The succesor of Nintendo Wii, Wii U is just around the corner, in 30 November will be released.
The new system from Nintendo has some good and bad launch titles.
Here are some of the highs and the lows.
Feel free to comment your opinion!
1. NEW SUPER MARIO BROS U
Also on: N/A
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: In-house
Release date: 30 November
The latest demo for New Super Mario Bros U shows off Boost Rush, a brand new mode inspired by the recent New Super Mario Bros 2‘s Coin Rush, with the twist being that the auto-scroll levels get faster and faster the more coins you collect, making the game more difficult the more skilled you are. In the demo we played, two players took control of Mario and Luigi with standard Wii Remotes while a third lent a helping hand on the GamePad by using the stylus to place platforms to save players from a nasty fall, lead them to the top of a flagpole, or give a boost up to a big coin.
It wasn’t long, however, before we realised how much fun it is to troll the other players by using our powers for evil, placing the platforms to block their path or sabotage a jump, sending them plummeting into a pit. We’re a bit nasty like that, and it’s nice to see Mario indulging those urges.
2. RAYMAN LEGENDS
Also on: N/A
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Release date: Q1 2013
While the asymmetric co-op mode of New Super Mario Bros U is similar to Mario Galaxy 2‘s Co-Star mode in that it lets non-gamers and kids join in with the fun easily, the co-op of Rayman Legends requires a lot more skill and, dare we say it, is actually more fun. On the GamePad screen, players take on the role of an independent character and manipulate the environment or interfere with enemies in ways that are essential if Rayman is to survive his journey to the end of the stage.
Verbal communication between players in their separate roles is key, making level completion all the more satisfying if you work together. A bonus mode, in which Rayman’s jumps form the beat of a popular rock song – in the case of our demo, Ram Jam’s Black Betty -kept us laughing all the way through thanks to some great comic timing and silly cover vocals.
3. TOKI TORI 2
Also on: Android, iOS, Mac, PC
Publisher: Two Tribes
Developer: In-house
Release date: 30 November
First released on the Game Boy Color and later remade for the Wii, Toki Tori is back for a proper sequel and may prove to be the killer app in the eShop launch line-up. What we expected was more of the same from the puzzle-platformer sequel – more levels, a few new abilities and slightly prettier visuals. But what we got was quite different. Developer Two Tribes has completely reinvented the game for the sequel, throwing away the expanding set of powers found In the first game and replacing them with just two abilities: a stomp and a whistle.
In the demo stages, stomping scared other creatures away while whistling attracted them towards you. This sounds simple at first, but as the level design became more complex and the number of creatures and the way they interact with each other increased, a whole world of possibilities opened up. Expect this to be a tricky but fun head-scratcher.
4. TRINE 2: DIRECTOR’S CUT
Also on: Mac, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Frozenbyte
Developer: In-house
Release date: 30 November
TRINE 2 was originally built for PC gamers, and It really shows. It’s a side-scrolling puzzle/combat game with three playable characters that you need to switch between, each with their own array of powers, items and abilities, and it feels as though it’s had a score of keyboard buttons crammed onto a console controller. The touch screen of the GamePad helps a little, giving you clear on-screen buttons for a lot of the powers, but this is still a game with a huge learning curve that proved very frustrating during the demo. But then that’s partly the attraction.
Every situation in Trine can be solved In a variety of different ways, some that the developers may not have even anticipated, so there’s a lot of fun to be had in experimenting and taking your time. It’s not the best of the launch titles, but there’s definitely an audience for this and It’s good to see Nintendo accommodating them.
5. NANO ASSAULT NEO
Also on: 3DS
Publisher: Shin’en
Developer: In-house
Release date: 30 November
The 3DS version of this arena shooter went virtually unnoticed when it failed to get a European release. Thankfully, that’s being rectified with this expanded Wii U port. With the support of two analogue sticks, Nano Assault feels better already, while the ability to play entirely on the GamePad screen or use the touch panel to give custom layouts to your satellite cannons is a nice touch.
Overall, though, it’s just great to have a game like this at launch. Nano Assault Neo turns out to be a great little shooter once you get your hands on it and is a lot like Super Stardust HD, except with far superior level design. There were only three games we went back to play more than once during our hands-on time with the Wii U. This was one, and the other two were Mario and Nintendo Land. Nano Assault Neo is certainly in good company there.
6. SONIC & ALL-STARS RACING TRANSFORMED
Also on: 3DS, PC, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sumo Digital
Release date: 30 November
Without a new Mario Kart available from launch, it’s easy to assume that Sega’s alternative will plug the gap. The first game was decent enough, after all. But if our time with the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is anything to go by, those Mario Kart fans are going to be very disappointed. There was only one stage available in the demo, and you could only play as Sonic, so there wasn’t much to go on, but what really shocked was the appalling frame rate of the game.
It felt like we were playing the game through YouTube, at a terrible sub-HD resolution and at a refresh rate so bad it’s reminiscent of the very worst 50Hz PAL conversions of the PS2 era. Sumo Digital usually pumps out technically excellent work so we can only assume that the port won’t be released until it’s in good working order. At least we hope that’s the case.
7. ASSASSIN’S CREED III
Also on: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release date: 30 November
Our time with Assassin’s Creed III wasn’t just our first hands-on play of the Wii U version; it was our first proper taste of the game at all. And we weren’t disappointed. The demo was of the ship-to-ship sea battles, a great tactical affair that’s so accomplished that it could be a standalone game in its own right.
And it really comes to life on the Wii U, the GamePad providing tactical data on its screen and offering convenient ways to manage your battle strategy through touch-screen buttons. More importantly, the game is graphically stunning. It’s one of the nicest-looking Wii U games we’ve seen and sports some amazing water physics that have a tangible effect on gameplay, as well as being really cool. If it weren’t arriving a month after the Xbox 360 and PS3 editions, we’d have no hesitation in recommending the Wii U version of Assassin’s Creed III.
8. ZOMBIU
Also on: N/A
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Release date: 30 November
We’ve always liked ZombiU, hailing it as the best game on the Wii U a few issues back, and we’re still sticking by that prediction after the latest hands-on. This time we played a different area, the iconic Tower of London, and really felt the brunt of the game’s notorious difficulty level. A subtle change to the game sees the ‘Take AH‘ option removed from looting sections, which means you now spend longer staring at the GamePad screen as you search for useful equipment on a corpse, therefore leaving you even more open to zombie attack.
Even with a friend acting as spotter to warn us of approaching danger, and using our ears like never before to stay alert for zombie groans, we still filled our pants and died a lot. And we loved every minute of it too. ZombiU‘s ability to scare us and keep us coming back for more is great testament to the potential of the GamePad, and it remains our pick of the launch so far.
