Beautiful End said:
But this new console is just being gimmicky, not innovative. See, the Wii was welcomed because it had innovative and inviting ideas: It forced you to get off your lazy ass, it added the "Random mini-games for the whole family" idea, and so on. I said before and I'll say it again: This console is a step backwards from whatever they've accomplished with the Wii because:
-The huge controller is the exact opposite of the Wiimote. While the Wiimote was tough to get used to at first, it literally made you part of the game. Raising your Wiimote and aiming it to the sky as you retrieve the Master Sword was a great moment I'll never forget. But now games have to find a way to incorporate that brick of a controller into their gameplay.
Everyone and their mother already has a wiimote though, a wiimote that is still compatible with the wiiU console. Nintendo don't need to cover that one again.
Being the contrary that I am, I much prefer the idea of this new controller than the wiimote. Waving like a fool in front of the TV isn't for me. The only misgiving is that it seems a little uncomfortable in the hand to me, but I need to hold one first before I judge.
-Peeling your eyes off the screen, even for just a second, is never a good idea when you're playing. Like that guy said, it's not about timing it right or knowing when to access your menu. This is why most games give you shortcut keys/buttons to everything. You know how when you're playing online, you try to never pause the game even if you have to? Yeah, it's kinda like that. Only all the time. I know this wouldn't always be the case. But again, developers will HAVE to find a way to make that work for their games because, well damn, it's already there!
Sofar I see the controller screen being used mostly for inventories in the presentations. A glance at your hands, is much better than an inventory menu covering your view of the game world.
I can see this thing working. I'm not sure it's worth the expense and the burden on the controller, but developers should be able to put it to good use, ala DS at the very least.
-The lack of privacy and being connected all the time is also a horrible idea, especially for a console aimed towards kids and families. Leave that to more "hardcore" gamers. (I hate that word but you know what I mean). This is something that I like about my 360 that my PS3 doesn't have. See, with the 360, you can chat with anyone no matter what game they're playing and you can see what they're doing. Don't feel like giving your location away? Just set it to Appear Offline. But the WiiU will make it so that you're always online. You can't just have your friends added, you gotta have the ENTIRE universe. It's as if I wanted to text my friend but instead, I decided to create a topic here in the forums.
You most likely CAN appear offline. I doubt they'll forget such a simple feature, even if it isn't a part of Nintendo's presentations. Even if not, then you could always unplug the network cable.
-Nintendo seems like they want to evolve but they don't know how. They're still sticking to their kiddie consoles that I was forced to leave behind years ago. Yet, they're trying to dip their toes into the neighbor's pool without leaving the safety of their own home. So if they wanna enter the social gaming race, that's fine. I just hope they're ready for all the whiny 12 year olds we have in games like CoD that will invade their console.
If they wanna reach those PS3 and 360 users, they're still not quite there yet. They need to give me a reason to want to buy CoD or AC or whatever for their console as opposed to playing it with a comfortable controller while feeling like I'm part of the game with the uninterrupted action and while sitting comfortably on my couch.
If they wanna keep their casual audience, they're gonna have to work on their social network. I can't possibly imagine some grandparents or kids taking advantage, or even liking, the idea of being connected to a mass forum 24/7, exposed to whatever the heck's gonna go down there.
Nintendo may simply not be catering to you. I made the same mistake when dismissing the wii before launch.
10 times out of 10, when I visit a family with young kids, when those kids are playing on a console it is a wii. The mum is comfortable with the thing in the house and the games on it.
Those kids grow up with Nintendo.
Those kids are growing older and their next console is likely to be a wiiU. They are soon getting a more serious controller. They'll get grittier games. It all seems tailored for the new blood that now has a little more gaming experience thanks to Nintendo.
It seems that Nintendo are trying to push Sony and MS into the smaller, expensive upper market and take the mainstream for themselves.
They already control the cheaper, lower market: those casuals and families with small kids. Sure M$ sold a couple million Kinects, but they are far, far behind.
I reckon N could succeed.
1 They have the younger generation.
2 They are launching before the competition.
3 The WiiU will most likely be the cheapest box of this next gen.
4 N are the only party doing any innovation beyond prettier visuals.
5 The differences in visual fidelity appear to matter less and less.
6 N appear to be fixing their 3rd party support this time round.