Wii U launches on November 18th

Kelthaz · November 10 2012, 04:55 AM

Nintendo kicks off the 8th generation next week with their oddly named Wii U console. Nintendo dominated with their widely mocked motion controls last generation, so will they continue this trend with their tablet controller and asynchronous gameplay? Yeah, I doubt it too.

Is anyone here planning on picking up a Wii U this year? I haven't seen too much excitement or interest in the Wii U either online or offline, so I'm very curious to see how the system does at launch.

bigdaddy · November 10 2012, 06:31 AM

The only name dumber than Wii is Wii U and I honestly think the name might hurt them a little bit. Just Call it Nintendo 8, or N8 and be done with it.

Owain Taggart · November 10 2012, 10:54 AM

I think what made the first one so successful was its simplicity. They managed to tap into markets that no other console had managed to do before because it was so simple to just pick up and play, including folks in long-term care facilities. That was unheard of and there's no other console that can lay claim to doing that. I fear that the tablet will actually add a layer of complexity that will make it less accessible to the new markets it had created.

TemporalFlux · November 10 2012, 12:23 PM

I find the launch line-up of games to be very lacking, so I feel no reason to buy. I think that this is their greatest mistake and what will handicap the Wii U for quite some time. Wii had a great pack-in game with Wii Sports, and there was also Super Mario Galaxy which was innovative and very entertaining; Wii U just really has nothing that grabs you. 8-bit Super Mario Bros. retread? Seriously; that's the best they could come up with?

Jax · November 10 2012, 06:42 PM

I might pick one up next christmas once I've had the chance to see what sort of gaming library they are building up.

Jimi_James · November 10 2012, 07:11 PM

I personally haven't owned a Nintendo since the NES (my younger brother had an N64, one of their better offerings) and so far I don't see any reason to break that streak. The only two titles that interest me so far are Mass Effect 3 and Arkham City, both of which I already own and I see no need to repurchase them for a new system. Perhaps later on, they'll have more games that warrant buying a whole new game system, but if it's just better looking wii games, than I'm not interested.
When I play games, I want to use a controller, preferably a 360 controller.

Kelthaz · November 10 2012, 07:41 PM

Owain Taggart wrote:

I think what made the first one so successful was its simplicity. They managed to tap into markets that no other console had managed to do before because it was so simple to just pick up and play, including folks in long-term care facilities. That was unheard of and there's no other console that can lay claim to doing that. I fear that the tablet will actually add a layer of complexity that will make it less accessible to the new markets it had created.

I agree with this. With Wii Sports, all you had to do was pretend to throw a bowling ball and your character would do so on screen. Any non-gamer could pick it up and understand the controls perfectly within seconds. That's not the case with the Wii U. Even hardcore gamers will need some time to get comfortable with the new controls.

The only audience I can see for this system are the diehard Nintendo fans. There's enough of them out there to keep a console profitable (for example the Gamecube), but that's a huge step down from the universal appeal of the Wii. Of course, I could be wrong. I had the same doubts about the Wii back in 2006.

Sephiroth · November 10 2012, 07:52 PM

they had one set up at the game stop here, noticed it during the Halo 4 pre release, not impressed with the tablet controller

Owain Taggart · November 10 2012, 09:03 PM

Kelthaz wrote:

Owain Taggart wrote:

I think what made the first one so successful was its simplicity. They managed to tap into markets that no other console had managed to do before because it was so simple to just pick up and play, including folks in long-term care facilities. That was unheard of and there's no other console that can lay claim to doing that. I fear that the tablet will actually add a layer of complexity that will make it less accessible to the new markets it had created.

I agree with this. With Wii Sports, all you had to do was pretend to throw a bowling ball and your character would do so on screen. Any non-gamer could pick it up and understand the controls perfectly within seconds. That's not the case with the Wii U. Even hardcore gamers will need some time to get comfortable with the new controls.

The only audience I can see for this system are the diehard Nintendo fans. There's enough of them out there to keep a console profitable (for example the Gamecube), but that's a huge step down from the universal appeal of the Wii. Of course, I could be wrong. I had the same doubts about the Wii back in 2006.

Yeah, exactly. I think what we have as a result of the Wii U is Nintendo failing to understand their own market. I think they had found a sweetspot, managing to balance both hardcore gaming and casual gaming, enticing non-gamers to the console, and they were in a really good place. The Wii's in nearly every home due to its accessibility, something that wasn't the case since the Atari 2600. With the Wii U, it seems as though they've turned their backs on a huge part of the success of the Wii.

