Nintendo: Wii U 'not just an upgrade'

Nintendo has reached out to original Wii owners to inform them that the Wii U is "not just an upgrade." The Mario maker has dispatched a message through the Wii system explaining why consumers should upgrade to the HD console.

"It's time to discover Wii U," the message reads (via Kotaku). "Wii U is an all-new home console from Nintendo. It's not just an upgrade--it's an entirely new system that will change the way you and your family experience games and entertainment."

Wii U sales have struggled, in part due to marketing efforts falling short, according to Nintendo. Mario and Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto said in March that communicating the novelty of the Wii U relative to the Wii has been a challenge.

"I think Wii U certainly has a little bit more of a challenge because it doesn't have that 'looking-fun' element to it," Miyamoto said at the time. "But I think that as people bring it into the living room and begin to play it, particularly when you experience with five people, you really do get a sense for how fun Wii U is."

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata last month laid out a plan to make the Wii U profitable. It includes releasing "key" first-party titles on a regular basis beginning in the second half of 2013, increase efforts to communicate the uniqueness of Wii U, and reduce manufacturing costs.

Worldwide Wii U sales currently stand at 3.45 million units. Nintendo hopes to sell 9 million systems by the end of March 2014.