In the second part of our round table, covering 2013 — part one's discussion of the 3DS is right here — we talk over the Wii U and its biggest games. We also look ahead to what's coming, list some random favourite games and, somehow, return the subject to Altered Beast, as is now tradition.
Joining features editor Tom Whitehead for this second part are editor-at-large Jon Wahlgren, events co-ordinator Katy Ellis, along with lovely writers Martin Watts, Ron DelVillano, Morgan Sleeper, Dave Letcavage and Conor McMahon.
Tom Whitehead: So, the Wii U. That first six months was a bit rough, I think we'll all agree? Did any of those Q1/Q2 games grab you, namely LEGO or Monster Hunter, and...
Dave Letcavage: Outside of eShop games, my Wii U was pretty much in a dormant state the first half of 2013.
Conor McMahon: Oh yeah, things got a little awkward for WiiU owners for quite a while there. I still made use of it, but it got to be kinda a struggle by June or so. That thing seriously went into hibernation.
But hey, it came back out with W101 and Pikmin 3, so...Not all bad.
Tom: I loved MH, but I think the problem was a high console price combined with that software drought. It was an unacceptable loss of momentum, frankly.
Katy Ellis: I still haven't bought a single Wii U game since launch. Nintendo Land is my only friend.
Jonathan Wahlgren: I actually played quite a bit of Wii U in the first half of the year — LEGO City was great, and Need For Speed Most Wanted U proved to be a fantastic port of a great game.
But yeah, it was pretty inert there for a while until late summer. Catastrophically so, one might argue.
Ron DelVillano: I haven't played any of the first-party releases for Wii U this year with the exception of Wii Fit U (which I love). I thought Lego Marvel Super Heroes was genius though.
Tom: I played mine a fair bit in early 2013, mainly cheap copies of Batman, ACIII, the odd download and Monster Hunter.
Martin Watts: I've been hooked on my Wii U this year. Granted, I only got mine back in May, but Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate alone pretty much got me my money's worth.
Conor: Oh! I played Little Inferno, forgot about that.
Morgan Sleeper: Yeah those were definitely lean times for Wii U releases! It didn't really bother me to be honest - I prefer handhelds these days anyway, but I still got a lot of use out of my Wii U - I played a ton of Nintendo Land with my family, and beat NSMBU with my sister, which was great fun!
Plus, and I know I'll get stoned for saying this, but I actually like the slow trickle of Virtual Console releases on the Wii U. It means I can actually get excited about an odd retro game or two when it comes out, and it's like a new release!
Jon: Yeah, most of my attention was on Fire Emblem in the beginning of the year anyway so I can't say I cared all too much that the Wii U wasn't bopping.
Katy: Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei will save us!
Ron: I may not have been playing a whole lot of Wii U games this year, but Netflix is a constant!
Conor: Nintendo Land is STILL fun. I love it. Wario did sorta tide me over for a while, but it felt like an afterthought overall.
Dave: Runner 2 made me care less that there weren't retail games to play.
Jon: RUNNER 2 is phenomenal.
Tom: EarthBound blew a lot of panties off. But now we're into the Summer.
Martin: So, I've got an awkward question to ask: who hasn't played The Wonderful 101 and why?
Morgan: Oh I forgot about Runner 2! That was a great game.
I haven't played W101, but it is on my Christmas list!
Ron: I played the W101 demo and kinda hated it. Very frustrating to me.
Katy: Hmm.. wasn't sure on the demo.
Dave: I'm actually playing through W101 now. Well, not right now, but I started it last week.
Jon: I'm still so impressed that a game as aggressively constrained as that managed to portray as much liberation and joy of movement as it did.
Conor: The demo is a bit deceptive actually. I played it and wasn't too convinced. And then I saw gameplay of the first boss... I hunted it down right after, and it ended up being my absolute GOTY.
Jon: Stick with W101 and it will reward you greatly.
Conor: Absolutely, Jon.
Tom: A demo for 101 is a bad idea. I started and, based on the first-hour, was thinking it was a 6-7 game, but then I played it more and, gosh, it's fantastic.
Morgan: Wow, that's cool to hear. I liked the demo but in a "what did I just do?" sort of way, so that sounds good to me!
Martin: Haha, W101 really was a neverending game!
Dave: Did anyone else get frustrated with dodging and blocking? I feel like there are too many circumstances where it was ineffective.
Jon: Try sucking less, Dave!
Thomas Whitehead
It deserved more success, that's for sure. The blocking and stuff does work, Dave!
Conor: It really takes some practice.
Jon: I agree, timing is really challenging to get right. But it comes together nicely.
Tom: It's all about protecting the guy at the front, not the masses.
Dave: Then I apparently don't "get it." I'm big into brawlers and hack-n-slash games but there are times in W101 where controls feel clumsy/wonky.
Conor: I remember reading a review somewhere that started out by saying you'll think it's the most frustrating game ever, but there's a moment mid-battle somewhere that just clicks. It could be early, it could be halfway through the game, but there'll come a time when you suddenly feel in total control of the insanity in front of you. That's when W101 shines.
Jonathan: Conor, that's what happened for me with Bayonetta. And Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. And Vanquish too, for that matter. It's a Platinum thing.
Dave: Maybe it's worse because I feel like I had to protect everyone!
Ron: I'm pretty sure you guys purchased all 10 copies that were sold.
Tom: Anyhoo. Pikmin 3. It was a long time coming, what did you all think of it? I thought it was purdy and sugar and spice nice.
Conor: Well put, Tom!
Martin: I concur!
Morgan: I have to admit I didn't play Pikmin 3 either! It looks like a beautifully done game, but I played the first one and the stress and burden of keeping all my little plant friends alive about did me in. I can't handle the responsibility!
Katy: Totemo kawaii desune~
Dave: Beautiful game. I had to wait an extra month to play it while my Wii U was being repaired, but the wait only made it better.
Tom: Though I hated the bee boss thing, I wanted an enormous flamethrower weapon for that.
