35 replies to this topic

[bornsupercharged]

I was the biggest pro-Nintendo fanboy going into the weekend, was super hyped to get my Wii U. I pre-ordered a ton of games and 2 pro controllers, and WANT this to replace my 360 as my main gaming machine. I hated reading negative reviews on the Wii U and told myself it was going to be perfect - but unfortunately it's just not.

But I think perhaps it's missing too much to go up against the competition, and it's performing too slowly compared to current technology.

First, there's no ethernet connection so you're going to have to have WiFi (not an issue at all for me, but I do prefer ethernet to WiFi especially for online multiplayer). Then there's the 3 hours of waiting for the update to go through, with 4 or 5 communication errors making me stop and pick up where it left off. I am at least glad it picked up where it left off though. After that, I came to find out Wii backwards compatibility is nothing more than an emulator. They didn't even try to integrate the Wii U with the Wii emulator, this is very apparent by even looking at how they didn't tie your Miis into the Wii emulator at all. I had to create our family's 3 mii characters, then I went to play some Mario Kart Wii just to test it out (couple quick battle rounds), and our 3 mii characters aren't in the Wii emulator. So I had to create them again... that's annoying. Here's another thing, how do I get OUT of Wii mode?? I try using the GamePad again but it just says it cant communicate with the Wii U... so I have to power off, power back on. Seriously isn't there an easier way of getting back to the Wii U OS and exiting the Wii emulator?

Then there's the slowness of the Wii U - pretty much any menu choice (even going into system settings which shouldn't require any internet connectivity) takes 10-15seconds for me. There's no excuse for it taking so long. To be honest I felt a little ripped off when I realized just how slow it is to go into different menus. It's 2012, I can go through every menu item on my phone instantly. Why can't a brand new video game console load these options just as quick? Heck my 360 does it instantly as well. I realize this is most likely software related, and it's something they should be able to fix - perhaps I should just say "they should fix."

I also have to wait about 60 seconds after it finishes booting up, for it to finally pop up the apps I've downloaded to my 2TB drive.

And while I was playing Scribblenauts Unlimited, the game just decided it was a great time to freeze and I had to unplug the power because holding the power button didn't do carp.

I played with the GamePad for about 5 hours with my son in Nintendo Land, and my fingers started hurting from the curling underneath. I've got regular size hands, not huge gorilla hands, and this is a real problem. I can play with it, but it's just not comfortable enough. Also the joysticks it's like my left thumb keeps running out of space at the bottom and I have to re-position my thumb again every so often. Not every few seconds, but often enough that I'm wondering WHY this is happening.. it never happens on my 360 controller. The battery life could also be quite a bit better.

There's some things I like, such as the eShop. Glad it's up and working day 1. The GamePad itself seems to have a ton of functionality built into it, and the screen looks SHARP, Crisp, I'd even say amazing. I really find it to look THAT good - bravo Nintendo. I also find the Wii U  to be less noisy than my 360 - some people have said its as loud but I've got them running side by side and the Wii U is less noisy. The Wii U has HDMI built in, finally, so that's good, and the GamePad controls my TV just fine. Nintendo Land is pretty fun, with the different levels and team-styles for each game it's actually a lot larger than what I figured, and it's a great bonus for us who bought the Deluxe. Anyone with the basic, I'd still recommend you buy Nintendo Land because it's worth it.

I hope developers make good use of the GamePad, and I hope the Wii U gets some more great games in 6 months time. Truth be told, I'm all-in on the Wii U and I really hope Nintendo is too - despite it feeling like they put in half their chips and said, let's see what happens.

[SoldMyWiiUAndLeftTheForums]

The bad points are very very bad, ohhhhhhhh dear Ninty................

[bornsupercharged]

The bad points are very very bad, ohhhhhhhh dear Ninty................

The only real bad point is that the GamePad is like 100% required to use the Wii U, you cant even use eShop without it, and since I dont find it that comfortable extended periods of time, it's a bit disappointing.
The slowness issues, the Wii emulator issues, the glitches, those are all software that they can fix. If they can do their part to fix what's fixable, I can do my part to forgive them for hurting my fingers and I'll learn to live with it (though hopefully someone will make some attachment that makes it easier to hold).

[xile6]

Wow.
I didnt have any problems with the system. Gamepad felt fine in my hands.
The wii mode i could care less. Atless its in there ps3 took ps2 away, so i say stop complaining they.didnt have to put it in there.
The battery life on the gamepad is kinda weak 5hrs. But since the battery is replaceable im sure we will see upgraded battery soon.
The download was crap. Took about 1hr n a half. But ah i think they just rushed the launch and didnt have time to preinstall it.
And yes the system is slow at switching menus. Hopfully it just needs and update.

