So the Wii-U has some issues. I think
there is no need to deny that. Although I'm happy with the system, it
looks like I'm one of few. And you know what. The people criticizing
the Wii-U are absolutely right. Even for me the console feels not
fully thought out. The Gamepad is still lacking proper use, apart
from Off-TV, which is indeed amazing, but no full justification for
the controller. While the Wii-Mote justified itself through the
stellar controls of Metriod Prime 3, the self explanatory nature of
Wii Sports and in it's later life cycle through Skyward Sword.
The Wii-U has many flaws. Some which
can't be tackled and some which can. Let's talk about the things
Nintendo can change, because talking about the unchangeable facts of
the system won't help nobody.
The Gamepad and Games:
This is a short point, because it's the
most obvious. Bring some games that utilize the gamepad in a
meaningful way. Donkey Kong Country:Tropica Freeze is probably the
best game I've played in a long time, but it doesn't even try to use
the gamepad. Apart from the graphic it would have been possible on
the Wii or the Gamecube or the Playstation. If you want your console
to be unique, then use it properly to make unique games.
Also more games in general wouldn't
hurt either, although the Wii-U has build up a healthy library of
games already.
Online – Virtual Console:
Get your shit together. I'm sorry, but
there is no nicer way in saying this. Get your huge virtual console
library onto 3DS and Wii-U. Even if there are some licensing issues
with 3rd party content from that time, that is no excuse
for not porting all of your own titles. There are still no Nintendo
64, or Gamecube games on the Wii-U VC. Like I said above. Use the
huge pile of software you're sitting on.
Online – Unified account system
and Cross Buy:
Online is a key part in todays console
market. Nintendo has started to embrace it, but not nearly enough.
The Miiverse is great, but it's not enough. What we now need is a
unified account system. Tieing your purchases to the hardware is one
of the dumbest things ever. Even in the Wii period and even more in
the period of Wii-U and 3DS. Just tie it to a got damn account. You
even have a perfect account system in place with club nintendo.
They already started to work on this
problem via Nintendo Network Id, but apart from bringing your 3DS and
Wii-U together not much has happened.
Even though it would be so easy. Just
look what your competitors are doing. It's ok to not run after every
trend in this industry, but at when Sony does something right, there
is no shame in copying it.
I'm, of course, talking about crossbuy.
Iwata stated in an interview that he wanted the Wii-U and the 3DS to
become like brothers. Well that would be the first step. Unify most
of the virtual console for both platforms. NES, SNES, GBA Titles
could be ported to both Wii-U and 3DS. And if you buy, for example,
Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Wii-U, you also get it on your 3DS. Add
the possibilities of migrating your save files from one platform to
the other and you have a huge plus for both of your platforms. Even
bigger than Playstations Cross-buy because you have the stronger
library than sony could ever have.
This may not be a reason to buy a Wii-U
but it surely would help both, the Wii-U and the 3DS, because Owners
of one platform may have an easier time deciding if they should buy
the other. Also it would help your image with gamers.
Advertisement:
Just do it. I rarely see a spot for the
Wii-U or one of it's games, while Sonys ''For the gamers'' commercial
was every where throughout the holidays. Get the people to know that
there is a new Nintendo console an tell them what it's all about
(after you figured this out for yourselves of course.)
Price:
Cutting the
manufacturing costs, so that by holiday 2014 you can sell Wii-U
Bundles for 250€ would surely help as well. Even more if neither
Sony nor Microsoft perform a price cut in their first year on the
market, although the X Box One might get one soon.
This would be some points which
Nintendo could work on to rise the overall attractiveness of the
console. I think they could manage that till fall and with the stream
of high quality software which releases then (Bayonetta 2, Smash
Bros., Hyrule Warriors, possibly X, Call of Duty, Asassins Creed) the
Wii-U would be an attractive product to get for Christmas 2014.
So what are your thoughts? What
measures can Nintendo take to bring the Wii-U back on track again?
Can the console even do that? Or is the Wii-U doooooomed!!!
