First Wii U UK Commercial -- Leads To Horrible Display Of Game Journalism.

The first Wii U advertisement has been shown in the UK. The original poster of the video posted it with a bit of the Brad Pitt Chanel commercial at the beginning. Why is that relevant? Because of this:

Hilarious and pathetic.

CVG article Here.

In terms of the commercial I didn't love it or hate it, it's fine - it serves it's purpose. I know Kotaku has an article about how it's horrible but I'm not going to link it because Kotaku is horrible.

CVG is pretty bad, too. Consistently twists otherwise interesting interviews into sensational trash.

At this point, I pretty much rely on Giant Bomb, Polygon, and GamesIndustry for news 'cause the rest of them are hardly worthwhile. Too much fluff.

I really don't like the tablet controller, at all. At first I just generally disliked it but now I think I'm actually hating it. I seriously hope Microsoft/Sony don't bastardize their controllers with this screen crap.

Seriously, why would I want another screen? This seems like a step backwards in terms of gameplay. For example, look of what they show of ZombieU - while the player is fiddling around looking down at the screen, it appears that the zombies are actually still chasing him on the TV screen. The controller defeats itself - the screen is a pointless addition, and even worse, it's a distraction: to use the word that I feel I've said so many times within the past year, a gimmick.

Other than Nintendo's first party and this controller there is absolutely nothing to sell the consumer onto the idea of the Wii U. The name itself is already giving the average consumer confusion (blame that on Nintendo's terrible name choice). Third-party support on the Wii U will probably be the same as the Wii - aka essentially non-existent, and the online capabilities of the Wii-U remain completely unclear (I'd be shocked if it has a service even coming close to rivalling Xbox Live or PSN in terms of quality), and god knows how much that controller will be to replace if it breaks on you...

For some, the promise of something like an HD Zelda or a new Smash Bros will be enough, but I'm just not seeing the appeal here at all. Once next year's E3 comes around and we almost suredly get a glimpse of the next Xbox and perhaps even the PS4, I think most will recognize the Wii U for what it really is - a lackluster console that is five years out of date.

I really don't like the tablet controller, at all. At first I just generally disliked it but now I think I'm actually hating it. I seriously hope Microsoft/Sony don't bastardize their controllers with this screen crap.

Seriously, why would I want another screen? This seems like a step backwards in terms of gameplay. For example, look of what they show of ZombieU - while the player is fiddling around looking down at the screen, it appears that the zombies are actually still chasing him on the TV screen. The controller defeats itself - the screen is a pointless addition, and even worse, it's a distraction: to use the word that I feel I've said so many times within the past year, a gimmick.

Other than Nintendo's first party and this controller there is absolutely nothing to sell the consumer onto the idea of the Wii U. The name itself is already giving the average consumer confusion (blame that on Nintendo's terrible name choice). Third-party support on the Wii U will probably be the same as the Wii - aka essentially non-existent, and the online capabilities of the Wii-U remain completely unclear (I'd be shocked if it has a service even coming close to rivalling Xbox Live or PSN in terms of quality), and god knows how much that controller will be to replace if it breaks on you...

For some, the promise of something like an HD Zelda or a new Smash Bros will be enough, but I'm just not seeing the appeal here at all. Once next year's E3 comes around and we almost suredly get a glimpse of the next Xbox and perhaps even the PS4, I think most will recognize the Wii U for what it really is - a lackluster console that is five years out of date.

Vari3ty

They're already being clumsy as far as online is concerned: it appears that voice chat will be limited to some games and only a few (expensive) headphones will be compatible. Furthermore, if you want to play a game with the pro controller (the xbox 360 knockoff) you'll have to plug the headphones in the tablet controller and leave it turned on (with its 3 hours battery life) while you play with the other one which doesn't have a headphone socket. What were they thinking?Black_Knight_00

Wow, wired only headsets in 2012? As I've said before, aside from the $172 tablet controller, Nintendo seems to have spared all expenses.

I despise the Wii U and I feel it's going to be a repeat of the Wii, be way behind the competition in what matters and rely on its gimmick to sell it. But that ad wasn't bad. Not sure what's to hate about the ad. It gets the job done.

[QUOTE="Black_Knight_00"]

They're already being clumsy as far as online is concerned: it appears that voice chat will be limited to some games and only a few (expensive) headphones will be compatible. Furthermore, if you want to play a game with the pro controller (the xbox 360 knockoff) you'll have to plug the headphones in the tablet controller and leave it turned on (with its 3 hours battery life) while you play with the other one which doesn't have a headphone socket. What were they thinking?CarnageHeart

Wow, wired only headsets in 2012? As I've said before, aside from the $172 tablet controller, Nintendo seems to have spared all expenses.

