TROY: “Lots of games coming out on the Wii U, and a fair number are exclusives. Which exclusive games announced may tempt you to follow the big N again?”

I would like to start by challenging this statement, Troy; while there may be several games coming out at launch, very few of them are exclusives. In fact, the only two interesting ones that aren’t ports or remakes are ZombiU and Scribblenauts Unlimited (screw you New Super Mario Bros. U - there’s nothing “new” about you). With that in mind, I am *cautiously* anticipating ZombiU (Ubisoft launch titles have a notoriously awful release history) and excited to see what people will do with Scribblenauts (one of the most interesting and inspired video game series to come out in the past decade). Excited, but not tempted enough to go back to the Big N. 

Nintendo’s big problem with the Wii U is that they don’t know who to appeal to any more  The Wii was a massive success with families, but that casual market has dissipated in 2012 and likely won’t be around to greet the Wii U. Meanwhile, the Big N turned off hardcore gamers with the Wii’s lack of online support, M-rated titles, and big-name exclusives. The company clearly has an uphill battle, but their lack of  directional focus is apparent in the release window listings.

We have touch-sensitive M-rated titles in almost direct proportion with E-rated titles. It’s almost as if Nintendo is so keen to represent both demographics that it isn’t able to nail down a killer app for either. Troy, you may look at the release titles and see a bunch of cool titles, but I see “Port, Port, Port, Port, Super Mario Bros. U, Port, Pikmen 3, Port, Scribblenauts, Port, Port, ZombiU.” 

And to be honest, I find nothing about that amazing enough to make me shell out my hard-earned cash for what’s looking to be yet another Nintendo console with no soul.