In trying to think of ways to promote the Wii U within the limits of Nintendo's crazy policy on demos, I found myself thinking about the DS/3DS Download Play. If a person has a game, they can send a demo or multiplayer version of the game to a friend so they can play together. This could be a interesting feature for the Wii U to drum up community and interest in titles. For example:
Mario Kart 8 - Download a version that lets you play as a Mii in a standard kart or bike to race against your friend in a private online match on the first two cups. They can be limited to the two lap version of the demo stand.
Smash Bros - Be able to have 1 on 1 battles with a friend using a Mii.
Splatoon - Play a basic deathmatch mode with only a single character like Metroid Prime: Hunters allowed.
Formally called brewsky before becoming the lovable, adorable Yoshi.
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Download play is intended to play multiplayer games locally, which the the Wii U can easily handle....
I realize that, but with the Wii U it could be used to give people a online experience with friends and family at a decent cost while allowing people to sample a small part of a game.
If I remember correctly, Nintendo Channel turned your Wii into a demo kiosk for Nintendo DS to offer demo downloads. What I am thinking of is a single copy, multiplayer play option between consoles. Put out a free version of the game that lets the user play a limited multi-player version with a full version owner online. It wouldn't be the full game nor would it work unless they were playing with someone with the full copy of the game. But you don't have to drag someone across town (or across the country) to get that co-op with friends experience.
Restrict them to 10 friends on their list or some other way to keep it from being abused, but open up the console so that those people that may have the console plus a game can taste more.
No but Wii U's owners problem is that Wii U owners can be few and far between.
Yes. And the problem is not solved by "Download Play" since one needs a WiiU for downloading a game and playing it...
Not entirely, but it does make the product more appeal when someone can purchase a console and start playing games with friends and family at some level. I would wager money that Tank! Tank! Tank! DL edition and Zen Pinball FX2 (especially if they would get around to adding the free table everyone else gets to the Wii U) were the two most downloaded pieces of eShop software followed by the 12 games that were put on sale for at $0.30. Take an old Nintendo IP and release a free to play game on the console, heck update Clubhouse Games and release it for free to anyone that buys a Wii U. At least there is something.
I am not even opposed to letting people have the Kiosk experience at home via a Nintendo Channel interaction, but Nintendo needs to do something to add appeal to the console. Sony and Sega did something right when their pack-in was a demo that sampled all of their first party offerings. Right now first time purchasers of the console should be able to play Pikmin 3, Mario Kart 8, Super Mario 3D World and Wonderful 101 up to a point and then have their progress transfer to the full game upon purchase.
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Topic: Download Play for Wii U
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