Yeah, Nintendo clearly skipped the class DOINGSOMETHINGASGOODORBETTER101.

It's no longer an incident, but a trend -- buying Nintendo hardware will lead to an inferior experience in some capacity when compared to one of their competitors. And the real bltch of it is, the areas of inferiority are nearly a decade old. I mean, fvck, all they had to do was go buy an Xbox and a PS3 and reverse engineer the technology. It's the same thing with the Classic controller having to be plugged into the stupid fvcking fairy wand or whatever it was called all the time -- it's not a difference in design, it's just plain stupid.

Sorry, but I'm just really frustrated with Nintendo. It seems like they are too focused on being cute and clever these days, placing an emphasis on shlt no one wanted or asked for, while delivering stale experiences in other important areas.

CVG is pretty bad, too. Consistently twists otherwise interesting interviews into sensational trash.

At this point, I pretty much rely on Giant Bomb, Polygon, and GamesIndustry for news 'cause the rest of them are hardly worthwhile. Too much fluff.

c_rake

Facepalm at both the article and the direction this thread is taking.1PMrFister

lol this.

Why do people hate so much? Its actually pretty pathetic. "Oh my gosh the controller is just a gimmick its going to ruin my gameplay miehhh!!" Reading some of the comments in this thread is just as sad as the article.

The commercial was so bad though lol. The North American/Japanese ones will probably be a thousand times better! :P

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]

[QUOTE="Black_Knight_00"]

They're already being clumsy as far as online is concerned: it appears that voice chat will be limited to some games and only a few (expensive) headphones will be compatible. Furthermore, if you want to play a game with the pro controller (the xbox 360 knockoff) you'll have to plug the headphones in the tablet controller and leave it turned on (with its 3 hours battery life) while you play with the other one which doesn't have a headphone socket. What were they thinking?Shame-usBlackley

Wow, wired only headsets in 2012? As I've said before, aside from the $172 tablet controller, Nintendo seems to have spared all expenses.

Yeah, Nintendo clearly skipped the class DOINGSOMETHINGASGOODORBETTER101.

It's no longer an incident, but a trend -- buying Nintendo hardware will lead to an inferior experience in some capacity when compared to one of their competitors. And the real bltch of it is, the areas of inferiority are nearly a decade old. I mean, fvck, all they had to do was go buy an Xbox and a PS3 and reverse engineer the technology. It's the same thing with the Classic controller having to be plugged into the stupid fvcking fairy wand or whatever it was called all the time -- it's not a difference in design, it's just plain stupid.

Sorry, but I'm just really frustrated with Nintendo. It seems like they are too focused on being cute and clever these days, placing an emphasis on shlt no one wanted or asked for, while delivering stale experiences in other important areas.

LOL! I honestly can't believe what I just read. Oh my gosh... I can't even hate on you this is just pure gold of a comment right here. Man I honestly feel like after comments like these that the world should just end in 2012 lol..HEHE BWHAHAHAA!!!!

[QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

Yeah, Nintendo clearly skipped the class DOINGSOMETHINGASGOODORBETTER101.

It's no longer an incident, but a trend -- buying Nintendo hardware will lead to an inferior experience in some capacity when compared to one of their competitors. And the real bltch of it is, the areas of inferiority are nearly a decade old. I mean, fvck, all they had to do was go buy an Xbox and a PS3 and reverse engineer the technology. It's the same thing with the Classic controller having to be plugged into the stupid fvcking fairy wand or whatever it was called all the time -- it's not a difference in design, it's just plain stupid.

Sorry, but I'm just really frustrated with Nintendo. It seems like they are too focused on being cute and clever these days, placing an emphasis on shlt no one wanted or asked for, while delivering stale experiences in other important areas.

Vickman178

LOL! I honestly can't believe what I just read. Oh my gosh... I can't even hate on you this is just pure gold of a comment right here. Man I honestly feel like after comments like these that the world shuld just end in 2012 lol..HEHE BWHAHAHAA!!!

The other thing that Shame-usBlackley mentioned was that with the Wii U you'll be getting an inferior experience ... well, in that case you might as well not buy consoles period as they're generally going to be outperformed by a high end PC.

People buy consoles for games and the experience. I want a Wii U because of Nintendo titles and a few third party titles. The fact that it's not simply just a console trying to be a PC is also a bonus, because if I wanted that I'd just ... get a PC.

Why does nobody care about the Xperia nod at the end?

Looks like it was just bad editing

The other thing that Shame-usBlackley mentioned was that with the Wii U you'll be getting an inferior experience ... well, in that case you might as well not buy consoles period as they're generally going to be outperformed by a high end PC.

People buy consoles for games and the experience. I want a Wii U because of Nintendo titles and a few third party titles. The fact that it's not simply just a console trying to be a PC is also a bonus, because if I wanted that I'd just ... get a PC.

