Nintendo and Wii U Games: Is the New System Worth All the Hype?
What Is Wii U?
Nintendo shocked everyone with the announcement of the new Wii U system which features a tablet PC style controller with a screen. While the final version of the Wii U is not known, we do know some things about the new system. Please note that the following features may change prior to the release of the new system. The touch screen on the controller is 6.2 inches and 16:9. The unit measures 6.8” high and it’s 1.8” thick. The controller will have stereo speakers, a D-Pad and other features like the home button that is featured on the original Wii controller. It will be rechargeable, have a rumble feature, and come with a stylus.
The console itself with be compatible with old Wii controllers such as the balance board and classic controller. The system will be backwards compatible with all old Wii disks. The Wii U will have internal flash memory and the option for memory expansion with either an external drive or SD card. The exact processing speed isn’t yet known but it will feature an IBM multi-core processor and four USB connectors will be included on the unit. While no date has been set for it’s release, according to leading video game websites, it will arrive sometime in the first half of 2012.
Nintendo Wii U Games
According to the E3 2011, conference games coming to the Wii U include Batman: Arkham City, Ghost Recon Online, Assassin’s Creed, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Zelda, DarkSiders II, Metro: Last Light, Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3 and Madden NFL. More titles are scheduled with top game developers already lining up to produce games for the new advanced system. The system is also believed to only support one of the special touch screen controllers. More games will be announced as the system gets closer to a release date.
What Can the New Controller Do?
With the new tablet, you’ll be able to play your games on the T.V. and the controller at the same time. So if someone wants to watch T.V. you can continue with your game. The controller will feature some of the same motion controls as the Wii remote but it’s unclear just exactly how good this will be and how comfortable it will feel playing games with a large tablet style controller.
If players can only use one controller then this new tablet, as cool as it may be, won’t get used. With the original Wii system, you had great multiplayer features and party style gaming with friends. This would be a setback if the new contoller can’t be used by multiple people like the Wii remotes. In the end if there’s no multiple controller support, players will just use Wii remotes and the tablet becomes a high-tech gimmick device.
The Console Is What Matters
People didn’t like the Wii system because of the game graphics. The Wii had some decent games but they never lived up to the PS3 or Xbox 360. Some games were quite good but for the most part the console became a big disappointment for the hardcore gaming crowd. The new system needs games that match or surpass the other two big systems and the new tablet controller is a strange device to focus all the attention on.
Most people just want a nice comfortable controller to play games and the original Wii remote or classic controller did just that. It would be easier to just focus on the power of the system and not a gimmick controller. The new system might be quite expensive due to the tablet device and this might throw off people’s willingness to purchase the system. Players who were comfortable with Wii remotes may have to create a whole new playing style with the new tablet. The tablet may be a revolution in gaming or it may fail, it’s still too early to tell.
Final Thoughts on Wii U
The verdict is still out on the Wii U. It’s unclear how this new system will be received by gamers or if it will be a huge step forward in console gaming. Nintendo is making a big gamble on this new controller device but If they can release cutting edge games, great graphics, and game play better than the top two systems then they might just have a winner on their hands.
What are your thoughts on this new system? Are you excited by the new tablet controller? I am waiting to see how this all plays out and if Nintendo produces what they have promised. I hope we see a brand new great gaming system from them and that this new tablet somehow works in the long run. And, of course, I’m really hoping for some great new games.
References
Information is author’s own views.
Source: Wii U specs from IGN.
