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Forums - Nintendo - Best looking Wii U game to date?

Tagged games:

 

?

Art of Balance 7 1.75%
 
Mario 3D World 72 18.00%
 
Mario Kart 8 243 60.75%
 
Trine 2: Director's Cut 13 3.25%
 
Other (Please specify) 65 16.25%
 
Total:400
Samus Aran on 25 November 2014
mZuzek said:
Samus Aran said:

Then your friends are extremely blind. DKC: R barely has any textures at all. I can't even stand to play that game on my HD tv because of the jaggies.

Besides, Super Mario Galaxy in 1080p and 4x AA looks amazing as well: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3eosNaxRR8

That's my family you're talking about. But yeah, I agree, they are.

Still, the games do look very similar.

They're made by the same people after all. :p 

Just watched a video of Metroid Prime 3 in 1080p, looks better than a lot of Wii U games lol (and everything on PS3/XBOX360). 



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curl-6 on 25 November 2014
Samus Aran said:
curl-6 said:
Samus Aran said:

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze looks the best imo, seriously underrated game here. 3D World is second and Mario Kart 8 is third.

I definitely agree about it being underrated as a whole; it's a fantastic game that gets overlooked because it's not ambitious.

I wouldn't personally rate it as one of the best graphical showpieces for the system though. Yeah, the fur shading and perfect 60fps are nice, but it doesn't do much with lighting and shading compared to games like 3D World, MK8, Art of Balance, or Trine 2. From a technological point of view it feels kind of like a high end Wii game bumped up to 720p and with HD textures thrown in.

All the textures are beautiful, I can't say the same about 3D World and MK8. Not sure why I should give a damn about shaders in a 2.5D platformer and Trine 2 doesn't do it for me personally. The only thing I don't like the look of in DKC: TF is the lightning in the hurricane stage. Looks sooo bad... Skyward Sword's lightning looked a lot better (final boss fight).

The difference between DKC: R and DKC: TF is quite big imo. And just compare the textures of rocks/mountain walls in MK8 with DKC: TF. Big difference imo. 
Let's comprimise: MK 8 and 3D World have higher highs, but also lower lows. I don't find anything appaling in DKC: TF and that's why I like it the most visually (except that damn lightning :p). Keep in mind that I also factor in art style. My favorite level, visually, is Cliffside Slide, and that doesn't do much on a technical level. ;) With only 2-3 colours, Retro Studios can make better looking games than 90% of the industy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDOmddtN7qI

I thought there were a few rough spots in TF as well; the particle effects for things like splashes and enemy deaths were Wii-caliber, for instance.

As for lighting and shading, stuff like the rainy stages and the first Bowser fight with the setting sun producing light shafts in 3D World, or the luminous glow of N64 Rainbow Road in MK8, show that such techniques can be used to create a sense of depth and impact that TF did not have in my view. In fact, one of the few levels in TF that actually uses lighting in an interesting way, Amiss Abyss, gives a teasing insight into how the game could have looked better if more levels used this approach.

Don't get me wrong, it's a visually pleasing game, and I agree in that there wasn't a single level I'd call ugly, I just feel that with a system of Wii U's power they could have gone further. Perhaps, like many other great studios, Retro hit the stumbling block of debut HD development.



Samus Aran on 25 November 2014
curl-6 said:
Samus Aran said:
curl-6 said:
Samus Aran said:

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze looks the best imo, seriously underrated game here. 3D World is second and Mario Kart 8 is third.

I definitely agree about it being underrated as a whole; it's a fantastic game that gets overlooked because it's not ambitious.

I wouldn't personally rate it as one of the best graphical showpieces for the system though. Yeah, the fur shading and perfect 60fps are nice, but it doesn't do much with lighting and shading compared to games like 3D World, MK8, Art of Balance, or Trine 2. From a technological point of view it feels kind of like a high end Wii game bumped up to 720p and with HD textures thrown in.

All the textures are beautiful, I can't say the same about 3D World and MK8. Not sure why I should give a damn about shaders in a 2.5D platformer and Trine 2 doesn't do it for me personally. The only thing I don't like the look of in DKC: TF is the lightning in the hurricane stage. Looks sooo bad... Skyward Sword's lightning looked a lot better (final boss fight).