Conor: It did a nice job of showing off some lush, 'next-gen' graphics. The Wii U definitely needed that. It still needs it.
Jon: Pikmin 3 was beautiful. I need to get back to it.
Martin: The multiplayer is absolutely superb — it's annoying because I don't have anyone else near me who likes it enough to do those co-op missions!
Tom: It needs online, but Nintendo.
Jon: Martin, fly out to Seattle and we'll conquer some critters.
Martin: I like the sound of that, Jon!
Conor: Awww, this is the start of a bootiful friendship.
Tom: Let's talk about Sonic Lost World, shall we?
Conor: I only played the demo! Sonic is a lost cause to me.
Dave: Sonic is on the Christmas list, so I don't have much to say about it yet. The demo was promising.
Jon: Sonic Lost World is a video game.
Martin: Really? I thought the demo was very dull.
Tom: Lost World was good overall, I thought, moments where it was sublime and awful sections that should have been cast into the fires of Mordor.
Jon: Yeah, I didn't care for the demo at all. I'm sure, much like W101, the good stuff is not in the demo, but I'm not at all inspired by the gameplay to want to seek out more.
Ron: Sonic Lost World is sitting unopened on my shelf. The box is nice, but I've seen better. I like that it is the same size and shape as my other Wii U games. It fits nicely where it stands.
I thought Tom hated it? Didn't Tom hate Lost World? Right? He gave it like a 2/10.
Conor: The demo just made me want it even less. It looks so cluttered and...I just didn't enjoy it. The new Galaxy-esque visuals didn't work, in my opinion. Having said that though, I've yet to sit down and give it a proper chance.
Morgan: Sonic's on my Christmas list too! Your review convinced me to grab it, Tom - and I liked the demo too. Plus, NiGHTS bonus? Sorry, my hands are tied.
Jon: I think LEGO Sonic would be a great contender for Game of All Time. Collect bricks. Build bigger shoes!
Martin: I think what put me off the most with that Sonic demo is that you spend more time watching what's happening on screen rather than actually doing it.
Tom: Wind Waker HD was a thing, but I feel it didn't grab consumers in the way Nintendo hoped. Do you think that is the case and, more importantly, did you enjoy it?
Martin: Well I reviewed WWHD and I've got to say — perhaps to some people's astonishment — that I never rated the original. I thought it looked good, but it had so many things wrong with it and was hugely lacking in content.
So playing WWHD, which fixed nearly all of those issues, was an absolute dream for me — it truly is the definitive version.
Jon: Wind Waker HD was indeed a thing. I'm happy that is is, but I haven't had enough time to dedicate to it.
Conor: I kinda feel as though it never reached the masses. For the longest time I didn't think I'd pick it up, but there were just enough changes to make it worth it. Less of an HD filter over things and more of a total upgrade. A worthwhile release and a nice addition overall.
Morgan: That's awesome to hear Martin! I'm definitely looking forward to playing it eventually.
The GameCube version was the first Zelda game I ever played all the way through, so it's got a special place in my heart. And the graphics are still incredible!
Ron: I didn't play it, but why Wind Waker? Why doesn't Nintendo just remaster all of their games every 10 years and fix those little problems?
I know that is a completely unreasonable statement, but I don't really understand what warranted a remake of Wind Waker.
Jon: Ron, please understand.
Dave: I thought Wind Waker was a weird choice initially because the GameCube version is still gorgeous and hasn't really aged visually.
Tom: I thought Nintendo did a good job, but it maybe wasn't the right content to go beyond the most dedicated fans, it lacked a wow factor because of its style and, ultimately, didn't seem to push people's buttons.
Conor: I know that WW was probably the Zelda title LEAST in need of a graphical upgrade, but the visuals really do benefit from just a little bit of work. On a proper TV it just looks phenomenal.
Tom: Let's consider Wii Party U. Did any of you pick it up, or even see it in stores? Here in the UK its launch came and went with barely a flicker of public recognition.
Conor: Did that actually come out? Seriously? I thought it was delayed, and I'm not even joking. Goes to show just how little exposure it got here.
Jon: I have it, and I enjoy it. It's one I can get my fiance to play and it can be a lot of fun.
Katy: Never seen it on store shelves.
Martin: I think it's a real shame that Wii Party U wasn't marketed heavily in the UK. It's the one game that easily conveys the benefits of the Wii U GamePad to the masses.
It's also incredibly fun. It's a shame that we can't all play it now!
Conor: Now I'm tempted to look into it, actually. Never thought I'd say it, but the Wii U needs more party games.
Jon: Yeah, lots of laughs to be had with it.
Morgan: I remember Martin liked it, so it's on my radar, but I've had so many other games to play and not a large group to play them with, unfortunately!
Tom: I had trouble finding it, but convinced my folks to buy it for their Wii U. It's perfect family gathering material.
Ron: I feel like it definitely didn't get the marketing it needs. I didn't realize until its release that it was actually published by Nintendo. Could just as easily be one of those dime-a-dozen Wii party games.
Jon: I really like the GamePad games where two players each get a half of the GamePad to use.
Morgan: The fact that it comes with a Wiimote is a plus too - I think the next time I do need a Wii Remote, I'll be happy to pay the $10 extra to grab Wii Party with it!
Tom: The Wii U can't sell without visibility though, so the Wii Party U scenario frustrated me.
Conor: Oh I think we could talk at length about the miserable lack of promotion the Wii U has suffered from.
Tom: Now Super Mario 3D World. Do you all love it as much as many (including me) do, and do you think December's sales will show it doing the trick for the hardware?
Dave: 3D World is my favourite Mario since Super Mario World for SNES.
Ron: I do remember our scathing "first impressions" article on it though, so that's kinda funny now that it's apparently the greatest game of all time.
Tom: Don't mention the first impressions review article, Ron...
Conor: Funny how first impressions can be so, so wrong. You're right, Ron.
