Topics

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Nintendo Gaming / Durability

« on: November 25, 2013, 02:37:32 PM »

Anecdote:
Last night, while playing Super Mario World on the Wii U with one of the kids, we had a visitor knock on the door and I set the Gamepad down to answer. It promptly fell off the couch arm onto the hardwood floor making quite a racket. I didn't even flinch. I never dreamed it could get hurt.
Later, I picked-up the gamepad and examined it and found nothing wrong. We went back to playing the game, with me mainly using the gamepad just as before.
The reason I think this is awesome is that if I had been playing on the PS4 and dropped my Vita or with Xbox One and dropped the Ipad, I would've been extremely concerned. Using the Wii U gamepad has been a real boon to our family's experience with the "second screen" being much more valuable than I ever expected.
Anyone actually damaged their Gamepad through normal use and occasional accidents? Six months and going strong over here.

2

Nintendo Gaming / Wii U themed gamepad art

« on: February 22, 2013, 02:48:22 PM »

I have yet to jump onto the Wii U train, but after the PS4 announcement this week, I feel that Nintendo has a real opportunity to differentiate and jump ahead of Sony with the Wii U Gamepad. Where the PS4 controller glows different colors to differentiate players, I think that there should be more noise about the fact that the Wii U gamepad can completely morph into a new controller with each game.


I grew up in the Intellivision era and was always fascinated with the controller overlays that shipped with each game that made it feel like a custom controller. It visually identified itself with the game you were playing and, in that era at least, sometimes enhanced the game with excellent artwork that influenced my appreciation for the on-screen graphics.

With the Wii U gamepad, I appreciate that the controller can be used as a second monitor and for additional screen information, etc. But how about just really cool art that displays throughout gameplay to make you feel like the controller is themed or customized for the game you are playing?


Since I have not played with the Wii U, yet, this may be a stupid post because they are already doing this. However, I have not seen much information about this in the reviews I read. It definitely could differentiate the gamepad from PS4 controller that only can flash a color.


Jim