Wii U: Innovation: Spelled N-I-N-T-E-N-D-O

My name is Ryan Dagley and I am a functioning gamer. Since the age of five I have involved myself in the playing, perfection and understanding of games in every form achievable.

Coming hot off the heels of E3 Expo, it was very clear to me who took the cake. Always innovators, the “Big N” has done it again, creating a new device that is  the best thing since the Rumble Pak.

The Nintendo Rumble Pak was one of the first force feedback, or “shock” vibrational accessories. It seemed profoundly simple, almost pointless, but it opened a door to immersion with the game that has become standard. 

The Wii U controller is much more revolutionary than a shaking box. So what can it really do? In a video presentation, it is versatile and capable of switching your game to the controller at any time. The screen on the controller can be used to play major games, tablet games, browse the web and use the “Channel” service Nintendo uses to streamline entertainment.

 How about some real games, though. Let’s look as some beloved genres. First Person Shooters could gain much from the use of the controller as a kind of scope for targeting in vehicles or even on the field.

Strategy games like “The Sims” could use the controller as a sort of magic remote, letting you aim anywhere on screen and zoom in, get info, control people and alter the game world.

The controller knows what direction it’s facing, where in the room it is and where the television sits.  This can be utilized for all sorts of immersion, in adventure games, casual augmented reality titles or even conceptual works of art.

 There’s almost too much to do, and we’ll be seeing more of it soon enough. All in all, you are going to want one.

­— tdagley@indiana.edu