Nintendo Wii U

[Brandon Strader]

(and no I'm not talking about a few apparently suicidal retards with an online soapbox).

That was a bit callous to say during National Suicide Prevention Week.

Ban ocre in 2012.

[Brushfire]

Honestly, favorite franchise is the Ratchet and Clank Series, but Sony is terrible too.

And yes, Epic Mickey was terrible too. Only Nintendo Franchise that is still any good is Mario Kart. I weep for they did to Samus, and what they didnt do for Zelda.

[ocre]

That was a bit callous to say during National Suicide Prevention Week.

Ban ocre in 2012.

Sorry my posts don't measure up to the high quality standards of

toddler console

Edited September 14, 2012 by ocre

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

Nintendo has to stop with the proprietary media storage. That's the shit that almost ruined them during the N64 years, which created a stigma that they don't get quality 3rd party "hardcore" games that hasn't let up until maybe the DS or 3DS. If that had never happened, I don't really think people would be as down on Nintendo as they are right now.

[djpretzel]

1. Yes, I'm gonna talk shit about no blu-ray...
   
2. Yes, I'm gonna talk even MORE shit about not rendering Wii games in 720/1080P since emulation has proven it's quite a good idea...
   
3. Yes, I'm still gonna buy it
   

[Bleck]

Yes, I'm gonna talk even MORE shit about not rendering Wii games in 720/1080P since emulation has proven it's quite a good idea...

This is the shittiest thing I've seen people complaining about. The shittiest.

[Nabeel Ansari]

Yes, I'm gonna talk even MORE shit about not rendering Wii games in 720/1080P since emulation has proven it's quite a good idea...

On i7 processors, sure.

[Brushfire]

On i7 processors, sure.

Step up to flavor country. Stop living in the past.

[Crowbar Man]

On i7 processors, sure.

The Wii U wouldn't have to have that much power to display Wii games in 720/1080p. It doesn't have to emulate much, if anything at all. Its doing Wii compatibility via hardware.

Nintendo has to stop with the proprietary media storage.

25GB is a lot of space, proprietary or not. Bigger than the 8GB that 360 currently uses. And if it reads faster than the PS3's slow drive, that is more important for games than even more GB.

The N64's issue with its format is that 4MB-64MB carts were a lot smaller in storage AND more expensive to produce on compared to 600MB CDs (plus cheap multi disc = even more space). Not that they were proprietary.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Crowbar Man

[Nabeel Ansari]

The Wii U wouldn't have to have that much power to display Wii games in 720/1080p. It doesn't have to emulate much, if anything at all. Its doing Wii compatibility via hardware.

Actually, you're right. I had a brain "out to lunch" moment because djp said "emulation".

[Overflow]

I'm just hoping I'll be able to get a good screen protector for the gamepad.

[Mirby]

See, the thing is, though the Wii U does have these capabilities, as far as playing Wii games, it doesn't matter. I have some experience with this considering the Gamecube compatibility on the Wii. When playing a Gamecube game, there is no way for it to see the Wii hardware such as the SD card, USB ports, Wiimotes, any of that. Basically you're just playing a Gamecube as is within the skin of a Wii.

It's most likely the same with Wii software on Wii U. Though there's all this stuff that the Wii U adds, when running Wii software it's invisible and might as well not exist. This is also why you can't run Wii VC games on the tablet (the Wii can't see that so it can't use it). So much like the Wii-skinned Gamecube when playing, say, Mario Sunshine on Wii, so too will it be a Wii U-skinned Wii when playing, say, Mario Galaxy.

It's also the same thing as needing a PS1 memory card when playing a PS1 game on a PS2; the PS1 game can't see the PS2 memory card. It's not programmed to, and how could it be? You can't program something to be compatible with something, to be aware of something that doesn't exist at the time of programming.

