So, I had a great shopping trip this weekend managing to pick up Wii U Party with Wii Remote and Motion Plus AND Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for £30 each this weekend.

However, as great as this was, it's also an alarming precedent for Nintendo software. Super Mario 3D World for example was also reduced to £30 even before Christmas. Sonic Lost World... well, Sonic games always get reduced pretty soon after release, but for the big name Nintendo IPs this is just unheard of. For reference, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 held their full retail price at retailers until Nintendo choose to release budget versions a few years after launch.

There has always been a trust in Nintendo software that it will not be reduced in price within weeks, that has always given a confidence to buying Nintendo titles day 1. Even Nintendo themselves have stated the importance of not making the consumer think prices will drop quickly.

Is this a temporary blip for Wii U? Or is this the beginning of Nintendo games regardless of pedigree, being just as suceptible to rapid price drops and medicre mainstream 3rd party software offerings?

Although Wii U is clearly underperforming in the UK, Wii U Party and in particular Tropical Freeze's retail orders will have been made in line with expectations for a slow selling console with a low userbase. So to still feel a need to slash the retail price within weeks of release is actually quite alarming for me, as much as it's great that I was able to get Tropical Freeze more quickly than originally intended.

Should I stick to my plan to buy Mario Kart day 1? Or will it be reduced within 2 weeks of release?

Yeah it's a lost cause. How does stock look like in UK, is Wii U available in most electronic retailers? Or is already pulled from the shelves? iirc ASDA and some others stopped stocking Wii U or maybe those were simply shop chains closing.

Well, to be fair, its the retailer that reduced the price due to the sale and not Nintendo right? Unless its world wide with tons of retailers, I don't really count it then. But good pick up! I guess u can wait if you think MK8 isn't gonna sell well however

No it's not Nintendo's decision, but that makes it worse. Retailers only reduce prices off their own back, if they are selling below expectations. It's very rare such a recent release would be "Deal of the Week". Grainger Games are one of the bigger dedicated games retailers in the UK behind GAME. They will have taken the userbase and projected sales into account when picking how much stock to order in.

I've never known Nintendo's main name franchises drop in price like this before. It actually saddens me as I really believe quick software price drops are bad for the industry.

Many retailers in the UK (namely the Supermarkets who enjoy most retail sales now) already choose not to stock Wii U. If despite this, the dedicated retailers that still stock Wii U software are unable to sell it at RRP, it doesn't bode well at all. :/

Australia is slightly different,

Nintendo games here launch at a discounted price ($10-$20 cheaper - some retailers choice) then they go back up to their regular price after like a week or two after launch.

Then we got retailers who never discount Nintendo games and when they do have game sales their sales get you on party with other retailers regular price lol.

That's just UK.

NA prices are still 100% for all those titles in every store.

You live in the UK and you are abel to connect to the internet? Have you not heard of internet sales sites like Amazon or Game? Those prices, they have had them for a while already.

 OT If you think £30 is fantastic then you will love £39,85 for MK8 preorder deliverd free.

And if your fond of RRP you are welcome to Sweden.

These retailers decide how much and when to drop the prices on these games. Super Mario Galaxy was most definitely discounted by some retailer somewhere, especially during the holiday. These things aren't always up to Nintendo.

Also, this shouldn't be the sign that Wii U is a lost cause. Wii U was a lost cause awhile ago. Now Nintendo is just trying their best to suck as much out of it as possible.

I feel bad for Nintendo they have been the most important name in gaming...Its a shame how they make one mistake by releasing the Wii-U and they are in trouble... They should have used their profits from the Wii to truly sit down and think about the future... They had to know how much more advanced PS4 and Xbox One would be when they released.. sigh.

Oh no! A sale! Must be doomed...

but seriously...this is stupid