Nintendo really can't do anything until next-generation (Wii 2). They are building a huge new R&D facility next door to their current one (they purchased the land last year) in Kyoto, but it's going to take a couple of years to build the building and staff it up and get going on projects.

The DS is a different story because it has the full backing of the Japanese 3rd party community (ahem Square-Enix for starters) because it was the successor to the GBA, so it got every benefit of the doubt from devs, whereas the Wii being the successor to the GameCube has gotten none. That has led to a chain reaction where devs have scrambled to get Wii software out, only to release sub-par software, which inevitably bombs, and now they're confused about the Wii. Third parties honestly probably will need a clean slate too -- with Wii 2.

It doesn't hurt that in North America and Europe, the PSP is basically a walking dead platform ... it really fizzled out here around 2007 or so. I do think btw that DS sales would be down this year, but the introduction of the DSi model is buoying DS sales. If you'll recall in 2008, the DS was down year-over-year big time in Japan until Nintendo introduced the DSi. The Wii does not have this luxury (though I'd gladly buy a Wii HD if Nintendo made it). 

On the positive at least there's this ... because of alligning dev cycles, November 2009-November 2010 might be the best console year in Nintendo history.

You are looking at New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Sin & Punishment 2, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, and possibly a new Zelda and/or a new project from Retro Studios on top of slated games like Dynamic Slash, Span Smasher, and Monado which could also turn out to be decent. Enjoy it, because you may not see another 12 month period like that for a while.

Well I was always saying that 2010 was going to be the year of Nintendo on the Wii, but 3rd parties never cease to amaze me with the huge volume of shovelware they are releasing. Well into the gen they keep on making the same games.

If Nintendo did rely on them for bringing good software, then I think that by next year they won't ever do it again. 3rd parties have failed Nintendo this gen.

It's true, but Nintendo can't do it alone. The DS is so succesful, because the 3rd parties backs it heavily as well. That is not the case with the Wii, because of many reasons, and that really makes all the difference.

@trestres


nintendo is not going to stop third party game sbeing on their system for a long time. that was one of the reasons they must up last time and theyll be too paranoid to do it

Agreed, Wii absolutely doesn't need a price cut. Wii Fit+ and NSMB Wii will be all they need to carry them into the holiday and beyond guns blazin.