Nintendo releasing new handheld game device, cheaper Wii U for holidays

By Malathi Nayak

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Japanese game maker Nintendo Co (TYO:7974) will launch a new and inexpensive handheld gaming device and offer a $50 price cut for its 32GB Wii U console in North America and Europe this holiday season in a bid to reverse weak sales and woo gamers back to its offerings.

Dubbed the "2DS" and priced at $129.99, the new addition to Nintendo's 3DS range will go on sale on October 12 and play 3DS and DS games with 2D graphics, as its name suggests.

Known for games with much-loved characters like "Mario" and "Zelda," Nintendo has been facing stiff competition from inexpensive or free mobile games on tablets and smartphones. This reflects an industry-wide trend where mobile games are eating into the market share of consoles and handheld devices.

With the "2DS," Nintendo hopes to attract new entrants in the handheld space who have not been able to afford variants of its 3DS systems, priced at $169.99 and $199.99, Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America said in an interview.

Some industry analysts have criticized Nintendo for not taking advantage of the rapid growth of games on iOS and Android mobile devices by keeping its game franchises limited to its own systems. Nintendo executives have said they believe that letting its other popular game characters like "Mario" roam on mobile devices would impair the company's hardware business in the long term.

By introducing the "2DS," Nintendo is going after "not just consumers who have necessarily a phone or tablet," and want a taste of Nintendo's game fare, "but all consumers, especially younger consumers," File-Aime said.

The "2DS "release will coincide with the launch of Nintendo's kids role-playing game "Pokemon X and Y."

Nintendo's prospects have dimmed since the launch of the Wii U console last November. After posting tepid sales -3.6 million Wii U units sold since launch to June 30 compared to 9.3 million units of its successor, the Wii - the game maker aims to sell 9 million consoles by next March by offering new games and reducing its price.

To boost Wii U sales, the company will sell its 32GB deluxe version for $299.99, down from $349.99 starting September 20, Fils-Aime said.

The eight month-old Wii U will face fierce competition from Sony Corp's PlayStation 4, priced at $399, and Microsoft Corp's (NSQ:MSFT) Xbox One, priced at $499, which will hit store shelves in November. Both next-generation systems will come with cloud gaming technology that lets players stream games from remote servers and carry a host of exclusive games.

The company has also timed the release of games like "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD" and "Super Mario 3D World" to reinforce its Wii U console, Fils-Aime said. Third-party titles include "Call Of Duty: Ghosts" by Activision Blizzard (NSQ:ATVI) and "Assassin's Creed IV:Black Flag" by Ubisoft (PAR:UBI) that will be released this holiday season.

"It's going to be these launches that are going to drive the (Wii U) business forward and we're certainly going to do a lot of marketing activity behind the price decline," Fils-Aime said.

Analysts say the three-decade-old Nintendo has an uphill climb as competitors like up-and-coming GungHo Online Entertainment post millions in sales per day with just one mobile title called "Puzzles & Dragons."

"One of our benefits is that our products tend to sell well over time versus this spike up and go away type of sales curve that other companies may have," Fils-Aime said.

Originally published by Yahoo Finance 08/28/13

(Editing by Matt Driskill)

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1. Just Dance 2

 Just Dance has got America dancing! The #1 Best Selling Music/Rhythm Game on the Nintendo Wii system is back to keep the party going with an all-star track list, the hottest dance moves of today, and a brand new beat for everyone to enjoy. So crank up the volume because it’s time to Just Dance 2!Just Dance 2 is a worthy successor to the original
"The original Just Dance was the first dance video game to feature "real moves" to popular music. Before it, dance games were basically exercises in timing--stomping your feet on a mat or moving your hands to match an on-screen pattern. But with Just Dance, you weren't just playing a video game: you were learning real dance moves that you could take anywhere. And as you"...Read the full Review...

