Nintendo sees Mario and Zelda giving Wii U a big boost

[wraggster]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/06/nin-dsc03855.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/13/nintendo-sees-mario-and-zelda-giving-wii-u-a-big-boost/)There's no question that Nintendo is hurting these days (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/24/nintendo-announces-another-testing-quarter-tktkt/), mostly owing to the lackluster reception for the Wii U (http://www.engadget.com/wii-u-review/nintendo-wii-u-review/). The company's Scott Moffitt is upbeat, however: he tells CNETthat the Wii U should enjoy a 3DS-like sales renaissance (http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/26/nintendo-wii-u-to-be-sold-at-a-loss/) this holiday now that games inbigger franchises (http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/11/nintendo-wii-u-e3-2013/), like Mario and Zelda, are on the way. Of course, the 3DS (http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/21/nintendo-3ds-review/) also had the advantage of a dramatic price drop (http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/28/nintendo-3ds-price-drops-from-249-to-169-august-12th-current/) -- but never you mind that. As for the handheld's own performance this year? Moffitt claims that the 3DS is the only dedicated console whose sales are still growing, and he expects the system to have its best holiday yet. His positions on the 3DS and Wii U strike us as optimistic when Nintendo is up against twomajor (http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/11/playstation-4-hands-on-e3-2013/) console (http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/11/microsoft-xbox-one-gaming-roundup-hands-on/) launches and the ever-present threat of smartphone gaming (http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/19/keiji-inafune-handheld-consoles-dont-need-to-fear-the-smartpho/), but the gaming giant has defied the odds more than once in its history.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/13/nintendo-sees-mario-and-zelda-giving-wii-u-a-big-boost/