Just bought a Wii U. Surprisingly, there were no shortages.

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Also, it's not even funny how much more money I'd spent on virtual console games with the pro controller if they weren't tied to the hardware and would then also run on my 3DS. As in, all 5 NES mega man games on a whim as opposed to... nothing.
 
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My haul from yesterday. (Relax GAF, Mario 3D World was sold out in store and is being shipped to me next week). I also bought MonHun digitally alongside Earthbound, not pictured.

So far I was surprised how smoothly the update process took. Patching took less than an hour total, and the Wii->Wii U transfer was equally pretty fast...though downloading all my VC titles individually on Wii U was a tedious and irritating process with upwards of 50 games to re-download, at least two hours alone. Though you guys weren't kidding how embarrassing the VC offerings are on Wii U currently. Just a handful of NES and SNES games? WTF.

It's a precious little console with an ecosystem really tailored to a family environment. MiiVerse is humorous but I doubt I will give it much use. I am not at all sold on the Gamepad yet though. Off-TV play is needless for me given the atrocious battery life and image quality being far superior on my main TV. Most of the games don't require its use, and I got really annoyed having to get up during the Pikmin tutorial to swipe the screen on the charge cradle to scan the map for my objective despite using the WiiMote to play. (Hopefully I need not bother doing that again in the game).

Only Lego City requires the gamepad to play of all the purchases I have made. So put me in the anti-gamepad camp. I really wish they doubled-down on an improved Wiimote/Nunchuck combo and the Pro Controller instead of this second screen nonsense...

NSMB U has surprised me so far. I know lots of people compare it favorably to SMW, and I haven't played it deep enough yet to really consider it on that quality level, but I certainly am digging it more than the previous NSMB games.

Lego City is quite a step beyond prior Lego games, even the more recent Lego Marvel(which I just platinumed on PS4) feels like a stepdown over the immensity and quality of writing on display here. Very surprising.

70+ hours of MonHun played on 3DS, I am damn excited to finally give online a try in HD.

I threw in Pikmin 2 Wii to test out the WII emulation and to compare with Pikmin 3. Visually it's a massive step-up, looking forward to diving in more fully with the sequel...though I should play Pikmin 2 through fully first I guess. Never did play it much(outside of completing Pikmin 1 on GC).

Zombi U and Wonderful 101 are still in packaging.

Sonic Lost World demo really impressed me! Looks stunning and I loved exploring for red rings and secret paths in the demo level. Why is it so hated? Might pick it up after playing 3D World.

Thinking of trying out some eShop games. How are NanoAssault Neo and Mighty Switch Force Hyper/2? How is the Cave? I recall mediocre reviews, but the concept still intrigues me. Wii port good?

Good. Good. Welcome to the family.
I'm glad to see more people buying LEGO City: Undercover. It's wonderful, and pretty funny. In fact, I was just playing it earlier today.
 
I am seriously on the fence about buying a WII U, I am a PC gamer but I have always loved Nintendo, my last Nintendo console was the N64 (which I LOVED) and I have found myself being more drawn towards the WII U especially with the new Mario game.

I really want something that me and my wife can play together as well, she likes games, but is not really into the kind of games I play on PC (aside from the racing ones and stuff like Minecraft etc) but she loved Diddy Kong Racing back in the day and just loves anything Zelda or Mario related.

Is it a good time now to invest in a WII U? What kind of games would you recommend for an old school Nintendo fan? Are there any franchises such as Diddy Kong that look like they will be making a comeback on the WII U?

Donkey Kong and Mario Kart are hitting next year. Super Mario 3D World is the game of the year and Wind Waker got the HD remaster treatment.
 
I am seriously on the fence about buying a WII U, I am a PC gamer but I have always loved Nintendo, my last Nintendo console was the N64 (which I LOVED) and I have found myself being more drawn towards the WII U especially with the new Mario game.

I really want something that me and my wife can play together as well, she likes games, but is not really into the kind of games I play on PC (aside from the racing ones and stuff like Minecraft etc) but she loved Diddy Kong Racing back in the day and just loves anything Zelda or Mario related.

Is it a good time now to invest in a WII U? What kind of games would you recommend for an old school Nintendo fan? Are there any franchises such as Diddy Kong that look like they will be making a comeback on the WII U?

