Nintendo's Pre-E3 Brief

[gorcorps]

The Atari 2600 had a digital joystick (up, down, left, right is all it registered) and the Wavebird was the first official wireless controller. This is important because 3rd party wireless controllers often had horrible battery life.

They may have been the first to do it WELL, but that wasn't the point... he said nintendo was the first to do those things period which is just not true. There's a number of consoles that weren't that popular so they tend to be forgotten, but they actually did things first. Nintendo just took them and tried to make them better. I still hold that the N64 had a terrible controller regardless of the first popularized stick (it was loose and broke way too easily).

 

[BD2003]

That was the most shameful presentation I've ever seen.

 

[fustercluck]

I can't believe E3 is going on and I didn't even know it. Followed it pretty close in recent years.

 

[purbeast0]

wow just saw the NSMB.U edition...

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06...mario-bros-u-the-glory-of-the-flying-squirrel

i would think that is the wii if i didn't know any better. graphically does not look like anything impressive at all, other than maybe running HD.

it doesn't look bad by any means, just not nearly as good as i would have expected for a new console.

 

[BD2003]

wow just saw the NSMB.U edition...

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06...mario-bros-u-the-glory-of-the-flying-squirrel

i would think that is the wii if i didn't know any better. graphically does not look like anything impressive at all, other than maybe running HD.

it doesn't look bad by any means, just not nearly as good as i would have expected for a new console.

Yeah...same with pikmin and the other games they showed. Not graphically impressive AT ALL. This is how they come out of the gate? Really just a weak, awful showing in every way. No big new games either, just rehashes. I mean seriously, TWO new super Mario bros games? They've hardly put out anything for the Wii in years and that's all they have to show?

Nothing looks remotely like a system seller. I don't know what they're thinking...this is going to be an awful launch. I've slowly morphed from Nintendo fanboy to huge critic of theirs, and I was hoping they could turn it all around. A single new huge game like prime 4, a new Zelda, a new 3D Mario, or just something NEW could have had me jumping for joy, like nintendo is back!!

Right now, I see no reason to buy this garbage. By the time they have some "real" games in 2013, it's going to be all about the PS4 and the next Xbox.

For shame.

 

[hans030390]

Saw some actual gameplay of Zombi U. Looks like it has potential.

Unfortunately, I'm thinking the Wii U will have many of the same problems the Wii had. As cool as some of the features may be, I'm assuming 3rd party support will still gravitate around Sony and Microsoft. Doesn't help that the Wii U appears to be about as powerful as the PS3/360, meaning it'll be even harder to port multiplatform games over to it if the next PS/Xbox are much more powerful.

 

[Rage187]

Battery life of the controller is 3-5 hours, WTF?

 

[purbeast0]

Battery life of the controller is 3-5 hours, WTF?

is it rechargeable or needs batteries?

did they give a release date for wii u?

 

[Rage187]

is it rechargeable or needs batteries?

did they give a release date for wii u?

http://kotaku.com/5916047/oh-dear-the-wii-us-controller-battery-only-lasts-for-3+5-hours

 

[fustercluck]

http://kotaku.com/5916047/oh-dear-the-wii-us-controller-battery-only-lasts-for-3+5-hours

At least it's not like the Lynx or whatever that thing was (1995ish handheld with super low battery time)

Will just have to leave it in a re-charge station when you're done playing, unlikely anyone would play 3-5 hours in one session anyways.

On a side note, I'm surprised they haven't planned an Animal Crossing MMO yet, seems like such an obvious thing to make. All the gaming girls would flock to it and perhaps me too

 

[dagamer34]

If Nintendo really wanted to bring in the big bucks, all they'd need to say is "Pokemon MMO". Done.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Yeah...same with pikmin and the other games they showed. Not graphically impressive AT ALL. This is how they come out of the gate? Really just a weak, awful showing in every way. No big new games either, just rehashes. I mean seriously, TWO new super Mario bros games? They've hardly put out anything for the Wii in years and that's all they have to show?

Nothing looks remotely like a system seller. I don't know what they're thinking...this is going to be an awful launch. I've slowly morphed from Nintendo fanboy to huge critic of theirs, and I was hoping they could turn it all around. A single new huge game like prime 4, a new Zelda, a new 3D Mario, or just something NEW could have had me jumping for joy, like nintendo is back!!

Right now, I see no reason to buy this garbage. By the time they have some "real" games in 2013, it's going to be all about the PS4 and the next Xbox.

For shame.

I 100% agree with what you've said. What gets me is they hyped up their renewed 3rd party support and talked about how everyone loves the WiiU etc. Well, not one damn game was shown? Nothing, no trailers...it's like Nintendo doesn't want my money.

 

[zerocool84]

http://kotaku.com/5916047/oh-dear-the-wii-us-controller-battery-only-lasts-for-3+5-hours

Constant wireless connection transmitting data, screen always playing something, pushing on buttons constantly, plus you can't put in a huge battery because batteries are heavy and heavy controllers are not good. Doesn't seem too far off for what it does.

 

[ader098]

Yeah...same with pikmin and the other games they showed. Not graphically impressive AT ALL. This is how they come out of the gate? Really just a weak, awful showing in every way. No big new games either, just rehashes. I mean seriously, TWO new super Mario bros games? They've hardly put out anything for the Wii in years and that's all they have to show?

Nothing looks remotely like a system seller. I don't know what they're thinking...this is going to be an awful launch. I've slowly morphed from Nintendo fanboy to huge critic of theirs, and I was hoping they could turn it all around. A single new huge game like prime 4, a new Zelda, a new 3D Mario, or just something NEW could have had me jumping for joy, like nintendo is back!!

Right now, I see no reason to buy this garbage. By the time they have some "real" games in 2013, it's going to be all about the PS4 and the next Xbox.

For shame.

My thoughts exactly.
I thought Nintendo was going to come out swinging software wise but their line up is pathetic.
I was expecting at least a 3d Mario game to be shown.

Other than Pikmin 3 (which isn't really my cup of tea anyway) why should I invest hundreds of dollars in hardware that has pretty much been available for the last six years (PS360) and is going to be obsolete by next year?

Nintendo is banking to much on the tablet/controller gimmick and better hope their fans buy the Wii U at launch in droves because by next year not even Mario, Zelda or Metroid are going to save them from the hype of next-gen consoles.

Sigh.

Oh well, at least the next-gen systems will most likely be revealed next year so it shouldn't be too long of a wait.

 

[Monster_Munch]

The battery life of the controller isn't a problem for me as long as it comes with a long enough charging cable so you can still use it when it's dead.

 

[ViRGE]

That was the most shameful presentation I've ever seen.

Personally I thought it was better than Sony and Microsoft. Both of them spent their entire conferences talking about first/third person action games and then their pet projects (augmented reality and movies respectively). Nintendo actually bothered to show a variety of genres right away: platformers, strategy, etc. Not to say that it was a great conference (does anyone else get Nintendoland?) but at least they're trying. If you listened to Sony and Microsoft you'd think the only things hardcore gamers played were shooters.

I do wish we were getting more details on the hardware itself, but I can understand wanting to wait until later in the year (likely a Nintendo Space World conference).

 

[endlessmike]

I 100% agree with what you've said. What gets me is they hyped up their renewed 3rd party support and talked about how everyone loves the WiiU etc. Well, not one damn game was shown? Nothing, no trailers...it's like Nintendo doesn't want my money.

If their idea of 3rd party support is Wii U ports of games that are already (or soon to be) available for the other two current systems, what's the point?

I can play Assassins Creed III on my 360, or I can pay several hundred dollars to play Assassins Creed III on a Wii U, and maybe look at a map on my controller. Whee.

