Freeze was meant to be a 2012 Wii game, and got the Super Paper Mario treatment (but unlike SPM and adding a quickie pointer gimmick, this required up-ressing the entire game, pushing it back a year)

Doubtful to me ... Nintendo knew the Wii U would be launching in 2012, why would they greenlight a DKC game for the dying Wii? 

I think Retro was working on something else, which has since been put on ice (at least for now) in favor of a quicker-to-develop DKC sequel. The reason it looks like a Wii game is because they basically just went back to the same engine and quickly started making a new game out of it. 

Why would Nintendo commission a Paper Mario sequel even though TTYD was (i think) a 2004 game? Pretty much the same timeframe.

Smart sensible move. Option 1.

I'm OK with it. I've got a Wii U backlog as is, and I never mind when a game gets a little more time in development if it means a better final product.

I'm still hopeful Retro has another project on the back burner, though. If the next Retro game releases in 2017 I'm going to seriously freak out.

Mario 3D World will be the defenetive platofrmer for this year. Don't care anymore after the new trailer lol. Also we had enoug platofrmers this year :)