GamePad News, GamePad Features

Hackers successfully emulate the controller on a PC

The developers responsible for the Dolphin emulator have successfully reverse-engineered the Wii U GamePad, shedding light on exactly how the piece of tech works. The hackers found that Nintendo is using custom protocols to beam information from the pad to the console (and back), which discounts...

Is the Wii U's controller a revolution or evolution for gaming?

For a number of Wii U early adopters here on Nintendo Life, there have now been plenty of opportunities to try out a variety of games, incorporating various styles and genres while giving us a good glimpse of what the system's GamePad controller is capable of doing. After the Wii...

Desperate times call for desperate measures?

We've all been there. At some point over the past few months we've all had one person (or perhaps several) ask "What's the difference between the Wii U and the Wii, and why on earth should I get one?" Many seem to think it's associated with the original Wii, instead of an entirely new console altogether...

Nintendo's Senior Managing Director also talks dual GamePad support

Super Mario creator and Nintendo Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed a little more about his company's plans for the Wii U console, and NFC features quite heavily. Speaking with Polygon, Miyamoto stressed that NFC is going to happen in a big way on the Wii U:...

Certainly rings a bell

Last year we were graced with the Droid X360, a Chinese-made clone of the PS Vita which runs Google's Android operating system. This year, we've got another copycat device which shares more than a few similarities with the Wii U GamePad - it even has the same name. The JXD S7300 GamePad 2 has a 7-inch capacitive screen, a...

Just put a map on it?

We reported over the weekend that those who purchase Watch_Dogs for the Wii U would get the same experience as copies of the game sold on other platforms, and now developer Ubisoft is thinking on how to implement the games features on the GamePad. Speaking with

It's vital to maintain the two-screen experience, says Capcom

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate producer Ryozo Tsujimoto has revealed that the Wii U version of the game will not support off-TV play. Speaking to Joystiq, Tsujimoto explained that the reasoning behind the move was to maintain the all-important two-screen experience: We don't have that...

UPDATE: Actually, it's the Pro Controller, not the GamePad

Update: As several helpful readers have pointed out, this hack is actually for the Wii U Pro Controller and not the GamePad — although someone is working on it. Apologies for any misunderstanding or disappointment caused. Those bedroom coders. Is there anything they can't do? Take the...

UK retailer blames listing error

A few outlets were reporting earlier this morning that UK catalogue store Very.co.uk had become the first retailer in the world to begin selling the Wii U GamePad as a standalone item - which was surprising news given that there's nothing to use two GamePads for right now, unless you like really expensive bookends...

Giving gamers a boost

The Wii U GamePad is a wonderful piece of kit that allows the user to do some amazing things. The problem with that is that you’re going to want to use it a heck of a lot, meaning that you're going to have to get used to seeing that flashing red battery warning light. Thankfully peripheral maker Nyko has already set about...

All part of a big package

So the Wii U system is now well and truly out in the wild, with Japan being the last major territory to join in. It may seem peculiar that Nintendo should satisfy its home country last, but judging from the area's consistently daunting sales of 3DS it's not likely to be a tough market to crack. North America and Europe...

Latency tests show that Nintendo's streaming tech is rock solid

One of the first things many people will question when picking up the Wii U GamePad for the first time is the quality of the streaming. With no wired connection between the console and controller, many make the assumption that the delay must be greater than when playing on a standard...

Playing it safe

Ever since the GamePad was revealed people have wondered just how far away from your TV you can go with it. Can you get to the next room? The kitchen? The bathroom? The garden shed? So far Nintendo have only confirmed that you can definitely play it within the same room and the official Wii U specs declare a maximum range of up to 26...

Thank The Maker

Anyone who has owned an Apple product will know that the company doesn't believe in user-serviceable power cells. Apple's reasoning is that by the time your iPod or iPhone's battery stops holding a charge, you'll be considering an replacement, or will have made the upgrade already. If you do insist on getting a new battery, you have...

GamePad link is "direct, fast and immediate"

Aliens: Colonial Marines, from Gearbox Software, is a high-profile multi-platform title on the list of those making their way to Wii U, with confirmation that it's due in the "launch window" — up to 31st March — which means that it may hit Nintendo's console around the same time as its February...

If your walls are thin, the bathroom may be an option

The Wii U GamePad is Nintendo's next big home console innovation and the main selling point of the system. A big part of that appeal is the fact that it wirelessly streams the game, whether it's a match for the TV images or alternative features, from the console to the controller. We all know...

Developer is pleased with revised model

As with any consumer product, the Wii U has gone through revisions since it leapt off the drawing boards at Nintendo's Kyoto HQ. One of the features that has undergone the most change is the GamePad itself; as you will no doubt recall, the first publicly-announced model had slider pads like the one seen on...

Does share good news on Miiverse moderation

As those who follow the company know, Nintendo doesn't enthusiastically reveal the detailed technical specifications of its consoles and handhelds, beyond basics. One issue on that front that came out of E3 was the Wii U GamePad's battery life — a feature that dominated the early days of 3DS — and in...

One screen too many, perhaps

There have been plenty of opinions about Wii U since E3 attendees have had a chance to try it on the show floor, and one participant who's unsure about the console and its GamePad controller is well-known game designer Peter Molyneux. Much debate around Wii U has focused on the games lineup or technical specifications,...