Thoughts about the Wii 2 have been bugging me for a while, especially since the 3DS is so close to being on the market. Therefore I have compiled a list of things that the Wii 2 must have once it is revealed.
Storage
The Wii 2 must have four to eight GB of internal flash memory. Flash memory has cheapened enough that including no less that four Gigabytes of internal memory seems reasonable for Nintendo to include.
Internal HDD support (2.5 SATA). Nintendo will not provide a hard drive for the Wii 2 themselves, but they will leave it up to the consumer to buy their own hard drive from a third party (Maxtor, Toshiba, Seagate, Western Digital, etc.).
The Wii 2 must also have external storage support (USB flash and HDD) though its USB ports. Consumers will be able to utilize the USB ports of the Wii 2 to use external storage devices for back up.
SD card slot retained from the first Wii.
Graphics
Nintendo’s game design philosophy is that graphics are secondary to game play. However, Nintendo knows that SD graphics are becoming extinct, so they will move onto High Definition gaming for the Wii 2 with a resolution support up to 1080p. It would be easier for Nintendo to make the jump from Wii to 360 then from the Wii to PS3. Although Nintendo will utilize cheaper components to make the leap in graphics similar to the way the 3DS is a cheaper take on the PSP’s technology..
Right now the cost of 3D televisions is too cost prohibitive for Nintendo to include 3D in their next console, but it might be cheap to include it in the Wii 2 and if the price of 3D TVs fall in the next five years then Nintendo could just open 3D up via firmware and have a 3D home console like the 3DS.
Controls
Advanced 1:1 motion controls. Take the concept of the motion plus and advance it further. This controller system would be Nintendo taking on Sony’s Move controller with better technology..
Wireless Classic Controller Pro with rumble. Taking a queue from Sony and Microsoft’s controllers, Nintendo releases an update of the Classic controller pro that is wireless with rumble capabilities.
Wireless motion controllers similar to the Move controller, but with an IR sensor. The Wii 2 nunchuck would feature rumble as well.
Form Factor
Form factor similar to the Xbox 360. If the Wii 2 is going to have HD graphics, Nintendo will have to make the system bigger than the current Wii system. The form factor of the Wii 2 would be similar in size and scale to the 360 slim, but instead of a disc tray, the Wii 2 would have a disc slot like the Wii console.
Touch sensitive buttons. The 360 slim has touch sensitive buttons, and Nintendo loves touch sensitization, so instead pressing the power, reset or eject buttons on the front of the Wii 2, all you have to do is run your finger across the button to activate its function.
The form factor of the Wii 2 would include three USB ports for accessories and external storage devices and built-in HDMI and Ethernet port to supplement bandwidth for online games.
Optical Format
Nintendo has invested millions into holographic storage for a number of years now, but what ever disc media that is simultaneously cheap to manufacture and hard to pirate, Nintendo will adopt it in a hot minute. This leads to three possible formats for the Wii 2 to use: First, the Wii 2 could be Nintendo’s first system where the holographic disc storage is implemented. Second, Nintendo could adopt the HD-DVD format. Although HD-DVD is an extinct format, Nintendo could easily gain the technology for a reasonable price and since the technology did not take off very well, Nintendo could take advantage of the lack of HD-DVD burners to thwart piracy. Third, Nintendo could return to cartridges. This would cut down on piracy and load times for the console and since the technology is now cheaper than before, mass producing the games would be cheaper and safer. Also, returning to cartridges would allow the system to be built smaller and operate quieter.
Online
All Nintendo fans detest the friend code system, so instead of individual codes for each game, Nintendo gives each system its own code, or Universal friend codes, and any multiplayer game played on that system uses that same code to link up to other players. Problem solved, right?
Online structure to better accommodate DLC, MMO and multiplayer (see Universal friend codes). There is a robust online system for both the PS3 and 360, and this is something that the Wii is lacking. The Wii 2 will have to turn this around. The Wii 2 should be home to a number of good MMO and at the same time allow third parties to deliver down loadable content to consumers.
Wireless head set support for multiplayer games. The PS3 and 360 both have head set support, and arguably the Wii has Wii speak, but the head set system for the Wii 2 must support all multiplayer games with little to static.
Multimedia
Netflix and Hulu subscriptions in HD. The Netflx account of the Wii 2 would also allow movies to be purchased and stored onto the Wii 2 as channels like games.
Wii Shop Channel: Virtual Console and Wiiware
Dreamcast, Saturn and possibly Gamecube virtual console.
If the Gamecube is not on virtual console, then Gamecube controller and memory card ports should be retained for backwards compatibility.
Transfer of virtual console and wiiware via Club Nintendo account. All a gamer would have to do is remove their account from the Wii and then reactivate it onto the Wii 2 to make the games transition over to the new console.
Wii shop channel upgrade to include faster download speeds and a shopping cart and wish list features. This system would be similar to one such as Amazon where a purchaser can read reviews about a certain game and even watch demo videos to determine whether the game is worth buying. Also, games from the Wii shop channel should be allowed to be down loaded in bulk to lower back tracking.
Topic: Wii Successor and Glassess Free 3D: How Will It Work? (Read 132582 times)