So honestly, though having HD-upscaled Wii games would be nice, they would have to be re-released (much like they did with some games like Pikmin 2 on the Wii) in order to do so. As it stands, Wii games can't take advantage of the HD capabilities of the Wii U simply because they aren't programmed to. When the Wii U runs a Wii game, it's the same as running it on the Wii.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Mirby

[Nabeel Ansari]

See, the thing is, though the Wii U does have these capabilities, as far as playing Wii games, it doesn't matter. I have some experience with this considering the Gamecube compatibility on the Wii. When playing a Gamecube game, there is no way for it to see the Wii hardware such as the SD card, USB ports, Wiimotes, any of that. Basically you're just playing a Gamecube as is within the skin of a Wii.

It's most likely the same with Wii software on Wii U. Though there's all this stuff that the Wii U adds, when running Wii software it's invisible and might as well not exist. This is also why you can't run Wii VC games on the tablet (the Wii can't see that so it can't use it). So much like the Wii-skinned Gamecube when playing, say, Mario Sunshine on Wii, so too will it be a Wii U-skinned Wii when playing, say, Mario Galaxy.

It's also the same thing as needing a PS1 memory card when playing a PS1 game on a PS2; the PS1 game can't see the PS2 memory card. It's not programmed to, and how could it be? You can't program something to be compatible with something, to be aware of something that doesn't exist at the time of programming.

So honestly, though having HD-upscaled Wii games would be nice, they would have to be re-released (much like they did with some games like Pikmin 2 on the Wii) in order to do so. As it stands, Wii games can't take advantage of the HD capabilities of the Wii U simply because they aren't programmed to. When the Wii U runs a Wii game, it's the same as running it on the Wii.

This is pretty much just wrong. :/

Up-scaling works from the outside in, not the inside out.

[purplecowadoom]

Nintendo could just release old Gamecube and Wii titles digitally.

[Bleck]

Nintendo could just release old Gamecube and Wii titles digitally.

They've already confirmed they're going to do this, at least with Gamecube games.

[Meteo Xavier]

Alright, I can't find this anywhere and I'd like to just nip it in the ass.

Whats this on an Earthbound HD? Is that happening somewhere or was that a rumor?

[Mirby]

It's a rumor. From a rather old GIF, no less.

[Bleck]

Definitely not going to happen.

[Brushfire]

Doesnt everyone already own it from the SNES? I mean everyone goes on and on about it, you'd think that no one really wants to own it again.

[Toadofsky]

Pikmin 3, Rayman Legends, NSMB U, and Wonderful 101 are probably the must have games for me. At the moment, I'm just not seeing a reason for me to get this at launch.

That'll probably change once I finally get a chance to play the system.

[Brandon Strader]

Doesnt everyone already own it from the SNES? I mean everyone goes on and on about it, you'd think that no one really wants to own it again.

I don't know, I think the Brandon Strader campaign may differ with the Brushfire campaign on this issue.

I never got far in the original Earthbound because it simply wasn't a very well made game. However, if an Earthbound HD came into existence, it would probably be very enjoyable and have the full support of my administration.

"Because if it's fresh, it's got to be good!"

"Ban ocre in 2012!"

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

The 3DS has shown me that it just feels so damn right to be able to switch from something like Metal Gear Solid or Dead or Alive to something like Mario Kart or New Super Mario Bros. 2 on the same system. That's a pretty powerful thing to me. They've also proven to me that they're committed to bringing the "hardcore" experience back to their platforms with the kind of support they're getting with the handheld.

So I think I can safely say that I'll be watching the Wii U with enthusiasm as its first few months go by.

[Brandon Strader]

Yeah, it's cool that Nintendo is trying to pander to the hardcore audience, but I think it will take more than a few "M-Rated" games and exclusive Bayonetta 2 to get hardcore gamers to actually get interested in the Wii U. There's too much stigma attached to Nintendo and their systems after decades of fun but very casual games, and the Wii shovelware empire.

[Modus]

Every single thing about Nintendo's branding will scare away the coagulated mass of "hardcore gamers". I hope they're doing these things for their existing audience, people like us who want the best of both worlds. We can now get it in one system, except blu ray. They fucked up there but for all I know Sony refused to sell the rights.

