Wii U System Review :: Zelda Informer

So I?ve had a morning to fool around with what the Wii U offers as a system, and to say it?s definitely something I?ve never experienced before is selling it short. Unlike when the press initially got the Wii U I was able to mess around with everything: Online play, Miiverse, the internet browser and more. The only thing that isn?t working right now out of the box is Nintendo TVii, but with Netflix, Amazing Video, and Hulu Plus all working we can all definitely afford to wait a few extra weeks for the extended On Demand service.

Out the box let me tell you that setting up the Wii U does take time. First, if you want online features, you will have to do a System Update and how long it takes to do that update can vary. In general, it?s a 4 to 5 gig update, so for those with 5gb limits on their monthly usage you may want to find a wifi hotspot or use your neighbors internet. It will take awhile to download such a massive update, but in my opinion the update is essential. The updates don?t stop there: I had to update Netflix before use and yes, when I popped in Asassin?s Creed III I had to update that game as well. While that?s normally not a big deal, after 2 hours of updating features it did seem a bit annoying.

Wii U?s Online Features

It?s a really great browser, and definitely the best we have ever had on a home console. In fact, it?s so impressive that any future offerings from Microsoft or Sony on that front just aren?t going to measure up unless they too slap a screen on their controllers. It works and functions a lot like an Tablet browser. In fact, for a period of time while using it I almost forgot I was on a game console at all. It was fast, it was efficient, and it had more functionality than I anticipated.

The browser does support Java and HTML 5, and while I thought it initially supported flash based on some videos it plays, turns out our SpringBoard platform has HTML 5 and Flash, so I am sad to report that flash support is not incuded. Of course, with the advent of HTML 5, flash isn?t really needed anymore anyways. Overall, it?s an impressive browsing experience. If they ever allow me to use a wireless keyboard I wont have much of a reason to use a laptop in the living room anymore.

MiiVerse is a beast of a Social Network. Lots of people were on it and it?s nice communicating with people throughout the world so easily. I was able to jump right into MiiVerse while pausing AC III and ask such a simple question as when I can switch the view from the TV to the gamepad and get the full surround sound audio out of the GamePad itself (more on that later).. Then I could hop right back into the game. MiiVerse is well organized, and at the touch of a button I can add people who I like to my friends list a hurry.

A big caveat right now, and we worried about this months ago, is Nintendo censoring people. We knew they had multiple measures in which to police the system to make sure it?s user friendly, but right now it seems to have gone a bit too far. In fact, Jim Sterling described it as a police state and it actually fits rather well. As an example, in AC III I mentioned something about one of the kills and how cool it was stabbing someone in a certain area and watching their body react, and my post was deleted by the Administration for ?Violent Content?.

The irony of this is rampant, as I?m playing a game that is intended for 17+. It?s a game filled with violence, so should Nintendo be surprised we are talking about Violence on the MiiVerse, especially when we are talking in the AC III specific channel? It?s a big issue and Nintendo has to find the right balance. You can?t silence talking about violence in a game. That?s simply not right. Death threats to users? I get it. Talking about the game? I don?t. It is important to note that after further review my post was allowed to go back up, but that doesn?t change the fact it was taken down to begin with. Nintendo is new to this game, so it may take some time for them to find the right balance.

Also, don?t plan to swear on MiiVerse. I can only imagine that will lead to instant post removals. Still, overall, MiiVerse is a ?family friendly?, but very interesting Social Network that calls into the question the need for even something like a Community Forum. Outside of having looser restrictions, Mii Verse acts just like a Community Forum with a Facebook vibe, and it?s glorious.

Friends list are what they always have been. You add people by using their account name (mine is Janc, so feel free to add me!), and the list is always available with a touch of the Home Button. You can chat with them, both text and through video, and so far there are no restrictions or censorship in these conversations. OF course, what we all want to know about is Multiplayer.

