With the Wii U being on sale for the past 6 months, the console has never really seemed to have the gaming community wanting one more than their next breath. In all honesty, the games which have been released are typical of Nintendo with the releases of several Mario games, party titles and older games which have only just been released for the Wii U. Surely everyone wants to play something fresh and not something which most people have played such as Deus Ex: Human Revolutions? This is one of the several reasons why I believe that the Wii U will continue to struggle as well as the impending releases of the PS4 and next-gen Xbox.
One of the main issues for me with Nintendo is often the lack of variety in their games, they tend to stick to their guns and re-use the same recipe which has brought them success in the past. Whenever there is a new console released, you can always count on the same titles being released at one point or another such as Super Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda, dancing and fitness games which have been more common in the more recent Wii console. While you can always count on Microsoft releasing Halo, Forza and Gears of War and Sony releasing Uncharted, God of War and Killzone, Nintendo has been releasing the same games for numerous years, beside the fitness games which feel as though they already belong in the past. Recently, the only game to come out for the Wii U which has seemed to have any impact is Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate which is also available for the 3DS. The key point here is that many people already own a 3DS so why would they buy a new console when they can play it on a console they already own?
A point I made in the introduction, the delay in games being released for the Wii U not only hurts sales for the console but also its reputation. With games such as Deus Ex: HR, 007 Legends and Darksiders II it seems as though the console seems to be an afterthought. Some of these games were good when they were released and may be good to go back and replay them once in a while but these are no reasons to buy the console. Aside from Bayonetta 2, which will be pivotal for the future of the console, the Wii U doesn’t seem to have many exciting titles on the way. A series such as Metroid Prime would be excellent for the Wii U and refreshing as it’s not as used and abused unlike other Nintendo exclusive games.
When the original Wii was released, it was a revelation in gaming. The motion controls and the simplicity of the games were beautiful. Even games which had been redesigned for the Wii added an extra layer to the game, Resident Evil 4 being the perfect example. It was very simple for anyone to pick up the nun-chuck and become fully immersed in the game as it was so simple, hence why it was a monumental success. The Wii U gamepad doesn’t seem to have the same impact as its predecessors as it feels as though you are playing on a tablet computer rather than a games console. These days, touch screens seem to be everywhere with smart phones, tablets and other gadgets all featuring commands from your fingertips. Although the Wii U does embrace the touch screen, it seems to take the gamer away from immersed in front of their television or monitor anxiously gripping on their controller.
With the PS3 and Xbox 360 following the route which the Wii took, in regards to motion controls, you knew that the Wii was always going to be superior as the console was designed with this in mind and not altered to feature a camera or two landing signals for an aeroplane. While the PS4 and next-gen Xbox will be continuing with these motion controls, they leave themselves in a good position as they will (probably) be continuing the motion controls similarly to the way in which they used them in the previous generation.
For me, Nintendo consoles have never been aimed at hardcore gamers which many people consider themselves these days. Judging by many people’s experiences with the Wii, you would say that the original Wii was good for party and childish games. With the Wii selling in such huge numbers, many people may be put off by the Wii U’s price tag when not much has changed from the previous version.
To be honest, I think that the Wii-U was doomed even before it was released. With numerous rumours saying that the Wii U was at the same level as the PS3 and Xbox 360 butthese rumours were later quashed. The appeal for many Xbox 360 and PS3 owners would have been lost year in which would be a crucial year in the gaming calendar, from the console’s release at the end of November to the end of November 2013. Why would anyone want to buy a console which is already behind the last generation of consoles? It makes little or no sense to me. In order to make the system sell, Nintendo need a larger variety of games to offer, games that Microsoft, Sony or anything produced on Steam can produce. A game such as Mario Galaxy 3 would be crucial for Wii U sales as the first two games were so full of life. As for games coming onto the horizon, I know I’ll be keeping my money for the PS4 and the next Xbox.
@SimonMarshall6
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