The announcement of Nintendo’s new console certainly sounds like a boon for gamers, but what do developers think of Nintendo’s new Wii U? Vigil Games, the developer behind Darksiders II, is certainly looking forward to bringing its series over to the system.
"I think it’s cool, and the nice thing for us is that it’s compatible with what we’re doing," said Vigil general manager David Adams, when I asked him about the new system during my visit to the Austin studio for our cover story on the game in the July issue of Game Informer.
"For me personally, I love Nintendo," continued Adams. "I love Zelda. I love Mario, and I’ve never actually made a game that’s gone on a Nintendo platform, so for me that’s just awesome. I think that if you look at the Darksiders franchise, it’s a little more mature, but it has that similar aesthetic to a Nintendo game. I feel like it’s a natural fit from a gameplay and platform perspective."
Vigil also told us that they have several ideas on how to utilize Nintendo’s new controller – such as allowing players to manage inventory on the controller screen – but that many of these concepts were still in flux. "We’re not interested in any gimmicky stuff like with the Wii launch games, where it was basically like, this is exactly like a normal game except every once in a while you jab your controller at the screen to jump or something," said Vigil technical director Colin Bonstead. "I think the new system is better than the Wii controller in that it has a couple features that core games like ours can leverage and make use of."
At the very least, Vigil believes that gamers can look forward to ports to Nintendo’s new console that are not inferior to every other version of the game. When we asked Bonstead if he thought it was possible that the Wii U version of Darksiders II would be the best version of the game, he said, "Yeah, just because the hardware is more powerful and it will have some extra features that I think will actually be useful to people playing the game. With it’s controller, [the Wii U version of Darksiders II] might be the best version of the game."
We hope to get more specifics on the features that Vigil will work around Nintendo’s new controller. In the meantime, Nintendo fans can take heart that Wii U will have at least one mature action title in its roster around the time of launch.
WiiU hands on:
In short, Nintendo's gamble works. The controller is the best of both worlds, mixing traditional button inputs with the advantage of having an interface unlike anything we've seen from a home console.
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One of the more interesting alterations to conventional design is the system features two analog sliders at the top of the controller rather than traditional sticks. Don't make the mistake of thinking these sliders are like the 3DS "circle pad." The texture and top shape of the sliders are much more akin to Wii's nunchuk, meaning the grip and precision of movement are much better.
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The tablet itself appears large, but is actually quite comfortable to grip. The two sliders both being located at the top of the tablet make holding it considerably easier. A staggered configuration would only have worked with a much smaller design. Nintendo was also smart in making the new controller extremely light for its size, resulting in something that might look strange but is not as burdensome as it would seem.
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Nintendo played an interactive cinematic that put all my fears to rest. The difference in quality between that sequence and this was light years apart, making me wonder why I watched the hawk video in the first place.
The second major tech demonstration featured live footage of Japan, with a camera moving down a crowded street, hovering above vehicles. Like the hawk demo, the tablet was also featuring the footage shown on the television. But as I moved the new controller, I was able to see more of the city around me, without altering what was being shown on the larger screen. I could move the tablet upward to see the sky, or downward to see the street moving under me. Even more impressive, I could start to rotate the controller or "aim" it behind me to see where I had been. Pressing a button would also flip the portable display behind me, allowing me to see backwards similar to a rearview mirror. The potential for racing games with this sort of technology is truly impressive.
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I played two Mii mini-games on the new console. In a word, they are both fantastic. In concept, execution, scope and entertainment, they are leaps and bounds beyond what you experienced on Wii.
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I wasn't able to control Link, but the battle between him and Gohma that I saw was breathtaking nonetheless. Between changing the lighting, camera controls and even the tablet's display, this (Zelda) demo above all the others proved how Nintendo franchises might benefit from increased power. This was gorgeous stuff.
Entire IGN impressions
here