Nintendo WiiU : Thread 04

[Guts]

I have a GC controller, a Wii classic pad and the Maro Kart wheel. I always played with the Wiimote + Nunchuck because it felt the best. My mate also wanted to play with Wiimote + Nunchuck when he came over to play Mario Kart so clearly you are wrong Brad!

[Profit]

I hope the patch the current games which needs the portable screen, and release the console with just the classic controller.

[Golgo]

That's a capital idea, Profit! Would bring manufacture and hopefully retail costs right down.

[Profit]

At the moment Nintendo are in a bit of a odd situation - Any SKU revision and consumers will still be confused. Anything 'Wii' and people will still think it's the old console. Unfortunately for Nintendo, all of their WiiU games are visually similar to their Wii predecessors. The benefits of HD in Mario/Smash/Kart etc are a difficult sell to consumers.

[Brad]

I have a GC controller, a Wii classic pad and the Maro Kart wheel. I always played with the Wiimote + Nunchuck because it felt the best. My mate also wanted to play with Wiimote + Nunchuck when he came over to play Mario Kart so clearly you are wrong Brad!

Clearly! lol. My kids always played with either the Wiimote or Wiimote and nunchuck. I always played with the Gamecube pad. I always won. Just sayin ;-)

Overall I think Nintendo have made a pretty big mistake. I think they know this too. It happens. They'll bounce back I'm sure. Maybe a handheld with the power of the WiiU that can also be plugged into the telly? Maybe and actual portable WiiU? Dual Screen, bottom screen acts as the current WiiU pad does, top screen is the TV.

[VR46]

Some decent Wii U deals on top games at the moment. See here

http://www.bordersdown.net/threads/120157-Wii-U-games-W101-Pikmin-3-Luigi-and-more-all-?25-or-less

[wakka]

Maybe a handheld with the power of the WiiU that can also be plugged into the telly? Maybe and actual portable WiiU? Dual Screen, bottom screen acts as the current WiiU pad does, top screen is the TV.

This would be a really cool product, but I reckon Nintendo would rather keep their handheld and home efforts separate to avoid cannibalisation of 3DS sales.

[Brad]

This would be a really cool product, but I reckon Nintendo would rather keep their handheld and home efforts separate to avoid cannibalisation of 3DS sales.

Very good point. I question though, the long-term viability of Nintendo in the living room. Until, of course, they surprise us all and resurrect the WiiU in triumphant fashion. Just because I can't see a solution to the WiiU problem doesn't mean Nintendo can't.

[PaTaito]

Its not that the Wii controller sucked, although i really didnt like the forced nature in some games, it just it required you to do much more than simply use your thumbs.

So no matter what, it would never be as comfortable to use as a decent gamepad.

[Kit]

He never said zelda was ****.

He said "its basically a thousand **** mario's and zelda now"

Yes, the Zelda games are always solid.

The volume of ****e however with the Mario name slapped on it though is ridiculous.

I wonder how long they'll keep supporting the Wii U or will this become an N64 type situation where nobody buys the thing but Nintendo release a ton of great games?

I don't think they are capable of the latter anymore tbh.

[gIzzE]

I do agree that a third console with PS4/XBone performance isn't something that I want from Nintendo.

I wonder if it depends on what you grew up with as to what you expect from Nintendo?

For me Nintendo was always about being the console that had good graphics and sound, when everyone was comparing the Commodore 64 with the ZX Spectrum the Famicom came along and made it all seem a bit crap, games like Mario, Zelda, Kirby, Punch Out, Mega Man, Turrican etc. etc. All were great games and made the C64 look a bit pants, never mind what the Speccy looked like.

Then we got the Super Famicom, now the Mega Drive had been impressive, but the Super Famicom took it to a whole new level, games like Castlevania IV was simply stunning at the time, with its orchestral soundtrack and mode7 graphics it was on a different planet, same with Pilot Wings and Contra, all were setting the standard. And because of that power everyone wanted to be on board, both gamers and developers, everyone developed for Nintendo (except Sega).

Then we got the N64, again, playing Mario 64 was like watching a cartoon at times (smaller screens probably helped!) it was genuinely exciting.

All those machines were simply great consoles with the best games from Nintendo and 3rd parties.

However, the Playstation had arrived by then, things had moved on and it was all about it being cool. Back in 1995 playing on a playstation after coming home from a warehouse party or the MOS was cool, with games like Wipeout and Ridge Racer Mario and Pilotwings didn't stand a chance.
By the time the GC arrived Nintendo had already gone in a different direction, if the PSX was cool Nintendo definitely decided to be the toy still, the fun machine, you can see that in its toy like design.