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Unbelievable! I am into weight lifting and hate cardio. I was told by a cardiologist that my bp and heart do wonderfully as soon as they have me step on a treadmill and recommended that I do cardio even though I workout in other ways. I hate organized workout routines and programs, as they tend to bore me quite quickly. I decided to try the Zumba DVDs because of all the raving I heard about Zumba. I loved the DVDs so much that I purchased the Zumba Fitness for WII. All I can say is within 10 minutes, I already burned 100 Calories (I wear a Polar HR monitor). Within 30 minutes I had burned nearly 400 calories. Yes, my lungs burn but I do not focus on that because it is so darn fun! Read More...

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Let the Wii Remote controller be your bat as you join Mario, Luigi, Peach, and the rest of the gang in a rocking, socking, baseball extravaganza! Simple, Active Controls! Newcomers to gaming or sports titles will be up and running on Mario Baseball in no time. Simply swing the Wii Remote to smack a home run, or use a pitching motion to toss the ball over the plate. Experienced gamers can also attach a Nunchuk controller for a deeper play experience. Play Ball...With Friends! Two, three, or four players can pick up Wii Remote controllers and challenge each other to a full baseball game or compete in a whole host of baseball-themed minigames. Read More...


4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
When an evil darkness enshrouds the land of Hyrule, a young farm boy named Link must awaken the hero and the animal within. When Link travels to the Twilight Realm, he transforms into a wolf and must scour the land with the help of a mysterious girl named Minda. Using the power and unique control of the Wii console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has incredibly precise aiming control. The Wii Remote and the Nunchuk controller are used for a variety of game activities, including fishing and special sword attacks. Players ride into battle against troops of foul creatures using an amazing horseback combat system, then take on massive bosses that must be seen to be believed! Read More...

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Set Sail...Lego Style! Excellent addition to the Lego Universe. Everything about this games is wonderful: music, visuals, and gameplay. Each character has his/her own way of moving about. Jack Sparrow is hilarious. Controls for this game have been perfected. Selection of characters within the game is very simple. If you love the Pirates movies and love Lego's, this is a no brainer. More Reviews...

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"After buying this game for my wii , I regret not getting it any sooner . I knew i was going to love this game because i grow up with all the original mario bros games with my nes but for some reason i had not done so . but since i got it i been playing it for many hours."

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WiiFit Newbie - LOVES the FUN new games!! After years of wanting a Wii, we finally got one! And, of course, like any overly-excited newbie, I couldn't wait to get the new WiiFit (WiiFit Plus). I picked it up at midnight, with the Balance Board. (TIP: if ur buying from brick-and-mortar stores, call ahead, it took me an hour to convince them that it was ok to sell it to me, and it was already 12:30a!) I got home, set it up (took just a few minutes, mostly unwrapping) and played until 5am! I was nearly falling asleep between games, but it was so much fun, I couldn't stop! Now, THAT's a motivator to work out! It even asked if I was a 'NIGHT OWL' and I had the option to keep my "day" 'open' until 3am, for those late-night workout sessions!

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Better than I had expected Based on the reviews, I ordered this for our grandsons (ages 7 and 5). They absolutely love it and their parents like it too. Good graphics, fun levels, challenging. This was our first experience in ordering a "like new" product from Amazon Marketplace and we were quite pleased with the savings and the truly "like new" quality. We'll do it again! Read More...

9. Disney Epic Mickey

Disney Epic Mickey is an action-adventure platforming game for the Wii console that sends Mickey Mouse on an epic journey of creativity and discovery. As Mickey, the player is propelled into Wasteland, an alternate world made up of Disney’s forgotten creative efforts, and is given the power to wield paint and paint thinner to dynamically change the world while determining Mickey’s path to becoming an epic hero. Through the use of this unique paint and paint thinner, the key components of animation and Mickey’s tools for impacting his world, players will have the ability to shape how the story unfolds as they discover the concept of “Playstyle Matters” – an innovative style of gameplay created by Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point, led by industry luminary Warren Spector, where players creatively tackle different challenges in the world to explore all the possibilities and storylines – but with consequences for their chosen actions. Read More...

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