Wii U hardware back-compat penalises PAL gamers

Richard Leadbetter:

Sony and Microsoft may have turned their backs on older hardware, but Nintendo's approach with Wii U is refreshingly different. While the new console is capable of running current-gen HD titles, its technical underpinnings are designed in order to fully accommodate hardware backwards compatibility with the vintage 2006 Wii. Any and all Wii titles and peripherals run with the new hardware. Sadly though it's not all good news - because in our testing we found a number of display-related issues that may might persuade die-hard purists to keep hold of their existing consoles.

First impressions suggest that we are indeed getting the full hardware back-compat experience, with the added advantage that for the first time players are able to run their Wii games via the digitally lossless precision offered by an HDMI output. But it's also fair to say that this is pretty much the only advantage offered by the new hardware - and even then the experience may be sub-optimal for some owing to the locked limited-range RGB output, which produces washed-out colours on many displays.

[-Mika-]

I don't know what to say because I don't understand this article.

[linkofrs]

It basically says the wii u can play wii games using the hdmi, and get framerate improvements over the wii. Which in all honesty isn't surprising. It also suggests that microsoft and sony have turned their backs on games for older consoles.

[lilbroRx]

You sure do post a lot in the Wii U section for someone who doesn't like the Wii U.

[3GenGames]

Penalises?

[stragomccloud]

British English has spelling differences compared to American English.

[G20WLY]

...Or is it the other way around? :/

[stragomccloud]

Well, semantically speaking it is the other way around. However, generally one could say it either way.

[zavierkai]

Mika get out of the closet you love the wii u

[Benjaminkno]

I'll keep my Wii anyway. I don't think I'm going to care about a game that might not work for a Wii.

[gamern4g]

Sorry, but i dont get it.

[Adolph Fitler]

I thought it was actually saying that it plays Wii games, albeit with visual problems, hiccups. So a increase from 25fps to 35fps is of little use if the visuals in other areas suffer.

[ElectricKaibutsu]

The article just says the Wii U plays Wii games fine but it left out tweaks that you could do if you had a PAL Wii. For the majority of people (Europeans included) this won't affect them.

I hope the Wii backwards compatibility becomes more integrated with the Wii U than it is now. I doubt it will be though...