RealClear Summary
Posted On November 19, 2012
Nintendo's long anticipated Wii U has arrived. A follow-up to the wildly successful Wii, the Wii U adds a new "Game Pad" controller that sports a 6.2-inch color touchscreen, NFC, speakers and camera for use with the console. The Game Pad controller works with a stylus too and offers a remote control app that lets it double as a standard TV remote. A built-in accelerometer and gyroscope allows the Game Pad to control the on-screen action via hand motions, giving gamers a more immersive experience.
The console supports 1080p video output for HD gaming, has 8GB of internal memory ($299, upgradeable in the Deluxe version to 32GB for $329) with a USB storage option and accepts Wii discs. It is backwards compatible with most Wii software and controllers too, allowing an upgrade path for Wii users.
In addition to gaming, the Wii U bundles other software applications, such as Wii TVii, for streaming video services like Netflix. There's also a web browser, a "Wii chat" function, and an online shop for downloading games.
Initial reviews of the Wii were decidedly negative - some because of frustrations with the gaming itself but mostly because the Wii is currently shipping with most of the software extras (like TVii) not turned on. It is incomplete, though Nintendo promises upgrades to turn on that functionality soon. Reviews will be updated as those extras are enabled and tested. Until then, it may be best to wait this one out.
Reviews Sources
I'm not sure the Wii U emanates the same wow factor that the original Wii did. For me, using the GamePad didn't feel all that revolutionary simply because it feels like a souped-up...
Nintendo promised consumers a modern HD gaming console, and the Wii U -- what's there of it thus far -- delivers on that promise.
Moments of brilliance are overshadowed by the clumsiness of the system. It's a brand-new paradigm for video games, and there are clear and frustrating growing pains: the GamePad is too...
The Wii U doesn't feel exactly like the "next generation." The menu interface feels like the Wii, and the graphics output by games are nothing that can't be done on the current...
What sets the platform apart is its focus on the new Wii U GamePad, a large amalgamation of a traditional controller and a tablet, featuring a 6.2-inch touch display that can work in...
With any new console you might be wisest to give it a year, especially if you want to be able to compare it to what Sony and Microsoft have coming next. And if they don't put screens...
Until we see Nintendo Network fully functioning with the TVii service and additional games that take advantage of the GamePad, it's hard to say whether Wii U recaptures the console...
The Wii U already has a lock on the future of big-idea gaming. The Wii U already feels like a much more robust and fascinating idea, one that shows even more promise, in my opinion,...
As of now, the Wii is a decent piece of hardware but the surrounding eco-system is completely missing.
| Approve | Mostly Approve | |
Mixed/Caveated | Mostly Disapprove | Disapprove |