You can.

Press the home-button, go to Controller Settings in the top-left (from the top of my head, could be top-right as well), then GamePad. There there's an option to switch off the screen. I agree it would be more convenient if the power button would bring you to an option like this, but there it is .

The GBA games look fantastic on the Wii U gamepad. I wouldn't want to play them on my TV. I prefer the gamepad for those games.

I'd like it less without the Gamepad, but only because I am now spoiled by the convenience it gives for things like Miiverse and internet browsing. Typing or navigating such things is a chore on any other console, but with the Gamepad it's easy like a tablet. I like it for drawing with Art Academy, where it's very precise and can be used to create amazing things.

The best thing I've been spoiled with however, is off-tv play. This has now become crucial, as I would have had a lot less opportunity to play games without it.

I do agree, that for games themselves usage has been a bit lacking. Maps and inventories are nice, but not really groundbreaking. I guess with the sales the system ended up with, they'll never try anything that requires multiple Gamepads either. It isn't the ultimate problem that doomed the system though, I think it could have worked better if they had given the system it's own unique name, identity and a beter marketing strategy.

Probably not. The Gamepad is nice and some games make great use of it. Stealth 2.0, Art of Balance, Lego City Undercober and ZombiU - among others - wouldn´t be half enjoyable if it wans´t for the Gamepad. It´s very very useful for Pikmin 3 too.

And using it for typing is waaaaay better than using a regular controller. Really.

I just think that it could be a little smaller. If fits ok in my hands but a smaller Gamepad with better battery life would be awesome

Depends on what I'm playing. There are a lot of games that I love with the Gamepad (plus it is comfortable) and I don't normally enjoy the classic controllers (aside from the 360, Wii U pro and Wii classic) but I would still love it. It's a great console.

Call me a sucker, but tbh a Wii U without a gamepad that had a slightly modified GCN controller... I would die for that. Maybe like a snap on for the C-stick to turn it into a proper analog stick and another Z button and I'd be good to go.

To be honest, i agree when people say there arent many games coming out for the Wii U, even though the ones that are coming are high quality, but the biggest use i have from my Wii U is to use the gamepad to go in the internet when i'm in bed. Without it, i would probably use the Wii U alot less.

If it meant more games, it would be an easy sacrifice though.

My brother has a wii U, and whenever I play with him, I awlays steal his controller.
I dislike playing on the gamepad.

For me atleast controller > gamepad.
He seems to prefer the controller as well, but his dislike for the gamepad is less than mine, so hes normally the one to play on it.

Im surprised at the 50% vote, that claim theyd like the wii u, less without it.

^ my way of thinking.

Hell that gamepad probably costs a fortune.

Imagine a Wii U that was 100$ cheaper or something? Its sales would be much better.

Or it could have been a 100$ more worth of CPU&GPU components.

I feel like the Wii U would have been better off that way.

Any time .