I mean, it's nice that I'll have plenty of controllers next gen and all...but sheesh, these things are kind of a headache.

-For starters, they run on AA batteries, so that means more wasted money for several years. Moreso when you remember how thirsty the Wiimote gets, and how it actually drains battery life while idle (or off!).

-There's no on/off switch, so even just picking an episode of something on Netflix, it sits there all blue and on, wasting away battery after battery while you watch the latest Parks and Recreation.

-Sometimes it just won't work period. It'll have been calibrated and working fine for weeks on your same Wii, then suddenly decide to go into a blinking fit when you try to activate it.

-You have to turn it on to navigate the menu, even when using other controllers (like the Wavebird for SSB). This probably won't be a problem with the Wii U, but it sure bugs me now.

-Third parties feel limited by the WR+Nunchuk NOW, given the lack of an analogue stick. How can we play multiplayer titles that require more buttons on the Wii U? Not everyone's going to want to get 3+ Classic Controllers.

-I feel there'll always be an imbalance in multi, with one player getting the stand-out controller.

The more I think about it, the less I like it. Sorry to get all into negative mode, but for all its renovations and nifty aspects, the Wii Remote isn't perfect and it could certainly use some sprucing up for next gen. I probably go through a pair of batteries every week and a half. That's well over 50 in a year, which is pretty ridiculous for 2011 and beyond. I think the other part of it is that, unlike the software, I've been disappointed with Nintendo's hardware decisions ever since my Wii wiped itself out, and I kind of have to release this frustration somewhere.

Any thoughts?

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@Hinph

I've only played 3DS for a limited time at my local EB.

How good are the circle pads in comparison to say, the PSP one? I remember the PSP control being functional but far from ideal, esp. compared to 360/PS3 sticks.

I haven't spent a considerable amount of time with a PSP, so I'd have a hard time comparing. The circle pad on the 3DS certainly gets the job done, but it feels a lot looser than an analog stick.

The real test is going to be Super Mario 3D Land, I think.

@New Forms

It's definitely better than the PSP nub, but I prefer actual sticks to the 3DS disc.

@ploot

I do most of the time. I would go for awhile without using them and it would feel awkward for a bit. I also have younger siblings and cousins and any protection I can give the wiimotes is something I'd want to have while they are in the little ones' hands. I figure if buying batteries every week is an annoyance, buying wiimotes would be much worse.

I love the Nyko charge station though mine is a little picky when I want it to charge. It takes me a minute or so to get it to actually charge. It keeps telling me it's done charging when the wiimotes are less than full and I have to play with it for a bit till the light stays blue.

@Xbob42

Um, having to actually buy the batteries is a headache, yes. I don't use batteries. For anything. If something requires batteries, I either don't use it or don't buy it. "Manual" batteries are old-hat.

Ummmmmm...doesn't the PC you have contain an internal battery that helps run the system? Take it you don't use a cell phone either?

CB200 said:

@Xbob42

Um, having to actually buy the batteries is a headache, yes. I don't use batteries. For anything. If something requires batteries, I either don't use it or don't buy it. "Manual" batteries are old-hat.

Ummmmmm...doesn't the PC you have contain an internal battery that helps run the system? Take it you don't use a cell phone either?

[face_ohgodyoucan'tbeserious]

I very clearly stated "manual" batteries, batteries you have to change out, and regularly. I've never, in my entire life, had to change a motherboard's battery, or get a new cell phone battery.

Also, no, I don't have a cell phone now that you mention it, what a worthless device for me personally, all people tended to do was call and ask for money, ask me to pay bills or if I wanted to go get drunk. Considering I don't drink, will pay my bills when I damn well please, and don't feel like being nagged about giving money out to people who may or may not remember to pay it back, it was a totally useless device.

My iPod touch gives me all the useful functions without the useless cell phone bit. Yeuch. Also, I get permanent wi-fi as though I was on a cell phone thanks to my clearwire modem, so full net, too, for 5 delicious devices wherever I go!

@Xbob42

Still counts as a manual battery to me for the computer, but that would be splitting hairs at this point. It is still one you could very well have to change out, but grats on you being lucky enough not to have to, and hat you don't have a cell phone either.

**EDIT** Actually, serious question here...you don't have any flashlights or other devices that run on 'manual' batteries in your house that you would use in an emergency? Any carbon monoxide detectors, ceiling fan controllers, or things of that nature?

