Wii U Review

[Chase 390]

Wii U has finally arrived. Nintendo is taking its first cautious steps from the comfort of Standard Definition into the scary, cutthroat world of High Definition. Can the Wii U match, or even surpass, the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3? Is the hardware much improved, or is the technology still a generation behind the other consoles? Does the Wii U's GamePad offer enough fresh experiences for another revolution like the Wii? Find out in the review below.

This is a review of the Deluxe model of the Wii U. I do not own the 8GB white model, so I cannot review it. For the record, though, my opinion is that the Deluxe model is the better of the two models, for a number of reasons.

First, even though it is 50 dollars more, it comes with a game included: Nintendoland. Nintendoland is the Wii U's answer to Wii Sports. It has a number of interesting attractions, from the Zelda-themed shooting gallery/quest to the Metroid-themed horde mode, and it is definitely worth the extra 50 dollars on its own.

Second, the Deluxe model comes with a charge cradle (separate $9.99), stands for the Wii U so that it can sit vertically, and 32 GB of internal storage (as opposed to 8 GB for the standard model).

Third, the Deluxe model comes with a special digital offer. From November 18, 2012 to December 31, 2014 Nintendo is giving 10% back in the form of points when you purchase a game from the eshop. For example, when I purchased Super Mario Bros. U for $59.99 on the eshop, I got 599 points. 500 points is equal to $5, which I can then use to purchase more games on the eshop. It's an excellent promotion and, with Nintendoland and the extra storage, makes the Deluxe model a no brainer.

Fourth, it's in black. Black is cool.

With that out of the way, let's get to the review. I will cover the hardware, the software, the games, and my overall thoughts and impressions of the console.

HARDWARE

The Wii U feels and looks very similar to the Wii. You could be forgiven for getting them confused with each other at a glance. Unfortunately, the Wii U comes in a glossy finish. While glossy looks really cool and reflective at first, after handling the system for 5 minutes, it looks like I've had the Wii U for 10 years. Dust and cat hair are very attracted to this console. Despite all of that, I quite like the minimalistic look of the Wii U, and I love the fact that it's much smaller than the Xbox 360 and the PS3.

Finally, an HD system is packaged with an HDMI cord at launch. It's about time. Like I said before, my model also came with a charge cradle for the GamePad, as well as stands to make the Wii U sit vertically.

As for the GamePad, it feels very light. A lot lighter than it looks. It's the same glossy finish as the console, so fingerprints are inevitable. At first, the GamePad feels a bit awkward to hold. The ridges in the back don't mesh very well with where I hold my hands. It literally looks like they took two Wii Nunchuks and stuck them to the side of a screen. Still, I've adjusted and I very much enjoy using the GamePad. The GamePad charges separately for the console. This has been a negative for most reviewers, but it really doesn't bother me. Besides, I'd rather play with the GamePad charging by my bed than have to stay near the console with a USB cable (which is what you'll be doing anyway. The GamePad has a battery life of 2.5 hours).

One little quirk that bothers me about the GamePad is the screen showing the same image as the television. For some reason, I always have to look down when the GamePad shows the same thing as the television. It's distracting to see the flashing images in front of my face and my eyes naturally shift to the GamePad. This is probably a small side effect of me laying on my bed. If I were sitting and looking up at the t.v., I probably wouldn't even notice the GamePad screen.

The buttons feel rather plastic and the GamePad feels like a toy more than a controller. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does feel a bit cheaply made when compared to the PS3 or 360 controllers. A lot of people are complaining that the Wii U uses digital triggers instead of analog triggers. This does not bother me and, in fact, I prefer the digital triggers. In Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (and in any shooter, really) the 360 triggers feel heavy and difficult to pull down during long play periods. The Wii U's triggers, on the other hand, are easy to press, so it makes aiming and shooting a breeze. This is really going to be a personal preference, but I prefer the Wii U.

