29 replies to this topic

[CrimsonDivine]

Time believes that Nintendo should ditch the Wii U GamePad due to the lack of upcoming games that fully utilise the unique controller. The publication says that despite Nintendo announcing Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pikmin 3, Bayonetta 2 and Super Smash Bros, none of these games require the GamePad to play. Time says of all the Nintendo games they sampled at E3, the touchscreen didn’t add anything meaningful to the experience. They recommend Nintendo ditch it as it could be the company’s best chance at turning its fortunes around. You can read the full opinion piece, right here.

“Right now, even Nintendo seems stumped by the controller. In the games I sampled at E3, the touchscreen didn’t add anything meaningful to the experience.”
“It makes me wonder whether Nintendo is setting the stage for a low-cost, GamePad-free version of the Wii U. Given that the GamePad isn’t essential to Nintendo’s upcoming games, and that it doesn’t have much support from other publishers, a low-cost alternative to the PS4 and Xbox One doesn’t seem outrageous. Ditching the GamePad would be embarrassing, but it could be Nintendo’s best chance at turning its fortunes around.”

Edited by CrimsonDivine, 16 June 2013 - 08:07 AM.

[TheUltimateWaddleDee]

They should drop the one thing that makes it stand out? The gamepad should be used to enhance games, such as having your inventory at all times, a moves list, and a map. Also, they want to push Off-TV Play, which is the best feature of the system. I have two sisters, and 5 other girl cousins, and they hog the tv all the time for either Netflix or Just Dance. With Off-TV Play, I can still play my game while they do something on the Wii.

Edited by TheUltimateWaddleDee, 16 June 2013 - 03:00 PM.

[Hank Hill]

I don't see why they should, honestly. Sony/Microsoft are doing the exact same thing with tablets/PS Vita, and those'll wind up doubling the cost of the system or more in the long run.

 

Also, I like the logic Time is using. "WELL, nothing right now has amazing uses less than a year into the system's life, so they should just drop an integral part of the system RIGHT NOW."

 

Of course, they're completely ignoring off-TV play as well, but I wasn't expecting that much logic to enter their article here...

[3Dude]

I think something as simple as off tv play is huge.


I can use off screen play to let my kid watch his cartoons on the ps3 netflix while i play my games, plus, i dont have to wait until he goes to bed to try and cram a few hours of a game thats too voilent for him to watch.

[Alex Wolfers]

I like the Gamepad in some games, I just wan't it optional and not over implemented. That was the reason I didn't really care for the Wii. 

[Robotic Sunshine Commander]

*looks back at gamecube, nothing to stand out from the crowd* 

 

no thanks

[YoshiGamer9]

They can't really drop the Wii U gamepad... it is part of the unit. If they originally made the Wii U without a gamepad and the pro controller being the main controller that would have worked...

[grahamf]

They can't really drop the Wii U gamepad... it is part of the unit. If they originally made the Wii U without a gamepad and the pro controller being the main controller that would have worked...

Not to mention that the Gamepad is currently integral to the setup of the Wii U. You can't set up a Wii U without one, and the Wii U must be manually switched from HDMI to composite output, which is impossible without the gamepad.

 

That being said, it may be possible for Nintendo to eventually release a cheap SKU of the Wii U that doesn't have a gamepad (maybe $200), but many games wont work well and some won't work at all. The gamepad is currently configured to always be on when the Wii U is on, so games do take advantage of it.

[Distractionwolf]

If they did there is a decent chance I would SELL my wii u. The game pad was a major selling point for me. I despise the playstation controller so much, and it killed my enjoyment of a lot of games I might otherwise have liked. Its the reason I'm fretting about if I can play bayonetta 2, because I never played the first one. I LOVE big controllers. Xbox (original) and Dreamcast were my favorite controllers prior to the gamepad and now it easily takes the cake. Its the most comfortable one I've played with and loads of fun. I've only used it in arkham city and already I love everything I can do with it. The whole thing is genius. I am so far from a Nintendo fanboy, I fought valiantly against Nintendo under Sega's banner in the great console wars of the early 90s and when I upgraded my genesis I naturally went straight to Dreamcast. Maybe that's where my affection for larger controllers started as even the original 3 button genesis was far from tiny.

 

The very first game I ever played for wii u was the demo fro rayman legends. The way you use the pad in that was a blast and it made me buy the system the very same day. I literally walked in to sell some PS3 games and maybe pick up a wii title or two, had no clue what, and walked out with a wii u. The controller must stay for it to continue to be the best option for me.

[Kyle1503]

If you haven't realized yet...THE GAMEPAD IS WHAT MAKES THE WII U THE WII U!

