While some developers are certainly guilty of underusing the Wii U GamePad, that criticism can't be laid at the feet of the team behind Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The forthcoming fighter will make robust use of the unique controller, not only during battle but in-between brawls as well.
During normal play it will be possible to use the controller's screen for off-TV play, but you can also toggle it to display the damage levels of all of the combatants. With this feature, it's possible that you may wish to stand the GamePad next to the TV set so that all participants can easily see how much damage they've taken.
Smash Bros. will also make use of the GamePad's built-in microphone for voice chat — although to ensure that connection speeds remain fast, this will be limited to those moments before and after fights.
The GamePad's screen will also be used in conjunction with the screenshot mode to create paintings which you'll be able to send to friends at a later date — Nintendo is planning a big update which will enable sharing of various elements in the game.
Finally, there's the stage builder mode, which uses the GamePad's touchscreen to allow players to dream up their own unique stages. Again, these will eventually be shareable after Nintendo issues the aforementioned update.
How do you feel about the GamePad being used in this fashion? Do you think it's a step in the right direction, or could Nintendo have possibly done more? Sound off by leaving a comment below.
Comments 38
Stage builder looked massively improved.
Sharing stages will be excellent.
I'm excited for the Stage Builder. I can't possibly imagine how much I'll be using it. In Brawl, half the time I spent playing the game was creating stages because it's so much fun. In Smash Wii U, I may even spend much more time in the stage builder!
Too bad you can't chat with an ally during the fight :<
I don't know why other games can't do this, instead they force you to buy a headset.
Might as well not have voice chat at all if its not available during battles:/
for all of the people who are being stupid about voice chat just get skype!! Shesh!
I don't like to voice chat with strangers, and since none of my buds will get the game, I'm turning it off,
@The_Ninja It's only for friends anyway. Hope you don't have strange friends
@InfernoUprising f*** skype! i can voice chat with friends during matches of Black Ops 2, this should be no different. It is a feature of the damn console after all!
Shesh!
Good, I would rather hear the music then a bunch of dudes.
Stage builder = Point for game pad
@Damo Wow, you guys are quick to write up this stuff! Impressive dedication.
And the Direct was awesome. Surely if anything can sell the WiiU, it has to be this.
The stage builder looks great, there were just so many awesome announcements to have a favorite but this one is definitely up there.
The way the Gamepad was used to draw the stages was one of the most impressive display of use of the Gamepad yet.
The stage builder looks truly excellent. It's far improved over Brawl's. I'll definitely be using it way more than I used brawl's.
I can't wait to try out the stages that everyone will make since I'm no creative designer when it comes to ideas.
I'm so glad that the stage builder was greatly improved. Now I'll make sure that my stages are perfect!
I wonder if the stage builder will have features and decorations not found on any actual stage. I hope it does. My use of it will grow exponentially if I can build unique-looking settings.
Anyway, THE HYPE IS REAL!
Looks like they plan to get full use out of the gamepad, which is good. Not too sure how many of these features I will use but I like having the option to use it.
Stage builder was highlight of the ND for me, voice chat was the most shocking as I was sure Nintendo forgot the Gamepad had a mic. And Im ok w/ it being limited to friends, I have 2 kids to think of, and I bet they patch in consistent gameplay voice later on after they see how the servers hold up (see Sonys DriveClub disaster).
So @damo, just how many of those 50 things seemed like they would be patched in later? Seems like the word "later" came up several times, even if "update" and "patch" werent actually used. Oh yeah, now Nov 21 is officially official, no please understand tonight ;--)
I'm not much of a voice chat person, but it's really great that they've added this feature. I did use voice chat a couple of times for Mario Kart 8 with friends, so I just might use it here.
Game of the decade. So much content, I'm flabbergasted.
I don't care about voice chat but I'm excited for the stage builder.
Awesome... Just awesome
Man... They always make up excuses... Its 2014 get on the ball or get rolled over. No chat during, only in the character select. Saying it lagged up the game if i heard correctly. The voice thing is major these days, forget using apps when the system should be capable. I use to do that stuff with GE and MHT3. If other games on the wii u can use it chat through out the game then this is no exception. Im sorry but you failed hard on that one my friends, so hard.
Awesome!
Really with this? So they're willing to do voice chat in public matches lobbies in Super Smash Bros, but not in Mario Kart 8? That's BS!
I demand an update to MK8 to allow voice chat in public match lobbies now!
@Sakura We try our hardest
Voice chat sounds great as does the stage creator.
Now if i only cared about the Smash Bros. games.
Voice chat during matches can't be that difficult to implement. I don't see it being a huge problem on other platforms. On the bright side, 8 player Smash and Stage Builder have me excited.
Stage building on the GamePad, yes!
And thank goodness you can't chat during a brawl. I would hate everything if I had to listen to people yak online while I'm killing them. I get enough of talkers in Monster Hunter, and remove them from my room every time they come in making noise that no one wants to hear.
@rjejr @damo I only heard "later" for the Miiverse stage, content sharing and Mewtwo character. EDIT: Tourneys/Tournaments also later.
YAY! This is always what I wanted! Cool uses of the GamePad. The GamePad alone makes the whole sharing experience convenient and possible.
@jariw @damo - I was just about to type, "Really, just those 3, seemed like more." and then you go and ad another. It probably is just those 4 those, and Mewtoo doesn't really count as a feature, he's just DLC so no big deal to me (my kids can't wait though), but it makes it look like they REALLY wanted this out for the holidays to leave out tourneys, sharing and Miiverse integration.
So can we finally kick "a delayed game can be good, a bad game is bad forever" to the curb now? Maybe change it to "an on time game can be patched later, missing Black Friday is a no-no".
Oh, and w/ those 4 things coming later maybe Christmas 2015 Nintendo can release it's first "GOTY" ed w/ those 3 features on disc and Mewtoo on the cover so everyone who buys it can get him? They do patches and paid DLC now, might as well do re-releases as well.
Oh, funny thought I had this mornig - Nintnedo first announced this as "Winter 2014" before changing it to "Holiday 2015" but now it's coming out in "Fall 2014". Though I suppose Nov 21 is close enough to T-day to still be "holiday". They did miss a marketing opportunity though - "SSB U in Autumn 2014, with 8-player battles fighters will be falling like leaves!". Trust me, it would be funny if that announcer said it.
Thanks for counting those for me, I was going to do it when I re-watched the vid w/ my kids last night but they were busy playing the Pokemon ASOR demo, we'll watch it today after school. And not get SSBU until Christmas b/c ASOR releases the same day and they'll be busy for a month trying to catch them all. Maybe all the patches - minus Mewtoo - will be in by then?
I love the gamepad display. I'm going to bring my wiiu to work for lunch smashing sessions and i love that i can use my 3ds as a controller so i dont have to bring wiimotes for coworkers.
Great. Didn't they pull this same crap with Mario kart 8? So dumb. It can't be that hard to have voice chat while playing online.
STAGE BUILDER. I already have a page of sketches!
Voice Chat: Can't be used during the game due to with connection issues ...but ..shouldn't there be an..op... Bah. I'm not an expert on how this works. Just glad for it to be there.
Stage Builder! Not only improved but is actually using the game pad. Sweet.
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