Mario Bunduru would come with a 2d Mario game in the box that you could play with your wife. Then you could look into things like Mario 3d World or Nintendo land. Pikmin 3 has some co-op modes as well.

Plus you'll be set with Mario Kart coming.
 
I am seriously on the fence about buying a WII U, I am a PC gamer but I have always loved Nintendo, my last Nintendo console was the N64 (which I LOVED) and I have found myself being more drawn towards the WII U especially with the new Mario game.

I really want something that me and my wife can play together as well, she likes games, but is not really into the kind of games I play on PC (aside from the racing ones and stuff like Minecraft etc) but she loved Diddy Kong Racing back in the day and just loves anything Zelda or Mario related.

Is it a good time now to invest in a WII U? What kind of games would you recommend for an old school Nintendo fan? Are there any franchises such as Diddy Kong that look like they will be making a comeback on the WII U?

Donkey Kong and Mario Kart are only a few months away. There is now Pikmin3 which will be a new franchise for you (since you skipped Gamecube) and i think it's perfect to play with your wife, it's very fun and has tons of flair. Since you didn't play Zelda WW either (also Gamecube), that is certainly something worth considering. There are also the two Mario games, and Rayman Legends.
 
I played Gamecube just never owned it, borrowed it when it first came out from a friend at the time so I could play RE remake and a few other games (die hard was one of them :-| lol)

Not played Pikimin but I must say it looks interesting and I have been dying to play Wind Waker for so long as well.

How does the COOP work on WII U then? Do you both use separate Touch screen controllers or does one use the pro the other use the gamepad?

Depends on the game. Some games work with P1 on gamepad, P2 on either Wiimote or pro controller. I think you can play Pikmin 3 both with pointer controls (wiimotes + nunchuck).
Edit: no games currently exist that use two gamepads (with touchscreen).
 
I have to say, after all the amazing screenshots of Pikmin 3, I'm pretty disappointed in the visuals while actually playing the game. It doesn't look nearly as good as the screenshots. I guess they are just taking from small snippets that show off some nice shaders and DoF. Still a cool game, but yeah, a little disappointed graphically. Also, the contrast seems kind of...low or something. It makes it look kind of washed out. I don't have that problem with other games.
 
I have to say, after all the amazing screenshots of Pikmin 3, I'm pretty disappointed in the visuals while actually playing the game. It doesn't look nearly as good as the screenshots. I guess they are just taking from small snippets that show off some nice shaders and DoF. Still a cool game, but yeah, a little disappointed graphically. Also, the contrast seems kind of...low or something. It makes it look kind of washed out. I don't have that problem with other games.

All the screenshots in the screenshot thread are in-game, 720p, just like the game outputs.

 
All the screenshots in the screenshot thread are in-game, 720p, just like the game outputs.

Like I said, most must just be taken from snippets in the game that show off the nice shaders and DoF. Like, take your screenshot. The creature beside the Pikmin looks great, but that's the only thing that looks good.
 
Like I said, most must just be taken from snippets in the game that show off the nice shaders and DoF. Like, take your screenshot. The creature beside the Pikmin looks great, but that's the only thing that looks good.

That's a screen taken on a frozen lake, with rock pikmin... there isn't much else than the one creature. People posting in the screenshot thread will try and post the nicest looking screens. That goes for all games, not just Pikmin. But everything is in-game... so...
 
Like I said, most must just be taken from snippets in the game that show off the nice shaders and DoF. Like, take your screenshot. The creature beside the Pikmin looks great, but that's the only thing that looks good.

This is probably true. I do challenge someone to take a bad screenshot from Zelda:WWHD though. Looks gorgeous.
 
That's a screen taken on a frozen lake, with rock pikmin... there isn't much else than the one creature. People posting in the screenshot thread will try and post the nicest looking screens. That goes for all games, not just Pikmin. But everything is in-game... so...

True. I was just disappointed when I thought I wouldn't be at all. Still a great game.

This is probably true. I do challenge someone to take a bad screenshot from Zelda:WWHD though. Looks gorgeous.

Haha, yeah, Zelda looks fantastic.
 
Ahh man your making me want to go and buy one right now!
As a Nintendo fan who hasn't owned one of the consoles since the N64, Wii U should please you. It has some great content from Nintendo already and some awesome exclusives otherwise. You also never had a Wii? I mean, you'll have to deal with the lack of HD but otherwise there's a quality library there as well; plenty of hidden gems but also Nintendo's own heavy-hitters.