I love the little journey that title took from ''REHASHHH'' to ''MASTERPIECE''
Tom: Well, Martin and I loved it in the second impressions, so there.
Martin: I think it's a fantastic game; my only issue is that it's not difficult enough. That was one heck of a funny day when we previewed it, Tom!
Jon: I adored it. Nintendo has an incredible knack for uber-polished mechanics, and 3D World is pure gameplay bliss because of it. Not to mention the immense nostalgia overload.
Morgan: I have no idea about sales, but Super Mario 3D World is incredible! I decided last-minute to head to a midnight launch for the Xbox One to pick it up, and I'm so glad I did!
It's filled with so much joy and creativity; every level feels like a different world, and I love how every individual stage doesn't necessarily follow the overworld theme.
Dave: I actually feel opposite, Morgan. I wish the level themes weren't so A.D.D. But regardless, the great gameplay made me not care.
Jon: I do wonder how coloured our opinions of it are because of things like the retro character art and the return of the Super Mario Bros. 2 line-up.
We've been playing Mario forever. Does someone new to the series (they do exist!) connect with it as strong?
Conor: Nintendo really delivered that Friday with two very heavy hitters indeed. It was a smart move on their part.
Jon: I loved walking the overworld. That blew my mind. On reflection, my mind is easily blown.
Tom: I think the critical reaction from across the web showed it wasn't nostalgia kicking in, because not everyone has that fondness. I'd happily declare it as a 10 without nostalgia, but whether people believe that or not is up to them.
Conor: Tom, I'm curious; do you think it compares to or rates - dare I say - higher than Galaxy?
It certainly didn't take as many risks as Galaxy, but it's just about as polished as a Mario game has ever been.
Jon: Tom, I think it's an utterly amazing game with or without nostalgia. I'm just curious because some of the things that I love most about it are the small ways it deviates from "traditional" Mario.
Nintendo has an incredible knack for uber-polished mechanics, and 3D World is pure gameplay bliss because of it. Not to mention the immense nostalgia overload.
Tom: I personally think its quality is comparable to the Galaxies, but they're different in approach. Apple and slightly different apples.
I think Jon makes a good point, but one interesting experiment I've been able to try is multiplayer with people not that attached to Mario, and they were having a huge amount of fun.
Jon: I've actually kept away from the multiplayer because it doesn't really interest me, so I'm lacking that insight.
Conor: Four players on one couch just has to be experienced. Marketing has been pushing that and rightfully so.
Dave: Yeah, multi is bunches of fun. Though I do prefer playing solo.
Plessie is my new favorite character ever. Well, next to Samus.
Martin: I agree, Conor, it's manic, laugh-out-loud fun!
Morgan: It is a bit eclectic, isn't it? For me I definitely enjoy some "themes" better than others - I can't stand desert/sand levels for whatever reason - so the fact that I never knew what was coming next made it much more fun to hit "A" and see what was next!
Conor: Agreed, agreed. It shows the old plumber still has some versatility! It's eclectic for sure, but filled to bursting with tiny little ideas scattered all around.
Tom: I think it's one of those long-tail games that'll accumulate good sales when / if the hardware userbase cranks up. Positive word of mouth will help it along into 2014.
Dave: I'd have to agree.
Conor: It is, it is. More so than Rayman Legends I might say.
Tom: Rayman Legends was fantastic, but sadly overlooked.
Martin: Rayman Legends is my GOTY.
I loved Super Mario 3D World, but I think Rayman topped it.
Conor: Rayman Legends really was quite fantastic, but I think I actually prefer the original. Origins had a structure, a sense of progression. Legends is missing that.
Jon: I bought it on sale over Black Friday and have yet to take the shrinkwrap off.
Dave: Rayman Legends on Vita keeps me from sleeping at night.
Morgan: Wow, high praise here! I really like what I've played of it so far, I'll have to go back and play some more!
Tom: Considering it had extra dev time, there was a surprising lack of structure and, to a degree, content. What was there, however, was terrific.
Morgan: The musical stages are absolutely brilliant, for sure.
Conor: I loved the transition between worlds in Origins, but jumping around different stages in Legends worked in a different way too.
Jon: The music stage in the demo sold me on the game.
Ron: That music stage was great.
Conor: Kung Foot has nearly broken some of my best friendships.
Head on over to page two where we chat about our favourite Wii U eShop games, the system's potential 2014 and our overall impressions of 2013.
Comments 87
Have you guys ever thought of doing podcasts? Just a small suggestion.
Now On-Topic, 2013 was a bummer for the Wii U. Reminds me of 2011-2012 with the 3ds. So many hate articles.
I agree this would be far more interesting in terms of a podcast or even twitch tv. It's a bit chaotic to sit here and read everything, knowing some answers were to questions from a while ago.
I think you guys missed the point about why Wind Waker was the game they chose to remake.
1. Wind Waker might not NEED a graphical update as much as other Zelda titles, but it that is exactly the point: The graphics are iconic, and they didn't have to do much but add HD resolution, higher anti-aliasing and lighting effects (bloom, particles) and higher resolution textures. The polygon count has very little to do with it because of the graphical style. Now imagine this strategy with Majoras Mask or Twilight Princess. Those games would NOT benefit as much from those changes as the polygon count / models really make a difference in that kind of graphic style.
2. They chose Wind Waker because the GameCube had a small install base and they felt that Wii owners should get the pleasure of experiencing this "unknown" gem.
The alternative is that we wouldn't have had a Zelda remake at all, as this remake was probably the one that required the least work, and made the most sense. Majoras Mask is a 3DS remake, and TP / Skyward Sword can still be played on the backwards compatible Wii U. Ocarina of Time is out on 3DS already.
If I had never played Wind Waker (which I have, and it is by far my favorite zelda of all time) then I would be absolutely delighted to have gotten the opportunity to play that game on the Wii U.
Methinks that the only reason they picked Windwaker HD is that it was the easiest one to do in terms of time and resources. They needed something good and substantial to fill the release schedule but most of all they needed it fast.
