Just Got a Wii U and...

[Fappy]

Is the gamepad/tablet/fingerprint magnet supposed to have fuck-all for battery life? Right out of the box, it lasts about 3-4 hours before it needs to be recharged again. I imagine it will only get worse a few years down the line. Is this how it's supposed to be or is my battery just janky?

On an somewhat-related note, Pro Controllers are sold out at every Walmart within 50 miles of me, so that's cool.

Also, Wind Waker HD is fucking beautiful.

 

[Trinket to Ride]

Yeah, I just leave mine plugged in pretty much all the time. You can buy a high-capacity battery for it, but last I checked they were crazy expensive.

And yes, yes it is. Here's hoping for Majora's Mask HD.

 

[shrekfan246]

Yeah, it's pretty bad, Fapsterino. Like Trinket to Ride, I just keep mine plugged in all the time. I've never had a problem using wired controllers (in fact, even my PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers generally have a cord coming from them even if they're not actually plugged in) and the length of the charger cable is long enough for me to be wherever I want to be while playing the Wii U. If I were to play a game off of the TV screen in another room or something, I doubt I'd be spending enough time on it to kill the battery.

But that's just me, of course. Other people might sit much further away from their television screens than I do.

 

[Fappy]

Yeah, it's pretty bad, Fapsterino. Like Trinket to Ride, I just keep mine plugged in all the time. I've never had a problem using wired controllers (in fact, even my PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers generally have a cord coming from them even if they're not actually plugged in) and the length of the charger cable is long enough for me to be wherever I want to be while playing the Wii U. If I were to play a game off of the TV screen in another room or something, I doubt I'd be spending enough time on it to kill the battery.

But that's just me, of course. Other people might sit much further away from their television screens than I do.

I usually don't mind cords either, but this one plugs into an outlet and is kinda bulky. Just feels a lot less encumbering when not plugged in.

Good thing is I managed to order two Pro Controllers off Amazon. Those things are hard as fuck to get a hold of right now :/

 

[shrekfan246]

Yeah, it's pretty bad, Fapsterino. Like Trinket to Ride, I just keep mine plugged in all the time. I've never had a problem using wired controllers (in fact, even my PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers generally have a cord coming from them even if they're not actually plugged in) and the length of the charger cable is long enough for me to be wherever I want to be while playing the Wii U. If I were to play a game off of the TV screen in another room or something, I doubt I'd be spending enough time on it to kill the battery.

But that's just me, of course. Other people might sit much further away from their television screens than I do.

I usually don't mind cords either, but this one plugs into an outlet and is kinda bulky. Just feels a lot less encumbering when not plugged in.

Good thing is I managed to order two Pro Controllers off Amazon. Those things are hard as fuck to get a hold of right now :/

Yeah, I thought it was kind of odd that it plugs into an outlet. The hardware and setup of the Wii U in general is just all kinds of weird. Never let it be said that Nintendo doesn't stick to a theme. XD

What games finally tipped the scale for you?

 

[Fappy]

Yeah, it's pretty bad, Fapsterino. Like Trinket to Ride, I just keep mine plugged in all the time. I've never had a problem using wired controllers (in fact, even my PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers generally have a cord coming from them even if they're not actually plugged in) and the length of the charger cable is long enough for me to be wherever I want to be while playing the Wii U. If I were to play a game off of the TV screen in another room or something, I doubt I'd be spending enough time on it to kill the battery.

But that's just me, of course. Other people might sit much further away from their television screens than I do.

I usually don't mind cords either, but this one plugs into an outlet and is kinda bulky. Just feels a lot less encumbering when not plugged in.

Good thing is I managed to order two Pro Controllers off Amazon. Those things are hard as fuck to get a hold of right now :/

Yeah, I thought it was kind of odd that it plugs into an outlet. The hardware and setup of the Wii U in general is just all kinds of weird. Never let it be said that Nintendo doesn't stick to a theme. XD

What games finally tipped the scale for you?

I was always going to get one for Super Smash Bros., but I got it sooner than I had planned because of Hyrule Warriors (both a DW and Zelda fan). While I wait for that to come out Wind Waker and Mario 3D World will keep me busy

 

[Qitz]

Yeah that's been the major downfall of that controller. Get used to that red-light, or if your ballsy, the blinking red one.

As mentioned before, there is a battery pack for it that increases it up to 8hrs but the things on Amazon for $75 so it's not a cheap thing to get. If I remember right their in short supply so that explains why their so damn expensive. I usually just set it on the cradle to charge when I'm not using it or just plug the cord in if I'm in the middle of a long gaming session.