They went even more for the fun machine with the Wii, the console you could all play as a family, Nan on the sherry doing a ski jump was a chuckle, and it sold well, but whether we like it or not, that is not the current 'hardcore gamer' they are playing SFIV or more Call Of Duty, a bit of 10 pin bowling or Mario was now getting pushed well down the list, but with so many soft core gamers on board who cares?

But the problem with soft core gamers is they couldn't care less if Mario looks a bit nicer on a Wii U, and they don't buy the next machine.
It will always be the hardcore fan of anything that has to have the latest and greatest, whether that be guys into TVs, or petrol heads buying the latest M3 or 911, the person who has just bought a new TV because they want digital channels isn't going to grab the latest OLED because the guy in the shop says it 'looks nicer'. Same with the Wii U at the moment, imho Nintendo started to slide with the N64, some great games for the hardcore gamer who just appreciates a well put together title, but gaming had exploded into the mainstream, it was accepted by the cool kids, but the cool kids didn't accept Nintendo, to them it was just a toy, the machine your little brother was bought for Christmas.

So for me, the wonder years were not the GC or even the N64, but it was the NES and the SNES years, that was when I got all the exclusive Nintendo gems and all the very best 3rd party titles you could buy as well, it was a simple system with simple controls that just played the best games.


So for me, if Nintendo went back to a basic console that led the way with graphics and sound and had all the best Nintendo gems along with all the finest third party titles as well it would be like Nintendo are back what they do best, covering both the hardcore gamer and those who just want a fun machine all in one.
I would be more than happy with that.

[sj33]

I'm not convinced that a price cut will boost the WiiU's fortunes by itself, as it would not solve the problems that have been stated in this thread.

Assuming that Nintendo are working on a load of games which we will see at E3, then any price cut will have to go hand-in-hand with a new marketing campaign that better communicates what the WiiU is and why people should buy one.

[Paddy]

glzzE, you've described almost perfectly what Nintendo meant to me through my gaming youth and I couldn't put it any better. You do have to wonder why they can't bring that level of magic to their current home console support though.

I know Nintendo can't take what works well on the 3DS and just replicate it on the Wii U but as has already been stated, you shift good numbers of your machine/s and the developers will produce games for your console. Basic business principles.

Fingers crossed Nintendo have some great ideas they can implement quickly to make the Wii U a must-have console for gamers again. This year is the time where Nintendo needs to make it happen, otherwise might as well make a note for when they will announce their follow-up console/device.

[Neon Ignition]

So, yesterday it was revealed that Iwata and Miyamoto will be taking a paycut following Nintendo's financial performance. Today the news is...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-30-mario-kart-8-now-pegged-for-a-may-release

Nintendo ID's will be coming to mobile phones, though they stressed again that games won't be. The more you use your ID account the lower game prices will be.

Additionally Nintendo is going to loosen its licensing of IP which means we will see more examples of Nintendo series being leased out to other third parties to make games with such as the upcoming Dynasty Warriors style game Zelda: Hyrule Warrior

The WiiU will also not receive a price drop as it's already retailing at a loss. Instead Nintendo is going to drive hard on games making unique use of the Gamepad to reduce public perception that it's an add-on for the Wii.

Impressively, it was revealed that Mario Kart Wii still managed to sell another 1m units in the last 9 months to take total sales up to 35.26m

Mario Kart 8 meanwhile has been pegged in for a release sometime in May

Finally...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-30-ds-games-will-be-coming-to-the-wii-u-virtual-console

Nintendo has announced that they are to start releasing Nintendo DS games on the Virtual Console service

[wakka]

So for me, if Nintendo went back to a basic console that led the way with graphics and sound and had all the best Nintendo gems along with all the finest third party titles as well it would be like Nintendo are back what they do best, covering both the hardcore gamer and those who just want a fun machine all in one.

That's fair enough. As you say we all have different perceptions of what Nintendo are and what they should be, based in large part on when we were much younger.

From a business perspective though, I can't see that there's space for a console similar to PS and Xbox. They've already saturated that market with two very similar products. You mention that the average gamer these days wants to play CoD and FIFA, not Mario and Pilotwings. I think that's true and I don't think Nintendo's first party games would be enough of a USP to these people - not to mention how poorly their online gaming would compare after MS and Sony's huge amount of experience in this area.

Where Nintendo have found real success since 2000 (early 90s type success, when they dominated) is with innovative ideas that pull in a whole bunch of people who probably wouldn't buy an Xbox or a PS. As difficult as it is I think that's what Nintendo need to do again in order to be as successful as they can. They'll always have the hardcore along for the ride too thanks to their great core franchises.

Obviously, that is what they tried to do with the Wii U. They just effed it up royally. They'll be having another bash though I'm sure.