Topic: Retrospective opinions on GamePad

These aren't necessarily my retrospective opinions because I was saying this from the start, but yeah, I never really got the Wii U Gamepad. The fact that it wasn't the Wii Remote is pretty much the nicest thing I can say about it... I'm baffled that Nintendo ever thought it was a good idea. I guess they thought at the time that wacky controllers was what they were all about, but I think they were really clutching at straws with this one.

I knew something was up when I got it at launch with Nintendo Land ("the ultimate showcase of what the Wii U Gamepad could do"). Because while Mario Chase is a great idea (basically Pac Man Vs, which is a great game, though maybe not quite great enough to build an entire console around...), the rest was pretty underwhelming. They all kind of felt like fairly standard touch/tilt-based iPhone games with a contrived dual-screen element crowbarred in. Nothing that was going to wow the casual/non-gamers like Wii Sports did. People in 2012 weren't going to be blown away by a touch screen. A few weeks later, when I got some friends round to play, and the thing I heard time and again was "Which screen am I supposed to be looking at?" I knew this thing was going to struggle.

Throughout the console's life there was nothing I could see that the Gamepad did to justify its price, horrendous battery life or err... general existence. It was a solution desperately looking for a problem. Time after time, the Gamepad's usage was either utterly superfluous or actually made the game worse (like those annoying bits in the Wonderful 101 where you have to hold the Gamepad up to your face and wave it about with its janky motion controls. Contrived gimmicky nonsense in other words). In fact its usage often just seemed to make things needlessly convoluted (which would seem to go against their own design philosophy). In any case, thank God for the Pro Controller. In fact, if I imagine the Pro Controller as the Wii U's default controller then I'm actually a big fan of the console and its library.

Unlike many round here, I was never able to convince myself into thinking that having a map/inventory on a second screen was somehow the greatest innovation ever, or that I'd ever cared about "screen clutter", etc. It's completely ridiculous of course, because (unless you've got two sets of eyes) you're still having to pause to look down at the second screen instead of just looking at the screen you were already looking at, so it makes no difference. Even the reviews on this site would try and push the idea that these things "really enhanced the game", etc. which is funny considering that losing such apparently essential features has made no difference to Switch reviews, so I guess they weren't quite as amazing after all. In fact one Switch review even praised the lack of the second screen for streamlining the experience. Kudos for such incredible spin! The fact that Off-TV play was probably its best feature just goes to show how unnecessary all the second screen stuff actually was. It always made me laugh the number of people on here who claimed that they could "Never go back to playing games without a map/inventory on a second screen!" So it's funny how those same people are not only still around, but of course now (shamelessly) declare the Switch to be "the best thing ever!".

The excuse that was always used for the Wii U's failure was that Nintendo wasn't able to effectively communicate the concept to the public. I completely disagree, I think people knew exactly what the Wii U concept was, they just weren't interested, because it wasn't a good concept.

I think it was very fine for what it did. Nothing revolutionary though, and anything that forced me to use two screens that isn't a centimeter away from the other sucked.

But it was good for splatoon! and off-tv play.

Looking back on it now I can play almost every single major Nintendo game, often in there very best versions, without a TV on the gamepad.

On the battleground of best Nintendo controllers ever it is not even close to a fair fight.

Can't play Super Mario Odyssey, but your switch can't play Super Mario Galaxy 1 or 2 or Super Mario 64 or even with homebrew Super Mario Sunshine. Also, the joy-con's are the controller for the switch so they suck by not having a screen in direct comparison. Sure you may need Wii controllers but the gamepad enables you to do it with out a TV. Oh yeah and Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario Bros 2, Super Mario Bros and 3D World

Breath of the Wild on Wii U is just as good as on Switch. You can also play the best version of Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, N64 versions of Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask, and even Skyward Sword none of which you can play on Switch. Oh yeah, and the gamepad also has A Link to the Past, The Adventure of Link, and the original The Legend of Zelda as well as Minish Cap and I think even Gameboy zelda titles but don't feel like looking it up.

You can play Metroid Prime Trilogy on the gamepad without a TV. You could even play the gamecube version if you wanted to use a controller stick and buttons with some simple homebrew all with out a TV.

I find it more ergonomic and rugged than switch. Others may call it bulky but its great for my needs as it is very durable and has been dropped many many times and still works like a champ. Thank goodness the switch doesn't have youtube lol! Kids.

I don't like when it's forced but other than a gameplay decision which I am ok with the only time it is is in system settings.

With the abandonment of virtual Console I expect my Wii U and gamepad to be hooked up to my TV for many years to come.

Don't own a switch but do own the Wii U, 360 and PS4 and have to say the stick placement on the Wii U is the best out of them for me, I prefer to have the sticks above the face buttons from a gameplay perspective. I will agree that there was wasted technology which didn't need to be on there such as the camera when it could've used analogue triggers and a better battery life.

But from the perspective i've just holding it and playing it, it is one of the most comfortable controllers in my opinion.

The Wii U GamePad isn't the best controller, of course, but I really like the off-TV play feature, even if the resolution isn't great. It felt comfortable and it wasn't too heavy for me, either. I also really like how you can use the GamePad screen to play Wii games - all you need is a Wii Remote (and a Nunchuk or Classic Controller, depending on what you're playing) and you can use the GamePad as a miniature TV; pointing the Wii Remote at the GamePad screen even works! For certain Wii U games, it may be clumsy to use it at times, but I think it's a decent controller overall.