There's a lot of talk surrounding the NX and how Nintendo plans to launch it successfully, but what I don't see is talks about what is on of the most important things, especially for a company like Nintendo - the killer app. While I think it's clear to everyone that Zelda U will be a launch title for the NX, I don't think anyone should expect that to be its killer app.

For the Gameboy, it was Tetris. For the NES, it was SMB. For the N64, is was Mario 64. For the Wii, Wii Sports. For the DS, I'd argue it had two in Nintendogs and Brain Age.

I think the killer app will be an important factor in whether or not the NX will be successful or not and how much so. While I think it could be argued that the killer app won't nessecarily be a game, but Nintendo's membership program, I think it's more fun, and more Nintendo, for it to be a game too.

But what type of game will it be? Something to note about the past successful killer apps is that they tried to highlight what was new about the system. It played to its strengths. Since I think it's clear that the unified platform will be the big new thing, that's what I think the killer app will focus around. I think that it will also have a large social element to it. I think the big thing about whatever it will be is that it will try to get people playing with each other, both online and locally. I think it will be a "casual" game, but it will have some depth to it, much like Nintendogs or Animal Crossing. The biggest thing however is that it will be connected across multiple platforms, including mobile. Whether you have a phone, an NXDS, or an NX, you'll be able to seemlessly interact amongst multiple devices, each providing its own benefits.

I think it'll be a free to start game on everything. The mobile version will act as sort of a companion to the main NX versions. That's not to say that the mobile version won't be fleshed out, but that it will be sort of the "away" game with the NX versions being the "home" games. All will be playable and enjoyable on their own, but the game comes into its own when played together. I think the best analog will be what Pokemon Go will be to the main Pokemon games. That's the type of relationship the game will have with other versions across platforms, with the explicit goal of getting people talking to each other and very importantly about the game. I think it'll be a new IP, and I'm sure many hardcore players will scoff at how simple or casual it'll likely be, but it will be the example Nintendo uses to prove why the NX will be such a desirable platform.

Whether its a puzzle game, a sim, a card game, a pet game, a sport game, or anything else, I don't know, but I think the broad idea of connecting people and getting them social because of this game will be the primary goal behind making this a success. I also think it will be more like Animal Crossing and Nintendogs in that it won't be so much a "multiplayer game" as it will be a single player game with deeply social elements. I also think it will be like those two (and Brain Age) in that it will be something that you can pick up and put down at your leisure. It'll be the type of game you'll want to pick up and play for a few minutes every day. I think the NX and NXDS versions will have very substantial differences to emphasize why you'd want both. The NX will have a major exclusive mode that takes advantage of being on home console while the NXDS will have a major exclusive mode that takes advantage of being on a portable device.

How do you think the NX's killer app will be designed?

Any ideas?

It's a dificult thing to say, we don't know a thing about its hardware. We know the NX will have dozens of system sellers if it is the Fusion: 2D Mario, 3D Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Smash, Splatoon... that's for sure.

I honestly have no idea at this point in time. I'm hoping for something fun that can attract a lot of attention though.

Wii sports really did a fantastic job drawing in a lot of people, especially with the good launch price for the Wii.
It doesn't necessarily need to be the same type but they really want to be sure that they're confident it can gain a lot of people's attention. They really need this home console to do well.

That being said, I do remember when the investors met with Nintendo and talked about it the majority feeling was overall impressed. Am I remembering this right? I could have made that up.

Based on every factor I can think of, it really comes down the features of the system, that no other system has, that they are trying to showcase. Not just for consumers, but I also think its meant to be an example for outside developers. The innovative tool of the console tends to be the selling point, outside of a couple of systems/handhelds perhaps.

Including the earlier example you mentioned, I would say that Nintendo Land was supposed to be that staple for the Wii U at the time.

If the NX is a fusion deal like what is widely hypothesized, I'd imagine it'd be a full game on the console where you can use the handheld, but then you can leave the console and the handheld will have a point generating system similar if not the same as, the walking coin system. Unsure if direct gameplay will affect mobile, or rather I may just prefer not to think about it
I was gonna answer this last night but, I was soo tired I fell asleep

I don't think it will be really based around showing off the hardware. Like, I'm sure it'll have something to show off the new scroll bumpers and stuff, but it'll be pretty strong, will have a gamepad, and will likely have a standard button layout. I think that's all we need to make guesses. I don't think it'll have a system selling hardware gimmick, but a firmware gimmick. I think they'll try and make a game that is heavy handed in showing why stuff like the membership program, a unified platform, and the whole "smart console" consept is cool, and how it can be applied effectively to games.

Maybe some MMORPG? If everyone has membership programs, the NX has enough power, Nintendo steps up its game in the online servers part, and you can acces to it both on home console and handheld (maybe phone too, for something small?), a MMORPG could work. Imagine a Zelda Windwaker-like MMORG, or a Xenoblade MMORPG.

I really think that if NX has those Triggers we've seen a few weeks ago Spla2n might do the trick, There is already a pretty good fanbase which is constantly growing, if they add some modes that let you change weapons with those triggers and a few new fresh ideas I think it might sell A LOT. Plus seeing how Pokémon is building up on multiple devices I'm really interest to see how well the first 7th gen games will do, we all know that there are people waiting for a main series Pokémon game to play on a home console (supposing that NX is an hybrid)

Odds are it'll be something that has inter-play between one of their better quality, high visibility mobile titles.

So prime candidates would be Animal Crossing, Tomodachi Life, and Pokemon -- something that can bring Miiverse activity into the larger sphere of social media.

Nintendo is going after the Japanese smart-phone gamer. I'd bet it's going to be something like the most popular browser game. Perhaps even Mario & Dragons style.