Wii Boo?

The next generation of consoles will be here before you know it, and the first of them is coming this holiday season from Nintendo. The WII U.

The WII U has been been demo'd at all the big video game expos since last year. Its big feature is its controller, also known as the Gamepad, which sports a full color display, among other things.

The processing and graphic power is said to be on par with the 360, which leads me to my point. WHAT THE FUCK IS NINTENDO'S ISSUE? The processing power of a supposed "next gen" console with the horsepower of a current one? It’s the perfect metaphor for how Nintendo conducts their business: arrogant and late to the party.

Let's put this perspective. Nintendo has legendary figures working for them. They have legendary franchises. Not good, not great. LEGENDARY. You could make a theme park based on Mario, Zelda and the like and even someone who has never picked up a controller in his life would recognize them. Nintendo's roster ranks up with anything Disney or Marvel has ever put out. If it wasn't for that however, I feel the Big N would out of the console business by now, just like Sega (R.I.P).

No question they are powerhouse, but they are simply a conundrum. Everything they do is a step toward innovation, and two steps away from being current.

The N64 introduced us to the analog stick for the first time, and used it to redefine platforming in Super Mario 64. They took a gamble with a casual market focus, introducing motion controls that actually work with the WII.

But, they held onto cartridges too long as everyone went to discs. Then they dropped the cartridge format, only to use "mini" disks, when people were using DVDs. Their online offerings have only recently taken on any sort of competence, but I only mean in the E-Commerce department. Forget DLC or playing with your friends.

Oh, wait let me get your 100 digit "friend code" so I can silently race you in Mario Kart.

No chat by the way.

Nintendo's has yet to adapt HD into any of it's past systems. The WII U is HD, but should've the WII just have had it to begin with?

These decisions are ones made in secluded arrogance. People love Mario and the crew, and there are a large number of gamers that will do anything to get their latest adventures. Nintendo knows this, but they overestimate this fandom. They feel they can provide a subpar product, but as long as they keep bringing awesome games for their iconic franchises, that will be enough reason to buy. Subpar is a harsh word, to be fair. N64, Gamecube, WII were high quality game systems. But they all had their fair share of faults. Eventually, this attitude will be their downfall.

The Wii U is another example of the Paula Abdul, "2 steps forward, 2 steps back" philosophy by Nintendo. Here we have a system with a unique, possibly revolutionary gimmick. The WII Gamepad is basically a controller with a full color monitor. The Monitor is touch sensitive, and has "near-field communication" abilities (like the Skylander Portal of Power). It has motion controls, dual analogs..It's sweet. But, the processing power is the same as the 360. That's fine for now, but what happens in two years when the "real" next gen consoles drop. Will we be expecting a WII U2? Third party developers have had a hard time with Nintendo's products since the N64. The WII U seems to be bucking that trend and it's getting AAA titles ported over with extra content utilizing the Gamepad. Initially, buying Assassins Creed 3 on WII U will be the more attractive option. Aliens: Colonel Marines, a game I'm pretty psyched about cause of my Alien fandom, will use the Gamepad to be the iconic Aliens "motion sensor". Sounds pretty awesome right? So what happens when the 720 or PS4 drops and COD 6 comes out? You wanna get it for WII U, where my radar and team locations are on the Gamepad screen, but the Graphics look subpar? Or do you wanna get it for XBOX 720, with mind blowing Unreal Engine 4 powered 3D/HD graphics, and seamless online features? The choice is clear.

Furthermore, the Gamepad is dope, but it can only be used by ONE PERSON!! I'm sorry, Nintendo recently announced you can connect 2 Gamepads to the WII U now, in a pure reactionary move. BUT, the controllers are like 150 each. And what if your boys wanna come over and check out the WII U? They get to use regular WIImotes. Yup, the same WIImotes you've been using for years. If you're going to make a system that based around a revolutionary tablet/controller, wouldn't it make sense to make them affordable and available for everyone to play with? The Wiimote should only be allowed to be used in cases of old school games and the like. Who wants to come over and wait your turn to try the ill controller? Lame move Nintendo. The WII movement really happened when all the first adopters had their friends over to try it out. It caught on easily, and now even retirement homes have WIIs. The WII U isn't like that at all.

Nintendo is banking on a head start in this generation, much like Microsoft did with the 360. It worked for Bill Gates and the boys, and the 360 has established itself as the number 1 player in the market. 360 isn't as powerful as the PS3, but the gap between them isn't as wide as the WII U and its future competitors will be. WII U's innovation needs to be a home run, and Nintendo needs to deliver an easy to use online component. A Party system, achievements, etc. etc. Drop the silly "friend codes". Even then, I feel what's under the hood will be Nintendo's undoing. The WII worked cause it was the most accessible gaming experience ever. The majority of folks the WII catered to could care less about framerates and color palettes. WII U wants to be taken seriously as a next generation game platform. It will be. But I think that audience will jump ship when given an opportunity.

Can I say this too? Could the announcement for WII U be anymore snooze inducing? At first, people didn't even understand it was a system! They thought it was some new tablet or something. As critics get their hands on it, we are hearing some favorable things, but I feel the hype machine should be in full swing by now. A console launch is an exciting time to be a gamer, and it seems no one is pumped for it. I know I'm generalizing but it's the truth. Remember when PS2, XBOX, WII etc. etc. came out? Everyone seemed to have an opinion on it. WII U? "Looks cool, I'd like to check it out first." That's the best I've heard.

You know what might help? Nintendo creating something NEW. Super Mario on WII U will be crazy. Zelda in HD will be beyond epic. But instead of rehashing the same tried and true characters and games, how about Nintendo puts the braintrust together and comes up with something fresh. An all new incredible experience built from the ground up to be on WII U. A game that can only be played on WII U. A killer app that doesn't have a mustachioed plumber, electric weasel or an elf dressed in green. Done well, it could be a game changer.

Will the WII U be a success? At first, I believe so. I even think after this holiday season, Nintendo will be wagging their finger at guys like me telling me, "I told you so." Just like they did with the WII. We will go over our friend’s house, or check it out at Gamestop, and be sold. Then at E3 next year, representatives of Microsoft or Sony will stroll to the stage, and pull the cover off their next big gun. And the countdown will begin when the WII U becomes a dust collector under the TV rack.