The Wii U GamePad in general

      If I asked you "What stands out about the Wii U?", what would be your answer? Exactly, the Wii U GamePad, the primary Wii U controller. It's pretty clear that it is the biggest feature of Nintendo's upcoming console. The controller can do many things you could not do with a "normal" controller. But there is this little going on. People claim the XBOX 360 will have SmartGlass and that the PlayStation Vita can be used as a controller for the PlayStation 3. Let's start with the SmartGlass first. SmartGlass allows developers to use smart phones and tablets as controllers. This is definitely not the only feature of SmartGlass but lets focus o what it does for games. A lot of XBOX fans compare SmartGlass to the Wii U's GamePad claiming the Wii U isn't doing anything new and that the SmartGlass is better. But the thing about SmartGlass is this: Lack of traditional controls (or simply buttons). It does not have Analog Sticks, nor a D-Pad, nor a ABXY buttons. That is going to hurt SmartGlass. A LOT. How are you suppose to play First Person Shooter or Third Person Shooter games without shoulder buttons? How are you going to play Fighting games on SmartGlass? Your fingers will hide the screen partially (most of the time) which is annoying. Instead of opening a brand new world of possibilities, SmartGlass will remove a lot from the gameplay. So, SmartGlass is not better than the Wii U's new controller. Now, onto the Vita to PlayStation 3 connectivity. The PlayStation 3 has the ability to use the PlayStation Vita as a controller. Unlike SmartGlass, the Vita isn't restricted to just touch screen controls. It has traditional controls as well which is a big step forward. But here is the problem with the Vita and PlayStation 3 connectivity. The PlayStation 3 costs $250 and the PlayStation Vita $250. $250+$250= $500. Meanwhile, the Wii U is rumored to cost around $250 to $300. And of course, it will come with one Wii U GamePad just like the Wii came with a Wii Remote. It is common sense, really. Another problem about the PlayStation Vita to PlayStation 3 connectivity (that's how I call it) is the lack of support. There are barely any games making use of this feature. The Wii U GamePad is the Wii U's main controller and it will be there from the beginning while being supported by first and third party developers alike. Also, the Wii U is a much more powerful system and it is just about $0 to $50 more than the PlayStation 3. This feature came a bit too late to have a big impact on the Wii U's success. Yes, the Vita has more features than the Wii U GamePad, but here's the thing, the Vita is a handheld console, the Wii U GamePad is a controller. Now, is the Wii U thing new? The Sega DreamCast had a screen on its controller all the way back in good ol' 1999. But it didn't have much to do with the games you played. The GameBoy Advance to GameCube connectivity did something similar (to the Wii U) in 2001. In the game The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure, up to four players could play this game on their GameCube using GameBoy Advances (Yeah, advances with an s at the end). But still, it didn't have a touch screen and lacked analog sticks. Nintendo is now bringing back this idea with the Wii U. With a touch screen on the new controller, new methods of gameplay can be explored. Think about it. Real Time Strategy games like StarCraft are now possible on the Wii U. The Wii U GamePad is not necessarily new but it is quite innovative when you think about it. New genres can be explored thanks to the Wii U's new controller. Rejoice gamers!

Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed

   So, a week ago, Eurogamer has published an article regarding the Wii U's graphical capabilities. The name of the article was "Wii U graphics on par with PlayStation 3". The title alone shocked me. I thought the Wii U was going to be the next Wii and that it will be the end of Nintendo. That was until I decided to read the actual thing. Surprise, surprise. The article was about the game "Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed" coming for the XBOX 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U. The point of this article was that the graphics in the aforementioned game (Wii U version) are on par or better than the PlayStation 3's version. Eurogamer lied to us. For shame, Eurogamer, for shame. Now, Wii U Daily has posted a new article about Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed. The Wii U version is in fact better than the PlayStation 3's version. Plus, Sumo Digital (the developers of the game) said that the Wii U has a lot more memory than the PlayStation 3 and XBOX 360. Looks like I was worried for nothing. Hopefully, Nintendo will release the official and finalized specs very soon. Be on your guards, Nintendo fans, when an article like that (Eurogamer's article) pops up out of thin air. The Wii U is definitely more powerful and graphically superior than the PlayStation 3.

Is the Wii U's Launch good enough?

         People are wondering if the Wii U's launch titles are good enough for them to buy the Wii U. Let's take a look at the PlayStation 3's launch titles in North America: Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII, Call of Duty 3, Genji: Days of the Blade, Madden NFL 07, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire, NBA 2K7, NHL 2K7, Resistance: Fall of Men, Ridge Racer 7, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, Tony Hawk's Project 8. That is a total of 12 games and the only game that stands out is Resistance: Fall of Men. Is the PS3 doing good these days, software wise? Some will say that the PS3 is indeed doing well. Now let's compare it to the Wii U's launch titles. Pikmin 3, a solid and long awaited title made by Nintendo. This is what the 3DS lacked when it launched: Big games made by Nintendo. We also have Super Mario Bros U. Sure, you may think it's similar to the one on the Wii, but Mario is a system seller. Remember that. Two major Nintendo games at launch already. We have ZombiU, a game made for the hardcore audience, we have Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge (Developed by Nintendo and Team Ninja) which is going back to what Ninja Gaiden is all about, Batman Arkham City Armored Edition (Some people will complain that it is a port, but still, a lot of people haven't played this game yet) which holds a 96 on metacritic, we have Rayman Legends which is developed by the same people behind the critically acclaimed Rayman Origins, Assassin's Creed 3, one the most anticipated games of 2012, Call of Duty Black Ops 2 (another system seller), Trine 2 (another critically acclaimed game), Darksiders 2, Mass Effect 3, etc. Is the Wii U launch good? Yes. You can complain as much as you want to about ports but as long as they're ports of great games, I'm not complaining.