Let's all be honest in saying that Nintendo has been struggling a little bit lately. From the outside looking in, and to anyone who doesn't necessarily play video games a lot, Nintendo will seem just as stable as it has ever been. But to those that live and breath gaming, Nintendo's most recent release, the 3DS, obviously hasn't had the same "success" as the companies previous endeavors. Recent news has suggested that Nintendo is aiming to pull themselves from with slump by releasing the impressive looking "Wii-U," and we now hear that the Wii-U might come packaged with Nintendo's very own rendition of the now prevalent "App Store."
If you own a Wii or 3DS then you've probably already been into the "Nintendo Shop," which acts much like the Playstation Store or Xbox Marketplace. There are a few apps here and there for purchase or free download, but most of them are just tools. Things like the "Mario Calculator," "3D Pokemon Viewer" and other simple utilities are what you can expect in terms of applications from the standard Nintendo Shop (although they do have a Netflix application too).
According to sources close to the project the new Wii-U "app store" would be much larger and contain a vast array of different application types. Take into consideration that the controller for the Wii-U is essentially a touch-screen tablet with built in joysticks and it is easy to see that an application store might actually work really well for the new console. Touch-screen keyboards open up the possibilities of social networking applications like Facebook and Twitter, and because of the portable screen (which is 6.2 inches in size) we could also see life in applications like Hulu, Vudu, and other video streaming services other than Netflix. ESPN, MLB.TV, and YOUTUBE have already made their way onto the Xbox Marketplace and PSN, so why not make a transition over to the Nintendo side of the fence as well?
We still do not know what type of payment system would be in place for such an app store, but judging by Nintendo's points system with the Wii and their monetary system with the 3DS, I can imagine seeing a hybrid mixture of both (much like you see on the Xbox 360 and PS3). That being said though, Nintendo has a tendency to "over-charge" for a lot of their games and software. Some simple flash based games on the 3DS can cost upwards of $2.99 and play no differently than the versions you can play for free at most popular flash game websites on the internet. If the pricing is right though, Nintendo could have the capacity to help corner the "casual gaming" market, which is something that Xbox 360 and Ps3 have failed to do. Imagine playing Angry Birds, Infinity Blade, or any other top application on your LCD TV via the Wii-U controller. Its obvious here that the app store is something that could be incredibly successful, but only if it's done correctly.
My distaste for the Wii is that it has become too reliant on sinking all of its assets and resources into the production of products that seem to only appeal to children and very casual gamers. Don't get me wrong, it's good that Nintendo appeals to kids and those out there who aren't gaming fanatics, but part of me really misses the old days when Nintendo shot for the release of powerhouse games that had a serious fun factor to them and were appealing to all ages and player types. It seems that Nintendo got caught up in the motion control gimmick and began to release a slew of games that only children would really have fun with, knowing that parents would spend money on "shoddily" produced games because most YOUNG kids do not focus on quality until they begin to really appreciate games. Most of that fault relies with the developer, yes, but Nintendo does have some control over the creative process as it sometimes plays publisher.
The Wii-U is giving us a controller back this time and while the motion control is still present, it seems to be geared more towards the grass roots of what made Nintendo such a successful franchise. Platformers and just good old fashioned well-made games. Do I think that Nintendo is going to knock it out of the park here by offering the Wii-U with an app store? Not necessarily, as it's all about execution here and only time is going to tell what is offered in terms of applications. I do think that Nintendo is making a good step back into the right direction here by sliding a little bit out of the motion controlled domain that is now officially dominated by Microsoft. I say that because, in fairness, even kids benefit more from a controllerless system like the Kinect has. It is less complicated and more appealing to them and casual gamers a like.
Applications I would love to see are the same types of applications you can find on the Xbox 360 and the Ps3. Nintendo needs to level the playing field here and get back in this console race. Popular apps like you find on iOS and Android could really give them an edge in the casual gaming market if they executed well here. Hopefully we will know more about this whole Wii-U "app store" soon enough. What do all of you think? Can an app store help to turn around the heartaches at Nintendo? Let us know in the comments section below!