[Colinx]

If they drop the Gamepad, then its just a weaker PS4/XBONE

[YoshiGamer9]

Not to mention that the Gamepad is currently integral to the setup of the Wii U. You can't set up a Wii U without one, and the Wii U must be manually switched from HDMI to composite output, which is impossible without the gamepad.

 

That being said, it may be possible for Nintendo to eventually release a cheap SKU of the Wii U that doesn't have a gamepad (maybe $200), but many games wont work well and some won't work at all. The gamepad is currently configured to always be on when the Wii U is on, so games do take advantage of it.

 

Yes exactly, but you don't need a gamepad to play Wii U... you can unsync it, right?

[grahamf]

Yes exactly, but you don't need a gamepad to play Wii U... you can unsync it, right?

Try it and find out. I'm not at home at the moment, but it should just be a matter of moving the gamepad out of range before turning on the console.

[Chrop]

The gamepad isn't the problem... nothing is the problem now, they are bringing the games, we have the release dates, we just have to wait for 2014 for the sales to start raising. 

The gamepad has off-tv play... the BEST THING ANY CONSOLE HAS DONE! I can watch netflix in my bed, play my games when i can't use the TV (Which is QUITE OFTEN!!!).

Also its too late to drop it because there are a lot of games releasing/already released which use the gamepad. If they drop it then people can't play zombiu, NSMBU platform thing, Wonderful 101 etc.

[Nollog]

Everyone should drop everything, even babies.

It's the only logical thing to do.

 

When you're doing exactly what you've been doing the past 40 years you just have to drop things, it fixes everything, you don't wait for people to buy your games that haven't been released yet, you just drop stuff.

[Happy Monk]

Why drop what makes the console unique? It's like telling someone to play tennis without a racket, because nothing new is being done with it...

 

If they did there is a decent chance I would SELL my wii u. The game pad was a major selling point for me. I despise the playstation controller so much, and it killed my enjoyment of a lot of games I might otherwise have liked. Its the reason I'm fretting about if I can play bayonetta 2, because I never played the first one. I LOVE big controllers. Xbox (original) and Dreamcast were my favorite controllers prior to the gamepad and now it easily takes the cake. Its the most comfortable one I've played with and loads of fun. I've only used it in arkham city and already I love everything I can do with it. The whole thing is genius. I am so far from a Nintendo fanboy, I fought valiantly against Nintendo under Sega's banner in the great console wars of the early 90s and when I upgraded my genesis I naturally went straight to Dreamcast. Maybe that's where my affection for larger controllers started as even the original 3 button genesis was far from tiny.

 

The very first game I ever played for wii u was the demo fro rayman legends. The way you use the pad in that was a blast and it made me buy the system the very same day. I literally walked in to sell some PS3 games and maybe pick up a wii title or two, had no clue what, and walked out with a wii u. The controller must stay for it to continue to be the best option for me.

You sir, have my respect.

[Doc]

I really like the Wii U gamepad, but I think this guy is trying to say that Nintendo shouldn't include this with the Wii U; Make it optional. Though I would oppose that idea as well.

[YoshiGamer9]

Try it and find out. I'm not at home at the moment, but it should just be a matter of moving the gamepad out of range before turning on the console.

 

 

That's one way to make it so that the gamepad is off when using the console XD

[EvilMoogle]

It's like saying should Microsoft just drop the Xbox One and start over? The negatives far out-weigh the positives. It's just not even remotely a sound idea. Sure the Gamepad isn't being featured as much, but that is because Nintendo just wants to focus on gameplay itself which is a smart decision. As you can see focusing on anything other than raw gameplay is bad just look at Microsoft's failure of an Xbox One campaign.

People just want to see games right now. This doesn't mean the games coming out aren't going to use the Gamepad. I personally love the Gamepad and find that in time the Wii U will grow and make better use of it. Consoles grow, people need to understand this. Scrapping the most core part of the Wii U would be a disaster. 

[grahamf]

It's like saying should Microsoft just drop the Xbox One and start over? The negatives far out-weigh the positives. It's just not even remotely a sound idea. Sure the Gamepad isn't being featured as much, but that is because Nintendo just wants to focus on gameplay itself which is a smart decision. As you can see focusing on anything other than raw gameplay is bad just look at Microsoft's failure of an Xbox One campaign.

People just want to see games right now. This doesn't mean the games coming out aren't going to use the Gamepad. I personally love the Gamepad and find that in time the Wii U will grow and make better use of it. Consoles grow, people need to understand this. Scrapping the most core part of the Wii U would be a disaster. 

I don't know, it might be good for Microsoft to drop Kinect...