Just In Time for the Holidays, Nintendo Wii U Gets Its US Release

YokimaSun writes "Nintendo has today fired the first salvo in the next-gen console wars with the U.S. release of their Wii U console, which is massively more powerful than the Nintendo Wii and also the PS3/Xbox 360 (so they claim). Yet again Nintendo has done a world first and released a gamepad which is also a tablet and should provide us with games that stretch the boundaries even more. Wii games are compatible with the console, as is the Wii remote. The Wii U comes in 2 SKUs: a 32GB Deluxe package, and an 8GB Basics pack. The games lineup is a strong one, with games such as New Super Mario Bros U, Arkham City Armoured Edition, Assassins Creed 3, Call of Duty Black Ops 2, Sonic AllStars Racing, Nintendo Land, Tank Tank Tank, ScribbleNauts Unlimited, Epic Mickey 2 The Power of Two, ESPN Sports Connection, DarkSiders 2, Rabbids Land, Mass Effect 3, Ninja Gaiden 3 Razors Edge, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Wipeout 3 and Just Dance 4 all available on launch day."

Comments

I hope it does well

[damn_registrars]

Some people have been suggesting that Nintendo might pull out of the hardware (at least non-portable console) market entirely if the Wii U doesn't go over well. I am one who would very much not want to see that. Hopefully this console goes over well, even if it doesn't make the grand entrance that we saw with the original Wii.

And yes, I do still play my original Wii. I even bought a new game for it this week.

Re:I hope it does well

[tlhIngan]

My first thought looking at that thing is the controllers look too big (heavy) and expensive, that it was another Game Boy VR.

The tablet controller is expensive, apparently (but every Wii U comes with one, and most games seem to have adopted a tablet controller for player 1, wii+nunchuk for player 2 with player 2 getting the vast majority of the TV (a tiny corner is for player one, who can use the tablet's screen).

The biggest thing though - is the lack of latency on the tablet screen. You'd think there would be some latency, but there isn't. Just fast and snappy.

It's also very light - it's not a huge heavy thing (I think the batteries would be the heaviest part) but it otherwise feels very usable. Nicely balanced and well-designed to feel good. If your arms get tired holding it while playing, I think it's time to step away from the screen and get some exercise.

Have they announced the Three Stooges game package

[Anonymous Coward]

That would be called "WhyU"?

Last hurrah

[GeneralTurgidson]

Nintendo, you would make money hand over fist if you became multiplatform and did HD remakes for everything. Seriously, swimming in a lake of green.

Link goes to a blog, possible ad traffic tactic?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why is the link pointing to a blog and not the nintendo site?

Please correct it.

Universal Remote

[ZombieBraintrust]

I am considering buying it just to use the tablet thing as my universal remote. I was looking at the Logitech Harmony ILink as to turn my Android phone into a remote but the reviews are not very good. Will wait for reviews on the Wii U. I want to see some Youtube vids of the remote functionality before I buy. Not impressed with the launch games.

Re:Universal Remote

[ZombieBraintrust]

Just bite the bullet and get a Harmony One or (if you need to control devices outside line-of-site) the Harmony 900.

I have two (for different media centers) and bought my dad one as well. Haven't had to reprogram any of them since the initial installation more than a year ago.

You don't appreciate physical buttons on your remote until you lose them all.

Wow look at the prices on those things. $199 for the Harmony One, and $349 for the Harmony 900. Those are new console prices for controllers with less features than new console controllers. I wonder if Logitech is hobbling its IPad and Android apps on purpose. So it can keep selling these overpriced pieces of plastic.

Re:Have they announced the Three Stooges game pack

[JustOK]

3 Stooges: Ninja. I like the nyuk chucks.

Re:SEGA: Been There, Done That

[Darkness404]

I'd hardly put the VMU (essentially a memory card with a screen) in the same class as the WiiU controller. Also, the Dreamcast failed because of a lack of really good games, especially exclusive games. Other than Shenmue, Sonic Adventure 1/2 (the only good 3-D sonic games), Code Veronica, Crazy Taxi and a couple of quirky games (I think one was called Seaman?) there wasn't much going for the Dreamcast.

The Saturn failed for much the same reasons, there weren't any good games for it, Sonic which had sold like hotcakes on the Genesis/Mega Drive had no real game on the Saturn aside from various spin-offs and remakes. It would be like Nintendo releasing a console without Mario or Zelda, or the Xbox without Halo.

Re:SEGA: Been There, Done That

[__aaqvdr516]

The Dreamcast didn't fail because of the controller. It failed after Sega rapidly put out Sega CD, the 32X followed quickly by the Saturn. They did all this despite some fierce competition with Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony.

Nintendo has had some bad design choices in the past. I don't think this controller is one of those bad design choices. Time will tell.

Re:Still!? Really!?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wii is barely a current gen console. It's a gamecube with a motion controller and white case.

Re:Still!? Really!?

[Man On Pink Corner]

I thought it was two GameCubes, duct-taped together? Now I'm confused.

Missing Games?

[storkus]

The games lineup is a strong one, with games such as New Super Mario Bros U, Arkham City Armoured Edition, Assassins Creed 3, Call of Duty Black Ops 2, Sonic AllStars Racing, Nintendo Land, Tank Tank Tank, ScribbleNauts Unlimited, Epic Mickey 2 The Power of Two, ESPN Sports Connection, DarkSiders 2, Rabbids Land, Mass Effect 3, Ninja Gaiden 3 Razors Edge, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Wipeout 3 and Just Dance 4 all available on launch day.

What, no Hero's Duty, Sugar Rush Speedway, or Fix-It Felix, Jr?

Re:Just in time for the holidays.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm trying to determine how anyone could read that as implying coincidence.

Re:I'm still not coinvinced...

[Kenoli]

After all, it's Nintendo--a company that simply refuses to let go of its, "Super Mario plus other cartoony games," forumula. Why would any other software shop take their platform seriously when Nintendo itself does not.

They're not going to just let go of Mario. That's the best selling video game franchise in the world.

Hundreds of millions of sales sounds pretty serious to me.

Re:Still!? Really!?

[Toonol]

My Wii is hooked up to the TV, right next to the PS2.

Consoles don't get worse over time. There are games for the PS2 that you haven't yet played that are better than most anything on the 360.

Consoles get worse over time

[tepples]

Consoles don't get worse over time.

Any user of Other OS Installer for PlayStation 3 would like a word with you. So would anyone who can't play online with strangers due to DNAS -103 errors or the termination of Xbox Live service for original Xbox games.