Keep up the great job!
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I’m not sure Nintendo thought, “This is a weak game so let us place it with Mario Kart 7.” I think the issue is more logistical. Some games need more work (and are pushed back like Kid Icarus) while other games (the ones that follow formulas like 3d Mario and Mario Kart) are easier to keep on track.
Nintendo’s business is momentum based. I like to think of it as one of those old coal trains where you have to shovel in more fuel to keep the train going. The console is the engine while the fuel are the games. Nintendo can’t act like Blizzard and say, “It will be released when its done.” It must be released at the holidays or their hardware console sales will go splat. I’m sure Nintendo has all sorts of contingency plans as well in case a major momentum based game doesn’t come out at the right time.
Above: Consoles are like a train and need constant software as fuel to keep going.
One thing Nintendo (or rather Iwata) believed in was trying to shock the market into a phenomenon. The idea was to release games like Wii Fit, Smash Brothers, and Mario Galaxy (or something like that) all within a month. The consumers would become so excited, they would avalanche the console sales.
Iwata recently said that Nintendo would no longer do this but space out releases more evenly. But who knows? Maybe they are trying to create a ‘social phenomenon’ with releasing 3d Land and Kart 7 around the same time. Or maybe it is what you said, they know 3d Land isn’t enough to spur momentum. But it is most likely that the games are done and ready to go while other games need more time. Why delay 3d Land today when other games, that are being finished up, will be released then?