Nintendo

Folks aren't buying video games the way they used to -- and that's a problem for the industry. But if the big players are willing to consider some outrageous strategies, they can buy themselves some bonus lives.

There's never a dull moment on Wall Street, especially now that the market's climbing as nicely as Jeremy Lin's stock over the past two weeks. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead.

Consumers can expect a holiday shopping season heavy on promotional offers as stores offer sweet bargains on all manner of products amid a still-sluggish economy -- good news for buyers of tablet computers, smartphones and video games, all predicted to be big gift items this year.

Once upon a time, Nintendo was king of the video game consoles, but that day is long gone. Shares of Nintendo hit a five-year low this summer, wiping away any gains from the Wii era, and it took a steep operating loss to boot last quarter. Here's why there are no bonus lives in its future.

It sometimes seems like everything that's fun is also a potential threat to your health, so it's hardly surprising that 3-D movies, games and TVs have drawn fire from critics who worry that they could cause long-term eye damage. But eye care professionals say that the reverse may be true.

Nintendo is making a major push to clear out its Wii inventory as it gears up to unveil its successor to the gaming system next month. The company will cut prices on the Wii video game console to $149.99 from $199.99, and bundle four of its more popular games as a $19.99 set.

Under pressure to respond to competitors offering souped-up features for their video game systems, Nintendo announced Monday that it will offer a sneak peak of the Wii's successor in June. While consumers may love the shiny new system, the real question is how much it will cost.

Asian markets closed lower Wednesday as investors focused on rapidly rising oil prices, which broke the $100-per-barrel mark in response to growing tensions in the Middle East. In Japan the Nikkei 225 Index slid 2.4%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.5%, and China's Shanghai Composite Index edged down 0.2%.

In Hong Kong HSBC shares rose 1.5% before the company's announcement early today in London that it had missed earnings estimates. The gain helped push the Hang Seng Index up 1.4.% In China the Shanghai Composite advanced 0.9% and in Japan the Nikkei 225 Index added 0.9%.

There are warning signs that Hong Kong property prices have hit their peak, and today real estate firms dragged the Hang Seng index lower. Despite the drum beats of the lion dancers specially booked to celebrate Chinese New Year and "guaranteed" to bring prosperity to every business they visit, this year may prove a tough one for Hong Kong developers.