 

[BD2003]

Personally I thought it was better than Sony and Microsoft. Both of them spent their entire conferences talking about first/third person action games and then their pet projects (augmented reality and movies respectively). Nintendo actually bothered to show a variety of genres right away: platformers, strategy, etc. Not to say that it was a great conference (does anyone else get Nintendoland?) but at least they're trying. If you listened to Sony and Microsoft you'd think the only things hardcore gamers played were shooters.

I do wish we were getting more details on the hardware itself, but I can understand wanting to wait until later in the year (likely a Nintendo Space World conference).

Well, I have an entirely different set of expectations for a presentation that's the last of a console's life, and a launch.

Even if they did put a lot of focus on the big budget shooters, you can really see how far they're pushing the limits. They had a good range of stuff, even if the focus is on the big money shooters. Very little of that disappointed. It's safe in a lot of ways, but I wouldn't call what I saw from the big two lazy. They just need to sell you on a few games.

Nintendo had to sell you on a whole new system, a whole new concept. And they just didn't do it. There was nothing grandiose or inspirational about it. The wii was exactly that. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it after they showed wii sports. I can't think of any good reason to run out and buy a wii U. To buy another 2D Mario that looked like an high res wii game? A pikmin game that looked almost exactly like the one from 10 years ago? A new minigame collection skinned with their franchises? It was almost as if they don't even believe in themselves anymore.

It feels like they've lost all their mojo. Even if they didn't have something new and brilliant up their sleeves, they at least needed to show next gen versions of their old ideas, not something that looks barely improved.

I've always feared that their 6 year experiment in not keeping up with the rest of the industry and doing their own thing would eventually come back to bite them and leave them in a position where they're just not able to compete on the same level as everyone else...and that looks like exactly what's happened. Their teams clearly don't know how to take advantage of what is already outdated tech. Years of being sheltered in their own little bubble has held them back, and their window of opportunity here was so small, and they blew it.

I just don't know how they recover from this.

 

[cmdrdredd]

If their idea of 3rd party support is Wii U ports of games that are already (or soon to be) available for the other two current systems, what's the point?

I can play Assassins Creed III on my 360, or I can pay several hundred dollars to play Assassins Creed III on a Wii U, and maybe look at a map on my controller. Whee.

Yep and assassin's creed 3 is coming to PC too.

 

[mmntech]

The Atari 2600 had a digital joystick (up, down, left, right is all it registered) and the Wavebird was the first official wireless controller. This is important because 3rd party wireless controllers often had horrible battery life.

Okay, I didn't realize the Atari's stick was digital. BUT, analogue control goes right back to the beginning of gaming. Most controllers were analogue prior to the 2600, and for a long time after. Only really died out with the NES and its D-Pad.

 

[BD2003]

Okay, I didn't realize the Atari's stick was digital. BUT, analogue control goes right back to the beginning of gaming. Most controllers were analogue prior to the 2600, and for a long time after. Only really died out with the NES and its D-Pad.

I still have nightmares about those two little sliders near old analog sticks that you needed to tune it with.

 

[-Slacker-]

Didn't the first dual shock controller have 2 analogue sticks 2 years before the n64?

 

[Tom]

Nintendo should do what Microsoft and Sony can't..

embrace Apple.

 

[BD2003]

Didn't the first dual shock controller have 2 analogue sticks 2 years before the n64?

No, the dual shock was a response to the n64. Nintendo had one analog stick, Sony said yeah, we'll see your one stick, and raise you another! Sony is always reactive when it comes to controls. They didn't add triggers or go wireless till after the 360, didn't add sixaxis or have the move till after the wii.

Their next controller will probably have a screen in it.

 

[mmntech]

No, the dual shock was a response to the n64. Nintendo had one analog stick, Sony said yeah, we'll see your one stick, and raise you another! Sony is always reactive when it comes to controls. They didn't add triggers or go wireless till after the 360, didn't add sixaxis or have the move till after the wii.

Their next controller will probably have a screen in it.

Remember the original SIXAXIS that had no rumble? Anyway, Nintendo is going to have to do a lot to win me over. I'm intrigued about them winning back core gamers. My 3DS is collecting dust.