Hi,

Just wanted some info!

We have some wooden lodges we rent out and want to put the new Wii U in for the kids to use. The only concern is the gamepad, with experience I don't think it will last long in a rented accommodation situation and I imagine it is pretty expensive to replace.

I was thinking about buying the Wii U package, selling the gamepads and using standard old remotes. I presume the old games will work fine without the new gamepad, but will the new ones still play without it?

Thanks.

Wiimote compatibility varies from game to game but many of the current Wii U titles do not use them. If in doubt, have a look in a game store - each title says on the back what controllers it supports.

You are probably going to miss out on about 95% of the Wii Us library if you sell the Gamepad. Besides, i don't think anyone is going to buy a Gamepad considering you can, at the moment, only connect one Gamepad.

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Also keep in mind that the Eshop can only be browsed with the Gamepad.

How does the e-shop work? Would customers have to log in with an account and if so, do you have to enter a password each time you use it? Otherwise customers could potentially forget to sign out and others may use their account?

Thanks, Tim

You can check on the back of Wii U game boxes to see whether they require the GamePad or not, but I can't think of a single one right now that doesn't need it. If you're just going to use old games with Wii Remotes you might as well go for the Wii instead of the Wii U as it would be much cheaper.

EDIT:

As far as I know, despite all of Nintendo's talk of accounts, eShop purchases are still tied to the console rather than someone's account.

Thinking about it, I'm not even sure it's possible to use the Wii U's main menu without a GamePad. I don't actually own one yet so I don't know for sure, does anyone else know for sure?

You are seriously generous I wouldn't leave anything like that in my rented place if I had one. I wouldn't buy a Wii u just to sell the gamepad thats just stupid it's like selling half the console.
Just don't buy one for people that are staying at your wooden huts, if it's a holiday home kids shouldn't be sitting at the tv playing games anyway the family should be out doing stuff.

You can, yes, it can be used the same way as the Wii menu.

Have to say I thought the same but to each their own...

I think it's safe to say that a lot of the Wii U's functionality will be lost without the Gamepad and equally that it's unlikely to last long in the hands of holidaymakers so it will be a rather expensive bonus item to keep replacing.

If you're going to get any kind of console I'd probably look into one of those flashback things that are a controller that connects to the TV and has built in games. Loads cheaper to replace - remember you're providing an indoor diversion like a pack of cards for when it rains - not a game room!

I know you can turn on the console and load a game using just the Pro Controller but I don't know about Wii Remotes. You need to press X to get the TV screen from the Wara Wara Plaza and onto the standard game select screen.

You can also click the tab in the corner of the screen with the wiimote. From there on, as I said, it functions just the same as the Wii menu. Some of the other bits though, such as Miiverse, eShop and the settings you do need a gamepad for.

Actually, while we're on the subject, does anyone know how to rearrange apps and games with the gamepad? I've only managed to do this with the wiimote so far.

how to rearrange apps and games with the gamepad?

the 3DS method... select an icon and keep "pressing" it until it undocks and then you can move it to another slot.

I don't have a 3DS but that sounds like what I tried and it kept loading the game/application. I guess I'll try again next time I'm bored - they're all where I want them thanks to the wiimote anyway.

Yeah cornishlee, just hold your finger on the icon and it shouldn't load if you are just pressing it down, then you can drag it around to where you want.

More money than sense!

Don't buy a WiiU for people renting your properties.
Not worth the money or the hassle when things are damaged imo

Just get a Wii with Wii Sports, or Mario Kart, and an extra remote set. I don't really know exactly what you're planning to do exactly, but the Wii U kind of needs the Gamepad.

I'm sorry but without the game pad the wiiu is essentially worthless.. Most interactions with the os itself requires it. He'll boot up alone will pop up with the menu on the game pad itself..

The game pad is cool...