-_-  

They article is saying that they won't be using the motion capabilities of the Gamepad as the primary feature, but the gamepad will still be the primary controller.

I prefer this though because I don't really like using the gyroscope to play

Yeah I'm the same, the gyroscopic controls completely turned me off the game, I will only get it if that stuff can be entirely turned off. I know it seems they'll be optional, but I want it straight from Nintendo's mouth before I am reassured.

You don't need to be an insider to be informed. Just saying.

Journalists received an early, private gameplay demonstration of the incomplete game at 2014's pre-E3 event. The player can steer with the left control stick, and aims with the GamePad motion sensing. The game uses a new dual-screen mechanic, turning the Wii U GamePad into the view of the cockpit in the Arwing fighter. While a monitor shows the perspective from behind the Arwing, players may also use the gyro sensors of the GamePad to independently target enemies. Jose Otero of IGN described this interface method as "intuitive", providing a "clear advantage" over prior games in the series.^[2][3] The GamePad instantly switches between the Arwing and Landmaster tank with the press of a button, and the game also introduces a new helicopter-type vehicle.

Being able to target in a direction you aren't flying will be nice and not possible without the second screen.  As for not having to use motion controls Nintendo has consistently delivered multiple control schemes (in many cases multiple controllers being compatible) above and beyond any console I have ever played.

There is also this

“We’ll have a version of it ready at E3 that everyone can play,” he said.

He goes on to say that Star Fox for Wii U (please don’t actually be called that, it was bad enough with Smash Bros.), will be a game that prominently features new uses for the gamepad, as Nintendo is still trying to prove the peripheral’s worth. What we saw in the tiny bit of gameplay so far is that the TV holds the traditional third person view of the plane, while the gamepad houses a cockpit view instead.

There were some games (Wii Party U, Nintendoland, Scribblenauts, Zombi U, Rayman Legends, Game and Wario) that made legitimately good use of the Gamepad. Unfortunately, the ideas presented in these games weren't really expanded upon. That being said, I still do enjoy the off TV play, particularly for grindy games.

If I were offered a 200 dollar Wii U with no Gamepad, or a 300 dollar Wii U with Gamepad, I'd definitely take the 300 dollar version. BUT if Nintendo didn't include the Gamepad, they could have probably included other features that I would have enjoyed even more.

Are your walls made of paper? :P

My WiiU only works in my open plan living room, and close to the TV area, it even struggles if you take it to the kitchen area. Same thing happens in my friends and family houses, only works where the console is located. It would be nice if I could take it to my bedrooms, even the toilets, but alas. That's why I called it a limited handheld. Range was one of the let downs for me (due to 5GHz band, I know...), I wanted to use it everywhere in the house xD

I use the gamepad gyroscope for Captain Toad during the mine cart levels. I hate to say it but I love it. I'm spinning all over the place whipping turnips at everything. Not only is it fun for me, its amazingly accurate. If Star Fox is that accurate I'll play it with the gamepad and will spin like a fool and love it.

For me, without gamepad Wii U would be only Wii HD, with gamepad its much more.

Imho with the limited application of the gamepad it wasn't worth the extreme BOM cost, which raised the MSRP beyond the point of mass appeal.

For this reason I think it would have been far wiser to launch without the gamepad @ $199, and to substitute 3DS support for multiscreen tech (both using Wifi to do similar things with the gameplay). It wouldn't have been as powerful for those purposes, but given the limited usage the gamepad has honestly seen it would have been more than fine for most of it.

Obviously without the price taken into account, sure the WiiU with the tablet pad is better than one without. But in my mind we can't underestimate how much damage was undertaken by having the U launch at such a high price. $200 is a mass-market product. $300 is pushing it. Beyond $300 starts to wean out everyone but the die-hards, or class-leading products in terms of tech/performance.