Not to mention the Virtual Console, which is in a slow trickle as far as Wii U VC goes, but you still have access to most of the classics on the Wii Shop Channel in Wii Mode.

Jumping into Wii U is a great idea of a Nintendo fan returning to the Nintendo console realm.
 
I am seriously on the fence about buying a WII U, I am a PC gamer but I have always loved Nintendo, my last Nintendo console was the N64 (which I LOVED) and I have found myself being more drawn towards the WII U especially with the new Mario game.

I really want something that me and my wife can play together as well, she likes games, but is not really into the kind of games I play on PC (aside from the racing ones and stuff like Minecraft etc) but she loved Diddy Kong Racing back in the day and just loves anything Zelda or Mario related.

Is it a good time now to invest in a WII U? What kind of games would you recommend for an old school Nintendo fan? Are there any franchises such as Diddy Kong that look like they will be making a comeback on the WII U?

DK:TF is coming out next year, along with Mario Kart and Smash.

I'd say Pikmin 3 is pretty astounding as someone who had never really indulged in the series before.

and Wonderful 101 is an amazing action game that doesn't talk down to you, and takes time to get better at. If Bayonetta 2 is anything like the first one, it too will be pretty excellent.
 
Effort in porting takes time and more dev costs. Even Ubisoft won't do that...it was lucky enough that they didn't cancel the game on Wii U to begin with. Thankfully the game is pretty good on the Wii U even with the frame rate, at least it's consistently hovering around 22fps and not sporadic like Batman AC.

Keep in mind also that these Xbox 360 ports are not using the Wii U DSP for sound but wasting a CPU core for it, not using much or any edram of the Wii U but delegating things like texture fetching to the main system memory ala Xbox 360 (Xbox 360 coders have to do this since the system only has 10MB of edram). This makes these ports run inferior despite having usually better picture quality and no screen tearing due to the more modern/powerful GPU in the Wii U. It makes sense when you think about it.....better graphics......but worse performance?

If that is true then it explains a lot. It also explains why criterion, who took their time for the wiiu version of NFSMW, were able to produce much better results compared to the X360/PS3 version. They went and rewrote code to suit the CPU.
 
Hmmm worth waiting for a price drop on the Bunduruuuu you think? Or just going for it now? Not sure if there even will be a price drop considering it seems WII U is coming pretty strong next year in terms of first party stuff.

Is nintendo land any good?

Just depends. There have been a lot of one off sales over the Holidays putting the bundle at $250. You can always keep looking for one of those.

I know I got mine from the Ebay Cyber Monday deal. Others have had luck at places like Target for $250 for the bundles.

PS: The wait is killing me. While I ordered my Wii U on the Ebay deal it was considered a present as both my mom and fiancee said so. So they wrapped it up and stuck it under the family Xmas tree.
 
Whoops! Sorry, I meant combat!

Oh!
The combat is real time, yes.
It works based on cool downs. You're always fighting but everything outside of auto attack has a cool down. In fact, a lot of moves require you to position yourself in certain places (something that seems to be even more emphasized in X than Xenoblade).
untitlehddgs1s65.gif

avau04.gif
 
Oh!
The combat is real time, yes.
It works based on cool downs. You're always fighting but everything outside of auto attack has a cool down. In fact, a lot of moves require you to position yourself in certain places (something that seems to be even more emphasized in X than Xenoblade).
untitlehddgs1s65.gif
]

Oh God yes....the hours of gameplay, I can see it now....
 
Oh!
The combat is real time, yes.
It works based on cool downs. You're always fighting but everything outside of auto attack has a cool down. In fact, a lot of moves require you to position yourself in certain places (something that seems to be even more emphasized in X than Xenoblade).
untitlehddgs1s65.gif

avau04.gif

This game is going to be fucking amazing.
 
Wait, has there actually been confirmation by Nintendo themselves that this is an online multiplayer game?

In the first trailer, it showed a chat box.
Dunno why else it would have a chat box if it wasn't online.
Outside of that, Nintendo really hasn't said a damn thing about the game. Just the two trailers.
 
Definitely going to get a WiiU sometime next year. Prices will be rock bottom, so that's not a concern. My only concern is whether they're going to come out with a revision to the Gamepad. I really don't like it as is, having used it a few times. I'd rather get a version without it or with a redesigned gamepad. I just want access to those glorious games...

