Well, I like it a lot, I think the off screen play is amazing cause I can play even if the tv is being used (almost all the time). To me that alone makes it totally worth it. Love the browser, NintendoLand, simplified menus like in Wind Waker and the off screen play, the only downside is the battery life...

Would've preferred a Gamecube 2 type console.

But Nintendo's path changed forever after the success of the Wii.

Me personally, I really like theGame Pad. I really wasnt feeling it at first but now I'm really digging it. Games like Wind Waker HD and AC: IV really make good use of it. I like having a map ready instead of pausing and finding it in the menus. I just think maybe lowering the price and /or including a Pro controller with the system would be a good idea just for people that need that type of controller for games like CoD.

Yep, I saw that, it looks clever.  I like the humor.  

There really are a good number of potential applications.  I said that it would be nice for RTS games and PC type MMOs with lot of skills when the game-pad was first introduced.

As far as "standard" multi-plat games go, I think that there are two categories: functions where hitting a button to access a screen overlay is fine and functions where it's a pain.  Instances of the former would be when you're in a hectic fight and you WANT the game to pause so you can select a new weapon or skill.  

There are a lot of the instances of the latter, though, or when a quicker option would be good.  Using the phone in Saint's Row 3 & 4, using the remote controlled car in RAGE, more weapon slots in something like Fallout or Borderlands, and ANY game where you have to use the map a lot.  It's ironic how many third-party games that skip the Wii U could actually benefit from using the game-pad.

I think it hasn't caught on with more consumers, because there hasn't been a real killer app which really shows off why you can't do this without the gamepad. Of course there has been some great games which utilises the capability, like ZombiU. I'm thinking of buying that game, even though I haven't managed to beat the demo yet.. That was hard.

But I think personally that it is really great, the map and real time inventory changing in Wind Waker HD was awesome, even though I mostly paused every time I had to change gadgets it was cool to do it with a touch screen.

I really like it, and think it's the best feature of the Wii U. I see some people complain that it's too this or that for whatever, but people need to realize what it's for. There are games where you don't use the gamepad unless you are retarded.

The gamepad is awesome for navigating the UI, for the web browser, for Netflix and youtube and that kind of stuff, great for the eShop and watching Nintendo directs and whatnot, and most of all, the perfect vehicle for playing VC games on the couch. There are also some amazing local multiplayer games that use the gamepad in very amusing ways. Bumpies spin the bottle or whatever it is called and Nintendoland being foremost.

Room for improvement: Better battery life and more high end games that use the gamepad in meaningful ways.

I've got big hands, I'm 6ft 2" and loved the duke controller (the big controller) of the original xbox but even so I find the gamepad too large. It doesn't sit well in my hands especially playing an intense game. I hate the lack of analogue triggers. It never needed to be this big. Somthing like the pro controller with a touch screen at the back would have been ideal not something the size of a tablet. The money they saved doing a small gamepad should have been put towards a 28 or 32nm fabrication process for the gpu and cpu so instead of running at 1.25ghz and 550mhz they could have run at 2.5ghz and 900mhz (and faster ddr memory) thus making the wii u easily more powerful than 360 and PS3 and not have the embarrassment of being beaten by 360 and PS3 games.

The gamepad was ill judged from a gaming viewpoint.

Put it this way I bought Sonic Racing Transformed for the wii u and realised I loved the game but didn't quite get on with the gamepad and lack of analogue triggers. So I got the ps3 version when it was going cheap. Not only did it play better thanks to analogue triggers but it was higher resolution too and looked much better. Also much better sound support.

Although the performance level of the wii u is now set in stone the gamepad can be replaced with something much better.

the thing about innovation is for every hit there are probably 10 or more failures.

just wait for project morpheus/OR to hit retail,.. more failures inbound.

I've yet to see an innovative use for it beyond WarioWare, so I'm a bit upset at Nintendo.

It has yet to produce anything compelling. Wasted opportunity and resources.