Nintendo, IMO, need to suprise everyone with a new kick ass handheld that does something new. They need something new that their competitors can not easily emulate and that suprises and excites players. Following the path of Sony or Microsoft is not the way!

He's my idea for a product that could offer them the type of market disruption they need. Imagine a new portable system focused on sophisticated shared Augmented reality experiences, where each players system (some sort of tablet/controller looking device) acts as a virtual window into the game world (which is overlayed onto the real world). As you move the system around you get a different view into the world- so it appears like an ar hologram of sorts.

This type of game system would be ideal for Nintendo's software which is focused on local multiplayer type games.

Imagine up to 4 players sitting around a table/on the playground in a circle facing each other, each with his/her own system acting as a window into the same game world, while little 'psuedo' holographic marios and peaches beat the crap out of each other (smash bros), compete in mini games like looking for bubbles to poop, aliens to shoot, etc (mario party), compete in duals (pokemon).  Plus anyone with the system could come up and watch in spectator mode or request to join or to be next to compete!

Or as an alternative, Nintendo could make something amazing! Something none of us would think of, but that makes me smile like a big 37 year old kid when I see it

I think Nintendo should see what people want first before going into crazy innovations. Sometimes the best solution is the simplest.

I don't understand why so many Nintendo fans care. Your console is only there to play the usual Mario, Zelda, Smash ect. It will continue to play those games over and over every generation no matter what it sales compared to the other consoles. It won't do much else, but I don't think Nintendo's fanbase cares.

Why a new handheld? The 3ds is doing great! The wiiU is the one having problems... If you mean their next one after the 3ds, then sure, they should make something that will erect everyone's nipples but no point in doing it now while the 3ds is still selling great

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.

Henry Ford

They did get faster horses. They just so happened to be made of metal and use gasoline instead of food as fuel.

Congrats. You missed the whole point completely.

Heheheh, yeah I know.

You forgot to mention Metroid, Donkey Kong, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and a few more.

Nintendo's fanbase isn't one homogenous group. The reality is for the majority of Nintendo's fanbase, those games aren't enough. Nintendo as a company aren't going to survive if all they regurgitate is Mario, Zelda and Smash. Wii U sales are evidence of that.

OP is right. Nintendo need to find a totally new product that consumers find interesting and good value. If they are only capable of releasing tired old franchises they must go third party.