 A black-colored Wii U GamePad | |
| Developer | Nintendo IRD |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Type | Gamepad |
| Generation | Eighth |
| Release date |
|
| Lifespan | 2012–2017 |
| Discontinued |
|
| Display | 6.2 inch (15.7 cm) 854 x 480 (FWVGA)16:9 @ 158 ppi |
| Sound | Stereo speakers, headphones |
| Input |
|
| Camera | 1.3 MP front-facing camera |
| Touchpad | Single-touch LCD |
| Connectivity | Proprietary wireless based onIEEE 802.11n,[1]NFC,FeliCa,infrared |
| Power | LiPo 3.7 V DC 1500 mAh (WUP-012; 3–5 hours use) LiPo 3.6 V DC 2550 mAh (upgrade WUP-013; 8 hours use) |
| Dimensions | 5.3 in × 0.9 in × 10.2 in (13.5 cm × 2.3 cm × 25.9 cm) |
| Weight | 491 g |
| Predecessor | Wii Remote |
| Successor | Joy-Con andNintendo Switch Pro Controller |
| Related | Wii U Pro Controller |
TheWii U GamePad is the standardgame controller forNintendo'sWii Uhome video game console. Incorporating features fromtablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual pressableanalog sticks, and aD-pad),touchscreen controls, and motion controls. The touchscreen can be used to supplement a game by providing alternate,second screen functionality, or anasymmetric view of a scenario in a game. The screen can also be used to play a game strictly on the GamePad screen without the use of a television display. Conversely, non-gaming functions can be assigned to it as well, such as using it as a television remote.
In 2009, the development of the Wii U GamePad began alongside development of the mainWii U console. The Wii U GamePad can be used in conjunction with other controllers compatible with the console, such as theWii Remote Plus,Nunchuk,Wii Balance Board, and the more conventionalWii U Pro Controller.
Response to the Wii U GamePad was mixed. Critics praised the comfortable feel of the GamePad, but criticized the battery life, and misuse of the Wii U GamePad's potential ingames and software.
During development of theWii console, video game designerShigeru Miyamoto incorporated the functionality of mobile phones, controllers, andautomotive navigation systems while designing theWii Remote, eventually producing a prototype that resembled a cell phone. Another design featured both ananalog stick and atouchscreen, but Nintendo rejected the idea of a touchscreen on the controller, "since theportable console and living-room console would have been exactly the same".[2]
Nintendo's development team had determined that the Wii's notification light did not provide enough information to be useful beyond whether it had received content or not. With the complexity of modern televisions, Miyamoto believed that a monitor separate from the console would provide an easier way to check on the console's status without needing to use the television.[3] Its operation as a supplemental display was also inspired by similar displays found atkaraoke establishments in Japan, which show song information and allows its users to select their next song.[4][5]
Satoru Iwata explained that the controller's design is intended to allow players to "see games in a different way,"[4] a concept referred to as "asymmetric gaming" during Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference.[3] With the Wii U'sMiiverse social networking functionality, Iwata also likened the controller's screen to a "social window", which can allow users to remain connected even if they are not playing.[3]Gyroscopic capabilities were added by the team specifically to aid in aiming for first and third person shooter games.[6]
TheNintendo EAD development team created two controller prototypes: a monitor with twoWii Remotes glued to the sides, and a display attached to aWii Zapper.[7] In a prototype shown at E3, the controller had featured circle pads similar to those of theNintendo 3DS. On May 19, 2012, a photograph of a near-final version of the controller was leaked onTwitter by an employee ofTT Games, revealing a wider build with ergonomic grips, a redesigned button layout, and analog sticks instead of circle pads.[8] On June 3, 2012, Nintendo officially unveiled the final version of the controller, named the "Wii U GamePad", in a video presentation precedingE3 2012. The presentation confirmed the leaked changes, and unveiled other features making use of the screen.[3]
The Wii U GamePad was only sold separately in Japan, costing ¥13,284 (USD$108).[9] It released online on November 24, 2015.[10][11] In 2013,hackers reverse engineered the Wii U GamePad, connecting it to a computer playing an emulated version ofThe Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker.[12]
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The GamePad's primary feature is its 6.2 in (16 cm),FWVGA (854x480),resistive touchscreen display, which can be controlled with either fingers or an included stylus. The screen can be used as a supplement to gameplay to provide additional functionality that can be controlled using the screen, or to stream gameplay from the console in lieu of a television display (Off-TV Play) depending on each game.[13]
