5) Unveil the 3DS Lite, complete with a second circle pad
I don't know about you, but the fact that the current 3DS doesn't have a second circle pad has been reason enough for me to wait on buying the hardware. We all know that Nintendo likes to revise its hardware a handful of times, so there's bound to be a new version of the system with an added circle pad. After all, they can't possibly expect gamers to put up with that massive "Circle Pad Pro" attachment for much longer. There aren't many gamers out there who are all that satisfied with the handheld's current hardware setup, so Nintendo is better off refreshing the 3DS sooner rather than later.
That rounds out our top five tips for Nintendo. Be sure to let us know what you think the Big N should focus on at E3 should they wish to outdo the likes of Microsoft and Sony in the comments below.
Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for GameZone. Follow him on Twitter @a_charlez to chat with him about the current state of Nintendo, your most anticipated games of E3 2012 or anything else gaming related.
4) Showcase a quality Wii U launch lineup
If Nintendo learned anything from the launch of the 3DS, it was that releasing a system with a weak library of games is a very bad idea, especially when the hardware is overpriced. The company just announced that Pikmin 3 will be at E3, so that one better be ready to go at the console's launch, as well as the new Mario game that also was confirmed. If Nintendo really wants to knock the socks off the gaming public, they'd better have an HD Zelda or Metroid to show off the system's capabilities — and no, I'm not talking about a non-interactive demo like the one they showed last year of a hypothetical Zelda game.
3) Announce multi-tablet support for Wii U
When word got out last year that Nintendo's next home console would only support the use of a single tablet controller, most gamers were pretty ticked off. If this truly is the way Nintendo plans to go forward with things, any couch multiplayer experience will have to be asymmetrical, unless they plan to restrict everyone's experience to the capabilities of the Wiimote. The fact that the console looks practically the same, uses the exact same motion controllers and only supports one tablet is a major misstep and one I really hope they rectify at this year's E3.
2) Blow us away with compelling 3DS software
At this point, there aren't a whole lot of exciting games coming to the 3DS for handheld gamers to look forward to. We've got what, Luigi's Mansion 2 and… uh… I'm having trouble coming up with anything else. That is definitely not a good sign. Sure, Super Mario 3D Land helped sell units late last year, but they're going to need quality content that goes beyond games featuring the popular Italian plumber. If Nintendo announced a new Zelda title for the 3DS, they could surely sway more than a few hesitant gamers into picking up the hardware.
Nintendo has a lot of skepticism to overcome if they hope to win back the hearts of gamers at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. From negative rumors citing the Wii U's lackluster tech to a rather thin lineup of exciting titles for the 3DS, there are still a lot of unknowns that could swing either way for the company. Needless to say, E3 2012 is going to be a clear indicator on where Nintendo's future is headed, and we here at GameZone would like to share with you some of the ways we think Nintendo can ensure a successful showing.
1) Rename the Wii U
This point is likely quite controversial, especially now that gamers are beginning to grow accustomed to the console's name. However, there is still a huge chunk of the market that hasn't even heard of the console yet and is bound to be confused by its labeling, mostly due to the fact that it is so similar to the Wii. I understand that Nintendo wants to capitalize on the recognizability of the Wii branding, but something that implies it is a successor would be far less confusing; heck, calling it the Wii 2 would be more effective.