Haziqonfire

Nowhere in his statement did he mention anything about processing power.

He clearly delineated his frustration with Nintendo's oft and well-documented half-assed approach to certain aspects of their console model as well as vented his annoyance at their incessant need to be trendy and hip even when keeping it simple would suffice.

Also, there is a gulf of difference between a powerful but static console that will inevitably be surpassed by the PC versus a console predicated upon tech from seven years ago.

You are correct about one thing however: The Wii U isn't looking to copy the PC but rather it is clearly attempting to ape tablet gaming.

[QUOTE="Vickman178"]

[QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

Yeah, Nintendo clearly skipped the class DOINGSOMETHINGASGOODORBETTER101.

It's no longer an incident, but a trend -- buying Nintendo hardware will lead to an inferior experience in some capacity when compared to one of their competitors. And the real bltch of it is, the areas of inferiority are nearly a decade old. I mean, fvck, all they had to do was go buy an Xbox and a PS3 and reverse engineer the technology. It's the same thing with the Classic controller having to be plugged into the stupid fvcking fairy wand or whatever it was called all the time -- it's not a difference in design, it's just plain stupid.

Sorry, but I'm just really frustrated with Nintendo. It seems like they are too focused on being cute and clever these days, placing an emphasis on shlt no one wanted or asked for, while delivering stale experiences in other important areas.

Haziqonfire

LOL! I honestly can't believe what I just read. Oh my gosh... I can't even hate on you this is just pure gold of a comment right here. Man I honestly feel like after comments like these that the world shuld just end in 2012 lol..HEHE BWHAHAHAA!!!

The other thing that Shame-usBlackley mentioned was that with the Wii U you'll be getting an inferior experience ... well, in that case you might as well not buy consoles period as they're generally going to be outperformed by a high end PC.

People buy consoles for games and the experience. I want a Wii U because of Nintendo titles and a few third party titles. The fact that it's not simply just a console trying to be a PC is also a bonus, because if I wanted that I'd just ... get a PC.

Why do people hate so much? Its actually pretty pathetic. "Oh my gosh the controller is just a gimmick its going to ruin my gameplay miehhh!!" Reading some of the comments in this thread is just as sad as the article.

Vickman178

I hate the Wii U because it represents the inability of Nintendo to evolve their console paradigm in a meaningful direction and rather suggests that they are entirely reliant upon gimmicks to propel their systems forward.

Nintendo claimed they wanted the core gamer back, then proceeded to release a weak console predicated almost entirely upon an ultra-expensive tablet controller that looks to bring very little to the table in terms of innovation.

Like Shamus, Ive had my fill of this company, the tired gimmicks and their complete abandonment of the hardcore enthusiast.

If the Wii U caters to your personal sensibilities thats perfectly fine but some of us are simply done with Nintendo, especially after that fiasco called the Wii.

Nintendo claimed they wanted the core gamer back, then proceeded to release a weak console predicated almost entirely upon an ultra-expensive tablet controller that looks to bring very little to the table in terms of innovation.Grammaton-Cleric

By "boasting" the considerable price, could it be that Nintendo is taking a cue from Apple, marketing the expensive tablet controller the same way the expensive iPad has been marketed: as a status symbol?
Were that the case, it's needless to say who the target audience for such shallow marketing is: once again, the casuals, the crowd of form over substance and appearance as absolute value.

So much for winning back the core and the discerning.

[QUOTE="Grammaton-Cleric"]Nintendo claimed they wanted the core gamer back, then proceeded to release a weak console predicated almost entirely upon an ultra-expensive tablet controller that looks to bring very little to the table in terms of innovation.Black_Knight_00

By "boasting" the considerable price, could it be that Nintendo is taking a cue from Apple, marketing the expensive tablet controller the same way the expensive iPad has been marketed: as a status symbol?
Were that the case, it's needless to say who the target audience for such shallow marketing is: once again, the casuals, the crowd of form over substance and appearance as absolute value.

So much for winning back the core and the discerning.

when did they release the price of the tablet controller??? superfalcon1234

[QUOTE="superfalcon1234"]when did they release the price of the tablet controller??? Black_Knight_00

Just for one tablet controller seperately? Jesus f****** christ!

I can't decide what's more funny, this article or the fact that people think it's ok to directly convert yen->dollar.

Doesn't work like that guys.

To get the dollar equivalent price from yen you typically divide the yen amount by 100. So, 13400 Yen = $134. The price of the gamepad will most likely be close to this figure.

