Wii U – Will it emerge from the shadow of its predecessor?

Nintendo chose the tech show E3 to unveil to the world its high concept replacement for amazingly popular Wii, but will Wii U be warmly received? Having got a sneak preview and a close up look at the gamepad, the first thing to note is that it looks like a tablet and the initial industry reaction was that it was going to struggle to be accepted, but when you actually get your hands on it you quickly realize that a lot of bright minds have gone into its creation and it certainly adds a new spin to gameplay and might actually turn out to be Nintendo’s best console over time.

Wii U – Review

Image Credit

The actual console is quite small and somehow quite anonymous and the Wii U Gamepad has had several mutations during the development stage, meaning that the final and finished offering has already benefitted from considerable improvements.

The finished article being offered to the general public is actually wider than the prototype, it has two proper analogue sticks that can be clicked down and is much more contoured than before. There is an intriguing near-field communications area that Nintendo is being coy about at the moment, and finally a button marked TV that lets you use the device as a TV remote.

It has all the buttons that you would expect to find on a Nintendo controller, including two large triggers, shoulder buttons, front facing camera, two speakers and a stylus for the touchscreen. It motion-senses and positively bristles with every conceivable feature, yet it is still surprisingly light, which is good news as some games demand that you hold the device up in front of your face.

The newly added feature of contouring makes for a natural feel and comfortable grip points when you hold it conventionally and they seem to have thought of everything as a transverse rib down the back allows you the same comfort when gripping it with one end facing towards the screen, and yes it does also work well for left-handers, so it is certainly versatile.

The overall impression is that Wii U will become a popular acquisition for gamers who will come to appreciate that the device has been constructed to provide new and distinctive gameplay experiences. Watch out for the little box of tricks under the Christmas tree when Nintendo will be in full launch mode for maximum take up.

Author Bio

Guest post contributed by Gaynor Cooper, a freelance technology blogger and who currently writes for a popular sim only provider.