It’s now only 2 months until the Wii U launches, and the next console generation alongside it. I’m incredibly excited to get my hands on a GamePad, but there are many people out there that are, shall we say, a tad less enthused.
British newspaper outlet The Sun unfairly ripped on the console with five unresearched, irrelevant and downright bizarre reasons not to buy the console. I should point out that this is the very same newspaper that fabricated lies about the 3DS causing dizziness and sickness and claimed that terrorists use Call of Duty to congregate. But to those less familiar with The Sun’s anti-gaming lies and exaggerations, this may well have put off casual Wii fans unfortunate enough to happen upon this corrupt newspaper and swallow their nonsense.
More recently, Bayonetta 2 was announced as a Wii U-exclusive. Were fans happy about finally getting a sequel to an excellent and beloved game they have begged for for years? Well, last time I checked people openly announcing that they want to kill themselves wasn’t a sign of positivity. Actually I hesitate to call them fans, after Twitter and gaming forums were bombarded with boycotts and developer Platinum Games were sent death threats. Why? Simply because the game is on Wii U, and they feel that Wii U exclusivity is a personal attack towards them. Isn’t that adorable?
There is a lot of hate around the Internet for Nintendo in general after their success with the Wii console. I feel that most of that comes from this hipster attitude, where hating on what’s popular somehow makes you incredibly cool and funny. But if people are actively vocal on their exaggerated hatred for the Wii, it only really serves to annoy people and start pointless arguments.
Some people have genuine disinterest for the console with reasons to back it up, and I respect that. I’m not saying anyone should be forced to like something, but whether you are a reasonable skeptic on the decision to buy the new console or one of the aforementioned fanboy pyschopaths, perhaps I can persuade you to look at the console in a more positive light.
HD Nintendo Games for the First Time
One of the common complaints with the Wii is that it has been quickly outpaced by Xbox 360 and PS3 in terms of power, leaving its graphical capabilities outdated. Nintendo is now taking its first into HD, and for will be the most graphically enhanced console on the market at least for a brief period. Its invalid to say that the Wii U will be obsolete when Sony and Microsoft bring out their next consoles, because there isn’t really much further we can advance graphically in games anyway. The Genesis had more bits than the SNES, and PS3 is the most powerful console available right now, but neither rose above their competitors.
But while graphics aren’t that big of a selling point, Nintendo taking their games into HD is very exciting. Many may think that the more cartoony Nintendo worlds won’t benefit much from HD like more realistic games on other systems will, but in fact the opposite is true. HD is currently wasted on gritty shooters that only show different shades of brown in their environments. Viva Pinata is a fantastic-looking game because it was extremely bright, vibrant and colourful, which is exactly how HD should be represented by when showing its capabilities. The use and clashing of colours in Rare’s candy-stuffed animal simulator made for an amazing retina-pleasing game, despite the simplicity of its cartoony style. We’ll soon get to see Mario’s, Zelda’s, and Pikmin’s worlds really come to life than ever before.
The GamePad Offers New Possibilities
Many people feel intimidated by motion control, or claim that its not “real gaming”. It can be a different experience to using a controller, but so what? For an industry where innovation is key to success and people complaining that there’s too many sequels and shooters, it baffles me how people are scared of change. I love traditional-style gaming on my PS3 and 360 controllers, but its always nice to have another console that approaches gaming in a different way. Besides, old-school control is going nowhere on Nintendo’s system – the GamePad itself has all the buttons and layout to be used without waggling or shaking, and the dual analogue sticks that the Wii Remotes lacked now open the possibilities for shooters and other genres.
It Won’t Repeat Wii’s Mistakes
Nintendo have proven that they have listened to their fans, and seem to be avoiding the same mistakes with their previous console. The most common complaints with the Wii are that it lacks the quality of online play that is present on other consoles, the tiny storage space and the lack of games in this last year or two. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime has revealed many improvements on the new console. We can expect a more substantial online infrastrucure, unlimited storage options (quote: “you can plug in a full-on three terabyte hard drive if you want”) and a strong consistent line-up will mean we still have reason to turn on the system near the end of its life cycle.
The Next Generation and Support of Struggling Publishers
Remember when we were all excited when the next generation of consoles was soon to begin? As I said, graphics are unable to impress with massive new leaps, so Nintendo has rightfully created another machine that innovates how we play, rather than just how pretty the games look. I’ll never forget my first time swinging my Wii Remote, or my introduction to HD in GTAIV’s Liberty City.
Seven long years after this generation started with Microsoft’s Xbox 360, its about time we started afresh. With developers as big as Team Bondi (creators of L.A. Noire) going down on a worryingly regular basis, a system launch could be just what the industry needs to get back on track. Peter Molyneux himself has said that the lack of IP is ridiculous, and that its because too many publishers are holding out for the next generation. The reason we’re bombarded with sequels right now is because people believe that its too late in the console cycle to develop new IPs. And with the industry in the state its currently facing, what better company to support dying developers than the financially-dominant Nintendo.
The Games!
Most importantly, the Wii U will be home to many games you won’t find anywhere else. Aside Nintendo’s exclusives that almost always deliver, you can also expect many third-party developers supporting the system. Already we have Ubisoft offering ZombiU, and Platinum giving us Bayonetta 2 which, although you may complain, simply wouldn’t be possible at all without Nintendo. We’ll have many games that will utilise the GamePad’s tilt, touch and dual screen features in ways we never imagined, and I for one am very excited.
