We are unable to provide a full, scored review of the Wii U console as of this moment due to the inability to test out the online and TV control features of the platform in time for posting. Those features will be patched into the system by the time you read this (and the system goes in sale in North America), but during our week and a half with the console, we were limited to offline play with certain features inaccessible.
In lieu of a final review, here is our review-in-progress, which goes over the system hardware and controller, the available bundles, and several of the launch games. We will follow up with a completed review with score and verdict early this week.
After placing third in a console generation with the GameCube, Nintendo showed that it was no longer willing to compete strictly on software with the 2006 launch of the Wii. The platform proved a phenomenon thanks to its motion controls, ease of use, and low price point, and while it may not have held sway with core gamers for long, the Wii showed that Nintendo could still work wonders with innovation.
The Wii U is the next step, and like its predecessor, it's something different from the pack. A brand new standalone console, the Wii U may initially offer graphics power comparable to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, both of which have been on the market for several years, but that's not its main selling point.
What sets the platform apart is its focus on the new Wii U GamePad, a large amalgamation of a traditional controller and a tablet, featuring a 6.2-inch touch display that can work in tandem with what's being shown on your TV.
It's the center of the Wii U experience – a single, wireless input device that includes a bit of everything. In addition to the large screen, it includes two analog sticks, a directional pad, eight input buttons, a front-facing camera, and an NFC (Near Field Communication) sensor. It can even control your television.
And much as the GamePad is designed to supplement your big-screen games, whether as a standard controller, a screen for map and inventory info, or one of many other inventive uses, it can also work independently from the TV. Turn on the console and GamePad, and many titles can be played entirely from the small screen, even in another room – though range varies wildly, as we'll discuss.
The Wii U ships with a single GamePad, and while future games may support two, none do as of now – and they're not sold separately. Multiplayer games still utilize the last console's wand-like Wii Remotes and Nunchuk attachments, plus the new Wii U Pro Controller bears a striking resemblance to an Xbox 360 controller.
Beyond the innovative GamePad, the Wii U in most other ways seems intent on rising to the level of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. While the Wii was a smashing success, its lack of high definition output – plus graphics technology barely above that of the previous generation of consoles – dated it quickly as HDTV sales surged and streaming media took off.
Early Wii U launch titles look very similar to current games on the other home consoles – in part because many of the launch titles are top games from other systems, albeit with modifications and enhancements. For Nintendo's part, the company has finally ushered some of its franchises into high definition with New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land.
And the Wii U is clearly positioned as the center of your digital universe. Apps for Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and YouTube will be activated in the coming weeks, while the GamePad can be programmed to control your TV. In December, Nintendo TiVii will be added to the console, allowing users to track and find their favorite media across services, as well as interact with TiVo boxes.
Considering its myriad parts, the Wii U seems to offer a mix of the new and novel and the old and familiar – but what is its worth to both owners of other current game consoles as well as those looking to upgrade from the Wii? And do its initial game offerings warrant early adoption, or should curious parties wait and see how it takes hold in the market?
Written by Dilusha
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