Built in front facing camera
Expect many video calls and a vanity mirror app
Much like the recent 3DS, the Wii U controller will posses a front facing camera that will allow users to take pictures and videos of themselves. This opens up a lot of possibilities, from being able to place yourself in games, to using the camera for video calls in the vein of skype. This just shows that it’s no longer all about the games. Whilst it will obviously be a focus, the Wii U’s unique capabilities will clearly have wider uses than just gaming.
Augmented reality gaming
Augmented reality games: Just like the ones on the 3DS, but a bit bigger
Just as the front facing camera allows users to capture footage of themselves, the controller’s rear facing camera will allow users to capture their environment. The photo and video recording opportunities are rather self-explanatory, but Nintendo is clearly intent on also using this feature for the purposes of augmented reality gaming. Those who’ve played the AR games on the 3DS will know that they are an intriguing and immensely enjoyable concept, so it will be interesting to see what Nintendo can do with the idea using the full power of a home console.
Two screen gameplay
When it comes to multiplayer gaming, more screens can only be a good thing
It seems like an obvious point to make, but the dual screens offered by your home TV and the tablet controller’s built in screen offer up a huge variety of new gaming possibilities. We’ve seen the single player implications of dual screen gaming on the DS and 3DS but, with the big screen and home console set up, the dual screen shenanigans spreads to multiplayer gaming as well. Does anyone remember Zelda: The Four Swords Adventures on Gamecube? It was a game that required four players to link up to the Gamecube with Game Boy Advances via link cables. Whilst this was certainly tedious to set up, it offered an incredibly versatile multiplayer experience. The main map would display on the TV but, if players entered caves or buildings, the action would switch down to the respective player’s game boy screen. It was fun, engaging and allowed all players the ability to move freely. Without the annoying set up costs and procedure, this kind of gaming can happen easily with the built in abilities of the Wii U and its tablet controllers. This alone will be worth the asking price for me.
