Two days ago, Nintendo’s new Wii U was finally unveiled, sporting a new look, sleek HD visuals, backwards compatibility with Wii Remotes/games/accessories, and a unique tablet controller that looks to change the way players interact with their games. But is Wii U a true revolution, or merely a Wii evolution? Well, the verdict is certainly still out on the impact the new Wii U is going to have in the modern console landscape, but it’s certainly difficult to deny that the console has the potential to make some waves. Along with the console hardware, Nintendo brought along some game demos to show how the Wii U can be used to create new kinds of interactive experiences. GrE went hands-on with every one of the demos on the E3 show floor and came back with a pretty good idea of what to expect from the new system.
The console:
The Wii U console actually looks fairly similar to the original Wii, but slightly bulkier, without any of the GameCube controller ports or memory slots. GameCube compatibility will not be part of the new console’s feature set, but it will be compatible with all existing Wii software and controllers.
The tablet controller:
The controller consists of a 6″ touchscreen, d-pad, four face buttons, two analog sticks, and two sets of triggers. The HD visuals of the Wii U look incredible when streamed to the touchscreen. It also has a microphone, camera, accelerometer, and gyroscope. It is indeed large, but durable and comfortable to hold.
The visuals:
Aside from more game releases, HD graphics are the one feature most requested by hardcore gamers for the Wii brand. With the Wii U, that wish is finally being granted. The system appears to be capable of experiences similar to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, though no specs were announced. All of the playable demos used simplistic Wii/Mii graphics, but there was still a significant upgrade in image quality when compared to the original Wii. Additionally, the Zelda and Kyoto Garden technical demos showed some great examples of what the machine can do.
The playable demos:
Again, please keep in mind that the gameplay experiences detailed below are not announced games. Instead, they were created specifically to give players a taste of what could be possible on the Wii U.
New Super Mario Bros. Mii
Nintendo ported a version of their New Super Mario Bros. Wii engine to work on the Wii U, with one of the players able to use the new controller to move their character around the screen (the other players used Wii remotes). Five levels were available, with varying environments and difficulties. It was classic Mario gameplay at its finest, and the game was just as fun to play on the Wii U as on any other Nintendo system. The game did look even more impressive when streamed to the small screen, though the presence of the new controller did not change the gameplay in any way. The demo consisted of pure, unadulterated, classic Mario hop n’ bop action – nothing more, nothing less.
Chase Mii
Like the New Super Mario Bros. Mii demo, this one has one player on the new controller and three others on Wii Remotes. The player with the new controller controls a Mii wearing a Mario cap, and the goal of the game is for the other three players to “catch” the Mario Mii before time runs out. The Mario Mii runs faster than the other Miis and can collect a star that makes him invincible for a brief period of time (to keep things interesting). The new controller displays not only the behind-the-Mii view granted to the three chasers on the television screen, but also a top-down view of the entire map that shows the location of all three pursuers in real time. This demo provided a first look into how varying the viewpoint between players can create a unique experience beyond what some of the other implementations of this idea (such as the GCN connector cable and Dreamcast VMU) could provide.
Battle Mii
This playable demo was based loosely on the Metroid universe. The player holding the new controller was responsible for piloting a spaceship, while the other three players wielding Wii Remote/Nunchuk combinations were armed with lasers and tasked with blasting that spaceship out of the sky. Controlling the ship wasn’t easy, as it required use of both analog sticks (one for vertical movement and one for horizontal) as well as movement of the actual controller in real time to change the viewpoint. This one I found difficult to control at first because you’re required to use the gyroscope, the analog sticks, and the buttons all at once. Battle Mii was easily the most complex out of the playable demos, but was also an excellent showcase for how the gameplay can vary drastically for the user of the new controller compared to others playing the same game. Unlike Chase Mii and New Super Mario Bros. Mii, this demo provided a completely different set of controls, and a different end goal, to the player holding the new controller. I see applications for this division of gameplay in several genres including sports, action, and strategy.
Shield Pose
This demo showcased a rhythm motion game where the player was required to move the new controller like a shield in order to block groups of arrows being fired from pirate ships. The pirate captain on the TV screen signaled where the arrows were headed, calling out directions such as “Left!”, “Right!”, and “Center!”. The user then had to look at the new controller and focus the image on the proper direction in time with the rhythm. Being off-rhythm or off-target meant being hit by the arrows, although due to the demo’s nature there was no real penalty for this. After a period of time, the player was tasked with building up energy by shaking the new controller and then releasing that energy into a blast targeting the pirate ships (by pushing the new controller towards the television screen). This demo served as an excellent example of the capabilities of the gyroscope and varying viewpoints possible on Wii U. The music was also very catchy and will probably be stuck in my head for days.
In conclusion, the Wii U shows an incredible amount of potential. I’m beginning to understand Nintendo’s new vision for gaming, but my concerns lie with how developers other than Nintendo are going to utilize the device. We’ll find out much in the coming months as the Wii U gets closer to its 2012 release date.
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