BTW: those 30 cent Virtual Console games certainly helped me get through the Wii U drought. Like I finally managed to get into Super Metroid and actually finish it.
Oh yeah, I'll add that I got my Wii U in October this year, and I absolutely haven't been able to keep up with the selection of games that are available now. I have still yet to play LEGO City, W101, Wind Waker HD, SM3DW, ACIV, Batman Origins, Splinter Cell, Rayman Legends, Deus Ex and probably more, so once DKC:TF, Watchdogs, Mario Kart 8, Beyonetta 2 (and 1?), X and Smash Brothers comes out I will probably still be buried in games to play.
If you buy Wii U now, there is absolutely no drought to be experienced. Nintendo needs to advertise the increasingly impressive games library that this console now has.
@Silent A podcast is always under consideration. Bear with us on that, we want it to be good if we do it.
@jakysnakydx Only on the internet is just over a week "a while ago!" To be honest, we don't do these that often, and the chaos suits them to a degree. Certainly we'll be continuing to explore various additional feature types in 2014, with more video and audio certainly on the agenda. Variety is always a goal, and I think the occasional bit of Round Table madness can be fun.
On another note, I got my parents to play Wii Sports Club: Golf! They play golf on a regular basis and they actually had high praise for the realism of the game, 'cept for a few things. I've never been able to get them to play anything before, and I think my dad will actually play this from time to time.
Can't wait for 2014 for the Wii U. And as for SSB, Nabbit needs to make his way onto the roster.
I rather prefer this than podcasts, as I can read faster than I listen, can skim/skip parts easily and I feel them less chaotic overall. And a 30+ minute podcast is way too long and usually drags on, IMO.
Regarding Wii U, I got mine on January and I never felt the drought either. I do have a 3DS and a PS3 as well, so I was busy with other things. Lego City Undercover, Pikmin 3, W101 and 3D World are more than enough to me to feel I got my money's worth.
Not to mention downloadable games like Ducktales, NES Remix, the Two Tribes games and Runner 2. I wanted Scram Kitty but oh well.
What i got from that was that after a year the majority of you haven't played Wii U games much at all outside of reviews and demo's. Kinda of sad but i would that you likely mirror the majority of casual console owners if you look at the software attachment rate.
None!
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is my favorite Wii U game so far. Definitely the best third party game available, and it can compete with Nintendo's titles depending on opinion.
What? Rayman Legends 'a lack of content'? I spent days playing it, co-op, single player, challenges, origins levels, replaying for Teensies,... And yes, kung foot. My favourite soccer game, sharing first place with Inazuma Eleven and Mario Strikers. I dislike any other, though...
The future for Wii U owners looks amazing, but I hope it'll also be amazing for Wii U itself, sales-wise. I have both 3ds's and Wii U ('s, for the moment), and they provide me with plenty of great games to play and look forward to. And when there's 'none', I have a very rich collection of games from all sorts of genres, ages, platforms,... Many of which I still need to play. Just started the hacked Sweet Home rom, for NES, on my DS Lite (only because it never got an original release outside of Japan, and I love survival horror, adventure and classic role playing games); and the complete, mint condition original SNES game Secrets of Evermore. SUCH AWESOME GAMES!
Software drought on Wii U?? Bought 45 games (including some eshop titles) this year...can't afford much more lol.
Shambo that reminds me, I really really hope they do a Mario Strikers for Wii U with a solid online play mode, that game was one of the best Wii games, period.
my favorite digital game - NES REMIX ftw and ducktales was fun too . cant wait to play Donkey Kong country VC , hope they release it soon before tropical freeze
I had to settle for just one retail Wii U game this year due to lack of money. I bought and absolutely loved it (just beat the final level last week), so I definitely don't regret choosing it, but if I had more money on-hand I would definitely check out Pikmin 3 and The Wonderful 101. I've always been interested in Pikmin, but I've never had much of a chance to get into the series; Pikmin 3 looks like it could be a good place to start. I love a good challenge, and seems like that's what The Wonderful 101 provides, along with a healthy(?) dose of insanity; I also like superhero stories, so there's that.
I think there are actually a lot of gamers out there who don't have a Wii U, but who would be very interested in Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros. I think these people focus almost entirely on the here and now and don't think about what's coming out next year or next month; they look at the Wii U lineup today, see that it doesn't have what they want, and decide to spend their money elsewhere. When MK8 and Smash Bros. come out, they'll look at the Wii U lineup again, see that it does have what they want, and (hopefully) decide to spend their money on a Wii U.
love my Wii U but only got it at Christmas. Downloaded some games, like Kirby Super Star, Ducktales Remastered and Art Academy Sketchpad. Want 3D World still and looking forward to Tropical Freeze, SSB & Mario Kart 8 in 2014.
For a minute there I thought I accidentally logged into "Sonylife" or "Microsoftlife" These people lost all credibility with me when they said they hadn't played Pikmin 3 or even Wonderful 101. I miss Nintendo Power even more now. At least they knew what they were talking about.
.I still haven't got Sonic Lost World and Wind Waker HD due to lack of money and my parents disliking video games aside from the social network ones.
Great chat guys, and all my Yeahs for talking about W101! That game needs more love from Nintendo! It's simply the best game on the console and my most played game over Christmas!
I don't want to sound rude, but do you guys really even play the Wii U? From what I read, it was mostly demos, videos, Pikmin 3 and SM3DW. However, I have never read one of these discussions and I kinda enjoyed it, even though the individual experiences were pretty much the same. You guys should try talking about individual games, like Deus Ex or Wind Waker.
@Trickbaby14 I agree. I think it's weird to have a Wii U discussion without playing some of the highlighted games.
this is the only website and article that giving wiiu a chance the rest says its done whats the point of nintendo making games for it well net year the wiiu wil show what it can do i hope.