But to each.his.own. Over all im happy with the system. And havent had any problems.

[HotInEER]

The only real bad point is that the GamePad is like 100% required to use the Wii U, you cant even use eShop without it, and since I dont find it that comfortable extended periods of time, it's a bit disappointing.
The slowness issues, the Wii emulator issues, the glitches, those are all software that they can fix. If they can do their part to fix what's fixable, I can do my part to forgive them for hurting my fingers and I'll learn to live with it (though hopefully someone will make some attachment that makes it easier to hold).

That's a little sad that you have to use the gamepad for everything. I was hoping the wii remote would work. The gamepad will not be for everyone, and they should have thought of that. Thanks for the run down.

[bornsupercharged]

Wow.
I didnt have any problems with the system. Gamepad felt fine in my hands.
The wii mode i could care less. Atless its in there ps3 took ps2 away, so i say stop complaining they.didnt have to put it in there.
The battery life on the gamepad is kinda weak 5hrs. But since the battery is replaceable im sure we will see upgraded battery soon.
The download was crap. Took about 1hr n a half. But ah i think they just rushed the launch and didnt have time to preinstall it.
And yes the system is slow at switching menus. Hopfully it just needs and update.

But to each.his.own. Over all im happy with the system. And havent had any problems.

I'm glad the Wii mode is available - truly I am. But it doesn't make sense that you can get into Wii mode, but not out of Wii mode without power cycling. I'm sure some people won't have problems with holding the GamePad for extended amounts of time, even for me the first hour or so it wasn't a big deal. But as time wears on, my fingers wore out and it became uncomfortable. Also why do games keep making me "sit the gamepad and wii remotes on an even flat surface" for calibration? DAMN just make me do it once, not every time I play a different game/minigame (this is pretty much directly pointed to Nintendo Land)!

That's a little sad that you have to use the gamepad for everything. I was hoping the wii remote would work. The gamepad will not be for everyone, and they should have thought of that. Thanks for the run down.

Yea you can't use the eShop without it, the picture on your TV screen even says that. So really the GamePad is the Wii U, and the Wii U is the GamePad - that's how Nintendo is envisioning it and making it be. I love the GamePad minus the ergonomics, and I can deal with the battery life. But if my son breaks it then I guess my Wii U is broke as well, until they release replacements.

Edited by bornsupercharged, 18 November 2012 - 07:41 PM.

[HotInEER]

I'm glad the Wii mode is available - truly I am. But it doesn't make sense that you can get into Wii mode, but not out of Wii mode without power cycling. I'm sure some people won't have problems with holding the GamePad for extended amounts of time, even for me the first hour or so it wasn't a big deal. But as time wears on, my fingers wore out and it became uncomfortable. Also why do games keep making me "sit the gamepad and wii remotes on an even flat surface" for calibration? DAMN just make me do it once, not every time I play a different game/minigame (this is pretty much directly pointed to Nintendo Land)!


Yea you can't use the eShop without it, the picture on your TV screen even says that. So really the GamePad is the Wii U, and the Wii U is the GamePad - that's how Nintendo is envisioning it and making it be. I love the GamePad minus the ergonomics, and I can deal with the battery life. But if my son breaks it then I guess my Wii U is broke as well, until they release replacements.

I hear you. I'm sure it will be expensive. I'll be purchasing an extended warranty through squaretrade once mine is fixed, to make sure if anything else happens, i'm covered.

[xile6]

I also forgot that the wii emu on the wii u is the same as the gamecube one on the wii.
It made you reboot the system also.
My guess is either to stop hackers from reaching the wii u side. Or just easier to code since the wii side is lock to a normal wii. They didnt have to add anything to the wii system side just copy and paste.
Adding in a return to wii u would be more coding.
But as said i dont know.

And yea i only had my gamelad cablirate once. when i played nintendo land. But since then i play ac3 and zombiu u. Turn the system on m off a few times and never had to Calibrate it again.
Maybe it depends onthe game or angle of the gamepad during boot.


O yea read the manual lol. If you press and hold a,b, +, -, it will reconnect the gamepad. ( it could be x,y,+,-)

[bornsupercharged]

O yea read the manual lol. If you press and hold a,b, +, -, it will reconnect the gamepad. ( it could be x,y,+,-)

It will reconnect it during Wii mode ? Because that's the only time I'm having the issue.

[JaylisJayP]

The slowness is really my only gripe so far, that and I had to do so many updates. I was an "on the fence" guy about the Gamepad forever, but after holding it and using it, I'm completely sold on it. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this system. Will it be the only system I buy 3rd party games on in the future? Probably not, but it will be in the running because of how great the ability to game on just the gamepad is.

