http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=185000
New Super Mario Bros. U is supposed to have an overworld like Super Mario World! And get this, it actually has somewhat different content (OK, it may be alterations of the typical desert, ice, water themes, etc., but at least it’s slightly different).
I could really see myself getting into this game (after all, Mario 5 knocked it out of the park) and having fun with friends as we unlock various paths on the overworld. And since there’s no coin collecting garbage like New Super Mario Bros. 2, this game has a greater focus on fundamentals of an actual Mario game, and not a Wario game. There’s nothing to get in the way of the joy of actual Mario gameplay (star coins don’t really bother me).
This has made me feel a lot better. When Nintendo announced that Wii U controller at E3 2011 I was PISSED. I thought they were abandoning the Wii Remote to go right back to the GameCube controller (with a huge screen in the middle). But then something happened. During E3 this year, I watched Miyamoto talking about Pikmin 3 on stage (a game I have zero interest in), and he started talking about nunchuck and Motion Plus controls. I thought, “Wow. They’re including Wii controls even in a Super GameCube game. This is a good sign.”
Of course the Wii controls are probably there because Nintendo thinks they can sell GameCube games to the masses simply by adopting a Wii control scheme, but whatever. It’s like you said, this is looking to be a controller agnostic system. I like that! And if the Wii U releases in black this year, I think I’ll buy one on launch day, even if it’s just for Mario.
I was sent it by some other emails. There is always a delay to posting stuff for various reasons (sleepiness, tired, just don’t want to talk about X subject at the moment…) I still have Mario World emails to go through.
I feel very comfortable with NSMB U. It is the type of game I want for a launch. As the saying goes, if there is not a Mario game on the system, it is not a Nintendo console (and since most of us don’t consider 3d Mario a Mario game, consoles like the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube never felt like Nintendo consoles).
NSMB 2’s flatness has us worried that Nintendo is just going to phone in Super Mario Brothers games or perhaps intentionally sabotage them while putting all their efforts into ‘more 3d’ games. In the past, the handheld Mario games were made by the B team and were never seen as equals to the main console line. Super Mario Land games were good but were never up there with games like Super Mario World or Super Mario Brothers 3. I recall not buying Super Mario Land 2 when it was released as well. If NSMB U ends up being the quality of Super Mario World, I would be very pleased and feel that Nintendo is interested in making games I want to buy.
The more controller agnostic the Wii U is, the better. In order to play games like NSMB Wii from now and in the future, we HAVE to use the motion controller because some idiot in Nintendo thought motion controls would ‘add’ to a 2d platformer. NSMB U looks pretty solid so far.
The bigger thing is that the Wii U hardware seems solid (if they get the hardware wrong, it stays wrong the entire generation). Unlike the 3DS with is different size screens and placing the D-pad not parallel with the buttons, the Wii U controls do not come across as hostile to me. The controller is not crazy like the N-64 or Gamecube. The d-pad is not placed in a corner as if it was some obsolete thing in place for an analog stick.
We still are waiting for Nintendo’s little announcement about the Wii U. There is much information we’re waiting on such as how much does it cost. Let’s hold back the Hype Horses until that time.
I’m concerned about whether or not the Wii U will explode. After all, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 had exploding hardware. Since the console hardware is more in line with this, will it break down after a month of use? It used to be that game consoles never broke down or broke down after many years. But with Microsoft and Sony’s consoles, I think this concern should be forefront with every gamer. Someone needs to ask Fils-Aime, “Reggie, will my Wii U explode?” The hardcore may tolerate exploding consoles, but I will not.
I’m also waiting on details about the E-shop. There are additional launch games to be announced assuming the E-shop is available on launch day (which it should!). And what about my Virtual Console games? What is going on here?
Let slip the dogs of hype when we have the price, release date, and more information concerning the E-shop and Virtual Console games…
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