What do you think Nintendo will/should do this time around with the console's appearance, packaging, and marketing?
Here's what I want:
A bright color for the console itself (that isn't purple).
..to differentiate itself from the Competition. Personally, I'd like a nice Dreamcast white. Though silver would be cool. A reflective top would be even cooler.
The return of the color red.
After GameCube's bright-purple fiasco, Nintendo seems to have gotten the idea that they should try to eliminate all color from its consoles and marketing. GameCube's official color is now grey. This is a bad idea. Everybody hates grey. Case in point: Apple didn't become popular until they switched from dull gray to bright white, light blue, and silver.
Nintendo needs an official color this time around: PS2 is blue, XBOX is green, I think Nintendo should be red. Though they've dabbled with light blue recently (panasonic q, DS marketing), and that would work too.
The return of N-64-style curves.
Boxes are boring. Actually, I'd like the console to be completely round....something like the base of the g4 imac.
Lights!
I loved the lights surrounding the panasonic q, and think this thing should light up wherever possible. Have a light in the console's underbelly that lights up when the console's on. Have a light that surrounds the start button and throbs when it's time to press start. Have lights around the controller ports that throb when a controller needs to be plugged in (if there'll even be controller ports this time around.)
Handle!
If the powermac g5 has a handle, the revolution can have a handle. It just needs to look cool.
Smaller footprint.
Don't get the wrong idea from GameCube. There is nothing wrong or 'uncool' with a console being small and sleek. However, this time around, the box that the console comes in needs to be at least the same size as the competition's (in America).
A mentioning of Japan.
Japan is ridiculously popular right now. Have a 'Designed by Nintendo in Kyoto, Japan' sticker somewheres. And, if you want to get really crazy, use a 'approved by master game designer shigeru miyamoto' sticker.
A mentioning of power.
I don't care how revolutionary the console is, I don't care if it can't render as many polygons as the PS3, on the packaging and in the commericials it needs to be touted as an extremely powerful console.
Good advertising.
I can't really say too much about ads until the console is revealed.
...Early advertising that leads you to believe there's some sort of actual revolution would be cool, though. I'm imagining white text on red background that says "JOIN THE REVOLUTION!
www.therevolutioniscomingandyoucantstopit.com"
Later ads should put the console and it's graphics center stage. The console itself should turn heads this time around, so the advertising won't have to hide it.
Thoughts?