CliffyB Sticks Up for the Wii U

[shrekfan246]

Spoiler

I don't see how anyone can claim Nintendo is copying Sony and Microsoft in this.

By being able to see the Vita. Which was unveiled first? Come on, you know this. WHich one is out first? Come on, its on the tip of your tongue.

The DS, if I recall, came out already. The Vita isn't out yet.

I'm trying to find the DS's two analog sticks, tell me - where exactly are they? And wheres the ability to play console games that were just playing on your home console and play them full blown on your handheld - which game was that?

Good point, the Vita total invented analog control. I'll just hide this Nintendo 64 controller over here. You know, the one with the rumble pack addon... that came out before the dualshock, or the dualanalog that predated the dualshock.

Again, what, EXACTLY, did the Vita do that was new again?

Okay, first, I'll introduce you to this 5200 and Outrun Arcade, and point out where exactly Nintendo stole Analog control and rumble from. Learn history. I'll also point out to you that two is a different number to one.

Second, the ability to transfer the one game save and game between your handheld and your home console. The thing Nintendo claimed was their original idea a day after Sony showed it off.

I've seen the TRS-80 and the old PC controllers. I know my gaming history here.

The point is, claiming Nintendo is following the leader, while the 'leader' is starting to put in technology that Nintendo did last generation is disingenuous at best. Nintendo is going to try to produce new gaming experiences. Whether it succeeds or fails should be decided on -those- merits, not on the merits of armchair pundits who just happened to be WRONG as hell last time Nintendo stepped to the plate.

This isn't even me defending the Wii, or the DS, or any other console. It's me looking at history, and noticing that this time around, Nintendo made the history by taking what seemed to be a fail (Gamecube grafx zomg fail) and turning it into a success (cheaper to produce, cheaper price, new controls, so much lower barrier to entry).

The Wii was successful for many reasons, the WiiMote being a small piece of that success story. The WiiU is going to be poised to leverage a lot of those same reasons, but in a different manner. Anyone who claims Nintendo is out of the race is ignorant of how this race works.

No, the ignorant people are the people who claim Nintendo have advantages. The WiiU doesn't have a single one of the advantages the Wii had. It isn't cheap to make, it isn't going to be cheap for consumers, it doesn't have a new method of control as I've explained to you four times, and it doesn't have a lower barrier entry. Meanwhile, as you can see by the people who say its shit, it has not won fans of the Hardcore gamers it seems to be banking on. It doesn't have anything going for it apart from ignorance and people giving it the benefeit of the doubt.

To be fair, the Wii U will be relatively cheap. It is supposedly going to cost roughly between the price of a new 3DS or Vita ($250) or a new PS3 or 360 ($300?) unless I have been horribly out of touch with Nintendo's news releases in the last few weeks.

That being said, the main point I want to agree with is that I don't think they're winning over most of the "Hardcore" crowd with this console. (Almost) everyone who wanted to play "Hardcore" games already owns either a PS3, 360, or gaming PC (or any combination of the three) to play those games on, why would they want to pay another $250+ just for a slight graphical upgrade (compared to the PS360 at least, still won't be as good as a top-of-the-line PC), a touchscreen that can't render in HD and has those same stupid analog nubs the PSP got so much hate for, and some Nintendo first-party games that have been released at least ten times before on previous systems?

I won't be ignorant enough to say there aren't any "Hardcore" gamers who will grab this thing, plenty of people still enjoy re-buying Metroid/Zelda/Mario/Kirby/Donkey Kong, but by and large it is fairly true that the "Hardcore" crowd is not interested in another system that's getting games that are coming out for one or more systems they already own.

Also, I'm rather skeptical about how third-party developers will actually react to this. Nintendo spent six years alienating most of the big boys and now they're coming onto the scene and telling developers they'll need to spend extra time on the Wii U version of a game to accommodate that iPad they're using as a controller? They have a hard enough time developing PC ports for games as it is.

 

[Th37thTrump3t]

Eh. Haters gonna hate, bitches gonna *****, but in the end Nintendo is still gonna make a fortune. Though, to be honest, it is a cool idea to be able to turn the controller into a handheld and be able to still play my games even though my dad wants to watch the news. Everybody wins!