However if they take the gamepad out it's not like it'll drop in price by that much more, so that shouldn't be an issue. The only issue really is whether there'll be a revision. I'd lean towards no, so I guess I should really bite the bullet.

The big question then is what games to buy. I'm thinking Mario 3D World, Pikmin and Wonderful 101. That's good genre coverage right there.
 
Oh!
The combat is real time, yes.
It works based on cool downs. You're always fighting but everything outside of auto attack has a cool down. In fact, a lot of moves require you to position yourself in certain places (something that seems to be even more emphasized in X than Xenoblade).
untitlehddgs1s65.gif

avau04.gif

Where are this gifs from? I've never seen those! Did they by chance release a new trailer or something?
 
In the first trailer, it showed a chat box.
Dunno why else it would have a chat box if it wasn't online.
Outside of that, Nintendo really hasn't said a damn thing about the game. Just the two trailers.

First thing I assumed was that it was AI/NPC talk with an MMO style box, that's just what popped into my mind though. Don't know much about MMOs.
 
First thing I assumed was that it was AI/NPC talk with an MMO style box, that's just what popped into my mind though. Don't know much about MMOs.

Well, going by Xenoblade, that seems unlikely. Especially given that the usernames aren't names that a character would be. (monibur1 being one of them)
 
The big question then is what games to buy. I'm thinking Mario 3D World, Pikmin and Wonderful 101. That's good genre coverage right there.

These 3 games are top-tier games. Coincidently, I've just mentioned here at home after playing SM3DW that the Wii U is worth a purchase even if you are only going to play these 3 games. But, if you like survival horrors, buy ZombiU. It is obscenely cheap nowadays and it is a great experience. Probably the best use of the Gamepad so far. There is also Lego City, MoHun 3U, loads of titles on the eShop, Wind Waker if you haven't played it or is a Zelda fan and more.

The reveal in January and at E3. That's all we got.


Thanks guys!
 
Today Ive been playing Mario 3D and figured i should break for lunch, so i pause the game, hit the TV remote, choose a show from the guide and eat some food. Now i jump into GAF in the browser to post this and im about to go back into Mario all whilst just using the gamepad with Mario just waiting in the background. I dont think it really dawned on me how amazing the Gamepad is as a console interface till right now. i really hope they dont ditch it in future.
 
Today Ive been playing Mario 3D and figured i should break for lunch, so i pause the game, hit the TV remote, choose a show from the guide and eat some food. Now i jump into GAF in the browser to post this and im about to go back into Mario all whilst just using the gamepad with Mario just waiting in the background. I dont think it really dawned on me how amazing the Gamepad is as a console interface till right now. i really hope they dont ditch it in future.

They need to ditch it. It's dragging the console down by forcing the price up. Everything you did I can do with a Pro controller and an iPad. Or at the very least offer a version of the console that doesn't ship with it.
 
Today Ive been playing Mario 3D and figured i should break for lunch, so i pause the game, hit the TV remote, choose a show from the guide and eat some food. Now i jump into GAF in the browser to post this and im about to go back into Mario all whilst just using the gamepad with Mario just waiting in the background. I dont think it really dawned on me how amazing the Gamepad is as a console interface till right now. i really hope they dont ditch it in future.

Yeah its a great feature that I hope they build on no matter how the console does.
 
Today Ive been playing Mario 3D and figured i should break for lunch, so i pause the game, hit the TV remote, choose a show from the guide and eat some food. Now i jump into GAF in the browser to post this and im about to go back into Mario all whilst just using the gamepad with Mario just waiting in the background. I dont think it really dawned on me how amazing the Gamepad is as a console interface till right now. i really hope they dont ditch it in future.

I am sitting with my wife on the couch while she watches tv i am surfing gaf, miiverse and playing toki tori on the gamepad. oh so good.
 
This game is going to be fucking amazing.

Oh yes, since it's a WiiU game I hope that means they use the gamepad to organize quest information, collectibles, maybe throw in a notetaking system, and stuff like that, things that could take the clunkiness out of a JRPG. Although heavy gamepad use could make future Oceanic endeavors more challenging to implement, but since we're in HD now things like resolution shouldn't be as bothersome as they were with Xenoblade ;-)
 
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