[naadofett]

What I'm curious about is if the slowness in the menu system could be addressed by improvements in the software as opposed to being some sort of hardware limitation.

As far as the Wii emulator goes, yeah, that's kind of a bummer. However, I'm used to this because of the Wii's backwards compatibility with Gamecube games. It would definitely be more streamlined to not have to deal with this, but this doesn't make me crazy.

[Spleenzorio]

There's an "application" on the Wii emulator, as you call it, to bring you back to the Wii U menu. It should be the first icon in the second row.

[Alex Wolfers]

I dont know why people are disapointed about the Wii U.I got mine and its fun and works just fine. Dont buy into the false reveiws people.

The slowness is really my only gripe so far, that and I had to do so many updates. I was an "on the fence" guy about the Gamepad forever, but after holding it and using it, I'm completely sold on it. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this system. Will it be the only system I buy 3rd party games on in the future? Probably not, but it will be in the running because of how great the ability to game on just the gamepad is.

Nintendo is already talking about workjing out the slowness issues.

[Keviin]

I dont know why people are disapointed about the Wii U.I got mine and its fun and works just fine. Dont buy into the false reveiws people.

Nintendo is already talking about workjing out the slowness issues.

Source please? Wouldn't it be an hardware issue? From what I've heard it is REALLY slow. I already thought the X360 wasn't fast enough for my tastes, it takes seconds (I know lol) to cancel an accidentily opened gamertag.

[Socalmuscle]

Source please? Wouldn't it be an hardware issue? From what I've heard it is REALLY slow. I already thought the X360 wasn't fast enough for my tastes, it takes seconds (I know lol) to cancel an accidentily opened gamertag.

I think he's talking about the downloading.

Which on day one, having sold out is bound to bring the network of servers to their knees.

[Keviin]

I think he's talking about the downloading.

Which on day one, having sold out is bound to bring the network of servers to their knees.

Oh I see. Well, that's pretty well self-explanatory. I still hope they can somehow get the menus to run faster. I felt the 3DS menu was a bit too slow too (but not much)

[Rayven]

I wonder if people migrating from xbox-esque controllers are all going to find the gamepad a bit cumbersome to hold until they use it for a while. Your hands are spread further apart on the gamepad and it's overall got a thinner feel instead of a compact and round feel. The game pad has hills and valleys sculpted into the bottom and, to my hands at least, the fit is fine. My 11 year old daughter also didn't express any distress after playing for a short while.

I will be interested to know how it feels a month from now when it becomes more second-nature to use. I totally agree with the author of this thread when he says the graphics on the gamepad itself were great. I even made my daughter stop playing for a minute so I could gawk over the gamepad view of the game she was playing.

The menus do seem to be laggy and we're having other issues. Today, we're going to focus more on the games made for the Wii U instead of the ones we have for our old Wii and see where that takes us.

Overall, I remain cautiously optimistic about the whole thing.

[Plutonas]

just give some time to the developers to tweak their games and use this freaking (only good as it seems feature) EDRAM... Surelly it will fix lots of things... I am very comfident that wii U playes all the current gen games flawless... but it is just current gen... But it can produce some better effects (tessellation, out of focus scenery, better textures, etc)

PS: I made a thread 3 days ago, why I dont want to buy it at this point, as its extremely expensive and everybody attacked me... everyday that passes, seems that I was right! They have to reduce the price in 5-6 months from now.

Edited by Orion, 19 November 2012 - 04:33 AM.

[storabajskorven]

Source please? Wouldn't it be an hardware issue? From what I've heard it is REALLY slow. I already thought the X360 wasn't fast enough for my tastes, it takes seconds (I know lol) to cancel an accidentily opened gamertag.

It can't really be a hardware problem, a system that can render complex 1080p graphics in real time should have no problem with instant menu switches.

[bornsupercharged]

I dont know why people are disapointed about the Wii U.I got mine and its fun and works just fine. Dont buy into the false reveiws people.

Nintendo is already talking about workjing out the slowness issues.

False reviews? You aren't calling my post a false review are you, because nothing in it is a lie or false at all. You cannot tell me that, for instance, going to system settings doesn't take your console at least 10 seconds.
You don't know why people are disappointed, really? Read some of the threads and the issues.

Source for where Nintendo is working to resolve the menu slowness?

There's an "application" on the Wii emulator, as you call it, to bring you back to the Wii U menu. It should be the first icon in the second row.

I'll look into that, thanks!

You're right, I misread it as Wii instead of Wii U yesterday. The icon to go back into the Wii U is there and it works perfectly.

Here's a video I made showing just how slow the menus are: