If exclusive original content is Nintendo’s bread, then proprietary hardware is its butter. Just as the stereoscopic 3D of the 3DS has enabled unique experiences such as the lush landscapes of Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies and the unique puzzles of Pushmo/Crashmo, the Wii U GamePad has opened up new possibilities for both Nintendo’s own games and third-party titles.
Broadly, the GamePad has reduced on-screen map and menu clutter. Even mass-market, cross-platform games such as Batman Arkham City and the Assassin’s Creed series have benefited from having a second screen onto which to offload boring but necessary design. The TV itself is then freed up for continuous gameplay, with no more pop-up spam or map micromanagement.
As the Wii U gains commercial traction through blockbuster titles such as Mario Kart 8, there has been renewed focus from Nintendo and other developers on doing more with the GamePad. The controller’s unconventional design has also been a point of contention with industry observers trying to explain the console’s tepid reception pre-Mario Kart 8 – it surely adds to the Wii U’s price while seemingly being unnecessary (top-notch games such as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze don’t even use it).
Still, the GamePad has been well-utilized so far. Perhaps it hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves because of the Wii U’s slow uptake. Here are some of the games and apps that make hay with Nintendo’s tablet controller.
Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight is a Kickstarter project that became an immensely satisfying send-up of 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System gaming. From its limited palette to its soundtrack, Shovel Knight nails the 8-bit era’s distinctive aesthetics.
In my review, I praised Shovel Knight for being pitch-perfect while adding latter-day touches such as theatricality through animation and cutscenes. It also makes better use of Miiverse than any game I’ve played so far for Wii U.
As you move from room to room, the GamePad automatically updates with Miiverse posts (categorized as “Diary”) that include comments and tips about the current room. Some are just peanut gallery schtick about how hard/easy the boss is, but others provide info such as how many hits it takes to defeat the mini-boss and where the hidden passage is located.
The GamePad also provides inventory management. Overall, the GamePad provides nice 21st century differentiation for a game with its head in 1988.
ZombiU
The best of the Wii U launch titles, ZombiU is a fiendishly hard first-person shooter/survival horror hybrid. It took me months to finally clear the normal campaign, and I have yet to try survival mode (in which the game ends for good if you die once; I died 55 times in my first successful playthrough).
ZombiU uses the GamePad like a Swiss Army Knife. It can be held up to the TV as a scanner for clues and enemies. It serves as the scope for the sniper rifle. It is also the interface for entering passcodes and breaking locks.
Ubisoft made the GamePad an indelible part of ZombiU. Even in asynchronous multiplayer mode, it serves as one player’s map for dispatching zombies.
Lego City Undercover
Open world games stir up a certain anxiety in me. It’s probably why I never got into Minecraft and why I have always struggled to stay engaged with the Assassin’s Creed installments. It took Lego to win me over.
Lego City Undercover is an open world Wii U exclusive, sort of like Grand Theft Auto with Lego. You play as a police officer tasked with patrolling Lego City. The GamePad is your stand-in for your character’s communicator.
As such, the GamePad serves as the main screen for communications with headquarters. Plus, it doubles as an evidence scanner. I wouldn’t expect any less from one of the Wii U’s best exclusive titles.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
This game has been ported to a gazillion different platforms, and its stark futurism and realistic violence aren’t exactly Nintendo hallmarks. All the same, its Wii U incarnation is the best available due to the GamePad perks.
Deus Ex HR is filled with menus, lists, maps, logs, and to-do lists. The GamePad is the perfect medium for all of these features. It helps you manage the finer details while not losing sight of the gameplay.
The Wii U version also features enhanced boss battles so that you can scrape by even without a first-rate weapons arsenal. The extra content between Hong Kong and Singapore is also includd.
Netflix
Not a game obviously, but Netflix shows how the GamePad can be useful in other contexts. Netflix is one of my (and many others’) most used non-game Wii U app, and it takes advantage of the hardware.
The Netflix Wii U app is hardly a paragon of performance and reliability, but the GamePad options make up for these shortcomings. The GamePad screen shows you the title of the film, its Netflix community star rating, the cast, the blurb, and how much time is remaining.
If anything, the Netflix app could probably go further, much like how Shovel Knight turned Miiverse into something worthwhile and useful. Reviews, links to cast and other details in IMDb? All of that would be welcome.
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