I'm sure a lot of people have noticed that Nintendo's been plugging the ever livin' HELL out of the Wii U recently... and while I have nothing against the console OR Nintendo... I've just been insanely annoyed by the advertisements.

I guess that's only natural when you see the thing fifty million times at work but I'm just SO sick of Nintendo pimping this thing out as some magic key to family togetherness. Come on, real families aren't like that and no matter how you try to (literally) beat it into people's heads you're probably not going to turn the Wii U into the next Wii. Lightning just isn't going to strike in that causal market again.

Also, can I ask what you feel is the right age to introduce (or buy) a console for children? My boss was at the morning meeting and was complaining how she had bought her four year old son a 3DS... but he suddenly changed his mind and wants an XBox One. Am I the only one that thinks buying a $500 gaming console for someone that age is too young? Personally I think a four year old should still be playing with actual "toys" at such a point. Additionally the 3DS made more since to me as far as a gift... but hey, it's not my money.

Well, it is the holiday shopping season. It's not really that surprising. Companies advertising their products on television is par for the course.

As for the family-friendly angle, it's not just a matter of associating itself with the Wii's reputation (though that's certainly a big part of it). Parents are shopping for the holidays, and that's who these commercials are targeting. "Hey, mom and/or dad! This new console is significantly cheaper than the competition, comes with two games featuring the Mario Bros. you probably remember from your own childhood, and is family-friendly!" It serves as a stark contrast to the likes of Ryse and Call of Duty commercials, and the price tags of the PS4 and X-Box One.

This is the part that befuddles me most. Do you think Nintendo should just not even try to match the success of the Wii, because you think it probably won't happen? They shouldn't even bother trying to entice consumers and just accept their "fate" of third place console? I'm not even going to touch the use of "literally."

Truthfully, I haven't seen anything about it. But I guess they don't advertise on Fox News or during football. It can't be worse than targetting grandma and grandpa with Wii Sports or trying to entice people with that stupid Wii Balance Board.

I have trouble seeing kids being excited over the Wii U controller, in fact, I see them breaking it on a consistent basis. I think it's a pretty legit gaming device, but pretending I was 5-6 again, I wouldn't see the appeal (and I would think it would be too heavy for me to hold).

Someone needs to explain to that kid that the best time buy a console is 2-3 years when the library has developed, not at launch, when developers shovel whatever they have cooking out the door.

You have to watch TV advertisement at work?

What I mean by this is the market that Nintendo pitched the Wii to isn't quite is once was. To that market the Wii was a fad... those people have moved on to the next thing... so why target them again? This is why the later years of the Wii were only highlighted by an RPG that was hard to find at one point. Also, at some point you just got to get tired of this angle altogether... I think everyone knows Nintendo has been the family-friendly option for the past three decades. It's like a commercial that tells you not to drink poison... do we really need that?

Additionally, I'm sure some will call me a troll for this, but these commercials are simply pandering in my opinion and, not to start a fight, but you pretty much prove this by the angle you say their working on with parents. PLEASE, PLEASE BUY OUR SYSTEM! PLEASE! OH PRETTY PLEASE! WITH CANDY CANES AND SUGAR ON TOP!!!

Lastly, while what I'm going to say isn't very respectful, most parents today will do ANYTHING to keep little Jimmy happy and/or get him out of their hair. How many parents do you think are going to take a gamble, go against what the kid wants (if he wants a PS4 or XBox one) and get the WiiU? Granted the kid SHOULD be grateful for anything he or she gets, but everyone knows that's not how most kids operate.

As for why's I'd see the commercial all the time, I was working on stocking candy and one of those little advertisement TVs with commercials was playing within earshot. It's even more annoying when the ad uses something like a song or whistle.

This is precisely what commercials are designed to say, and commercials are designed to pander. I can understand why Nintendo's commercials irritate you, but you seem to think they shouldn't be trying to put out this message at all. You may not be the target audience of these commercials, but that alone doesn't make them totally irrelevant. I'm not at all into the vibes that a lot of competing companies are putting out there in their commercials--hell, I'm not really into Nintendo's vibes either--but that doesn't mean they're wrong for doing so and better change them. They're simply trying to appeal (pander) to those most likely buy their product.