The controller also features a front-facing camera (usable forvideo chat), and dualanalog sticks, nine-axismotion detection via a three-axisaccelerometer, three-axisgyroscope and a three-axismagnetometer, rumble support,[14] and aninfrared array that can emulate theWii Sensor Bar.[4] The GamePad also supportsNFC, which allows developers to createfigurines (such as Nintendo'sAmiibo figures) or cards that can wirelessly interact with the controller, and allowed Japanese users to pay for software on the Nintendo eShop using prepaidFeliCa-based transit cards such asSuica.[15] In a special presentation precedingE3 2012, Nintendo unveiled more details about the GamePad, including its ability to be used as aremote control for a television with theNintendo TVii app and the ability to send handwritten messages and other content.[3]
The GamePad communicates with a Wii U console over a modifiedWi-Fi protocol designed for low-latency transmission, establishing its connection with the console by using a variant of theWPS process, with proprietary transfer protocol and software co-developed withBroadcom.[16][17] The GamePad's display contents are streamed as video from the console using a custom protocol and theH.264 video codec, for which the GamePad contains a hardware decoder.[1][18]
Nintendo's first presentation of the controller in 2011 led to confusion upon whether the Wii U would support the use of multiple GamePads. A Nintendo spokesperson stated that the GamePad would not be sold individually from a Wii U console,[19] and Shigeru Miyamoto had not ruled out the possibility of using multiple GamePads with a single console. However, Miyamoto also felt that it might be more convenient to use theNintendo 3DS as a controller in this scenario as well, implying potential compatibility.[19] During Nintendo's E3 2012 presentation, it was confirmed that Wii U games could theoretically support up to two GamePads simultaneously.[20] However, this feature was ultimately never supported by any official software, alongside an unused accessory port at the bottom of the unit. According to formerNintendo of America presidentReggie Fils-Aimé, this was due to the console's install base "never getting large enough that that type of implementation made sense" and because Nintendo never created a game where two GamePads were needed, adding "there needs to be a game that drives that implementation".[21]
The Wii U GamePad received mixed reviews from critics. Stephen Totilo, fromKotaku, praised the GamePad, stating he did not find the controller "too heavy" due to the inbuilt screen. Totilo also praised the "superb connection" between the GamePad and the console, believing "The GamePad screen's ability to stay in constant sync with theTV screen is as welcome as it was necessary for the Wii U version of multi-screen gaming to work."[22][23]
The battery life of the GamePad was criticized for being too short. Andrew Hayward ofTechRadar stated in his review "with the [GamePad's] brightness on max which we found essential for getting the best-quality play experience, we struggled to push past that three-hour mark." Hayward also criticized the range of the GamePad, which reportedly works up to 25 feet away from the console.[24] In response to the criticism,Nintendo would issue a 2550mAh battery in Japan[25] with over 8 hours of battery life,[26][27][28] versus the original 3-5 hour battery life on the original 1500mAh battery.[29]
Another criticism of the Wii U GamePad was the misuse of the Wii U GamePad's potential ingames and software. One of the games criticized wasMinecraft: Wii U Edition, which did not have any Wii U GamePad features, leaving fans disappointed.[30][31] Many critics felt Nintendo was not using the Wii U GamePad properly in games.[32][33]Nintendo of America's Executive VP of Sales Scott Moffitt admitted this, stating "[w]ith games like Star Fox and Mario Maker, we are continuing to show the promise of the Gamepad and, candidly, early on we probably didn't showcase the promise of the Gamepad as well as we could have."[33][34]
Rob Crossley fromGameSpot heavily criticized the controller, comparing it to theVirtual Boy controller, and stating games such asSuper Mario 3D World,Super Smash Bros for Wii U, andMario Kart 8 do not employ the GamePad in a meaningful way. Crossley also called the GamePad a "chubby and clumsy touch-screen controller". He also criticized the Off-TV Play feature for being "not a system seller" stating that "most people will not use it with any regularity, and only a few will swear by it."[32]
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