The Wii U Pro controller feels nice. It's lighter than an Xbox 360 controller, but heavier than a PS3 controller. It fits my hands better than a 360 controller, so I really like using it. One thing that bothers me is how the buttons are under the right thumbstick. I've never had a controller like it before, so it takes a while to get used to it. The GamePad is easier to adjust to because the buttons are so big and there's more grip behind the controller, so it's more comfortable to reach the buttons. On the Pro controller, I often find myself hitting the X button instead of the Y button. In a game like Assassin's Creed III, this means I accidentally shoot my pistol instead of assassinating a guard. This may not be a problem for everyone, but it's something I've had to adjust to and has caused me to die or restart multiple times.

Overall, I really like the Wii U hardware and the GamePad is not nearly as unwieldy as it appears to be.

SOFTWARE

The Wii U is very similar to the Wii when it comes to menus. The menus look damn near identical, the miis are present, and everything has a minimalistic, simple quality. Funnily enough, this works for Nintendo. No one else would get a pass from me for having such a bare, simple style (well, except Apple), but Nintendo pulls it off well.

The menus are sluggish. Too sluggish. Navigating anywhere on the console can take between 5 seconds to 30 seconds. Sometimes, this is unacceptable. To do basically anything, you have to twiddle your thumbs for about 5 seconds and that is horrible when you consider how quickly the PS3 and the 360 can be navigated. This is a next generation console. It needs to act like it. The Wii U has 2 GB of RAM, 1 GB of which is dedicated to the system processes. This SHOULD NOT HAPPEN and Nintendo needs to address the issue.

The same thing can be said for updates. Updates take a ridiculous amount of time to complete when compared to 360 updates. Even PS3 updates, notoriously long and unacceptable, are faster than the Wii U's updates. It's mind-numbing and really shows just how new Nintendo is to online gaming. I had to sit from anywhere between 8 minutes and, at worst, one hour before I was able to play games.

The eshop is much, much improved from the Wii's virtual console. It's also better than the 3DS's eshop. Still, it can't really compete with the 360's, er, LIVE...store...anyway, it's much better than the past and I commend Nintendo on progressing in the online space. The Miiverse is Nintendo's answer to Playstation Home and Cross-game chat. It's basically a way for people to interact with each other and discuss strategies about the game they're playing. It's a cool system, though I'd also prefer to have a voice chat functionality.

The internet browser on the Wii U is excellent. It rivals those of computers, and blows the PS3 and 360 browsers out of the water. Plus, using the tablet makes typing things a lot easier than any other controller.

Unfortunately, for Wii games, you'll have to navigate the Wii menu, which can be accessed from the Wii U's menu. It's convoluted, unnecessary and, frankly, baffling. Why not allow GamePad and Pro controller support for Virtual Console games? Why do I still need to access the Wii's horrible VC shop to download old games? Why can't it all be under the Wii U's menu? Why? WHY?

I don't know why, but, for whatever reason, this is the course Nintendo has chosen. Maybe they plan on eventually streamlining the whole process, but for now, it's a joke. Still, at least the Wii U is backwards compatible...that's more than can be said for most PS3s and 360s.

At least Nintendo allows you to transfer your VC games from your old Wii to your shiny new Wii U. It's a fairly simple process involving a television, wifi, two Wiimotes, your Wii U and Wii consoles, and an SD card. Little Pikmin carry your info (a la the 3DS transfer system) over to the new console. It's cute and fun to behold.

Overall, the simple style of Nintendo reigns supreme in the aesthetics department, but Nintendo has a LOT of catching up to do when it comes to their online services.

GAMES

The Wii U has one of the best launches of any console I've ever experienced. True, there is no system seller. You won't find a Super Mario 64, a Twilight Princess, or a Halo here, but you will find a diverse library of awesome games.

Super Mario Bros. U is the obvious game to choose when buying a Wii U. It's Mario. In HD. Granted, it's a 2D sidescroller, so it's no Galaxy, but it's still a competent game that ranks among the best of the 2D offerings. It still doesn't match Super Mario Bros. 3 or World, though. It's certainly not a system seller.

