> Nintendo thinks that casual gaming is where all games are easy and pick up and play. This is a fallacy. There are casual gamers that play games more than regular or hardcore gamers. There are casual gamers that play Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, etc.

I don't understand your point. Mario, Zelda, and Final Fantasy are also 'pick up and play' games to a certain extent; while they demand a bit more focus then Sudoku or Wii Sports, they still have a gentle learning curve.

'Hardcore games' are those that demand skill, finesse and intelligence to play, those that can take months or years to master - your typical multiplayer PC FPS, 2D fighting game, or roguelike RPG.