The Wii U is not a peripheral, Nintendo reminds shoppers

More than a year after the Wii U's original release in November 2012, Nintendo has launched a new advertisement for the system reminding shoppers that the console is not a peripheral, but rather an all-new console.

"It's time for a whole new Nintendo experience," the narrator says. "Wii U is an entirely new technology and true successor to Wii U."

The ad talks up with the Wii U's exclusive features, including its tablet-like GamePad that lets you play games and view video content away from the TV.

"Wii U is all about unique experiences you can't have anywhere else," the ad says.

During E3 2012, Nintendo marketing executive Scott Moffitt admitted that the Wii U is "confusing" relative to the Wii. With the original Wii, you could watch someone swing a Wii Remote and you would "get it," but the Wii U is more of a challenge, he said.

In September 2012, Nintendo said it believed the Wii U messaging problems were largely corrected, but the new advertisement this week suggests some consumer confusion remains.

The Wii U has sold 3.91 million units so far, below Nintendo's own expectations. The company plans to sell 9 million systems by the end of March 2014. High-profile Wii U titles on the way include Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Feb. 21), Mario Kart 8 (spring 2014), Super Smash Bros. (2014), and an all-new Legend of Zelda game (TBA).