Essentially, Multiplayer functions exactly like it does on the other systems, except we join the games unique network. As an example, I had to sign into U-Play in order to play multiplayer on Assassin?s Creed III, but it was simple to do and took almost no time. I was able to play Multiplayer seemlessly without any lag. In essence, Multi-Player is MUCH better on the Wii U than on any other Nintendo platform, and yes, it?s definitely a system than can compete with Xbox Live and PSN. However, there is the added bonus of multi-tasking, which is something you can?t as of yet do on the other systems. Bonus points Nintendo.

The System and GamePad

The system is sleek, smaller than the Xbox Elite and Playstation 3 Slim, but bigger than a Wii. The biggest plus it has is that it doesn?t look, or feel, like a toy. It?s definitely a high powered gaming machine. It sits perfectly right now on the floor next to my rather small TV stand. Let me explain one thing that will take your breath away when using the system: The very first time you load multiplatform game like Batman or Assassin?s Creed III you cannot help but get a big grin on your face. It?s gorgeous, it?s HD, and it?s a Nintendo system. Nothing truly sinks in gaming wise until that moment. This is a powerful little box, and while this hardly shows you how powerful it is, a HD Nintendo sysme is a welcome sight.

Everything you heard about the GamePad is true. It?s lightweight, it forms well to the hands in multiple positions, and it doesn?t get tiring in long gaming sessions. Your initial reaction will likely me ?man this is huge?, but once you start using it that thought leaves your mind entirely. It has to be this big, and there is nothing wrong with that. What many people want to know is the distance at which you can use it, and I can safely say, at least in my small apartment, I can use it in every room comfortably. The only caveat is my bedroom. When watching Netflix on it before finally dosing off this morning, it would break up slightly if I held to close to the outer wall. But putting in a couple feet from the head of the bed, or even on the floor or a in a cradle on my nightstand, there were no issues with connectivity. It may have only been 15 feet from the console, but there were two walls involved in that process, plus the console is on the opposite side of my TV stand, making for 3 walls between me and the system at the time. Still worked, it just cut the range down a lot.

I was able to take it out on my small balcony and play, so it really just depends on how big of an area you have when testing it?s distance. The button locations being below the right stick took some getting use to, but overall it?s just a minor adjustment.

It synced up easily to my TV after a couple tries, and actually responds faster than the remote the TV came with. I was not able to set it up with my cable box (sad day), but I am sure that will be fixed when TVii comes out. There were only two TiVo options and neither sadly worked with the latest TiVo box. In the end, the gamepad is nice. The colors are a bit washed when your playing without charging it, but when plugged in it felt as vibrant as my TV. The visuals on it look impressive too even though it?s only 480p on the screen. That doesn?t seem to matter on a such a small screen, as it looked pretty much identical to the HD on my TV.

Conclusion

The Wii U is definitely an interesting machine. Part tablet, part game machine, and part social network there are simply a lot of interesting and new things it does out of the box. I didn?t even touch base on the gamepad?s audio, which I have set to surround and it sounds amazing. Fact is, there are a lot of little bells and whistles that I keep discovering the more I use it. In the end, the Wii U is everything I had hoped it would be and then some, and while much is unknown (future third party support, titles in 2013, etc) there is a lot going for the system.

I didn?t even talk about the eShop, which is the best online store on any console period. Arguably better than steam sans the amazing deals steam hands out. There is just a lot in this package, and I hardly feel slighted by the price tag. There is a lot going on with this beast and I look forward to seeing what happens in the near future. Oh and as for games? You just wont understand what it adds to gaming until you play. If you haven?t had a change to actually try out the Wii U and your on the fence, find a place or a friend to play one for a little bit. I don?t even remember how I gamed in my living room before this anymore.

The Wii U is simply an interesting new toy with a lot of bells and whistles, and once you start using it you may not be able to go back to the way gaming was before it. I have zero regrets that I sold my Xbox 360 to buy AC III and ZombiU. You can look forward to several game reviews throughout the week folks. Feel free to ask any questions you want, and I?ll throw together a quick FAQ and/or Q and A session later today.

Source: http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/comments/wii-u-system-review

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