Ready for launch?
Pikmin 1 and 2 were two great GameCube games and some of Miyamoto's most original efforts. A strategy game involving anthropomorphized flower-sprouting plants that could be commanded to retrieve spaceship parts and attack enemies was completely unconventional to say the least. It was also a lot of fun.
With a sequel confirmed for Wii U, I think that making it the flagship launch title would be a great idea for several reasons:
The game has been in development for years. They wouldn't need to start from scratch and if they started moving assets to Wii U hardware now, the gameplay and bugs and other issues could be ironed out in time for November 2012.
"Show that Nintendo isn't reliant on Mario, Luigi, or Nintendoggies for success."
The problem with this isn't exactly Nintendo's fault, but that of the fans. We've had tons of new IPs this generation and the last, the best being Excitebots and Chibi Robo. NO ONE BOUGHT THEM.
I have no problems with buying new Mario games though. :)
Just wanted to add that I did buy Excitebots and Chibi Robo Park Patrol.
I want to control one thousand Pikmin with the tablet controller.
Excitebots didn't have much if any of a marketing push, and not to mention that it was announced quite close to its release date if I'm not mistaken.
Chibi Robo Park Patrol was sub-par.
"Excitebots didn't have much if any of a marketing push, and not to mention that it was announced quite close to its release date if I'm not mistaken."
Yet people go on the internet almost every day, and I did see some sidebar advertisements. I was going to buy the game regardless of its look, and that was the main problem. Its overall looks. Not to mention not so high media outlet scores. People unfairly wrote it off as a casual cash in thanks to the glut of copycats that came with Mario Kart Wii.
Wario Land Shake It, which was also cartoony but in a completely different genre, manage to move more copies despite having the same amount of advertising. That game sold better, but Excitebots sold worse? Both are great games.
People can say Nintendo sent the game to die, but can you blame really blame them if people compared the game to casual shovelware just by its cover alone.
Chibi Robo DS was good. Not great, good. Flawed, but good.
ExciteBots isn't a new IP, it's a part of the Excite series which includes ExciteBike and ExciteTruck. There were many problems which lead to its low sales, not just its lack of hype before release and little advertising. Unlike Mario Kart, it has to be played with the Wii Wheel, which I believe is the main reason that it was passed off as casual garbage by some. I also think that many people saw the game as being similar to Mario Kart, in part because it was packaged with a wheel, and so they probably felt they didn't need another racing game like that. It was also never released in regions outside of North America, further limiting its sales potential.
It's a shame, because it really is a quality title.
I love #4...
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