 

[shrekfan246]

To be fair, the Wii U will be relatively cheap. It is supposedly going to cost roughly between the price of a new 3DS or Vita ($250) or a new PS3 or 360 ($300?) unless I have been horribly out of touch with Nintendo's news releases in the last few weeks.

I'm remembering that they specifically said this thing won't be cheap. They've said it'll be "competitive" and "not out of reach" but it all sounds like they're gearing up to a very uncomfortable price point.

Besides, the 360 is $200 now. And in about a year and a half when the WiiU is out, the Ps3 will probably have had a price cut too.

Hm. Well, I haven't been paying attention to their press or anything since E3, so my knowledge of the price is pretty much limited to the rumors that were flying around back then. I personally think the thing won't retail for less than $350 on release, but I don't even pretend to be a predictor of financial trends.

 

[lord.jeff]

What? Now, if anything doesn't make sense, it's that. What do you mean the people the WiiU is aimed at don't use the internet, the WiiU is aimed at a few groups, "casual" gamers who use the internet (isn't the ultimate "casual gamer" place Facebook?), kids (who constantly use the internet) and the people who bought the Wii (my theory is that the Wii was a way of getting people into gaming, and now Nintendo is trying to appeal to the same people, with something a little more "hardcore"). That group might use the internet, it might not.

Really, Nintendo is going for "mainstream appeal" and what's mainstream? The internet.

Alright, I'll rephrase that. Those people don't partake in console arguments over the internet. They're not likely to be on gaming forums.

I'm on a gaming forum and liked the Wii.

I think it's a good thing that developer are sticking up for the WiiU, although it doesn't look like it's getting rid of any of the overly stupid hate targeted at it. While I'm not optimistic about the WiiU, I'm still going to try it before I completely dismiss it.

 

[Roserari]

To me, there is only one justifyable wrong with this entire console. That is its name. For the rest I think that the Wambulance (get it, Wii U Wii U Wii U ... I'm so sorry ;_ is a fantastic creation for the developers. This will definitely allow them to grow in ways as of yet unimaginable. Can't wait to see what they come up with. And I'm glad to see Cliff sticking up for it

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Alright, I'll rephrase that. Those people don't partake in console arguments over the internet. They're not likely to be on gaming forums.

I'm on a gaming forum and liked the Wii.

not likely to be on gaming forums.

likely

Also, I wasn't even saying that people who "like" the Wii don't usually partake in console wars and forum-being. It's people who the Wii is marketed towards.

 

[AngelicSven]

This is really just an incredibly odd thing to say. I mean, as a third party dev, wouldn't you just avoid the whole console favoritism thing?

I guess I'm fairly unaffected though. I don't talk shit about the Wii U because I haven't played it or seen what games are coming out and I don't like 'Gears of War' so Cliffy B's kind of irrelevant to me.

 

[lord.jeff]

Alright, I'll rephrase that. Those people don't partake in console arguments over the internet. They're not likely to be on gaming forums.

I'm on a gaming forum and liked the Wii.

not likely to be on gaming forums.

likely

Also, I wasn't even saying that people who "like" the Wii don't usually partake in console wars and forum-being. It's people who the Wii is marketed towards.

You do know that you can target multiple demographics, yes the Wii targets mothers, kids or whatever but it also targets gamers, the inclusion of games like Zelda, Metroid, Monster Hunters, No More Heroes, and Mad World prove that.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

You do know that you can target multiple demographics, yes the Wii targets mothers, kids or whatever but it also targets gamers, the inclusion of games like Zelda, Metroid, Monster Hunters, No More Heroes, and Mad World prove that.

I don't think this should turn into a "discussion of Nintendo Wii's library of games" thing, so I'll aproach it differently.

You should probably go watch the ads for the Wii. I'm guaranteeing that 95% of them will contradict what you're saying right there.

 

[Frostbite3789]

The people Nintendo's aiming to get with this don't use the Internet.

Cause massive generalisations are kewl!

Nintendo are aiming this at casuals and at 'hardcore' gamers. Nintendo have the right idea, it's just the 'hardcore' internet crowd are pricks who never want to accept anything new and judge a console off the demographic of its predecessor.