I remember when they were developing the Wii. The Gamecube wasn't selling as well as they'd hope and they wanted to come up with something that would save them financially, and I believe they needed it quickly. They likely succeeded beyond what they imagined, and what they had done was sheer brilliance. It might not have had the best hardware, but it had appeal.

I have no problem with the Gamecube, but the Wii was special. It wasn't a regular console. With the Wii U, it seems like they're falling back onto old-school thinking with a traditional console in terms of appeal. I think if Nintendo had been smart, they'd have made the tablet optional with the standard Wii motion controllers as default, and the tablet mandatory for some more advanced games for the hardcore gamers. It will be interesting to see how well it sells, but I'm not expecting it to sell out everywhere and be hard to get a hold of.

Btw, I think everyone had doubts about the Wii as it was something brand new and nobody knew what to expect. Nintendo had a lot to prove.

Kaijufan · November 10 2012, 10:35 PM

TemporalFlux wrote:

I find the launch line-up of games to be very lacking, so I feel no reason to buy. I think that this is their greatest mistake and what will handicap the Wii U for quite some time. Wii had a great pack-in game with Wii Sports, and there was also Super Mario Galaxy which was innovative and very entertaining; Wii U just really has nothing that grabs you. 8-bit Super Mario Bros. retread? Seriously; that's the best they could come up with?

Super Mario Galaxy didn't come out until a year after the Wii came out. I'm not sure why you're complaining about New Super Mario Bros U, it looks like a great new Mario platformer and New Super Mario Bros Wii was one of the best 2D Mario games.

Also 2D Mario games are extremely popular, that's most likely the main reason NSMB U is a launch title for the Wii U. New Super Mario Bros for the DS sold almost 30 million copies and New Super Mario Bros Wii sold more then 26 million copies. Both casual and hardcore gamers love 2D Mario, so it makes sense to get it out as soon as possible for the Wii U.

It's also extremely unlikely Nintendo could of had a 3D Mario ready for the Wii U launch. EAD Tokyo were working on 3DS games like Super Mario Land 3D and OoT 3D last year. They wouldn't of had enough time to get a 3D Mario ready for launch.

Bob The Skutter · November 11 2012, 04:49 PM

I have a Wii U ordered but I got it ordered when Amazon had a price mistake (I assume) up and had the Deluxe Pack at £199. If they cancel it it'll be a shame but I won't be rushing out to buy it at full price. I ordered New Super Mario Bros. U from Shopto as well, so I hope if they're going to cancel my order they do it in time so I can cancel the order from there.

firehawk12 · November 20 2012, 08:31 AM

Anyone get theirs? I'm firehawk12 if anyone wants people to add. lol

Cutter John · November 20 2012, 10:52 AM

Don't know if anyone else watches the Awesome Video Games webcast, but these silly Canadians did a multi-hour unpacking and set-up broadcast on release day. I'm not a console person, but I'm pretty impressed with it, and its features. Interested to hear what others think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=SP...yer_detailpage

Akiraprise · November 20 2012, 02:11 PM

I was always a diehard Nintendo guy growing up, but I may wait on the Wii U.

Ood Sigma · November 20 2012, 02:54 PM

Yeah, it'll probably be a while before I get one. Honestly the only game that interests me is right now New Super Mario Bros. U. Once there's a new Zelda game and/or a couple other interesting titles I may pick one up. Probably not at least for a year. My XBox 360 keeps me plenty happy.

November 10 2012, 04:55 AM	#1
Kelthaz Commodore Location: Toronto, Ontario	Wii U launches on November 18th Nintendo kicks off the 8th generation next week with their oddly named Wii U console. Nintendo dominated with their widely mocked motion controls last generation, so will they continue this trend with their tablet controller and asynchronous gameplay? Yeah, I doubt it too. Is anyone here planning on picking up a Wii U this year? I haven't seen too much excitement or interest in the Wii U either online or offline, so I'm very curious to see how the system does at launch. __________________ "Who are you?! And how did you get in here?!" "I'm the locksmith. And... I'm the locksmith."

November 10 2012, 06:31 AM	#2
bigdaddy Vice Admiral Location: Space Massachusetts	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th The only name dumber than Wii is Wii U and I honestly think the name might hurt them a little bit. Just Call it Nintendo 8, or N8 and be done with it. __________________ "Bqhatevwr" - Former Senator Scott Brown

November 10 2012, 10:54 AM	#3
Owain Taggart Commodore	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th I think what made the first one so successful was its simplicity. They managed to tap into markets that no other console had managed to do before because it was so simple to just pick up and play, including folks in long-term care facilities. That was unheard of and there's no other console that can lay claim to doing that. I fear that the tablet will actually add a layer of complexity that will make it less accessible to the new markets it had created.

