Check out the first details on the Wii U eShop straight out of Japan.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/32435
The Wii U eShop, available in an update when the system launches, will feature game demos and HD videos, according to Nintendo Co., Ltd.'s official website.
It is unclear if every game will have a demo, but the page does say that demos will be available. The HD-quality videos and images will also be on the eShop, highlighting different games. Those videos and images can be viewed on the GamePad.
On game pages on the eShop, you can see how players rated the game, similar to the 3DS eShop's five-star system, and you can also check Miiverse comments related to the game.
The site also mentions that downloadable content can be purchased in the store while software is running. So, if you're playing Assassin's Creed III and want to download the DLC pack, you can just boot up the eShop and download away.
Outside of those distinctions, the Wii U eShop seems to have a lot in common with the 3DS eShop, as players use the same methods to purchase games and the two-screen display is similar to the layout of the 3DS.
According to Nintendo's Japanese site, SD cards can't be used to expand the console's storage. You must use a USB hard drive for that.But isn't there an SD card slot, like on the Wii? What would that be for? I don't understand.
Also, Wii software (Virtual Console, WiiWare) must be purchased on the Wii Shop Channel, which is accessible through the "Wii Menu" app.This is excellent news in my opinion. I was concerned that VC simply would not be available on the Wii U since, as best I can recall, nothing has been mentioned aboout VC other that my ability to transfer previously purchased VC and WiiWare games to the Wii U.
Wii Mode is why their is an SD Card Slot.According to Nintendo's Japanese site, SD cards can't be used to expand the console's storage. You must use a USB hard drive for that.But isn't there an SD card slot, like on the Wii? What would that be for? I don't understand.Also, Wii software (Virtual Console, WiiWare) must be purchased on the Wii Shop Channel, which is accessible through the "Wii Menu" app.This is excellent news in my opinion. I was concerned that VC simply would not be available on the Wii U since, as best I can recall, nothing has been mentioned aboout VC other that my ability to transfer previously purchased VC and WiiWare games to the Wii U.
I recall VC being a big selling point for the Wii and assumed since it has (to my knowledge) not been listed even as a feature of Wii U, it had been abandoned for now and left as a "Wii Only" feature.
Seems like "Wii Mode" is basically a fully emulated Wii (minus Gamecube playback, of course, which was taken out of later Wiis anyway). I wonder if, in Wii Mode, you can use a standard WiiMote without it having to be motion plus enabled? Seems like you need WM+ to use WiiMotes with the Wii U.
And now for the bad news: According to Nintendo's Japanese site, SD cards can't be used to expand the console's storage. You must use a USB hard drive for that.
Seems like "Wii Mode" is basically a fully emulated Wii (minus Gamecube playback, of course, which was taken out of later Wiis anyway). I wonder if, in Wii Mode, you can use a standard WiiMote without it having to be motion plus enabled?Wii Mode isn't emulating a Wii, it is a Wii, just like how the Wii doesn't emulate the GameCube, it is one. So everything that works with a Wii will work on the Wii U in Wii mode, except for anything that used the GCN ports, and it'll work just as well as it does on a Wii.
Since the new Wiis didn't actually disable GameCube mode, it'd be really cool if the pins for GameCube stuff are still available and ports could be soldered on the Wii U.Is the Wii U drive still capable of accepting GameCube discs? I don't know if this is answerable yet since it isn't out, but I wonder if they could even be made to work in the drive.
We know the solder points for the GCN ports will not be on Wii U because it was never intended to have BC with GCN.
No you can't just "map" ports. You need software/firmware support.
We know the solder points for the GCN ports will not be on Wii U because it was never intended to have BC with GCN.We don't know that.
I meant via a firmware update, but I overlooked that in the writing.Unlikely, because they've never done it with any of their past systems and Wii BC is even more lazy than usual.