I agree. I was disappointed by Nintendo ditching motion controls without even fully exploring gameplay possibilities of such controllers. I was secretly wishing that Nintendo WiiU controller would be basically PlayStation Move without silly light bulbs or an expensive eye toy. Move is a lot more ergonomic than Wiimote+nunchuck, doesn't lack any of the standard analog and digital buttons of a Dual Shock 3, and is completely wireless/USB chargeable instead of relying on AAA batteries.The fact that they're ditching the pointer for a tablet controller says that Wii was only a gimmick that Nintendo themselves stopped believing in. They're forcing down our throats another gimmick and same old stagnant franchises, but now, with a different controller.

Nothanks.jpg

@gencid

Yeah, the whole "abandoning" the Wiimote things really does smack of Nintendo saying "yyeeeaaaahhh... this thing really wasn't all that great after all."

I don't believe Nintendo is going to completely eliminate the Wiimote - I think there will be a fair share of Wii U games that'll use 'em. But the fact that it's not the system's "main" controller does not instill faith in Nintendo's decision to create the Wiimote.

I don't think they're ditching them at all. I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of games where Wiimote is the main controller... Wiimote ONLY, I doubt but as the main controller for sure.

GameDadGrant said:

@gencid

Yeah, the whole "abandoning" the Wiimote things really does smack of Nintendo saying "yyeeeaaaahhh... this thing really wasn't all that great after all."

I don't believe Nintendo is going to completely eliminate the Wiimote - I think there will be a fair share of Wii U games that'll use 'em. But the fact that it's not the system's "main" controller does not instill faith in Nintendo's decision to create the Wiimote.

They have changed controller every generation. That's like saying that they thought the NES pad was a fail, or the N64 controller.

Why on Earth are you guys talking about Nintendo abandoning the Wii remote? Do you guys really think every game will be tablet-focused when you can only use one tablet at a time? For Smash Brothers, Mario Kart / Party / Sports, Wii Sports, New Super Mario Brothers, and well... all of their local multiplayer games, which is a huge percentage of Nintendo games?

Trust me, the WiiMotion Plus is still going to be huge on Wii U.

That's...not my idea of huge.


smash bros: better with cube controller
kart: no objections
sports games: sports games
party games: mini games
NSMB: basically a NES controller with shake
local multiplery games: only single player games count

If Zelda is not going to move motion controls forward, what will?

Cube191 said:

They have changed controller every generation. That's like saying that they thought the NES pad was a fail, or the N64 controller.

It's not really the same, though. Because even though the controllers have changed, they still retained the primary functions/innovations the previous controller had. After the NES, every new Nintendo controller had a d-pad. After SNES, every Nintendo controller had at least six buttons, including the shoulder buttons. After the N64, every Nintendo controller had an analog stick.

It wasn't until the Wii that Nintendo totally changed their strategy, and now their new controller doesn't do the major feature the previous generation's did.

Also, just to be clear - I don't think Nintendo will totally give up on the Wiimote. As I said in my post above, it just feels weird that an upgraded version of the Wiimote is not going to be the primary controller. The Wii U Tablet thing is a totally different controller.

I'm not necessarily talking about moving motion controls "forward" (who actually moves much of anything forward in the modern industry?) but just the support that they will have. I'm really not convinced that the tablet is going to be the "main" controller if you can only use one in your games. Nintendo especially pushes local multiplayer in ways that few other publishers do, and it is very clear that a large part of the success of the Wii was its local multiplayer games.

Now, I think the tablet controller will be used a lot at first, just because it is new and fresh and that is what developers will have to do to sell games. But I also expect to see a lot of WiiMotion Plus usage, and even more and more as the platform moves on and the "gimmick" of a new controller is no longer fresh.

Zeldas take three years each, it will be a while before the wii remote gets let out of whore purgatory. It could be effectively abandoned for one gen like this.

Skyward Sword might change up the game plan. Zelda games often change direction during development.

@GameDadGrant
In a lot of ways, though, their new controller DOES have Wiimote functionality. Just a different form factor.

@Renjaku 3? Well I guess TP came out under 4 years after Wind Waker (WW in March 2003, TP in Novemeber 2006), but then Skyward Sword will have come out 5 years after TP. I can't imagine a new Zelda coming out 3 years from now, given the jump to a new control scheme and the jump to a new graphical generation.

@Cube191

Until the wiimote, the Nintendo controllers were evolutions, not revolutions. I mean, sure, N64 controller looked odd, but it was perfect for 3D gaming at the time. WiiU should have seen an evolution of the wiimote beyond just having the WM+ built in. Why is it even called WiiU if motion controls aren't central to the system?

@Zero

I guess the whole WiiU unveil was confusing. It wasn't clear whether a wiimote would be included with the system or whether motion controls would play a significant role in the console. It was all about the tablet controller and some poor demonstrations of said controller. By "poor" I mean nothing that made me think "i need to have this".