And yes, even on an SD TV WWHD is god damn awesome looking. Don't forget Wonderful 101 cause that game is freaking insane-as-balls fun. Pikmin 3 too. Been having a blast on that one.

 

[Weaver]

I heard they were going to release like a super battery or something? Did that ever happen?
I really forget lol.

 

[Roxas1359]

I heard they were going to release like a super battery or something? Did that ever happen?
I really forget lol.

They released it in Europe and Japan, and I believe it's coming to the US. Thing is though, it costs $30-$35 for the thing. Nyko made one as well back when the Wii U first came out I believe.

OT: Sadly Fappy, it is shit for the battery life. I'd not mind that as much if they gave us a USB charger for the Wii U, but they gave us a short ranged AC adapter for it. Honestly, just stick with Pro Controllers, they have better battery life and can navigate through all menus on the Wii U just fine.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

When I get a Wii U, I'll probably get an extension for the charger cable, so I can just use the pad like a corded controller, like the good old days, or *gasp* solder my own extension onto it. Of course, by the time I get a U, the bigger battery might come standard.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

welcome to modern battery technology: it sucks. You're probably gonna have to get used to keeping in plugged or just taking breaks.

 

[Ephidel]

Part of the reason why I want £400 reserved for when I purchase a Wii U rather than £250.

Nintendo always charges more for peripherals, always have done, but I intend to be prepared when I get my Wii U later this year.

And yeah, Hyrule Warriors tipped it for me too. Seeing Zelda characters in proper HD is like what everyone dreamed of back in that original Spaceworld Demo from 2001(?). Man, we all had high hopes back then and I'm glad someone finally made it a reality.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

I've never had a problem with the battery life on mine.

Then again, I don't play it for hours on end, so I guess my experience is moot in regards to this thread.

Carry on.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Try turning the screen brightness down, it really does help, and keep the volume down if the game doesn't need it all that much, helps extend it. The cord is long though and that means I have no trouble playing as long as I want really

 

[DrOswald]

The 3-4 hour time is basically standard. It's never been a problem for me, but I rarely play any game for more than a couple hours strait. Turn the brightness down if you are not going to be actually using the screen on the device and it will last longer.

 

[Oly J]

welcome to the Wii U owners club, shitty battery life aside (they're all like that) I hope you enjoy it, and yes, Wind Waker HD is fucking beautiful I can't wait for Hyrule Warriors and I would recommend Mario Kart 8 if you're into that, on 150cc it can be a very intense experience (I think there is a good reason the online mode has no voice chat)

OT my battery life is even worse, maybe an hour on it, sometimes less, I just leave it plugged in, gotta get a pro controller at some point

 

[Byte2222]

I might have been imagining it but I think I got more battery life when I was playing Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze - probably because the gamepad's screen was turned off.

 

[Roxas1359]

Try turning the screen brightness down, it really does help, and keep the volume down if the game doesn't need it all that much, helps extend it. The cord is long though and that means I have no trouble playing as long as I want really

You pretty much have to do that on the Wiimotes as well, as sound effects and the rumble feature actually kills the batteries on that faster than if you didn't have them on at all.

 

[-Dragmire-]

Yeah, it's pretty bad, Fapsterino. Like Trinket to Ride, I just keep mine plugged in all the time. I've never had a problem using wired controllers (in fact, even my PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers generally have a cord coming from them even if they're not actually plugged in) and the length of the charger cable is long enough for me to be wherever I want to be while playing the Wii U. If I were to play a game off of the TV screen in another room or something, I doubt I'd be spending enough time on it to kill the battery.

But that's just me, of course. Other people might sit much further away from their television screens than I do.

I usually don't mind cords either, but this one plugs into an outlet and is kinda bulky. Just feels a lot less encumbering when not plugged in.

Good thing is I managed to order two Pro Controllers off Amazon. Those things are hard as fuck to get a hold of right now :/

Yeah, I thought it was kind of odd that it plugs into an outlet. The hardware and setup of the Wii U in general is just all kinds of weird. Never let it be said that Nintendo doesn't stick to a theme. XD

What games finally tipped the scale for you?

I was always going to get one for Super Smash Bros., but I got it sooner than I had planned because of Hyrule Warriors (both a DW and Zelda fan). While I wait for that to come out Wind Waker and Mario 3D World will keep me busy

Too bad you didn't get it just a little earlier, I got Wind Waker free from buying Mario Kart 8.

Pretty damn good deal.

The battery life is pretty bad though for new stuff, I hear virtual console stuff that doesn't need the pad to be anything more than a controller tends to drain less of the battery. This is hearsay though, I haven't tested that out yet.