Lets see, they based this generation's console off a terrible gimmick. And the console for actual gamers, hasn't produced really much at all. And most of the games that are for the video gaming crowd, are better played with the Gamecube controller or the controller pad they released to make more money.

Why should I think anything more of a tablet controller with extremely niche uses? Oh man it could be the motion tracker in the new Aliens game?!

I've heard it could be used as an inventory screen. Well, as RE5 showed us, active inventory is kinda crap and at least that was on the same screen, so you don't have to look away from the action. So either it goes that route, or you're pausing it to look at your inventory, in which case, why do you need a separate screen?

This isn't even me defending the Wii, or the DS, or any other console. It's me looking at history, and noticing that this time around, Nintendo made the history by taking what seemed to be a fail (Gamecube grafx zomg fail) and turning it into a success (cheaper to produce, cheaper price, new controls, so much lower barrier to entry).

The Wii was successful for many reasons, the WiiMote being a small piece of that success story. The WiiU is going to be poised to leverage a lot of those same reasons, but in a different manner. Anyone who claims Nintendo is out of the race is ignorant of how this race works.

Everything you said in these two paragraphs contradicts the first part. It doesn't show me that Nintendo is trying to provide the best gaming experience. It shows me they are trying to turn the biggest profit with the least effort and the least money put in by them.

Saying otherwise is just ridiculous. Who honest to God looked at the Wiimote and saw it as the future of gaming? I saw it as a stupid thing to flail around. Guess which one it turned out to be?

 

[coolkirb]

Bleszinksi was excited about the possibilities that the Wii U controller offered, joking that it would allow him to play console games while sitting on the toilet.

Hey, you know what else lets you do that? The Vita.

It seems that everyone who claims that everyone else is just "a hater" about the WiiU seems to have very selective amnesia. Every benefeit they claim it has is something you could get with the Vita and a Ps3. Hell, Nintendo admitted its not going to be worth it as a tech upgrade. Gun to your head, outside of just buying the same fucking Zelda, Mario and Metroid again, whats the point of this thing?

If you think the wii was a failure how could you possibly say anything good about the vita as it is the desendant of the PSP and the PSP was a terrible handheld that I and many others regret buying.

 

[Nazulu]

I'll buy it if the game line-up improves greatly compared to the Wii, and the controls aren't so annoying to use (or you can just be smart and let me use the Gamecube controllers). Otherwise, I'm not touching that shit even with a 40 foot poll.

 

[Panorama]

I am personally going to give it 6-12 months minimum before buying and in the mean time see if it is any good as at least one or two of my mates will buy one, i get to have a go, if its pretty good i will wait and buy it.

 

[TheDooD]

Hey CliffyB think about bring Gears to the PS3 and the PC, Before you start kissing Nintendo butt next time thanks dood.

OT

Overall the WiiU has a huge hill to climb because nothing about it impresses me again like the Wii. I don't about touch screens, being able to play in another room and I really don't give two shits about motion controls. I just want good games playable with a comfortable controller and sit on my ass and enjoy'em like I been doing for most of my life. Yet Nintendo seems to be over thinking it again and forgetting that hardware ain't shit without better software.

 

[lionday]

I'm excited for the Wii U. I hope 3rd party developers will take this chance to port there games to this new system. (I mean I'd buy assassins creed 2 for the wii u) Also i'm gonna buy a 3DS as well it looks pretty awesome and has some good games coming out.

 

[lord.jeff]

You do know that you can target multiple demographics, yes the Wii targets mothers, kids or whatever but it also targets gamers, the inclusion of games like Zelda, Metroid, Monster Hunters, No More Heroes, and Mad World prove that.

I don't think this should turn into a "discussion of Nintendo Wii's library of games" thing, so I'll aproach it differently.

You should probably go watch the ads for the Wii. I'm guaranteeing that 95% of them will contradict what you're saying right there.

Three ads from youtube all cater to a collage aged men at some point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7PhJp3ciRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGSmC-FllNk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsSKeMJYrt4

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

They need to fix it so that at least two players can use a touchscreen controller at the same time. Not having that will remove a ton of gameplay options.

 

[Laser Priest]

Those old shitty things led to the new shitty thing, eh?

And it is Nintendo, Cliffy; you got that much right. However, that is exactly why I won't be buying it.