The difference between DKC: R and DKC: TF is quite big imo. And just compare the textures of rocks/mountain walls in MK8 with DKC: TF. Big difference imo. 
Let's comprimise: MK 8 and 3D World have higher highs, but also lower lows. I don't find anything appaling in DKC: TF and that's why I like it the most visually (except that damn lightning :p). Keep in mind that I also factor in art style. My favorite level, visually, is Cliffside Slide, and that doesn't do much on a technical level. ;) With only 2-3 colours, Retro Studios can make better looking games than 90% of the industy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDOmddtN7qI

I thought there were a few rough spots in TF as well; the particle effects for things like splashes and enemy deaths were Wii-caliber, for instance.

As for lighting and shading, stuff like the rainy stages and the first Bowser fight with the setting sun producing light shafts in 3D World, or the luminous glow of N64 Rainbow Road in MK8, show that such techniques can be used to create a sense of depth and impact that TF did not have in my view. In fact, one of the few levels in TF that actually uses lighting in an interesting way, Amiss Abyss, gives a teasing insight into how the game could have looked better if more levels used this approach.

Don't get me wrong, it's a visually pleasing game, and I agree in that there wasn't a single level I'd call ugly, I just feel that with a system of Wii U's power they could have gone further. Perhaps, like many other great studios, Retro hit the stumbling block of debut HD development.

When I first played the Rocket Barrel level in world 5 I went: "wow, I want a 3D DK platformer right now!)

The only complaint I have is that the dynamic camera was underused. Another wow factor for me was in the mine kart level of world 4 when you're descending down the underwater tubular cave. In fact, I thought the lighting in that level was top notch as well. 

I wasn't annoyed by the death animation of enemies, they were purely intended to be cartoony, not to be a technical marvel. 



curl-6 on 25 November 2014
Samus Aran said:
curl-6 said:

I thought there were a few rough spots in TF as well; the particle effects for things like splashes and enemy deaths were Wii-caliber, for instance.

As for lighting and shading, stuff like the rainy stages and the first Bowser fight with the setting sun producing light shafts in 3D World, or the luminous glow of N64 Rainbow Road in MK8, show that such techniques can be used to create a sense of depth and impact that TF did not have in my view. In fact, one of the few levels in TF that actually uses lighting in an interesting way, Amiss Abyss, gives a teasing insight into how the game could have looked better if more levels used this approach.

Don't get me wrong, it's a visually pleasing game, and I agree in that there wasn't a single level I'd call ugly, I just feel that with a system of Wii U's power they could have gone further. Perhaps, like many other great studios, Retro hit the stumbling block of debut HD development.

When I first played the Rocket Barrel level in world 5 I went: "wow, I want a 3D DK platformer right now!)

The only complaint I have is that the dynamic camera was underused. Another wow factor for me was in the mine kart level of world 4 when you're descending down the underwater tubular cave. In fact, I thought the lighting in that level was top notch as well. 

I wasn't annoyed by the death animation of enemies, they were purely intended to be cartoony, not to be a technical marvel. 

I too was impressed by those levels, but more  from a gameplay perspective.

And I didn't mean the actual death animations, I meant like the particle clouds of dust/feathers left behind, which look almost identical to in DKCR.

I completely agree about Metroid Prime 3 though. Hell, even at 480p I find it more visually pleasing that the majority of PS3/360/Wii U games. It may not have all the advanced shaders in the world, but the way it captures varying alien cultures through the geometry of their architecture is amazing.



Samus Aran on 25 November 2014
curl-6 said:
Samus Aran said:
curl-6 said:

I thought there were a few rough spots in TF as well; the particle effects for things like splashes and enemy deaths were Wii-caliber, for instance.

As for lighting and shading, stuff like the rainy stages and the first Bowser fight with the setting sun producing light shafts in 3D World, or the luminous glow of N64 Rainbow Road in MK8, show that such techniques can be used to create a sense of depth and impact that TF did not have in my view. In fact, one of the few levels in TF that actually uses lighting in an interesting way, Amiss Abyss, gives a teasing insight into how the game could have looked better if more levels used this approach.

Don't get me wrong, it's a visually pleasing game, and I agree in that there wasn't a single level I'd call ugly, I just feel that with a system of Wii U's power they could have gone further. Perhaps, like many other great studios, Retro hit the stumbling block of debut HD development.

When I first played the Rocket Barrel level in world 5 I went: "wow, I want a 3D DK platformer right now!)

