I'm very satisfied with Nintendo's DLC, myself.

I disagree with you on Fire Emblem Awakening, especially.

I bought all the DLC, which in the end cost me exactly as much as the core game did. I got 25 DLC chapters, while the core game has 25 + 17 maps (and then 6 free, post-release free DLC maps). So, your point on the DLC chapters being more expensive is true.

But it's so worth it.

You bought the EXP map, which is an incredibly boring map. Its purpose is to grind, so when you have no interest in grinding, it's not surprise that it's dull. You do have some truly brilliant stuff in the DLC, though.

The Future Past pack is a 3-chapter campaign of its own, and - in my opinion - is superior to anything in the core game, both in gameplay and plot

The Scramble pack has what I'd argue is the greatest writing in Fire Emblem history (and I've played every single game). The conversations between the characters range from brilliant comedy, to tear-inducing tragedy.

The 3 challenge maps provide different types of difficulties that were sorely missing from the core Awakening game. Don't get me wrong - the core Awakening is a great game, but its map layouts often left something to be desired. These 3 didn't, and they're a lovely flashback to the SNES FEs.

The Rogues and Redeemers pack is also excellent, and forces you to play Fire Emblem in a different way than what's usual. If you stick with normal strategies, you'll be overrun (assuming you don't have an extremely powerful team), so you have to try out different playstyles.

And then Apotheosis, the only standalone map, is arguably the hardest chapter in the series.

I can agree with arguments that the other 12 chapters aren't quite as fantastic, but that's because they're aimed at a more relaxed audience. Some of the 13 I mentioned are far too brutal for most Fire Emblem players.

I disagree with you on New Super Mario Bros. 2, as well, but my argument here isn't as good. I've only bought the two most difficult packs, but boy, they're a blast. They're ludicrously difficult, and that's fantastic. Ridiculously difficult, fair platforming maps, are quite rare. It's quite rare trying a 2D Platformer level over and over, through multiple sittings, and failing over and over, and still finding it to be a blast.

I can't speak of the easier NSMB2 packs, but the difficult ones seem quite excellent to me. They're certainly far more interesting than the core game.

(I haven't played Pikmin 3, so I have no comment there).

The truth has been spoken.

Nintendo has online play?

I agree with your conclusion, the concept of expansions is a lot more appealing to me. I'm not at all against some free DLC to promote that expansion though. If, for example, a Mario Kart 8 expansion features 16 new tracks and 4 new characters, the free DLC could be 2 tracks and a single character.

Yes, Fire Emble DLC ist probably overpriced (I never bought one), but it had several maps, teams and challenges for free and the main game didn't lack content.

NSMB2 DLC is also overpriced, I only got one free level and one 50% off.

I really liked New Super Luigi U and and Pikmin 3 DLC (especially the third pack).
But I got those games for less than 40 Euros at launch, not sure if I'd do it with a 60 Euro game...
It's good that preordering Nintendo games is usually cheaper than preordering third party games. I already preordered Tropical Freeze, MK8 and Bayonetta 2 for less than 40 Euros each.

I hope they'll never do On-Disc-DLC, paid costumes or weapons...