Zombi U is a dark, scary, survival-horror game. The graphics are bad, but this is a launch title. Look past the graphics, the minimalistic story, and the jank melee combat. This is definitely better than the reviews are letting on. Give it a fair shake. I'd compare it to Dark Souls if Dark Souls had bad combat and zombies. At the very least, rent it.

Assassin's Creed III is just as good on the Wii U as it is on other consoles. No more, no less. The Wii U has no trophy or achievement system, though, so if that is a factor I would look elsewhere. If you've played it on other consoles, move on, otherwise give it a shot. It's one of the best games of the year.

Mass Effect 3 is in the same boat as ACIII. If you haven't played Mass Effect 1 or 2, I would highly, highly recommend picking up the trilogy for 60 dollars on 360 or PS3. If you've played the game on other consoles, there's really nothing new here to draw you in. I can only recommend this game to Mass Effect die-hards.

Nintendoland. Do NOT buy this game if you don't get the Deluxe system. It's not worth 65 dollars. However, it is worth about 30 dollars and if you can find it for that then by all means purchase it. This is the Wii Sports of the Wii U. It becomes a blast to play with friends, so make sure you gather about 5 Wii remotes and nunchuks. It's an interesting experiment, with a lot more content than it first appears to have.

Ninja Gaiden 3 for Wii U is the best version of Ninja Gaiden 3. Period. If that interests you, pick it up. It's a surprisingly competent game, with a lot of improvements from the PS3/360 versions. It's basically a new game. Try it out if you're into Ninja Gaiden or curious about the series.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is just fine on the Wii U. The Wii U's online rarely messes up and the multiplayer is just as fun to play on WII U as it is on other consoles. One caveat though: there aren't many people playing the game, because not many people have a Wii U right now. Team Deathmatch is almost exclusively played, so don't bother trying to play any Free-for-all matches.

As far as launch games go, take your pick from those. They're all worth a look and they're diverse enough that there's something for everyone. Pikmin 3 is on the horizon and, of course, a Metroid, Zelda, 3D Mario, etc. are probably on their way at some point.

COMPARISON TO THE XBOX 360 AND PLAYSTATION 3

The Wii U is more powerful than the 360 and the PS3. That said, almost all of the launch games are ports, 2D Mario has never been graphically intensive, and there is no 1st-party game besides Mario. So, the Wii U's power cannot be seen in the launch games. Sure, they all look great, but there's nothing that sets them apart graphically from the 360 or PS3 versions.

Until we get a brand new, 1080p Metroid, Zelda, or Mario, we're stuck with people looking down on the Wii U in comparison to consoles that have not even been announced yet.

That's the funny thing about these comparisons. The Next Xbox and the PS4 do not exist. We know absolutely nothing about them. Yet, people are still making comparisons. Those consoles are one or two years off at least (if they even exist), so the Wii U has plenty of time to flex its muscles at the competition. Never judge a console at launch.

In comparison to the dated 360 and PS3, the Wii U has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to Nintendo's online strategy. I'd like a system-wide achievement system (though not necessary at all) and I would really like cross-game voice chat. The menus are sluggish and the updates take forever. Still, Nintendo has a certain charm that can't be matched by either Sony or Microsoft. The Miiverse is a very intimate way to interact with others, and I have yet to see a single curse word, derogatory remark, or otherwise. It's nice not to deal with the 10 years olds that frequent Xbox Live.

FINAL THOUGHTS AND OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

The Wii U is personal. That's something I've come to understand after using it for a week. It's mine. It's intimate. I can share my thoughts with others online, but in a nice, comfortable way. There's no shouting, no flaming...just people communicating. If this changes, so be it. But I sincerely hope it doesn't.