The only complaint I have is that the dynamic camera was underused. Another wow factor for me was in the mine kart level of world 4 when you're descending down the underwater tubular cave. In fact, I thought the lighting in that level was top notch as well. 

I wasn't annoyed by the death animation of enemies, they were purely intended to be cartoony, not to be a technical marvel. 

I too was impressed by those levels, but more  from a gameplay perspective.

And I didn't mean the actual death animations, I meant like the particle clouds of dust/feathers left behind, which look almost identical to in DKCR.

I completely agree about Metroid Prime 3 though. Hell, even at 480p I find it more visually pleasing that the majority of PS3/360/Wii U games. It may not have all the advanced shaders in the world, but the way it captures varying alien cultures through the geometry of their architecture is amazing.

Yeah, I really hope to see a Metroid Prime 4 for the Wii U at E3 next year. With Metroid Prime 4 I just mean a similar game (fps) and not necessarily a sequel to Metroid Prime 3 (although it did end on a cliffhanger).

What idiot decided to end that game on a cliffhanger by the way. xD 7 years later and we still don't have an answer...



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*Sound Of Rain on 25 November 2014

Mario Kart 8 > Super Smash Bros > Pikmin 3 > 3D World visual wise for me



Samus Aran on 25 November 2014
*Sound Of Rain said:
Mario Kart 8 > Super Smash Bros > Pikmin 3 > 3D World visual wise for me

Pikmin 3 really doesn't look that great. Though I will say the enemy and boss designs are mostly breathtaking and wouldn't look out of place on a PS4.

And Super Smash Bros. is quite ugly. Most of the stages are retro stages and they barely updated the graphics of them. So the majority of the game doesn't look Wii U worthy to me... Some stages do look great though, but nothing mindblowing. 



*Sound Of Rain on 25 November 2014
Samus Aran said:

Pikmin 3 really doesn't look that great. Though I will say the enemy and boss designs are mostly breathtaking and wouldn't look out of place on a PS4.

And Super Smash Bros. is quite ugly. Most of the stages are retro stages and they barely updated the graphics of them. So the majority of the game doesn't look Wii U worthy to me... Some stages do look great though, but nothing mindblowing. 

I think Pikmin 3 looks quite nice. The character designs, grass, water elements. They all look pretty well done to me.

Have you played Smash Bros yet? It says you're from Europe so I'd assume you haven't but I could be wrong. I thought it looked pretty poor based on videos & pics too but playing the real thing, it looks much better.

Either way, I haven't played too many games on the Wii U. I had it for only 5 months before selling it. I played Smash Bros at a friends house.



Samus Aran on 25 November 2014
*Sound Of Rain said:
Samus Aran said:

Pikmin 3 really doesn't look that great. Though I will say the enemy and boss designs are mostly breathtaking and wouldn't look out of place on a PS4.

And Super Smash Bros. is quite ugly. Most of the stages are retro stages and they barely updated the graphics of them. So the majority of the game doesn't look Wii U worthy to me... Some stages do look great though, but nothing mindblowing. 

I think Pikmin 3 looks quite nice. The character designs, grass, water elements. They all look pretty well done to me.

Have you played Smash Bros yet? It says you're from Europe so I'd assume you haven't but I could be wrong. I thought it looked pretty poor based on videos & pics too but playing the real thing, it looks much better.

Either way, I haven't played too many games on the Wii U. I had it for only 5 months before selling it. I played Smash Bros at a friends house.

Have not and will probably not even buy it. Don't care too much for it and most of my friends don't even like it. But there's really no way to convince me that those retro stages look any good. And that Pilotwings stage... Really poor texturing there. 



curl-6 on 25 November 2014
Samus Aran said:
*Sound Of Rain said:
Mario Kart 8 > Super Smash Bros > Pikmin 3 > 3D World visual wise for me

Pikmin 3 really doesn't look that great. Though I will say the enemy and boss designs are mostly breathtaking and wouldn't look out of place on a PS4.

Admittedly, some of the ground textures in Pikmin 3 are poor, (which I blame on its roots as a Wii title) but I still think it's a good looking game overall. Not just for the outstanding creature design but also the gorgeous interactive water, fruits that look like I could pluck them off the screen and eat them, and the beautifully summer-afternoon-in-the-garden environment design.