I'll buy the system. I'll buy the Zelda game and Pikmin game and the one other breakout quirky game they make each generation. I won't buy the Mario game because lol platforming. Then I'll sell this hunk of shiny plastic that has no right to exist, no right because Nintendo should be a software company. I'll also sell the three good games and the $500 worth of controllers for a 30% return. Long live the Nintendo cycle. Long live the perfect love/hate relationship.

[ocre]

There's too much stigma attached to Nintendo and their systems [to attract the "hardcore"gamer] after decades of fun but very casual games, and the Wii shovelware empire.

Okay here's where I have a problem with your statement. You're saying Nintendo's 'decades of games' have been 'very casual'.

I think it's worth noting that there's a difference between 'casual' and 'core'**.

For instance, on the Wii, Donkey Kong Country Returns might be one of the games you consider 'casual' because it is colorful, stars a Nintendo character, contains no blood or guns, but I would say it's more of a 'core' game because it requires more skill to be proficient in and get every puzzle piece -- certainly to beat every time attack goal-- and, more importantly, a larger time investment to complete. Casual gamers might play it and get overwhelmed by the difficulty, or get distracted and buy a lighter game.

The Pokemon games, Paper Mario, Super Mario Galaxy, Pikmin, Super Mario World, Metroid Prime are other examples of games I think deserve the label 'core' and are enthusiastically played by veteran players for a longer time.

Something to be considered decidedly more appealing to the 'casual' player would be something like Wii Sports or Wii Fit, that may be very light in content and doesn't require a large time investment, I think.

The Wii's "empire" of 'shovelware' has less to do with Nintendo than it does the popularity of such games as 'Big Bob's Carnival Games' and their ilk with the droves of casual players who magically bought into the system. I don't see the connection between that and Nintendo's library of 1st party games.

If I'm wrong, please list me games Nintendo has made for 'decades' that you think are 'casual,' if they differ from my definition.

On your other point, I definitely think the Nintendo 'stigma', which has existed before the Wii but definitely got worse with this past generation (whether that was due to the motion control push, the lower hardware specs, gamers who had grown up playing core Ninendo titles feeling they have 'grown out of' Nintendo's market, or a mix of all of these) is a tough nut to crack but not completely unbeatable. I definitely think bold gestures like securing Bayonetta 2's exclusivity catches the attention of the cooler-headed 'hardcore gamer', the one who wants to play 'hardcore' games but doesn't worry so much about that 'Nintendo' label on the hardware due to some incurable and irrational hatred of the brand. I think it's certainly possible that Nintendo can earn more of these people as customers if they can continue ensuring that such titles as Grand Theft Auto V, Bioshock Infinite (and yes even older multiplatform games like Skyrim) hit the system, even if the Wii U is only their secondary system. That seemed to work well for Nintendo with Wii, where 'cool-headed hardcore' gamers probably only bought into it for the premium 1st party Nintendo 'core' games. Time will tell.

**This is a term Nintendo have used to describe games geared toward veteran players. I tend to differentiate 'hardcore' and 'core', with 'hardcore' being a (possibly mistakenly attributed) term mostly used to define games such as GTA IV, Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Black Ops, Bayonetta, Resident Evil 4/5/6, which fall under the broader 'core' category; these games usually receive 'Mature' ratings. These games have tended to be missing from Nintendo systems of late, but HAVE HAD appearances on Nintendo hardware (and will have, in the case of the exclusive Bayonetta 2). Examples of 'hardcore' games on Nintendo platforms include Mad World, manhunt 2, Resident Evil 4, Conker's Bad Fur Day, et cetera.

On the "Nintendo should stop making hardware and sell their software on my system of choice (iOS/PC/Xbox360/PS3)." mentality: This is ridiculously juvenile thinking, especially coming off of one of their most successful platforms yet, whether it catered to your tastes or not). Nintendo would completely devalue it's hardware if they put their games on competing systems. As much money as there is to be made selling Pokemon on iOS at 99 cents a pop, the series is a humongous part of why people bought the 3DS to begin with, and they can sell millions of copies of the two versions of the next main series game for $39.99 a pop on there. They can sell you a $170 machine and a $40 dollar game, versus just 99 cents. Yeah. Great idea.

Edited September 16, 2012 by ocre