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Nintendo Announces Wii U Release Date and Price

Snuggles

By Snuggles

    • Nintendo has made a big announcement and released a plethora of new information regarding the Wii U.

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So today was the big day for Nintendo. They finally announced a release date and a price for the new system, the WiiU.

The WiiU will come in two forms. A white one with an 8GB HD for $299, or a black one with a 32GB HD for $349. The 'premium' one for $349 will also come with a game, Nintendoland. I'm not sure if the colors are specific to the type of system you will be buying. I will assume so for now though.

A new controller will be introduced, The WiiU Tablet. You will be able to connect two of them to your system at once from what I have learned. It seems that the WiiU will also be compatible with the older Wii controllers. So your WiiMotes and Nun-chucks will not go to waste. This makes for the ability to have up to six, if not more players at once. Since the WiiU Tablet will have it's own screen, it makes this easy and possible.

The tablet more specifically will not just be for gaming. It will have a 6.2-inch LCD touch screen, two analog sticks, a D-pad, four buttons on its face, two triggers, and two bumpers on the top. If that wasn't enough, it will also have a working front camera for video calls, can double as a universal remote, and a web browser that mirrors to your TV. Here's the best part though. Some games can actually be played only on the tablet. This means if you have a TV show you want to watch, and someone else is playing Super Mario on the TV. Then can simply change the channel and switch the game to the tablet. It will also be available to buy seperatly for people who want two, for about $169

The WiiU will also have a social media aspect to it. Almost like the Xbox and Playstation networks. You will be able to go to your dashboard. View what games your friends are playing, and even send messages to them if you want. Along with the new Nintendo TVii, we will see a level of social media unknown to any gaming console. It will be customized for each profile, suggesting media from everywhere. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, local tv stations, anything you could think of that is on the web. These suggestions will come from what is popular, your previous choices, and also what is popular among your friends. You can also select your own favorites. While watching a tv show, the tablet will offer you the ability to browse imdb, Wikipedia, follow social media around the episode, tweet yourself about what you’re seeing, even see what has happened so far. If you’re a sports fan, you will love the idea of sharing of stats, other scores, and instant replays of your favorite team doing what they do best.

Nintendo has also announced over 50 games for release date. Bayonetta 2, a WiiU exclusive now will be online and published by Nintendo. Assassins Creed III will be ported over, as well as BlackOps2 and Ninja Gaiden 3 just to name a few. These games were not only demo'd, but played on the new WiiU Tablet. Showing us that Nintendo heard the cries of the hardcore gamer and are willing to show us what they can do. This doesn't mean the casual gamer will be suffering though. Also announced were The New Super Mario Brothers U and Pikman 3, games published by Nintendo. Then they have their usual 3rd party games coming into the light such as Scribblenauts Unlimited and ZombiU.

For a complete list of games announced, please click here

You can also watch parts of the live stream, as well as trailers for upcoming games at Nintendos official site

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Jake

Bayonetta 2, ONLY for WiiU? What the heck?Anyways, I guess it's cool that Nintendo is the first one out of the gate for 8th gen. However, I think I'll wait for the Ps4. I bought a Wii thinking of how great it would be, and ended up getting the short end of the stick for EVERY SINGLE THIRD PARTY GAME until I bought a Ps3.

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Jake

I will get one. Not because I'm excited for it, which I am, but because it's Nintendo.They have a friend in me.

Sung to the tune of Friend in Me from Toy StoryYou've got a Nintendo Wii (U)You've got a Nintendo Wii (U)You can game on it, and have some good times'Cause you've got a Nintendo Wii (U)
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David

Definitely won't be getting one. It will be interesting to see how it sells. The Wii sold like hotcakes but it seemed like it was just something people bought for 1-3 hours of lulz and then never touched it again.It might be a cool thing right now, but it has specs similar to the PS3/360 wtihout the mainstream no-competition market the Wii had. I don't see why anyone would buy it who already has a ps3/360 or plans on getting the next generation of those systems in ~12 months.

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Snuggles

Nintendo is great for party games, children's games, and console exclusives. Something both Sony and Microsoft lack. I still play my Wii from time to time, when I have a bunch of friends over. Playing Smash Brothers, Mario Party, even Wii Boxing is still fun. I will be buying one, simply for the new Zelda game and Smash Bros that will be coming out. Even many of the party games I'll probably pick up. Nothing is better than having 20-30 people around a television, all drunk, screaming "POP THE BALLOON!". Lulz for everyone.Nintendo is more focused on the casual gamer, and is where they should stay if you ask me. They can't compete with the online capabilities of the Xbox and PS3 unless it's 100% free and they upgrade it tremendously. Playing Brawl online with the whole friend code thing was aggravating. I do like that they are trying to appeal to the hardcore gamer though. It shows that they care, even if they aren't going to really focus on it.Also, the price range. It will be just as powerful as the PS3/Xbox360 and cost me way less. Plus, Nintendo is always great with it's innovation and seems to truly care about the consumer. Another thing that M$ and $ony seem to lack.Edit - For the record. I am and always will be a Sony fangirl. I just have more respect for Nintendo since they have been in the game so much longer and always seem to surprise me with such amazing and great ideas.

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David

How is the Wii U cheaper? Even the 8 GB model is $50 more than the PS3. I don't think Nintendo is innovative at all, either. They just rehash the same 4 exclusives and the Wii was pretty gimmicky (in my opinion, anyway). Nintendo doesn't give two shits about the consumer until it affects their bottom line, just like any other company.

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Jake

Good exclusives. Pretty much any game that comes out for the PS3, eventually comes to the pc and/or Xbox360.

Uncharted, Littlebigplanet, Demon's Souls, Infamous, Fat Princess

Nintendo doesn't give two shits about the consumer until it affects their bottom line, just like any other company.

I think publishers are getting better about it, though:Valve's CEO says that he has enough money already, and therefore is no longer in it for the moneyCdProjekt Red tries to set an example for WRPGs. I don't like them that much, though, since they refuse to bring Witcher 2 to Ps3.Atlus's fanbase isn't very big to begin with, and they don't want to lose those fans by selling out.EA is beginning to listen a bit more, although they continue to milk Bioware.Activision finally got Kotick to shut his pie hole.Capcom...is still Capcom, but at least they released Dragon's Dogma. I have to get that at some point.
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Snuggles

How is the Wii U cheaper? Even the 8 GB model is $50 more than the PS3.

Pretty sure the PS3 was $500 on release day... It took it how many years to drop below $300?

I don't think Nintendo is innovative at all, either. They just rehash the same 4 exclusives and the Wii was pretty gimmicky (in my opinion, anyway). Nintendo doesn't give two shits about the consumer until it affects their bottom line, just like any other company.

Nintendo is the leading developer of 3rd party gaming and software last I checked. I don't have time to find the evidence but if I remember later I'll go look for it.I'm not saying they aren't a company first. They obviously listen to what the consumer has to say though. Nintendo is the giant of gaming, with constant new ideas being made into a reality. Nintendo made the Wii, Microsoft and Sony made Kinect and Playstation Move. Granted, their newest controller is simply a tablet. It's a great idea I think though and something that will take gaming to a new level. Even if they are gimmicky at first, what isn't when it's new?
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David

Pretty sure the PS3 was $500 on release day... It took it how many years to drop below $300?

That's completely irrelevant. You said "It will be just as powerful as the PS3/Xbox360 and cost me way less" which isn't true. That's all I'm saying.
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