2013 was all about the WiiU for the MAB while the 3DS took a extended back seat because of all the kiddie games like ACNL and Pokemans mixed with those crappy overrated (not as good as 16-Bit era) JRPGs... Next year is looking extremely bare-bones for the handheld which for something that has sold well it still doesn't have any third party support
Next year will be all about WiiU and it's stellar first party and indie awesomeness mixed with a few third party offerings
Nice read! As for myself I always seemed to go back to New Leaf despite how much time I have already put in it. Don't have a Wii U yet but who knows, Mario Kart 8 and Smash could be the tipping point.
@Tritonus Um, i think you should re-read point 2... sense, it does not make.
That remix was so rad.
Wow, that was an eye-opener. I didn't expect the staff to be so lackadaisical, and inexperienced.
How does it not make sense? Care to elaborate? I think it makes perfect sense, considering Nintendo thought that 100 million wii owners would switch over to Wii U automatically.
@Mr_Nose I agree but to be fair this is Nintendolife and not Wii u life so i guess their focus is on 3DS more than Wii U. That said this article pretty much shows that the average person in the comments section or forums is a better source of 1st hand info on Wii U games then the actual bloggers (outside of reviews) which is pretty sad.
As someone who considers himself a HUGE Nintendo fan, there haven't been anything truly noteworthy except Mario 3D World. If I go back a bit further Rayman Legends and Deus Ex were true standouts. Outside of those great games there is a big number of decent games but nothing to write home about.
Im tough-lovingly taking another cheap poke at NL for its Zelda love. I feel like it was a great year for Zelda fans not just a beautiful remake of wind waker and the exceptional sequel to Link to the past, but also the fan interaction with the miiverse communities and Aonuma having a bigger spotlight this year at E3 and comicon.. Again, where was Miss Madden to speak up for the Zelda in 2013?!
A bit surprised by some comments along the lines of "you guys haven't played many Wii U games", so some context...
This round table was published in two parts but took place in one session, so I raised a few major releases when we got to Wii U (exclusives mainly) for us to talk about; we didn't have all night to dwell on every port and release. Some of us have played them all, some haven't, because we have multiple systems (Nintendo and otherwise), jobs, lives and budgets (EDIT: I should say all of us in the NL community, all have circumstances to pick and choose what games to play). If you've played every Wii U game in 2013 then good for you, but we've all played different ones. Jon mentioned enjoying Need for Speed Most Wanted U. Am I an "inexperienced" gamer because I got it for free on PS+ instead because, you know, bills and limited budgets? What if I'd skipped that one on all platforms, is that some kind of sin?
As you can see in the 3DS part, if you combine both systems everyone on the team plays a lot of games. If we haven't all played every Wii U game that you hold dear then, and I'm being deliberately rude, TOUGH.
There are only so many hours in the day and so many days in the year, plus so many of our writers contribute dozens of download reviews.
And yes, I'm being defensive, because casually dismissing a group of passionate gamers isn't cool, frankly.
Maybe I missed the passion, if so, I apologize. I'll give the piece another read.
yeah I just got a Wii U for Christmas along with Mario World 3D. I'm in love! Can't wait for Mario Kart 8!
@Mr_Nose We're here to give honest opinions, too. I've seen a few comments suggesting these round tables weren't a 'great advert', or whatever. Well, they're not an advert, they're our personal opinions. We're Nintendo fans, but it's also our duty to be honest. (Not having a go at you, just expanding on the point).
If we'd all played the same games and had the same opinions, there'd be no point in even having a conversation; diversity is part of the point.
@ThomasBW84 I think some of us are just surprised at the number of times a game is mentioned, then the comment is "Oh, I haven't played that!" Personally, I don't care, but if you're going to post an article of this length talking about games released throughout the year, don't include responses from those who haven't played the specific game being talked about. It adds nothing to the article and gives people fuel to criticize you guys for being inexperienced or "casual".
The Good: 2013 finished much much stronger than 2012, and 2014 looks very promising. Indie devs seem to really be taking a shine to the system and the media in general seems to be spinning a more positive light on its future.
The Bad: A lack of quality software for long stretches and 3rd party support that was a joke is the tip of the iceberg. Lack of advertising and lack of PR control on a crushing media really bothered me. Show some balls Nintendo.
The Ugly: Upper management at Nintendo is in its own little world, has been for the last half decade, and I believe a change is needed at the top. Everything needs a complete overhaul and if I were a shareholder, I'd find Mr.Iwata's handling of the Wii U unacceptable. He's a nice, funny guy, but I want to see some attitude come out of Kyoto.
To the staff at NL: You guys do a great job, have a great New Years and can't wait to see what's in store for 2014.
@ChimeraKnight At points I'd say its useful to see which games are "maybe" options or ones to buy in future, as it shows which titles are essential to some picking carefully with time and money. And the Wii Party U segment, for example, that highlighted the lack of presence in the UK. I kid you not that I was home visiting and said to my folks, who wanted another Remote, to get that game. We went to the specialist retailer in town and couldn't find it (two days after launch) before finding one half-hidden on a bottom shelf. That was the case for others looking for it, too.
I do appreciate your point, but also feel the games individuals skip or put on a backburner can also be revealing.
@Tritonus They'd have been insane to believe that.
Here's your quote: “They chose Wind Waker because the GameCube had a small install base and they felt that Wii owners should get the pleasure of experiencing this "unknown" gem.”
Why it's BS:
@ThomasBW84 speaking of doing more video features possibly in 2014, I want to say that I enjoyed Rory's pieces this year. one of his videos was actually quite useful to a friend of mine not even that interested in gaming! So I hope that comes back in some form, maybe you already have an evolution of that planned.. Also the post-E3 video impressions thing this year was good -thinking back to some of the long faces caused by the criminally un-revealing 3D World trailer is funny now (I didn't just say that)- I think that setting should happen maybe even a few times in 2014
This mystical game draught for the Wii U never existed for me. I was busy trying to complete Zombi U on survival mode. I had Lego City Under Cover. I had NSMBU and Nintendoland. Monster Hunter also. Then Game and Wario. Also quite a lot of the multi plats. I really did not have any problem. It's all unfounded if you ask me there were always planty of games to play on Wii U.