[QUOTE="superfalcon1234"]when did they release the price of the tablet controller??? Black_Knight_00

[QUOTE="Grammaton-Cleric"]Nintendo claimed they wanted the core gamer back, then proceeded to release a weak console predicated almost entirely upon an ultra-expensive tablet controller that looks to bring very little to the table in terms of innovation.Black_Knight_00

By "boasting" the considerable price, could it be that Nintendo is taking a cue from Apple, marketing the expensive tablet controller the same way the expensive iPad has been marketed: as a status symbol?
Were that the case, it's needless to say who the target audience for such shallow marketing is: once again, the casuals, the crowd of form over substance and appearance as absolute value.

So much for winning back the core and the discerning.

I really don't have a good answer for that decision to announce the price.

Nintendo seems to be dodging the pricing issue here in the states, especially since they are not even selling separate tablet controllers in the U.S. at launch.

It really is uncharted territory because it would appear that the tablet controller is incredibly expensive, meaning that replacements will cost consumers dearly. (And let's face it, controllers break all the time)

What I find irksome about that price is that it fully reveals why the specs of the Wii U are so lackluster: half of the system's initial cost is wrapped up in the controller. Apparently Nintendo thought hardcore gamers wanted weak hardware so that we could stream our games to a 6-inch screen. (As opposed to my 52-inch Sony, which I game on)

As to pricing, I have no idea if they are adopting Apple's advertising and pricing methodology but was that the case I predict disastrous results. It's clear Nintendo is trying to emulate certain aspects of Apple's current model but they simply do not have the hardware or installed base to play at that level.

And again, I'm speaking for myself but as a life-long core enthusiast who has nabbed almost everything Nintendo has put out, I couldn't be more disinterested in the Wii U.

I think Nintendo wants a core audience but they simply do not understand what it is that many of us are looking for.

Thank god consoles are not trying to be PCs, otherwise we wouldn't have Uncharted, God of War, The Last of Us, Heavy Rain, Beyond, Metal Gear Solid 4. If consoles were trying to be PCs we'd have a pletora of MMOs and cookie cutter strategy games instead.Black_Knight_00

That's a zinger worthy of a presidential debate.

I can't decide what's more funny, this article or the fact that people think it's ok to directly convert yen->dollar.

Doesn't work like that guys.

To get the dollar equivalent price from yen you typically divide the yen amount by 100. So, 13400 Yen = $134. The price of the gamepad will most likely be close to this figure.

SuperFlakeman

I found a currency converter and entered in the numbers and it spit out the conversion as 169.44 in U.S. dollars so I'm unsure as to where you are getting your information because what they claimed seems accurate.

Your process seems far less reliable, especially since it wouldn't account for fluctuations in currency value, which shift consistently. (The converter I used is up to date on exchange rates)

Nintendo seems to be dodging the pricing issue here in the states, especially since they are not even selling separate tablet controllers in the U.S. at launch.Grammaton-Cleric

They say it's because there will be no games that support two gamepads at once at launch, but I'm betting they aren't selling it so as to prevent people from buying just the controller. Lot were confused as to what the Wii U was after its initial announcement since no console was shown at that time. It would be easy to assume that people would take the controller to be the new thing and just buy that. Holding back on it ensures that the public is made aware that the Wii U is a full console and not just a controller.

Seems like the haters lack imagination, or never played a DS or 3DS and can't see the possibilities. How can some of you guys be so against the tablet controller without ever having tried it yet?

Personally I find these kinds of innovations much more exciting than just having better graphics. Physics and AI are another story, but there's not that many examples of those things actually making enough difference to stand out and mean anything special so far in consoles.

I can't decide what's more funny, this article or the fact that people think it's ok to directly convert yen->dollar.

Doesn't work like that guys.

To get the dollar equivalent price from yen you typically divide the yen amount by 100. So, 13400 Yen = $134. The price of the gamepad will most likely be close to this figure.

SuperFlakeman

As if that's still not way too expensive for a controller.

Seems like the haters lack imagination, or never played a DS or 3DS and can't see the possibilities. How can some of you guys be so against the tablet controller without ever having tried it yet?

Personally I find these kinds of innovations much more exciting than just having better graphics. Physics and AI are another story, but there's not that many examples of those things actually making enough difference to stand out and mean anything special so far in consoles.

Bigboi500

Motion Controls were also touted by Nintendo and nintendo fans as innovation. I heard the same argument 6 years ago, that it is the us who lack imagintion while Nintendo has some Steve Jobs like innovators who would revolutionize the industry with motion controls.

Six years and hundreds of shovelware later, Nintendo itself has moved on from the failed experiment that was motion controls and six years from now, they will look back at this ridiculous tablet and realize that game designers never wanted a tablet or a f*cking wand.

That's one thing Nintendo fans dont realize... it's not about the hardware, it's about the game designers who make games. These guys have said time and again that they want to make traditional games instead of focusing on gimmicks.

