If Nintendo dropped its, franchises and focused on so-called hardcore games like some of you guys are saying, then they wouldnt be Nintendo at all, they would just be another Xbox or PlayStation.
Yeah if Nintendo didn't have its franchises on the system, I wouldn't have much of a reason to buy a Nintendo console lol A third party lineup to bolster the system is needed, but it isn't generally what I always want.
Also, you know it isn't very good when the Wii U is underselling even the Gamecube :\
http://wiiudaily.com/2014/04/wii-u-gamecube-sales-compared/
Nintendo's biggest blessing and curse every generation has been the fact that they make their own AAA titles. As a 3rd party developer it's easy to feel like anything you are doing is taking a back seat to them.
For many of the consoles they build they have one or more games specifically in mind from the start. The console is then built around what those games need to become reality. After that the hope is that other 3rd party developers will get inspired and catch the vision. But make no mistake Nintendo is cranking out the console to sell their own games first.
I remember reading a Nintendo Power where Nintendo talked about wanting the SNES console to be powerful enough to let Mario ride a dinosaur. Wii came to be because Nintendo wanted to make Wii Sports.
I think one of the reasons the SNES CD never became a reality was because Nintendo couldn't figure out what to do with it. I could be way wrong but think about it... what epic 1st party launch title did you ever hear announced for the SNES CD?
Now all this said. These are the best games I have played prior to the latest generation that were either only available on a Nintendo console OR were only enjoyable to me because of something specific to their release on the Nintendo console (for example Wii controls).
Super Mario Galaxy - Wii (shaddap haters)
Resident Evil 4 - Wii
Legend of Zelda the Windwaker - GC
Metriod Prime Trilogy - Wii
Metriod Prime 1 - GC
Metriod Prime 2 - GC
Resident Evil 0 - GC
Resident Evil 1 - GC
Bully - Wii
Madden 09 - Wii
Punch Out - Wii
Tiger Woods 12 - Wii
Every Trauma Center made - Wii
Raving Rabbids - Wii
I bought Metriod Prime 1 and 2 for GameCube and 3 for the Wii. I liked the Wii controls so much I purchased Metriod Trilogy just so I could replay the first 2 games with Wii controls!
Tiger Woods 12 (the best version released for the Wii). Never had interest in golf games until I played TW on the Wii. Madden 09... No interest in football games until I played it on the wii.
Capcom's Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition for PS3 beats Resident Evil 4 Wii as my favorite Resident Evil game of all time only because the PS Move control scheme was blatantly ripped off from the Wii edition. It was only after I learned that (and after it was made free to PS Plus Subscribers) that I picked it up. I played the non-move enabled demo and hated the controls so much that I wrote it off in spite of the amazing graphics.
My point being that when Nintendo and 3rd parties both see the potential of the console pretty awesome stuff results. The problem is treading uncharted territory is a risky proposition if all you care about is lining the bank vault in another layer of Benjamins.