I actually love video game droughts I don't feel like I've done my money or the game justice if I don't replay it at least once. And with the 3DS getting somewhat regular releases I still didn't get the ideal holdup to replay titles I'd like to.
@MAB
So you dismiss the 3DS and fail to mention that there were many Sega arcade and MD/Genesis 3D remakes? Not cool
I don't really need to mention those because I just assume that everyone already knows. Also I have found that NL staff and other users generally have bad taste in games... Especially the MicroSony defence force
@ajcismo
Iwata and the "upper management" are the only reason Nintendo went from being the "20 million sold" guys to the "100 million sold" guys. That was all Iwata. He took over and turned Nintendo into a success, not just with the Wii, but with the GBA, the DS (highest selling gaming device in history, even against the almighty PSP) and now has turned the 3DS into the number one selling gaming device in the world. His credentials and record of success are immaculate. All that success, and all it takes is one year of sluggish Wii U sales for you to call for change in upper management?
I find your lack of faith disturbing
@ThomasBW84 If it was any of my comments your referring to, i meant no offense and if you reread them you will see they basically mirror your explanation just from the other side of the fence with a dash of opinion for good measure .
"Some of us have played them all, some haven't, because we have multiple systems (Nintendo and otherwise), jobs, lives and budgets."
This however comes across like an unnecessary angry cheapshot at your readership and i think you should reword it before you offend someone by implying they don't also have these things to deal with.
Agreed - please do a podcast! Jan2014 is a great time to start
@Silent I was reading that article thinking the same thing. Podcasts, please!!
Contrary to popular belief, Wii U actually had quite an impressive year, especially when one considers the 6 month drought. I'm surprised so many Wii U owners (ESPECIALLY the ones in the round table) have skipped almost every great game that's come to Wii U this year.
That was a pretty depressing read, seeing as games like Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, Rayman Legends, Zelda Windwaker HD, Mario 3D World and Wii Sports Club are all but fleeting interests to most everyone in the discussion (not everyone, but most)
It's not just the fact Wii U got a handful of great exclusives this year, it's how great those exclusives are. Some of the best games I've ever played, I played on my Wii U in 2013. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Super Mario 3D World. Rayman Legends. Wii Sports Club. These games will live on in my heart forever- the experiences I had with them are irreplaceable.
I feel I might be in the minority, but I really don't have any complaints. I like to play great video games- I get bored with anything less than fantastic. And this year, I got so many great video games on the Wii U I had to buy another shelf just to store them all- whether they be exclusives like Wonderful 101 and Pikmin 3 or multiplats like Deus Ex and Rayman Legends.
I could honestly say the Wii U alone could be my only console, and I still wouldn't be able to keep up with all the great games. It's not, and I love my 3DS, Vita and PS4- I even play Wii and Gamecube games from time to time (matter of fact I was gettin' down on some Mario Kart Wii earlier today), but the fact I bought more Wii U games this year than all my other consoles combined speaks volumes.
Here's to another excellent year for gamers on Wii U!
We are living in a society where people are just too lazy to read. Don't go down the lame Podcast path NL... Stick to your guns and just keep rollin' how you roll
@JaxonH
As a matter of fact I do. The incredible growth of the DS and handheld market cannot be denied, and the recovery of the 3DS has been nothing short of amazing. However... Mr. Iwata took 100 million Wii's sold and turned it into... nothing. They hit this huge sales mark and went nowhere with it, they achieved their Blue Ocean goal but failed to maintain their newly captured gaming audience. Other than Skyward Sword, Xenoblade and Last Story, the last 2 years of the Wii were pretty underwhelming for a serious Nintendo gamer. My Wii became a glorified Gamecube and played more of those tiny disc gems than anything else. I hope I'm wrong, and 2014 is filled with great games and massive market growth for the Wii U and everyone keeps their job and we're all happy.
@ajcismo
Understood. But one must consider the fact that Wii had run it's course. It was already underpowered from the start- by the time 2011 came along it was already the end of Nintendo's 6 year generation timespan, and it was a relic technology-wise. They had to move on, and by doing so forced Sony and Microsoft's hand to launch early (which is evident by the limited launch titles and epidemic of delayed releases).
Not only did Nintendo have to focus on shifting gears into the 8th gen, they had to focus on keeping the 3DS afloat. Remember, 2011 was a rocky year for 3DS, and Nintendo had to give their full attention to ensure the console succeeded (which it did). Point is, there are reasons for everything. Nintendo didn't just up and decide to stop making games and sit on their butts counting cash. They were in developement full steam ahead for the 3DS and Wii U. There's only so many games they can develop at one time.
But the point I was making, regardless if Nintendo was right or wrong with their decision to halt Wii software in 2011, is that doesn't take away from the fact Iwata has turned every console under his supervision into a slamming success. Therefore, it's not fair to turn on him after just 1 year of sluggish sales on a new console. For one, he could (and most likely will) see that Wii U achieves notable success. For two, it doesn't take away from his ability to run the company.
We are not business majors and none of us have experience running multi-billion dollar companies. None of us know the internal workings at Nintendo and what's really going on behind the scenes. So none of us are in a position to judge Iwata. And we certainly don't have the slightest clue about how to run Nintendo better than they do. We THINK we do, but we don't. The internal company knows what's best for Nintendo, and if ever it gets to the point THEY feel Iwata isn't cut out for the job, believe me, they'll ask him to resign, that is, if he doesn't do it himself.
It's easy to play backseat driver of a multi-billion dollar international corporation and pretend like we know better, and pretend that WE have the answer to Nintendo's short term problems. But we don't. Just play the games and leave running the company to the people who have been doing it, successfully I might add, their entire lives.