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

Seems like the haters lack imagination, or never played a DS or 3DS and can't see the possibilities. How can some of you guys be so against the tablet controller without ever having tried it yet?

Personally I find these kinds of innovations much more exciting than just having better graphics. Physics and AI are another story, but there's not that many examples of those things actually making enough difference to stand out and mean anything special so far in consoles.

S0lidSnake

Motion Controls were also touted by Nintendo and nintendo fans as innovation. I heard the same argument 6 years ago, that it is the us who lack imagintion while Nintendo has some Steve Jobs like innovators who would revolutionize the industry with motion controls.

Six years and hundreds of shovelware later, Nintendo itself has moved on from the failed experiment that was motion controls and six years from now, they will look back at this ridiculous tablet and realize that game designers never wanted a tablet or a f*cking wand.

That's one thing Nintendo fans dont realize... it's not about the hardware, it's about the game designers who make games. These guys have said time and again that they want to make traditional games instead of focusing on gimmicks.

Nay sayers have gone after everything Nintendo does every generation, yet those "gimmicks" are almost always copied and used by their competitors, and tend to become standard.

Seems like the haters lack imagination, or never played a DS or 3DS and can't see the possibilities. How can some of you guys be so against the tablet controller without ever having tried it yet?Bigboi500

As someone who's used the gamepad, there's definitely grounds for skepticism. Apart from the multiplayer potential (which, even then, could be foiled by the occasional latency the gamepad has), I didn't see anything particularly ground-breaking. Safe to assume most games will use the screen as a means of displaying a map or inventory rather than anything interesting. I mean, I'm willing to give the Wii U a chance, but I don't think I'll be completely sold on the controller's "promise" until I start seeing more uses of it.

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]Seems like the haters lack imagination, or never played a DS or 3DS and can't see the possibilities. How can some of you guys be so against the tablet controller without ever having tried it yet?c_rake

As someone who's used the gamepad, there's definitely grounds for skepticism. Apart from the multiplayer potential (which, even then, could be foiled by the occasional latency the gamepad has), I didn't see anything particularly ground-breaking. Safe to assume most games will use the screen as a means of displaying a map or inventory rather than anything interesting. I mean, I'm willing to give the Wii U a chance, but I don't think I'll be completely sold on the controller's "promise" until I start seeing more uses of it.

Just having easier accessibility to an open map and inventory items and options without having to hit the start button and a pause just to get into that every few minutes is a good start.

"gimmicks and shovelware" are always brought up as last resort slang to be said about Nintendo, yet they sell way more than the competition this whole generation. Gimmicks are subjective and up for conjecture. The fact that Nintendo continues to use motion control, and that Kinect is very popular says it's far from being a "failure".

Nay sayers have gone after everything Nintendo does every generation, yet those "gimmicks" are almost always copied and used by their competitors, and tend to become standard.

Bigboi500

lol Motion controls are the standard now? Even Nintendo games dont use it.

And I am sorry, Nintendo HAS in effect moved away from motion controls by designing their entire console around this one controller that has NO motion control capabilities whatsoever. Does it even have gyro?What reality are you living in?

Lastly, it's hilarious that you bring up the sales. Like that's a barometer for innovation. You do know that CoD and Just Dance are two of the best selling franchises this gen. OMG, I am blown away by the innovation in those two games. If I had to guess, Twilight is your favorite movie of all time.

It's ridiculous to bring up sales numbers of that piece of sh*t Kinect and Wii to support your argument that Nintendo brings innovation. Sales are indicative of fads more than they are of innovation. The fact that the Wii has crashed and burned in the last two years, both in sales and games produced, proves that even Nintendo thought it was a gimmick. If it wasn't a gimmick and was such an amazing concept then why didnt they improve upon it? Say what you will about Microsoft and their misguided attempts to shove Kinect 2 down our throats, at least they believe in it enough to take it to the next step. Nintendo doesnt even believe in their own BS PR, which is funny that Nintendo fans like you still do.

There is a reason why nintendo is including this expensive piece of hardware with their console, and it's plain and simple. They know they cannot compete with MS and Sony when it comes to launching high tech consoles. They know they need a gimmick to stand out from the crowd. They knew this after the GameCube. They dont care about innovation, if they did they wouldnt have released an underpowered console back then with the Wii and an underpowered console now.

Just having easier accessibility to an open map and inventory items and options without having to hit the start button and a pause just to get into that every few minutes is a good start.Bigboi500

In part, yeah. Have to wonder if the game will pause while managing menus, though. Could be potentially harmful if it doesn't.

And I am sorry, Nintendo HAS in effect moved away from motion controls by designing their entire console around this one controller that has NO motion control capabilities whatsoever. Does it even have gyro?What reality are you living in?S0lidSnake

Yes, actually. One of the demos at E3 -- Panorama U or something like that -- had you watch a video that you could look around in full using the gamepad. Interesting stuff, for sure. No idea how anyone could implement that tech in a meaningful way, though. Seen some 3DS games use it, but it always comes off as... unecessary.

