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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - The Wii U is Nintendo's last console (gaming "journalism" at its worst)

http://bgr.com/2012/12/28/nintendo-wii-u-criticism-272039/

I remember it still — people flipped out about the Nintendo (NTDOY) Wii. Yes, its name was mocked for a while, but there was genuine excitement around what Nintendo was doing with motion and the entire gameplay experience. While the original Nintendo Wii was almost an Apple (AAPL)-like product — Nintendo focused on the gameplay and not on specs; the company didn’t even have HD graphics when every other console did — the Nintendo Wii U clearly demonstrates how far Nintendo has fallen and how out of touch the company is.

I bought a Nintendo Wii U for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to play and beat “Super Mario Bros. U.” I’ll probably end up returning the console after I’m done, because that’s how horrible the Wii U actually is.

First of all, the fact that Nintendo actually decided to ship this joke of a controller called the GamePad with a 6.2-inch touchscreen in the middle says it all. It only lasted for around two hours per charge over the week I’ve used it, and it’s big, clunky and made of glossy Nintendo plastic. The problem it, it has no charm. It feels thrown together to try to make a statement, one that says that Nintendo isn’t afraid of the iPads or Android tablets or iPhones or iPod touches, and that it too can take on touch just as it took on motion.

It fails miserably. And that’s just the controller.

The actual console is one that finally for the first time ever supports HDMI and HD graphics, yet Nintendo’s flagship game doesn’t look good in high-definition. The console’s UI is a mess, and let’s be honest, we are living in a time where we are so connected, where so much is shared across continents instantly, that real design transcends what country it was designed in.

When you see a beautiful iPhone app’s interface, there’s a good chance you couldn’t tell if it was designed by a company in San Francisco or Paris or Hong Kong. But Nintendo’s interface is blatantly Japanese, and it lacks any and all sophistication. It’s like all of Nintendo’s designers just gave up and are living in a time when Apple’s iOS devices and Google’s (GOOG) Android devices don’t exist, blissfully ignoring the threat that their company is facing from all angles.

The Wii U experience is so terrible that it took over an hour to update the software on the console recently, and apparently that wasn’t that bad. People have told me their updates took over 4 hours when performed closer to Christmas. Do you know what that 7-year-old is doing during those 4 hours you’re making him wait? Playing Temple Run or Angry Birds on his iPad mini. Way to go Nintendo.

I’ll go on record and say that I think this is the last video game console Nintendo will make for the home. I just don’t see the future here with hardware. Not by a mile.

Nintendo needs to realize that hardware is hardware and that Nintendo’s hardware isn’t special, it isn’t elegant and it isn’t thoughtful. It’s merely a delivery mechanism in a time where design has never been more important.

Nintendo is a great company, one that has invented so many great products, but sooner or later it will be forced to offer its titles on iOS devices and Android devices. It’s going to get to that point. There’s way too much revenue to be made — Nintendo isn’t Sega, and Sega is crushing it as a software-only company.

I just hope Nintendo follows suit sooner or later, because I have $9.99 ready to go for the Super Mario app on iOS.

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Key point to take from article: "Nintendo’s interface is blatantly Japanese, and it lacks any and all sophistication."



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Here is another Wii U review which didn't go so well.  At least this article seems to have a few positives thrown in.   Covers multiple pages but here is a good line from it

"We can't talk about the hardware here without mentioning Nintendo's decision to add the thickest coat of mirrored gloss that we've ever seen on a consumer electronics product. Our black Wii U was coated in dust merely seconds after unboxing it."

http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Nintendo-Wii-U-Review/



The bloody hell did I read??? o.0



 And proud member of the Mega Mario Movement!

So it's true. Stupidity does hurt (imo).



In the wilderness we go alone with our new knowledge and strength.

Come on guys, this is actually funny. Or, would you like to have a debate with ....well whoever is this guy?



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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHA.....................

This is THE funniest thing I have ever read.



Apparently people really hate that "cheap" plastic.



that guy is pathetic and couldn't be more wrong. After reading that article I almost have a hard time believing that he even owns a Wii U. He sounds just like he's trying to troll. NSMB U looks fantastic and the integration between the gamepad and the U are flawless. Everything runs smooth with the exception of load times. The gamepad itself feels natural and fitting.




I always wonder if this gaming "journalist" even go to the university, I'm pretty sure most of them just start blogging on the internet and somehow manage to get this "job".



Nintendo and PC gamer

Some of those points are quite valid, but all the tv, print and online journalism I've read is ill informed or misguided. For instance a BBC reporter slated the Wii U by saying that the resistive touch screen felt decididly 5 years old. Ok, it is old technology but Ninty have a reason for it, it maked drawing on the gamepad easier than a capacitive touch screen, try drawing on the gamepad then an iOS device and you'll see what I mean. Don't even get me strarted on so called tech reporters in newspapers, the British 'The Sun' tabloid is the main culprit. They said that people shouldn't buy the 3DS, but no one listened to them abd it's doing ok now.

I have an iPhone 5 and it seems like more thought has gone into it's design. If Ninty stop making hardware it will be a sad day, but like you say I have $9.99 (Ninty will probably charge way more though) waiting for Super Mario iOS!