With Microsoft and Sony both letting everyone know early on that they had no intention of revealing any hardware this year, the most anticipated press conference in most people’s mind was Nintendo’s. With the upcoming release of the Wii U all eyes were on Nintendo to see if they could clear up some of the confusion that still lingered from last year’s reveal. In addition to that, millions of fans were eager to see if Nintendo could finally make good on their promise to bring hardcore gamers back into the fold. Shigeru Miyamoto kicked things off with a pre-recorded video complete with computer animated Pikmin invading his dressing room. Once he actually made it to the stage, the typical Nintendo quirkiness started and didn’t stop until the lights went out. Not literally, the lights were technically still on but their time was over… you know what I’m saying?
Miyamoto opened the press conference on a strong note unveiling the new Pikmin for the Wii U. His enthusiasm and love for the franchise was easy to see and by the time he was done speaking, I almost forgot about my doubts surrounding Nintendo’s new system. After the Pikmin announcement was over however, Reggie Fils-Aime took the stage and the dark cloud of doubt returned.
It’s no secret that Nintendo is in a precarious position in the console race right now and Reggie Fils-Aime wasted little time in assuring everyone that the Wii U was a console that would put them back on (or near) the top; claiming that the Wii U would “change your life”. I don’t know how much of that will wind up being true but it does look like the Wii U will offer staple apps like Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the like. These are all things that most any electronic device can give you access to but it’s nice to see Nintendo finally getting on the boat.
Specifics about the actual touch-screen controller were finally talked about in length and it has undergone some physical changes since last E3. Nothing super exciting, just a few tweaks here and there but for those who have been following all the Wii U news, it’s probably worth noting. The actual in game use of the controller actually looks to be working just fine but there wasn’t a whole lot of innovation for it outside of what we already expected such as the screen acting as a mini map or inventory screen. There was also a large focus on the advantage of the Wii U controller in playing games against others who are using the traditional Wii controllers. Whoever will be using the Wii U controller will obviously play a different role than the others but exactly how many people will still want to mess with the old Wii controllers after purchasing a Wii U is yet to be seen.
As far as the actual games go, Mario was the star of the show. There were a few other games announced like Scribblenauts Unlimited and a special “Armored Edition” of Batman: Arkham Citywhich will add Wii U exclusive armor for Batman and Catwoman along with some extra missions; but the focus on software was squarely on Mario. Super Mario Brothers U looks like it will retain everything we loved about Super Mario Brothers Wii with the expected addition of some new powers ups and touch-screen functionality. With all the love we have for Mario not withstanding, I think Nintendo would have been well served to highlight some of the third party titles to assuage the fears of those of us who are afraid the Wii U will not cater to the more “hardcore gamer”. Unfortunately, games like Darksiders 2, Aliens: Colonial Marines and Mass Effect 3 were relegated to miss-it-if-you-blink snippets in a video reel to highlight said games. It’s nice to know games like this will be available on the system but one can’t help but be concerned with how much love these titles will get from Nintendo.
The Wii balance board also got some time in the spotlight with its role in the newly announced Wii Fit U. if you weren’t a fan of the original Wii Fit then you probably won’t be impressed with its next iteration on Nintendo’s new system. Besides the ability to continue your training regimen on the controller when the TV is being used for other things, it still looks pretty standard. On a more positive note though, the announcement was accompanied by one of the worst commercials in recent memory. You may not use the balance board for working out but you’re bound to lose a few pounds laughing at the terrible actors selling the thing. Wait… did I say the commercial for Wii Fit U was the worst? On second thought, why not check out the one used for Nintendo’s new game, Sing? I think you’ll enjoy the forced smiles and awkward dance moves of the participants as they advertise another lame looking music party game.
The 3DS also got a little love with the announcement of some new games but again, Mario was the scene stealer as not only one but two new Mario games were announced: New Super Mario Brothers 2 and Paper Mario Sticker Star. A few third party titles were announced like the new Castlevania and Epic Mickey games but again, their presence in the show was fleeting.
Lego City Undercover was also announced and it actually looks promising. It will be interesting to see Traveler’s Tales take on the Lego universe without the addition of an established entertainment property.
Ubisoft’s Yves Guillemot then took the stage to announce the inevitable Just Dance 4 while being accompanied by some dancers who looked a little too happy to be there. The most interesting announcement though, came in the form of the Wii U exclusive Zombie U. It may sound like a zombie themed college game but it actually looks to be an intense and horrific first person survival horror experience. The Wii U controller looks like it will be used in some interesting ways on this one and Zombie U could definitely be a system seller for some people.
The rest of the show was used to highlight Nintendo’s NintendoLand which looks like it will consist largely of mini games inspired by famous Nintendo characters. Color me unimpressed.
After the show was over I couldn’t help but be a little concerned for Nintendo’s current position in the console world. It seems in large part that the Wii U is Nintendo’s way of finally catching up to current gen hardware. In any other case this would be good news but Microsoft and Sony are prepping for their new consoles and when that happens, Nintendo will be left once again supporting a console with outdated hardware. The gimmick of the touch-screen controller is an interesting addition but as we’ve seen with the original Wii, a cool gimmick can only take you so far. Another point of concern for me was the limited coverage of “hardcore” games. The Wii U has been touted as the system to bring the core gamers back to Nintendo but when the bulk of your press conference is used to cover party games and mini game collections, you have to wonder how “hardcore” this system will be. It’s nice to see games like Batman: Arkham City find a home on the Wii U but by the time it releases; it’s hard to imagine that anyone who really wanted to play the game will have not done so already. Nintendo may have a large built in fan base from the Wii but how many of those (largely casual) gamers will be willing to buy a new system to play games they could have played already on any other system? I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.
Couple all that with the fact that Reggie Fils-Aime is being vague on what he considers a “launch” title and the fact that we still haven’t received a price point for the system, the jury is still out on what the impact of the Wii U will be. As a video game fan, I will also root for Nintendo’s success but after their press conference, I don’t know if I’m yet ready to hitch my wagon to the Wii U star.