I find that people who hate the controller hate the controller for stupid reasons. "I don't want a tablet I just want a normal controller". It is a normal controller. It doesn't feel much different than a traditional controller, excluding the screen. I feel more comfortable saying this after having played the thing last weekend.

The whole gimmick argument doesn't surprise me and it shouldn't surprise people who like Nintendo. People who dislike Nintendo will continue to dislike the direction that the company goes in. They're not sticking with the conventional route and honestly, the industry needs a company like that -- Nintendo is the best in terms of delivering something crazy and wild that looks ridiculous but turns out awesome.

It might not make a difference to everyone, but having inventory management on a separate space is pretty useful. I realized this a lot as I played the DS and 3DS more, specifically with games like RE: Revelations. It's just a lot easier to manage everything on a separate space without having to pause and unpause a game. Having the map on the controller for Assassin's Creed III is actually one of the reasons I'm getting it on the Wii U -- because I look at the map too damn often on the Xbox360, that I'd just rather have it there at all times. Plus, Xbox Live Gold is expiring soon and I want free online play.

I know a lot of people on here loathe the Wii, but the console had some damn fine games. Sure not every game utilized motion and I'm not expecting all the games on the Wii U to utilize the controller in interesting ways either -- but that was never the point. The fact was the DS/3DS and Wii/Wii U give developers some more options to create software that uses the platform's strengths. If they choose not to, oh well. If they do interesting stuff, I'm open to trying it out.

I agree with c_rake to a certain extent about the Wii U GamePad's abilities. However, I do think The Wonderful 101 uses the controller in the most interesting ways so far - and I hope to see more of that, like I did on the Wii with some neat third party titles like Zack and Wiki.

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

"gimmicks and shovelware" are always brought up as last resort slang to be said about Nintendo, yet they sell way more than the competition this whole generation. Gimmicks are subjective and up for conjecture. The fact that Nintendo continues to use motion control, and that Kinect is very popular says it's far from being a "failure".

Nay sayers have gone after everything Nintendo does every generation, yet those "gimmicks" are almost always copied and used by their competitors, and tend to become standard.

S0lidSnake

lol Motion controls are the standard now? Even Nintendo games dont use it.

And I am sorry, Nintendo HAS in effect moved away from motion controls by designing their entire console around this one controller that has NO motion control capabilities whatsoever. Does it even have gyro?What reality are you living in?

Lastly, it's hilarious that you bring up the sales. Like that's a barometer for innovation. You do know that CoD and Just Dance are two of the best selling franchises this gen. OMG, I am blown away by the innovation in those two games. If I had to guess, Twilight is your favorite movie of all time.

It's ridiculous to bring up sales numbers of that piece of sh*t Kinect and Wii to support your argument that Nintendo brings innovation. Sales are indicative of fads more than they are of innovation. The fact that the Wii has crashed and burned in the last two years, both in sales and games produced, proves that even Nintendo thought it was a gimmick. If it wasn't a gimmick and was such an amazing concept then why didnt they improve upon it? Say what you will about Microsoft and their misguided attempts to shove Kinect 2 down our throats, at least they believe in it enough to take it to the next step. Nintendo doesnt even believe in their own BS PR, which is funny that Nintendo fans like you still do.

There is a reason why nintendo is including this expensive piece of hardware with their console, and it's plain and simple. They know they cannot compete with MS and Sony when it comes to launching high tech consoles. They know they need a gimmick to stand out from the crowd. They knew this after the GameCube. They dont care about innovation, if they did they wouldnt have released an underpowered console back then with the Wii and an underpowered console now.

Look at how popular tablets and smart phone gaming has become. Why not blend traditional controls with touch screen tablets to try something new? If you don't like what they're doing, don't buy one, but I don't see the point in hating on the company or its fans.

However, I do think The Wonderful 101 uses the controller in the most interesting ways so far - and I hope to see more of that, like I did on the Wii with some neat third party titles like Zack and Wiki.Haziqonfire

How's that game using it? Only caught glimpses of it at E3. Seemed cool, though.

I find that people who hate the controller hate the controller for stupid reasons. "I don't want a tablet I just want a normal controller". It is a normal controller. It doesn't feel much different than a traditional controller, excluding the screen. I feel more comfortable saying this after having played the thing last weekend.

The whole gimmick argument doesn't surprise me and it shouldn't surprise people who like Nintendo. People who dislike Nintendo will continue to dislike the direction that the company goes in. They're not sticking with the conventional route and honestly, the industry needs a company like that -- Nintendo is the best in terms of delivering something crazy and wild that looks ridiculous but turns out awesome.

