We store cookies, you can get more info from our privacy policy.
WiiU

Wii U eShop to Feature Game Demos

by Neal Ronaghan - November 8, 2012, 5:57 pm EST
Total comments: 18 Source: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/hardware/features/e...

Check out the first details on the Wii U eShop straight out of Japan.

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.

Players will be able to search information based on details like classification and other keywords. The listing makes a mention of rankings, though no further details were given.

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.

Talkback

tendoboy1984November 08, 2012

You can use the eShop while the software is running? Nice. Nintendo should update the 3DS with this feature (put the eShop icon in the top row on the home menu, instead of a separate app).


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.


Also, Wii software (Virtual Console, WiiWare) must be purchased on the Wii Shop Channel, which is accessible through the "Wii Menu" app. The content won't be available on the Wii U eShop.


This goes against the 3DS eShop, where both DSiWare and 3DS games are available from the same place.

RazorkidNovember 09, 2012

The SD card thing is no big deal as external drives are inexpensive theses days compared to how much storage you can gain. VC  games only purchasable from the legacy Wii Shop is terrible, but I suspect will be changed at a later date to be purchasable from the WiiU eShop.   

Fatty The HuttNovember 09, 2012

*adopts 'talking to dog' voice*
Who's got game demos? Yes you do! Yes you do! A wuzza wuzza wuzza, yes you do!
*scratches Wii U's ear*

Fatty The HuttNovember 09, 2012

Quote from: tendoboy1984

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.

Quote from: tendoboy1984

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.

CericNovember 09, 2012

Quote from: Fatty_The_Hutt

Quote from: tendoboy1984

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.

Quote from: tendoboy1984

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.

Wii Mode is why their is an SD Card Slot.
I'm very disappointed in having to use the Wii Shop to buy VC games that are on Wii.  Out of the 3 console shops Wii Shop is easily the worst of them and they are all terrible.  Especially compared to Steam.

Even if the eShop Wii VC portion was just a Glorified Wrapper to the Wii Shop Channel it could still possibly be better.

NintendofanboiiNovember 09, 2012

I'm assuming that the SD card slot is for wii related stuff and updates..

MOD NOTE: Do not post an attachment like that again or you will be banned.

ei8htbitNovember 09, 2012

@TendoBoy

Quote:

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.

I looked through the Japanese site myself and I don't see where you are getting this information from or perhaps it is being misinterpreted. I'm not saying that you are incorrect (there's no way of knowing for sure until we actually get our hands on it). I'm just suggesting that saying SD cards can't be used to expand the console's storage is a little misleading because, at the very least even if they are just used to store legacy Wii content and Mii information, etc. that is still memory that is being expanded from the core system and any USB external drive. BUT what I think you are implying is that you can't actually use an SD card to store and play downloaded games and content on Wii U and need to rely on external USB drives for that.

Well, from a straight performance perspective, my understanding is that USB 2.0 is substantially faster than even a class 10 SD card in terms of access time and data transfer so I could see there being some merit in claiming that the Wii U can only play games that are stored on the internal memory or USB HDD as opposed to an SD card due to access time and reliability of data transfer. However, at the same time it is my understanding that SD cards (class 10) still have faster access time for data transfer than Blu-Ray Disc access time for data transfer. So in that regard, if full retail games are accessed from what is essentially a Blu-Ray Disc, in terms of performance and reading information into local memory, why would an SD card be any different? After all, they are both just storage mediums that need to transfer their data into system RAM when they run.

With all of that taken into account, I can't possibly see how or why Nintendo would restrict the ability to play downloaded content and games off of an SD card when they already allow the ability to do so through USB external storage. Especially when the only advantage to USB external storage is greater capacity and faster transfer performance, even though SD cards are still faster than Blu-Ray Disc transfer.

AdrockNovember 09, 2012

I planned on expanding via SD Card if I absolutely needed to, but I should be okay. I am already planning on buying 2 eshop games which is weird for me: Trine 2 and Mighty Switch Force. Not full retail games though, no sir.

USB was always the better way to go for expansion, with a much higher maximum capacity and much lower cost per GB, but it would still be nice to be able to use SD as well, just to have options.

Mop it upNovember 09, 2012

This'll be nice, the 3DS demos have shown me a few games that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

Quote from: Fatty_The_Hutt

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.

Mop it upNovember 09, 2012

Quote from: MegaByte

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.

CericNovember 09, 2012

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.

Kytim89November 09, 2012

Quote from: Ceric

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.


Nintendo could always map the Gamecube ports to a USB adapter found on the front of the Wii U. Basically, the player would plug in a USB cable with four Gamecube ports on it into the front of the Wii U and be able to play Gamecube VC titles directly on the Wii U. Nintendo should have done this from the start of the first Wii instead of having actual ports. 

No you can't just "map" ports. You need software/firmware support.

Kytim89November 09, 2012

Quote from: MegaByte

No you can't just "map" ports. You need software/firmware support.


I meant via a firmware update, but I overlooked that in the writing.

Quote from: Ceric

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.

Quote from: Kytim89

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.

slim1980November 13, 2012

just talked to nintendo 1800-255-3700  to stop the rumer bout the sd card slot.there is one and u can buy sd cards u dont have to go get a usb one.

Got a news tip? Send it in!
Advertisement
Advertisement