It's the dawn of a new Nintendo generation. After five years of pursuing a "blue ocean strategy," the Big N is shifting to a new console, one that rivals (and potentially exceeds) consoles currently in stores. After months of having IGN's Nintendo team tracking down sources and bringing you a comprehensive picture of Wii's successor, I've finally had the chance to use the new controller and play demos on the system.
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.
THE CONTROLLER BASICS
What we've been reporting and suspected is true. The primary controller for Nintendo's next console is tablet based, featuring a 6.2 inch touch screen. This new device also features a very standard array of buttons, including a d-pad, four face buttons, four shoulder triggers, a power button and a camera.
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.
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.
The other major design element is a horizontal "grip" that runs underneath the tablet. The grip, however, is mostly there to house two of the system's triggers, with the remaining two being on the shoulder of the main body of the device.
More important is the fact that the new console is backwards compatible with Wii controllers. Nintendo's demos suggested it is very intent on utilizing its current generation remotes - without alteration - alongside the new tablet. In fact while the number of Wii remotes changed between mini-games, I only ever used one tablet controller.
THE TECH DEMOS
In addition to a few mini-games and one major franchise cinematic, Nintendo's presentation to me included a couple sequences designed to show off the power of the system and the innovative applications of the controller. The first, simply called "HD Experience," featured a hawk soaring through a traditional Japanese setting including cherry blossom trees and a temple. Graphically the scene was far better than Wii, of course, but I wasn't impressed at all with the quality of the textures or aesthetic design. For something that was supposed to demonstrate the power of the system, this particularly sequence failed to impress. One noteworthy element was that the tablet controller was replicating the visuals on the TV on its smaller screen, and moving the tablet would cause the camera behind the hawk to move, allowing the player to see more of the landscape.
The rough shape of this demo is no cause for concern, however. At the end of my time with the new system, 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.
CHASING AND BATTLING MIIS
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. I realize we all had fun with tennis and sword fighting, but Chase Mii and Battle Mii are very, very much capable of selling people on the capabilities of the new system. Most important of all, the concepts are easy to learn, but with some added settings and levels down the line, I'd very much like to see these as some sort of final product.
FIGHTING PIRATES WITH RHYTHM
It's no secret that I have absolutely no rhythm. I can't get one step right in Dance Dance Revolution. When Nintendo told me I'd be trying a music-based game, I cringed. Yet blocking airborne plungers with my shield in sync with a beat in the background turned out to be a rather painless experience. By far the most quirky demo I saw, Pirate Horde was fairly addicting, and the developers of the demo weren't afraid to step up the difficulty in relatively short order. This wasn't my favorite game, but it was strong.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF ZELDA
To be honest, I didn't think Nintendo would be daring enough to show off any sort of Zelda HD demo, despite the fact that the franchise is clearly the one that would benefit the most from a vastly more powerful system. This was based off of the Twilight Princess era Zelda characters, not Skyward Sword, so those of you expecting Wii's last major game to jump ship, this demo wasn't proof of that.
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 demo above all the others proved how Nintendo franchises might benefit from increased power. This was gorgeous stuff.
That covers everything I had a chance to see during Nintendo's hands-on tour of the new system. At the time of my meeting, no details were given for much else about the system's capabilities. I didn't even see the design of the new console. Still, my time with the new controller opened my eyes to a new way of gaming. It's remarkable that simply adding an extra screen can truly change how games are played. It will be utterly fascinating to see how Nintendo and other developers take advantage of this innovative twist.