Even though the online and the menus need work, even though there aren't that many games available for the console right now, even though the backwards compatibility is baffling, even though there is no cross game chat, even though there are so many negatives about the console at the moment...I wholeheartedly recommend you get one.

It's when I've gotten home after a long day at work, I change into my pajamas, I lie down on my bed...and I play my Wii U on the GamePad. The television is off, the lights are off, and it's just me and the GamePad. I can't really describe it, but at times, the Wii U feels like a handheld system. Much more personal than the Wii, PS3, 360, or any other console before it. It's more comfortable than a Vita, more comfortable than a 3DS...there's nothing quite like playing Assassin's Creed III and Mario U on the GamePad in the darkness of my room late at night. And it's a feeling I haven't experienced before with a console. It actually harkens back to the days of when I used to play my GBA beneath the covers late at night so that my parents wouldn't see or hear.

And that's the best thing about the Wii U for me. It brings that Nintendo magic that somehow melts my cynicism and allows me to play games with a child-like wonder, something that Sony and Microsoft have never been able to give me.

For this, I recommend the Wii U. Also, it's a Nintendo console. So, Zelda eventually. So...reason enough for me.

Thanks for reading :]

[Cirt 612]

Great review, Chase. Thanks for the effort of rewriting it (I'm assuming from that status) and sharing your thoughts and critique! However, I am gonna move this to the Submit Content forum because it is a game console review. <3

edit: actually just gonna put it in the news lol

[Chase 390]

I don't get lost on the GamePad unless I'm playing the game on the GamePad. It becomes very intimate when you do that. When I'm playing Super Mario Bros. U with the GamePad, my eyes often shift down to the GP instead of the television. I'm really not sure why, but I actually prefer playing some games on the GamePad more than the television.

At worst, the GamePad is a map or inventory system. This can be a bit jarring, because you have to physically move your head up and down to see what's going on. This works for Zombi U, as it builds the tension and increases the scares. For everything else, like Assassin's Creed III, it's kind of annoying. You can always change the settings to your liking in most of the games, though, so it's not a big deal. At worst, the games are like they are on 360/PS3, with the inventory and maps on the television screen.

In Call of Duty, when you call in UAV, the GamePad shows the entire map and exactly where the enemies are. That can be helpful, though it makes you stop and physically look at the GamePad.

For party games, like Mario Chase in Nintendoland, the GamePad is still intimate, but you're focused on both it and the people around you. You control Mario, you can see everyone on your GamePad, and the others are trying to catch you. You see yourself and a map with everyone running around on it. They only see themselves. It's a fun game that keeps the GamePad intimate while allowing the person using it to also join in on the conversations of others in the room.

And, like I said, there's nothing quite like playing games on the GamePad itself. I often do that even though the games look better on the TV. It's just a personal and peaceful experience.

I would say it's less like texting and more like reading a book. You're usually too involved in it to pay attention to outside conversations, unless it's a game specifically designed for parties, like Nintendoland.

[pheonix561 2080]

Just patiently waiting on pikmin 3. I've waited for a decade now, I can keep waiting a few more months. Though, I'm counting on one of my brothers or my parents picking up the Console and Game.

[Arachne 25]

I played Mario Chase in Nintendoland with Jay the other day. The concept reminds me of a Pac-Man game that came out on the Gamecube years ago, where Pac-Man was played on a Gameboy Advance linked to the Gamecube, and the ghosts were played on the main console. Only the GBA player had a full view of the playing field.

I was hoping that asymmetrical gameplay would be used on the WiiU, so that was good to see. I just hope more developers can make good use of the different gameplay styles available.

Haven't had much opportunity to play around with the WiiU yet, and Jay's using it to re-unlock everything on Mario Kart. He set everything up and wiped the harddrive on the Wii before asking me. Shame, I could have told him about the data transfer.

[masterlink 2]

Nicely written review  

 

I'm waiting to pick it up because of those loading issues you mentioned, its not... horrible but it is something I wish Nintendo would address.