Wii U GamePad Won't Support Wii Games

IGN - For months, many gamers have wondered if their Wii games, and transferred Virtual Console and WiiWare software, could be played entirely on Wii U's GamePad, much like New Super Mario Bros. U. Today Nintendo has provided that answer, definitively stating its new controller will not offer that functionality.

[-Mika-]

Also keep in mind that not every WiiU game will stream to the WiiU controller. Monster hunter 3 ultimate is one of those games, and I have a feeling that in the future. More games are not going to be taking advantage of that feature. So if that a huge selling point for you. Keep that in mind.

[Moonman]

No one expected to play Wii software on a controller that was not programmed to play Wii games 6 years ago. Read the comments on IGN. Nobody really cares. What we do care is future Wii U virtual console games and software will use the Gamepad.

[Nutsack]

Eh I WOULD expect Wii games to stream its video to the tablet controller too.

As Nintendo put out a selling point of being able to have others use the TV while one is playing the WiiU, continuing to see the game on the tablet controller.

Most Wii games use normal buttons for playing the game, so I don't see why the games couldn't be played with the WiiU tablet buttons and having the screen on the controller used.

A selling point that won't work with every game. Nice if others want to watch the TV and think you can just play on the tablet controller, but one can't...

Even worse, if not every WiiU game even supports the streaming functionality, it is ultimate failure. So it is just Russian Roulette which game one can play on the tablet controller screen. Nice.

[darthv72]

you forget that most wii games also use the wiimote in some way or the other. Its more than just the buttons but also the gyro and pointing at the sensor bar.

I expect the wii-u to play wii games but i do NOT expect it to play the wii games on the tablet. I expect the wii-u games to use the tablet as it was intended. Including the streaming that mika seems to think WONT be used.

you two have no interest in the wii-u so do the rest of us a favor and have no interest in wii-u articles.

[dennett316]

Nutsack, why on Earth would you expect Wii games to work on the controller when the vast majority use the Wiimote as standard? You'd have to work hard to convert the controls to be able to use the gamepad's function...they'd have to do it for EVERY wii game. And if any of those games required motion control, they'd have to reprogramme that as well. Nunchuck controller is used in a game? Yet more reprogramming. It's simply not feasible.

As for your other issue regarding games on the gamepad screen, it was never stated that all games would have that function...ever. Every game that supports the function will be clearly marked as such, you're literally complaining for no reason. If a Wii U game uses the Gamepad in tandem with the action on screen - like Zombi U for instance - how would it be possible to have THAT game play on the gamepad screen only when having two screens is fundamental to the games design?

In short, the difference between what you think and the actual workable reality of the hardware and it's features is VAST. I suggest doing some research and thinking before posting, otherwise you make yourself look more than a little foolish.

[eferreira]

why are so many people finding excuses with some of the crappy things Nintendo did with the wii u . Everything isn't a big deal or issue with Nintendo products.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

Why nutsack, why? Because his name is nutsack :P

[t0mmyb0y]

I was looking forward to playing games like Donkey Kong on the tablet while someone else used the TV

[ronin4life]

...
it is a new console. The unsupported features will be understood and utilized MORE often as time goes on. Not less often.

-_-;

@efrerria
you're right. Though it is not necessary to latch on to non problems in order to find fault either.

Both extremes are annoying.
@.@

[deafdani]

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate actually streams to the Gamep...

Oh, wait, it's just Mika. Never mind.

[AWBrawler]

Mika, Mika, Mika

i said it once and i'll say it again. I'd rather games find innovative ways to use the 2nd screen than force streaming into games the way waggle was forced into a lot of wii games. Quite frankly I don't care if MH Tri Ultimate can't stream to the gamepad, because i'd prefer to use that screen to chat, manage weapons, and combine items

[nerdkiller]

@ mika:

are u a she or a he?

either way you need a good butt rape

[yavorsv]

Old news :D And more nitpicking by fanboys. :)

[camel_toad]

Haha great pic they used on the game pad.

[lilbroRx]

Whether or not a Wii U game will use the "gamepad" is 100% up to the devs. Nintendo isn't forcing them to use it last I checked.

I would expect this, because it would allow games to be made that use 100% of the graphical resources just for the game and not for streaming to two output devices. Not that streaming to 2 screens will eat that many resources to begin with.

[dennett316]

Why on Earth would it? Virtual console titles would be nifty, but how would Wii games be expected to work considering most games on that system used the Wiimote motion controls in some way.
They'd have to patch in new control systems for every single Wii game ever made to allow this to even be a possibility...can't believe that people actually wondered this in terms of Wii software.

[ronin4life]

It has to do with compatibility. When playing Wii games on wiiu, you run the Wii system software. The Wii CAN'T. use the gamepad and therefore games can't be played on it.

Hopefully they will work around this somehow... but the fact that they haven't found a workaround yet is disappointing. I do think wii/VC stuff should be playable on the GP.

[AO1JMM]

Old news is old.

[DivineAssault]

playing on the pad is a luxury feature that doesnt even need to be in there at all for ppl to like it.. I definitely wont be buying one for that.. I just want some good games, & if they happen to be playable on it, awesome.. Just expect much more charging time if u intend on using it..

[wiiulee]

i dnt see why the gamepad is suppose to support the wiii? its a new system use your wii remote

[Shnazzyone]

Uhh duh. The controller itself was made after most wii games and the pad doesn't have a sensor bar built in. So why would I be assuming it could play wii games?

Next revelation, wii u's pad doesn't play 3ds games either.

[Deku-Johnny]

The Wii U gamepad does have a sensor bar, that's what the black thing is with the camera in the middle :)

[Shnazzyone]

That's like you said, a camera. Wiimote senses 2 led lights and uses that to determine the orientation of the screen. Additional note. That black bar is too small to house such lights. Do you see the distance on the sensor bar that you see in the length of the black bar at the top of the wii u pad? I know I don't and that's actually important.

[scottd]

WOW comment sections are fun. It's only a little news piece informing PPL that they will still need there Wiimotes for all Wii titles. Also there is nothing wrong with wanting the new gamepad to work with the old Wii games ( i do )

[Deku-Johnny]

Well Virtual Console games will eventually be compatable with the gamepad so I don't think it'll be long until we see Wii games on there.

Source: http://www.officialnintendo...