Wii U: hands-on with Nintendo's new touch-screen controller

Battle Mii

This is the same general idea as Chase Mii, with TV players battling against one on the controller. This time, however, it’s two on the ground trying to take down a floating starship that’s powered by the controller player. As with Chase Mii, this is a straightforward idea that’s remarkably fun given its simplicity. Interestingly, Battle Mii employed a slight Metroid aesthetic, with morph balls and Chozo-like armor.

Would it be enough for a whole game? Maybe… and considering Wii Play, a collection of motion minigames, sold a tardillion copies, I wouldn’t be surprised if both Battle and Chase Mii appeared on a similar compilation disc. Or perhaps a Wii Sports style pack in?

The controller itself!

OK… so this thing has a million potential ideas at work, but at some point it must provide basic button and stick-based controls for games that fit the “traditional” mold. And on that front, I’m not sold on this new device. Notice the placement of the face buttons – below the right analog stick! Every other controller places those buttons above the right stick, and with good reason; it’s far easier to slide your thumb up and hit them than move back down the pad.

Imagine playing something like Darksiders II, Assassin’s Creed or Arkham City (all confirmed games for Wii U) with that layout. It doesn’t feel right at all. Cause for concern for sure, but then again, this thing is over a year away – it’s entirely likely the next time we see Wii U it’ll be revised or altered in some way. Remember the boomerang PS3 controller? Within a year it was back to the DualShock we know and love.

Above: Moving to hit those face buttons also made the upper trigger/bumper button hard to reach

Overall, the demos on display were a great sample of the possibilities Wii U presents, but a handful of actual games would have helped seal the deal. When Wii was revealed in 2006, Nintendo provided hands-on opportunities with several titles right away, including Super Mario Galaxy – something on that level at E3 2011 would have been preferred, but for now, all I can say is I’m interested in the concepts yet need more info to make a decision.

The one full game I did see was Ubi’s Killer Freaks From Outer Space, which we covered here. I saw this demo firsthand, where you use the controller screen to look around and aim instead of using the right analog stick. Ubi claimed great precision and immersion with this approach, but honestly the idea of playing through an entire FPS standing up, spinning in place for minutes or hours on end isn’t something I’m immediately taken with. As with everything else regarding Wii U, I need to see and play more.

It’s definitely another major shakeup, just like the DS and Wii before it. Will it enjoy the same level of success? We won’t know (or even have enough info to judge) for another year at least.

Based on what’s in this article, what’re your thoughts?

Jun 9, 2011