Never thought the first next-gen game I'd be playing was actually released 11 years ago, but it was. I managed to pick up a Wind Waker bundle Wii U last week, and I must say, I'm impressed by it so far.
On the topic of The Wind Waker, the game looks gorgeous at 1080p (I think it's also 60fps) and hasn't aged even one bit thanks to the cartoon-like art style. I had never owned the original, so it felt like an entirely new game to me. And if I had never heard of it, and you had told me it was new, I probably would have believed it. Additionally, the Wii U's gamepad almost seems tailor-made for Zelda games, allowing instant switching of items to button slots, a constant open map when sailing the seas, and a small gyroscope that definitely helps with aiming certain weapons, without having to bother with a second analog stick.
Furthermore, the Wii U surprisingly allows for several multitasking features I didn't know about. It wasn't too long into the game before I was stuck and unable to figure out what I was supposed to do, like every Zelda game I've played before it. So I simply press the home screen and immediately pull up an internet browser to search for a walkthrough on GameFaqs. With the touchscreen, the browser was just as easy to operate as any browser on a tablet or phone, with additional button support for quick navigation. After I was done, I just press the home screen twice and it returns to exactly where I was at. Needless to say, it was an incredibly useful feature. The off-TV play really is as cool as it sounds too.
You also get a free download of the Hyrule Historia, which is a pretty neat bonus that comes with a ton of artwork and information spanning every game in the Zelda series. I haven't managed to play any other games just yet, but there are some game demos I want to download, like ZombieU and Wonderful 101.
Anyways, I do have a few small gripes. For one, the off-TV play has an extremely short range. I merely went to the next room across the hall and it lost its connection. I can barely make it to my living room without getting lag on it. Oh well, no Zelda on the toilet for me. Also, the Gamepad has an extremely short battery life (about 4 hours) before it needs recharging again. Although this is not so bad considering I play on my computer monitor and so I keep it plugged in at nearly all times. Lastly, the gyroscope had a tendency to "flip out" on me sometimes, especially when I really needed it (like a boss battle). I'd often start using the analog stick out of frustration to properly aim my boomerang. That's not to say the gyroscope hadn't been really useful throughout the game though.
Anyways, just though I'd give my two cents on the machine. I'd definitely recommend it if you are on the fence, although I sometimes fear that it won't be able to live up to its full potential as it is already considered doomed in the eyes of many in the industry. After all, I'd love to see how this would work with a game like the Elder Scrolls, but Bethesda seems intent on not releasing any games for it. So buy at your own risk, but it was worth it to me.
On the topic of The Wind Waker, the game looks gorgeous at 1080p (I think it's also 60fps) and hasn't aged even one bit thanks to the cartoon-like art style. I had never owned the original, so it felt like an entirely new game to me. And if I had never heard of it, and you had told me it was new, I probably would have believed it. Additionally, the Wii U's gamepad almost seems tailor-made for Zelda games, allowing instant switching of items to button slots, a constant open map when sailing the seas, and a small gyroscope that definitely helps with aiming certain weapons, without having to bother with a second analog stick.
Furthermore, the Wii U surprisingly allows for several multitasking features I didn't know about. It wasn't too long into the game before I was stuck and unable to figure out what I was supposed to do, like every Zelda game I've played before it. So I simply press the home screen and immediately pull up an internet browser to search for a walkthrough on GameFaqs. With the touchscreen, the browser was just as easy to operate as any browser on a tablet or phone, with additional button support for quick navigation. After I was done, I just press the home screen twice and it returns to exactly where I was at. Needless to say, it was an incredibly useful feature. The off-TV play really is as cool as it sounds too.
You also get a free download of the Hyrule Historia, which is a pretty neat bonus that comes with a ton of artwork and information spanning every game in the Zelda series. I haven't managed to play any other games just yet, but there are some game demos I want to download, like ZombieU and Wonderful 101.
Anyways, I do have a few small gripes. For one, the off-TV play has an extremely short range. I merely went to the next room across the hall and it lost its connection. I can barely make it to my living room without getting lag on it. Oh well, no Zelda on the toilet for me. Also, the Gamepad has an extremely short battery life (about 4 hours) before it needs recharging again. Although this is not so bad considering I play on my computer monitor and so I keep it plugged in at nearly all times. Lastly, the gyroscope had a tendency to "flip out" on me sometimes, especially when I really needed it (like a boss battle). I'd often start using the analog stick out of frustration to properly aim my boomerang. That's not to say the gyroscope hadn't been really useful throughout the game though.
Anyways, just though I'd give my two cents on the machine. I'd definitely recommend it if you are on the fence, although I sometimes fear that it won't be able to live up to its full potential as it is already considered doomed in the eyes of many in the industry. After all, I'd love to see how this would work with a game like the Elder Scrolls, but Bethesda seems intent on not releasing any games for it. So buy at your own risk, but it was worth it to me.
