I'm playing through Majora's Mask again on the N64, and while it's still a blast, it is such a pain in the ass to item switch every 15 seconds! I keep thinking of how much better the game would be if they ever decide to listen to Operation Moonfall and remake that baby.

It's so very comfortable and handy, though! Creates such a streamlined and swift gameplay experience, when used right. Playing through Wind Waker HD right now, and it's baffling to me just how much the GamePad improves everything, to the point I find it hard to believe I ever played the game without it.

Just the swiftness of the interface, swapping items on the fly, and the gyro controls for things like the grappling hook and first person stuff alone justify the GamePad's use. Off-tv play is simply a joy.

Honestly, saying the GamePad's not needed it exactly the same as saying, for example, the Vita doesn't need a big hi-res screen. Sure, it looks nice, but it adds nothing vital, and the games on it could be played just as well without it, and on a smaller low-res one instead. It goes for basically everything that improves stuff like that. Such as rumble. Clickable control sticks. Track pads on controllers. Motion controls. Stereoscopic 3D. Bluray/DVD playback functions. Multi-touch screens. Rechargeable batteries in controllers. I could go on to name a few hundred examples.

All of the above aren't necessary, games don't NEED them. But they still exist.

The Wii U gamepad is not a tablet.
The problem with relying on 3rd party devices is that Nintendo have no control over the hardware, the communication method would be different (which would create screen lag between the 2).
And te fact that not everybody owns a tablet. I, for one, dont have a tablet

I have Splinter cell blacklist on Wii U, and i thought i would have a play on traditional controls to see if the gamepad offered more than the other versions. One instance is switching between lethal and non lethal takedown, on traditional controls you have to hold the d-pad down for a couple of seconds, select your preferred option, assign, and then execute. This took a good few seconds and disrupted the flow of the game, On the gamepad  just touch your option and execute, all whilst the game is running in real time. Weapon selection is also smooth and simple, whilst on traditional controls, scrolling through weapons often got me killed during firefights.

The thing about the gamepad is that you have to use yourself. I have had one for two days, and I get it now :).

Nintendo tried with Wii U the same strategy that it had done with Wii, but until now almost nobody care about the gimmick controller.
Maybe in the 9th generation, Nintendo finds its way again.

The obvious advantage of having a touchscreen device integrated into controller is for use with direct selection operations. Depending on the type, features and requirements of the game it can be more or less influental on the gameplay characteristics.

I strongly disagree. I love the gamepad cause I enjoy playing in bed to wind down after a long shift at work.. Btw it's the best thing nintendo has ever done and I've gamed since NES.. Off tv gaming got me playing more..

For the 5-millionth time:

1. It's not a goddamn tablet. A tablet is a device with NO OTHER INPUT OUTSIDE OF A TOUCH SCREEN. The Gamepad is a controll, with buttons sticks dpad, everything that goes on a regular controller, AND it has a big touch screen.

2. It's a perfectly fine controller, in fact it's potential rocks. The system needs games. Not a difference controller. And going back to waggle controls being #1 is not any kind of viable answer.

And that's the beautiful benefits of being a consumer -- I don't have to deal with it by not buying the product.