@MAB "We are living in a society where people are just too lazy to read. Don't go down the lame Podcast path NL... Just keep rollin' how you roll"
Why does it have to be an either/or situation?
It may have been one of the worst years ever for Nintendo as far as the wii U goes, but man did the 3DS have one heck of a comeback and established its success for good now.
People keep saying that Sonic Lost World was so difficult that it was "spiking" or "rage-inducing." Is it really that hard though? I thought that sonic colors was harder, but I beat both of them (first run) under 15 hours. Apparently, gamer's skills in general have been degrading over time.
With regard to Martin's comment that "spend more time watching what's happening on screen rather than actually doing," ironically, reviewers like the most when sonic just keep running forward and players simply press the left, right and jump buttons.
After playing Sonic Lost World, which gives players greater control of 3D sonic than any of previous titles, I really do not want to go back to Sonic Generations.
I agree with them that Rayman Legends was lackluster compared to Rayman Origins. It seems that they have put less effort on Legends.
That really was a great read. Nintendo also dominates my living room now (bye bye Sony). I've always had too much to play on my system. In fact, the channels on my dashboard are almost full now (something needs to be done).
And I agree with the assertion that if the "Hardcore" kiddies don't want a Wii U now then they probably never will. Pre-teens are jaded. They don't see Nintendo as being cool. The Wii U is a hardcore gamer's system. It's not a COD box. Mario 3D World is a hardcore game.
Nobody mentioned Zombi U, which was one of the most hardcore and greatest survival horror games ever made.
modern gamers are half unconscious, lazy and dull.
Wii U devote plenty of resources on platformer games. If you want platformer games Wii U is probably the only choice. It used to be that platformer games dominate the entire video game industry in 80s and 90s.
@Emblem Here here. If anyone had left a comment saying something along the lines of the response you were just dished out mods would have jumped on that straight away and said "that insult was uncalled for." But when its the staff, hey its all hunky dory
I bought so many Wii-U and 3DS games this year (I racked up 4000 club Nintendo points). For me Fire Emblem, Zelda and Pokemon were my most played. My 12 year old daughter loves Rune Factory 4. My 8 year daughter loves NintendoLand, Party U, Bowling, Injustice and Super Mario 3D World. I'm really having a hard time getting into Black Ops 2, WindWalker, SplinterCell, Mass Effect 3, Pikmen 3, Monster Hunter... I've been a keyboard and mouse guy for too long, I'm having such a tough time trying to get used to controlling a camera with a joystick. Any tips would be appreciated ;P.
Sonic Lost World was the highlight of my year.
Nintendo Life, you must start doing podcasts this year. Everyone would love it, and it opens up more creativity within our community. Think of all the possibilities! You guys do such a great job, by the way.
@Tritonus aonuma has stated that the addition of some realistic graphical effects in combination with the cartoon style made for a surreal new experience that they thought was worth releasing ...just complementing your points
Somebody get me a job with this website. I have a 40 plus hour a week job, (not videogame oriented), a family, other hobbies, and other consoles, and I still could add more to this conversation then these people.
@Trickbaby14
Set up your own website then instead of moaning. Then you can share your glorious wisdom with us all.
@Doma
Please don't speak of BS when you bring up this: "The GC's install base was much higher than the WiiU can ever hope to accumulate." This is future speculation, and only time will tell if this is correct. OF COURSE this is not going to be Nintendo's assumption that the Wii U will not even beat the GameCube in sales given the success of the Wii brand.. What they thought was that the name would sell itself.
As to your second point, while this is true, the GameCube was not as present in many "Nintendo newcomers" consciousness, and hunting down a copy of the Wind Waker to play is probably not what a lot of people even thought about. Nintendo was hoping to have all the Wii owners jump into the Wii U, and give them something the might not have played before. I'm pretty sure I heard Iwata say they wanted to give Wind Waker a wider audience because it had never gotten the exposure (install base) they think it deserved.
@Emblem I'm sorry if it was read that way, but it was a statement of fact, not a cheap shot. Everyone has something happening, some restriction, whether it's work, school, money, or any number of personal circumstances. We all have limits on the number of games we play, so I don't feel that was an insult, just a statement of reality.
Taken in the context of my full comment, I also mention that a lot of our guys do plenty of reviews every year, too. Time spent working on a review also means less time to pick and choose games. Not a complaint but, again, explaining context. Some of the team review a download every week, often games they may not have jumped on to buy. In some cases their spare gaming time may go on doing that review for the week.
I will apologise for the defensive tone of my earlier message, though I think what I said was fair. I thought there was some interesting discussion in the round table, including getting a sense of what games everyone had played through (quite a few across both parts), and I think it a pity that some make negative assertions because some haven't played particular games. I also wanted to explain the context of what games were discussed and why.
From my perspective people disagreeing is a wonderful thing (happens every article online!), and our opinions can always be debated. What I find irritating (hence my frustrated earlier comments) is for some to argue that the opinions of others are invalid because they haven't played x number of certain Wii U games this year. My reaction was to that.
A year of two halves for Wii U. The first half was a disaster, the lack of releases killing any momentum the machine had from its launch. Nintendo really should have done better than that especially after bodging the 3DS launch.
There were other disappointments too-the neglect of the VC, the delay to Donkey Kong, third-party support falling away. The machine was badly marketed and the Gamepad screen remains without a killer use in terms of gameplay-though for someone like me Off TV Play is a marvel-while being a dead weight in terms of getting the machines price down.
The second half of the year though saw much improvement with Pikmin 3, Mario 3D, Wonderful 101, and the Zelda remake. Plus great third-party games like AC IV, Marvel Super Heroes, the excellent Deus Ex conversion and Rayman Legends. I still think Nintendo could have done more but 2014 looks very promising, assuming Nintendo have more in store than what we currently know about.
2013 has also quietly seen Nintendo make strides in the online arena-hopefully the vexxing Account issue will be sorted soon and there will be no more repeats of the disastrous downtime at Christmas. More games with online would be great (the otherwise fantastic Pikmin 3 really could have benefitted from it) and the VC needs some care and attention very quickly as it should serve as fan service for the most loyal.
