Mario and Luigi aren’t collecting as many gold coins as they used to. Earlier this week, Nintendo Co. Ltd reported that quarterly profits had dropped 52 per cent. Their operating profits fell 90-billion yen (approximately $709 million (U.S.)) from July to September, down from 133 billion yen a year ago. It has been a difficult quarter for Nintendo, with a declining sales trend that has hit them throughout the year.

One can't be completely surprised by this latest quarterly report. The company hasn't done enough to spark new and heightened interest in their Wii console. There is a lack of engaging and exciting game titles for the system, with the only big release in the last few months being the Wii Sports Resort game.

Add to this the recent price cuts to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. Sony’s introduction of a new, slimmer PS3 for $299, and Microsoft dropping the price of the Xbox 360 Elite to $299 have helped both consoles gain bigger pieces of the gaming market. In fact, for the first time since its release, Sony's PS3 outsold the Wii, becoming the top selling console in the U.S. this past September according to NPD numbers. Nintendo responded by dropping the price on the Wii to $219.

To have dominated, as Nintendo has, since the release of the current generation of consoles, is a notable achievement. But at the end of the day, business is business. If Nintendo hopes to recover, many in the gaming industry – both analysts and gamers – feel that they have to deliver a better line-up of titles and new gaming experiences that will make both the casual and hardcore gamers interested enough to spend their dollars.