Nintendo is stepping into the next generation of game consoles with its very first high definition gaming display. The system’s graphics and hardware are similar compared to other consoles such as the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. This might seem like an odd choice since those consoles came out nearly 7 years ago. Nintendo isn’t hoping that people will care as much about the graphics and hardware when they get a chance to use the console’s new tablet controller which has motion control and touch screen technology. We know from experience with the Nintendo Wii that Nintendo will try to compete its two main rivals through innovation. Let’s take a look at some of the highs and lows of this system.
Highs:
-Nintendo E shop is great for playing NES and gameboy classics.
-Gamepad works well as a TV remote and second television
-Miiverse is lots of fun
-Fast internet browser
Lows:
-Short gamepad battery life
-Gamepad range is too short
-Gamepad resolution is low
-Initial firmware update takes too long
The Wii U is slender and compact and weighs 3.4 pounds and measures 10.5 inches long while keeping a relatively slim 1.9-by-6.6-inch profile. It has an optical drive in the front. The power and reset buttons go in the front along with a syncing station to connect the gamepad controller. There’s a slot for an SD card and a USB drive. You’re going to need an SD card if you want to transfer any of your old Wiiware or virtual console games over to the new system.
Let’s now discuss the coolest new feature of the Wii U. We’re talking about the new gamepad controller. The gamepad is a 6.2 inch touch screen with an 854×480 resolution in a 16:9 ratio. The touch screen is sensitive enough for one-point activities, but it can’t handle multi-touch gestures like smartphones and tablets. There’s a plus and minus sign that now replaces the start and select functions from the Wii and a button in the middle that will redirect you to the home menu. You have two analog buttons on the left and right along with a standard d-pad. In addition, there’s a battery icon that will light up when in need of a recharge and a blinking light for when the controller is on life support. For those gamers who prefer a more traditional controller, Nintendo is offering a Nintendo Wii U Pro controller that is sold separately for 50$. The controller looks very similar in shape and size to an Xbox 360 controller and will hopefully satisfy hardcore gamers who don’t like the gamepad. The neatest new feature of the gamePad is that it can be used to control your HDTV. We thought that this worked out well on our television and also liked the fact that the gamepad can double as a second television. Dads can sit down and watch football on the big screen while their children can continue their games uninterrupted on the smaller gamepad device. The only problem with this is that the range can be quite short as after 25 feet we started to be cut off from the action. This might not be as much of an issue if you live in a larger home but can be an inconvenience in a smaller setting with more than one wireless device running at the same time.
The gamepad home screen has five rows of buttons that can be scrolled through to access certain features. The menu interface is slow. You’ll be able to access Netflix , Hulu, Amazon and YouTube from the menu interface. Unfortunately, many of the online features aren’t accessible at launch and require you to download a patch. The patch can take almost 2 hrs. for some individuals and is a ridiculous waste of time for something that should be accessible right out of the box. Luckily, once the update is completed you can access the Nintendo E Shop and purchase games from Nintendo’s lineup as well as select Indy games. Another online success is the Miiverse which is Nintendo’s answer to social networks. You can leave messages for friends, swap stylus-based drawings, or look up friend info. The Wii U supports video chat, but only through Nintendo’s own online service. Players who have added each other to their friends’ lists on their Wii U can video chat with each other using the front-facing camera on the gamepad. The Miiverse isn’t complex and we like the simplicity of the social network.
Right now, you can purchase a cheaper model that comes with 8 GB of internal memory for 200$ or a more expensive model that offers 32GB of internal memory for 300$. The Nintendo Wii U is an impressive system with a lot of potential. We like that the system is now in high definition and the hardware is attempting to be innovative to try and create new experiences for users. However, this is still a video game console and it will be interesting to see what Nintendo comes up with for gamers after they’re done playing their usual first person titles such as Mario and Zelda. The system will only do well if developers can take advantage of the hardware and make unique games for the console.
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