On a corporate level, 2014 could be interesting. Iwata's track record includes some great successes (DS and Wii with a nod to Yamauchi-san, rescuing the 3DS) and some failures (3DS and Wii U are not nearly as innovative as their predecessors, they've found themselves way behind in terms of internet revenue after the CEO dismissed it as a 'fad'). It looks like 3DS and Wii U will fall short of their projected sales figures (the 9 million Wii U target always looked ridiculous) and profits will be lower as a result. I wouldn't bet against changes though my money is on them not being Iwata himself.
Nintendo's 2013 games output as a whole is peerless. Other firms like Sony and UbiSoft had excellent years byt nowhere near Nintendo IMHO. If they can keep that level up, despite all the frustrations, people will keep coming back.
@JaxonH
That's what I love about NL. We can have a debate that doesn't involve hurling insults at each other and continue on in the gaming brotherhood. Have a great New Years and may your high scores be high.
I personally never experienced much of a drought with my WiiU, got it on release too. It just evened out perfectly between work and life I guess. My wife and I played ZombiU, NintendoLand, and NSMBU at our leisure; then MH3U and Lego City came out which pretty much held me over. The VC and indie games filled up the empty space inbetween, then Pikmin3 and NSLU came out and it's been going great since.
My 3ds is pretty much always in use, it's basically never on the home screen. And that's with missing quite a few eShop titles.
The WiiU/3DS combo was my highlight of the year for video gaming, a lot of great games came out on PC and PS3 as well....but they just didnt compare to the WiiU/3DS library.
I play Wii Party U all the time! It's a great game, my No.6 of game of the year!
Super Mario 3D World has caused me to forget about much of my dissatisfaction with the Wii U this year. It is such an amazing game and it's been the only thing on the system which has been able to pull me away from my PS3 this year.
2014 is going to be stellar for the Wii U. Tropical Freeze, Mario Kart 8, and Smash Bros... after a shakey first year the Wii U will finally have a truly killer line-up that people will not be able to ignore.
As a day 1 Purchaser of the Wii U I can say the First 8 months were Rottenly Slow ... I survived on Nintendoland , Super Mario Bros U & Darksiders 2 (my favorite game of 2012) then August came and the Wii U's game drought came to an End .... Great Titles Emerged on a regular Basis ... Pikmin 3 , Rayman Legends , The Wonderful 101 , Batman Arkham Origins , Sonic Lost World, Legend Of Zelda Wind Waker HD & Super Mario 3D World !!!!!!! 2 of these games quickly became my Tie for Game Of The Year.,, SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD & THE WONDERFUL 101 both Amazing , Exciting & Colorful .... Super Fun Games!!!!! As I sit here Today I'm a very Happy Wii U Gamer ; )
As a day 1 Purchaser of the Wii U I can say the First 8 months were Rottenly Slow ... I survived on Nintendoland , Super Mario Bros U & Darksiders 2 (my favorite game of 2012) then August came and the Wii U's game drought came to an End .... Great Titles Emerged on a regular Basis ... Pikmin 3 , Rayman Legends , The Wonderful 101 , Batman Arkham Origins , Sonic Lost World, Legend Of Zelda Wind Waker HD & Super Mario 3D World !!!!!!! 2 of these games quickly became my Tie for Game Of The Year.,, SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD & THE WONDERFUL 101 both Amazing , Exciting & Colorful .... Super Fun Games!!!!! As I sit here Today I'm a very Happy Wii U Gamer ; )
@Tritonus If selling on brand alone is what they expected, then this truly shows how senile/arrogant Iwata and co has become over the years. Of that 100 mil userbase on Wii, only a tiny amount were fanboys attached to company.
I can't believe people crying about the Wii U not having "any games to play"! In this first year I bought 25 full-retail games (yes I know, I need to get a life) and most of them, if not all, are must-have titles. Those 25 games does not include any eShop indy nor VC titles. Sure the Wii U didn't see many games release in the first half of this calendar year, but people can't justifiably generalize by saying the Wii U doesn't have "any games" to play.
Having only spent six months with the Wii U, I can say I am happy. Super Mario 3D World, Wind Waker HD, Wii Sports Club, Wii Fit U, and NES Remix all were excellent games.
@ajcismo Yeah no doubt, and you too! Site is great for mature discussion (for the MOST part).
They've had a good few months, but as a whole this year has been pretty terrible. Especially considering they just launched a new system.
absolutely LOVING my new Wii U!! Could not be happier with my Christmas gift.
I've loved my WiiU since Christmas of last year. Played it nonstop until MH was released. Then believe it or not I had played it even more! I love my wiiu and I have high hopes for it. To many judgmental people bring it down though..
@JaxonH Preach on, Mr. Viking. I agree with everything you wrote. I played my Wii U more than anything else this year. The narrative out there in GameWebSite land is so skewed and incomplete. 2014 will be a big year.
And I enjoyed the roundtable. I do wish Wii Sports Club got some more acknowledgement. I'm coming up on 100 online Tennis matches and Golf is done in a way impossible on any other system up until now. Can't wait for Baseball/Boxing and whatever comes next.
@JaxonH
You brought up some excellent points and I agree with you 100%
I thought the roundtable was cool because I got an idea on what the editors thought about the games they managed to play through. I'm glad I invested in my Wii U and come next month, I will get the chance to play through the games I bought so far. Happy New Year everyone and keep on gaming!
@LittleIrves I second that. I intend on giving Wii Sports Club a go and would love to play against others online.
@ThomasBW84 Haha, for sure, but what I meant by 'a while ago' is that one person will pose a question and then 3/4 of the way down the page another answer to that question is given and it's hard to mentally compartmentalize everything! Just following through on a suggestion for ever improving content. Furthermore, I do like the roundtables better (in retrospect) as it allows me to read during moments when volume may be inappropriate.
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