November 10 2012, 12:23 PM	#4
TemporalFlux Quantum Mechanic Location: The End of Time	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th I find the launch line-up of games to be very lacking, so I feel no reason to buy. I think that this is their greatest mistake and what will handicap the Wii U for quite some time. Wii had a great pack-in game with Wii Sports, and there was also Super Mario Galaxy which was innovative and very entertaining; Wii U just really has nothing that grabs you. 8-bit Super Mario Bros. retread? Seriously; that's the best they could come up with? __________________ Sliders - The Dimension of Continuity

November 10 2012, 06:42 PM	#5
Jax Admiral Location: The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th I might pick one up next christmas once I've had the chance to see what sort of gaming library they are building up. __________________ TheHunger Games (B-) American Reunion (B) Milk (B-) The Insider (B+) The Rainmaker (B-) God Bless America (B-) It's Kind of a Funny Story (B-) Iron Man 3 (B+) Star Trek Into Darkness (A-) Jerry Maguire (B-)

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November 10 2012, 07:11 PM	#6
Jimi_James Lieutenant Commander Location: Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th I personally haven't owned a Nintendo since the NES (my younger brother had an N64, one of their better offerings) and so far I don't see any reason to break that streak. The only two titles that interest me so far are Mass Effect 3 and Arkham City, both of which I already own and I see no need to repurchase them for a new system. Perhaps later on, they'll have more games that warrant buying a whole new game system, but if it's just better looking wii games, than I'm not interested. When I play games, I want to use a controller, preferably a 360 controller. __________________ “I was here,” says Man. “Prove it,” says the Universe.” Method of Life, a post apocalyptic sci-fi ebook available on Amazon.

November 10 2012, 07:52 PM	#8
Sephiroth Vice Admiral Location: Sephiroth	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th they had one set up at the game stop here, noticed it during the Halo 4 pre release, not impressed with the tablet controller __________________ ~I Will Never Be A Memory~ (>'_')>---------->Kazap< Hunting Humanity and Pestering Cloud since 1997

November 11 2012, 04:49 PM	#11
Bob The Skutter Admiral Location: Bob The Skutter	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th I have a Wii U ordered but I got it ordered when Amazon had a price mistake (I assume) up and had the Deluxe Pack at £199. If they cancel it it'll be a shame but I won't be rushing out to buy it at full price. I ordered New Super Mario Bros. U from Shopto as well, so I hope if they're going to cancel my order they do it in time so I can cancel the order from there. __________________ It's all right, children. Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it. I am sure that we shall never forget Tiny Tim, or this first parting that there was among us.

November 20 2012, 08:31 AM	#12
firehawk12 Fleet Admiral Location: EXILE + ATTON = GUUUUUUSH!!!! (pic by aimo)	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th Anyone get theirs? I'm firehawk12 if anyone wants people to add. lol __________________ The best reason to watch Curling: Johnson Sisters! "How do you trust a nation that's invented Karate? They're standing there in their pajamas... then they kick you in the balls!"

November 20 2012, 10:52 AM	#13
Cutter John Rear Admiral Location: Beyond the wall of sleep, just south of Seattle.	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th Don't know if anyone else watches the Awesome Video Games webcast, but these silly Canadians did a multi-hour unpacking and set-up broadcast on release day. I'm not a console person, but I'm pretty impressed with it, and its features. Interested to hear what others think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=SP...yer_detailpage __________________ "The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things. But vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant."

November 20 2012, 02:11 PM	#14
Akiraprise Moderator	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th I was always a diehard Nintendo guy growing up, but I may wait on the Wii U. __________________ MCCOY: You know, back home we got a saying, "If you're gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prize stallion in the stable." SPOCK: A curious metaphor, Doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its potential. MCCOY: Green-blooded hobgoblin.

November 20 2012, 02:54 PM	#15
Ood Sigma Commander Location: Ood Sigma	Re: Wii U launches on November 18th Yeah, it'll probably be a while before I get one. Honestly the only game that interests me is right now New Super Mario Bros. U. Once there's a new Zelda game and/or a couple other interesting titles I may pick one up. Probably not at least for a year. My XBox 360 keeps me plenty happy.