It might not make a difference to everyone, but having inventory management on a separate space is pretty useful. I realized this a lot as I played the DS and 3DS more, specifically with games like RE: Revelations. It's just a lot easier to manage everything on a separate space without having to pause and unpause a game. Having the map on the controller for Assassin's Creed III is actually one of the reasons I'm getting it on the Wii U -- because I look at the map too damn often on the Xbox360, that I'd just rather have it there at all times. Plus, Xbox Live Gold is expiring soon and I want free online play.

I know a lot of people on here loathe the Wii, but the console had some damn fine games. Sure not every game utilized motion and I'm not expecting all the games on the Wii U to utilize the controller in interesting ways either -- but that was never the point. The fact was the DS/3DS and Wii/Wii U give developers some more options to create software that uses the platform's strengths. If they choose not to, oh well. If they do interesting stuff, I'm open to trying it out.

I agree with c_rake to a certain extent about the Wii U GamePad's abilities. However, I do think The Wonderful 101 uses the controller in the most interesting ways so far - and I hope to see more of that, like I did on the Wii with some neat third party titles like Zack and Wiki.

Haziqonfire

Also just watch, a lot of the Wii U tablet and Nintendo detractors in general, will hypocritically hate on the Wii tablet controller while praising products like the Razer in the near future.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

Seems like the haters lack imagination, or never played a DS or 3DS and can't see the possibilities. How can some of you guys be so against the tablet controller without ever having tried it yet?

Personally I find these kinds of innovations much more exciting than just having better graphics. Physics and AI are another story, but there's not that many examples of those things actually making enough difference to stand out and mean anything special so far in consoles.

dvader654

Motion Controls were also touted by Nintendo and nintendo fans as innovation. I heard the same argument 6 years ago, that it is the us who lack imagintion while Nintendo has some Steve Jobs like innovators who would revolutionize the industry with motion controls.

Six years and hundreds of shovelware later, Nintendo itself has moved on from the failed experiment that was motion controls and six years from now, they will look back at this ridiculous tablet and realize that game designers never wanted a tablet or a f*cking wand.

That's one thing Nintendo fans dont realize... it's not about the hardware, it's about the game designers who make games. These guys have said time and again that they want to make traditional games instead of focusing on gimmicks.

[QUOTE="Haziqonfire"]However, I do think The Wonderful 101 uses the controller in the most interesting ways so far - and I hope to see more of that, like I did on the Wii with some neat third party titles like Zack and Wiki.c_rake

How's that game using it? Only caught glimpses of it at E3. Seemed cool, though.

There's a pretty good preview from Joystiq from NYCC 2012. The writer found it a bit repetitive, but the third person stuff with the GamePad is pretty interesting.

You can contribute a lot of that kind of thinking to people who don't have the money to buy all the new systems, so it's easier to be a fanboy and tell themselves that some products won't be any good, so why bother with them?

Also just watch, a lot of the Wii U tablet and Nintendo detractors in general, will hypocritically hate on the Wii tablet controller while praising products like the Razer in the near future.

Bigboi500

The Nintendo hate pre and post launch of a platform is normal now. I expect many doom and gloom stories too. The people that dislike Nintendo are usually the ones that are happy with what works. I'm pretty happy with how gaming is now too - but I'd like to see something thrown in to spice things up. It's perfectly fine to create a console with power specifications, but two years down the line it's going to be outdated by better PC hardware. Sony and Microsoft don't really have any differentiating factors.

Third party games have lost their relevence this generation as developers cannot sustain their business by solely focusing on one platform (unless contracted to - i.e. Gears). First party games will always be a matter of preference and all three have enough of an audience to have some business. However, the console business is greater than simply having the best first parties (look at the GameCube).

All of this makes me really wonder what Microsoft and Sony are going to do next generation to entice players like me, who are pretty open to any platforms but also have a specific preference. I've owned MS and Sony consoles before - but I'm less inclined to in the future if they keep doing the same old same old, I'd rather just invest in a PC. Some might argue multimedia, but with the rise of SmartTV's, that's a competitive edge that's gone. So what's it going to be?

Who knows. All I know is I'm glad Nintendo does things differently and I love that. Chances are too if the Wii U is successful (sales) - you can bet that Microsoft and Sony will have their own take on it down the line.

I find that people who hate the controller hate the controller for stupid reasons. "I don't want a tablet I just want a normal controller". It is a normal controller. It doesn't feel much different than a traditional controller, excluding the screen. I feel more comfortable saying this after having played the thing last weekend.

The whole gimmick argument doesn't surprise me and it shouldn't surprise people who like Nintendo. People who dislike Nintendo will continue to dislike the direction that the company goes in. They're not sticking with the conventional route and honestly, the industry needs a company like that -- Nintendo is the best in terms of delivering something crazy and wild that looks ridiculous but turns out awesome.

It might not make a difference to everyone, but having inventory management on a separate space is pretty useful. I realized this a lot as I played the DS and 3DS more, specifically with games like RE: Revelations. It's just a lot easier to manage everything on a separate space without having to pause and unpause a game. Having the map on the controller for Assassin's Creed III is actually one of the reasons I'm getting it on the Wii U -- because I look at the map too damn often on the Xbox360, that I'd just rather have it there at all times. Plus, Xbox Live Gold is expiring soon and I want free online play.

I know a lot of people on here loathe the Wii, but the console had some damn fine games. Sure not every game utilized motion and I'm not expecting all the games on the Wii U to utilize the controller in interesting ways either -- but that was never the point. The fact was the DS/3DS and Wii/Wii U give developers some more options to create software that uses the platform's strengths. If they choose not to, oh well. If they do interesting stuff, I'm open to trying it out.

I agree with c_rake to a certain extent about the Wii U GamePad's abilities. However, I do think The Wonderful 101 uses the controller in the most interesting ways so far - and I hope to see more of that, like I did on the Wii with some neat third party titles like Zack and Wiki.

Haziqonfire

Nintendo (and as a result, the types of core gamers it draws) has gotten increasingly conservative in terms of core game design (the minority of core gamers who had interests beyond Mario/Zelda/Metroid had to beg Nintendo on their knees for Xenoblade to be released outside Japan and the published sales figures are very modest to put it kindly).

Given the franchise fixation of Nintendo's core, risk for Nintendo entails not releasing a Mario game every week. Whether or not one needs to go through a gimmick interface to play the games is immaterial.

Also, looking at two screens on the DS/3DS works for the same reason that looking at PiP or an onscreen HuD works. Having to look away from a screen into one's hands is a different matter entirely (one of the challenges of Zombi U is that everything is real time so when one is looking at one's inventory screen one isn't looking out for the zombies which might be creeping up on you on the main screen).

Releasing original games is dangerous even in the wider industry because even outside of Nintendo, many people care about franchises, not developers and many give first preference to the sequel to the favorite game, but every other audience is much more open to new experiences than Nintendo's core audience (I will say that their casuals don't seem to care about franchises even within the context of casual games, which I think is kind of cool), so if you are honestly looking for different experiences as opposed to just conventional experiences with a new controller, you'd be well advised to look elsewhere.

The Nintendo hate pre and post launch of a platform is normal now. I expect many doom and gloom stories too. The people that dislike Nintendo are usually the ones that are happy with what works. I'm pretty happy with how gaming is now too - but I'd like to see something thrown in to spice things up. It's perfectly fine to create a console with power specifications, but two years down the line it's going to be outdated by better PC hardware. Sony and Microsoft don't really have any differentiating factors.Haziqonfire

That's not a fair criticism. Every single piece of hardware becomes outdated quickly. It's the nature of technology.

The problem people have with Nintendo's approach to the technological side is that, by not staying current on raw power, they limit what developers can do with their platform. I don't see any issue with anyone wanting Nintendo to get back to producing powerful hardware; better, stronger consoles are what drives games forward. Better tech opens the door to new possibilities, refinement of existing ideas.

Yeah, PCs always get the lead within months of a new console's release. That's just the way of things, though. It's an open platform, thus they aren't limited by architecture. Doesn't mean the console makers shouldn't be striving to improve their respective platforms' power.

Who knows. All I know is I'm glad Nintendo does things differently and I love that. Chances are too if the Wii U is successful (sales) - you can bet that Microsoft and Sony will have their own take on it down the line.Haziqonfire

Could argue that Microsoft and Sony already are. Xbox has Smart Glass coming down the line (which adds tablet functionality of some sort), and Sony, if you stretch it, with the parity between the Vita and PlayStation 3 libraries. Sony, I think, is on the right track for handling that stuff for the most part (being able to resume a home console game on the go is a real cool concept; not sure if that should be a driving force for a hand-held, however), though Nintendo has the smoothest implementation. Microsoft's... I don't know. Would need to see the full extent of its purpose and its execution in action first.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]And I am sorry, Nintendo HAS in effect moved away from motion controls by designing their entire console around this one controller that has NO motion control capabilities whatsoever. Does it even have gyro?What reality are you living in?c_rake

Yes, actually. One of the demos at E3 -- Panorama U or something like that -- had you watch a video that you could look around in full using the gamepad. Interesting stuff, for sure. No idea how anyone could implement that tech in a meaningful way, though. Seen some 3DS games use it, but it always comes off as... unecessary.

Only one game built around Gyro. It was called Lair.

i rest my case.