Wii-U thoughts so far

[Sarge]

Some games you just know will be reduced or hit the bargain bins within a matter of weeks. I do get that from a financial and common sense perspective, it makes sense to wait for the inevitable price reductions.

That said, for "high quality" titles (particularly Nintendo titles, since this is the Wii U thread) that will either retain their value for an extended period of time or are just simply too damn awesome to wait for, I have to pre-order them and get them on release day.

Oh, make no mistake, I very much do this for many Nintendo releases. I just don't go for all their releases. The first thing I bought with my Wii U was Super Mario 3D World, because Super Mario 3D Land was so amazing. A title I also picked up at launch. I actually waited for a while on New Super Mario Bros. U, though.

Any time a new Mario & Luigi comes out, I'm all over it. Any Dragon Quest is obtained as soon as possible, and it drives me bonkers that we're likely not going to ever see Dragon Quest VII for 3DS. Zelda games always fall into that category, too, as do Metroid games. And I've immediately purchased quite a few download-only titles, the most recent of which was Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. (By the way, Shovel Knight is the best game I've played all year.)

So I'm cheap, but only on cheap on stuff that I have interest in but haven't been waiting forever for. I have an internal price structure in my head that tells me when it's worth snagging, although sometimes it's wrong. For instance, I'd have bought A Boy and His Blob way sooner if I'd realized how awesome it actually was.

[Cronozilla]

Worldwide the Wii U unit numbers are still ahead of Xbox One, but it's closing.

The question is what happens after Smash Bros. comes out. If you see a similar uptick like we did with Mario Kart ... who knows.
And then in 2015 when stuff really starts releasing, are those people going to participate?

[Sano]

Still have mine, still love it! I recently picked up Hyrule Warriors and its an awesome game!

[Tanooki]

I'm not a cheap mofo, I'm a crafty one.

The way I see it and digital doesn't factor in as I don't really dabble into it much is pretty simple. The way the industry has set itself up (to fail) is that most games are these god awful huge launches and they either are regurgitated hits (COD) and big blow out failures (Homefront.) You can tell from early game owners who post stuff or reviews how it'll go. An even telling thing within a subset of reasons of reviews are those that are sanctioned not to go up until the moment the game crosses the cash register, and those who show up 1-2 weeks early. Those who hide end up at best with mixed reviews or they're crap for some reason and score like a 7 or under, and those who come out early on reviews usually the maker knows will be a hit 8+ or think it will be, sure there are deviations but it's common that happens. You can 95% of the time count on Nintendo being douche bags and never lowering a MSRP on a game until they can milk it twice on players choice, if it does sell rotten and maintains with no bump up, then it pops lower (elite beat agents, battalion wars, etc) and that can be seen in reviews too from owners or media.

The sad fact of it is, most games come out at $60, some $50, few under that on a disc, and most of them will drop 20% of more within a couple of weeks to a month, maybe a hair longer, and within maybe 3-6 months after even more as retail wants it out of the way for the next big thing. If you're not some impatient full grown kid, or you're not so deep into tormenting people shooting them in the face online with the next big yearly wonder re-run (COD) you just wait and don't take the hit. Few games you can tell up front will ever be worth the newer HD level MSRP of $60 and will drop, the few that will stay up like a COD or a Destiny you just get them and deal (I have Destiny.)

When it comes to the WiiU the third party stuff is almost always mishandled and bungled intentionally against what the other guys get. You get delayed releases so the sales are doomed to suck, minimal or no DLC the other do (if you're into it, I'm not), you get games with halfassed coding done in porting so the visuals jack up, audio gets sketchy, or the FPS wobbles like Michael J Fox off his meds. That's pretty much how the WiiU goes on ported games, and those that aren't usually just are 1st and 2nd party and if you're cool with that great, if not, you're screwed, unless it is technicaly third party but Nintendo publishes it as they have standards (Wonderful 101, Bayonetta1+2.) The WiiU if you leave what Nintendo touches has zero reason ever to buy right away for those reasons of some form of intentional gimping.

[pepharytheworm]

You can 95% of the time count on Nintendo being douche bags and never lowering a MSRP on a game until they can milk it twice on players choice,

How are they being douches by not lowering the price when it is still selling well at current retail? How are they milking it twice? Do people rebuy Nintendo Selects titles if they already own it? Also that Michael J. Fox joke is in bad taste.

[Tanooki]

I said it in the context that they will keep the price the same on a game 1, 3, 5 years after the fact until the players choice stuff hits. Look how long it took for Zelda Twilight Princess Wii (launch) stayed at $50 until the day it hit $20 at Players Choice. That game had long dropped off anyone's cares and those who did, enough retail places with old stock had already dropped it down to like $30 anyway or less as it wouldn't sell much anymore. Nintendo never lowers the price unless something bombs or if they do a players choice/select line.

I know the joke was in bad taste, I'm not PC.

[dunpeal2064]

Bayonetta 2 is amaaaazing <3

[KalessinDB]

Bayonetta 2 is amaaaazing <3

Yes yes yes oh god yes! (I feel as though it was necessary, given the game)

I actually wish I was watching this rather than playing it, it's just so gorgeous.

I love it -- I've found some of the secrets, but I know I've missed plenty (they make it pretty blatantly obvious when you have missing medals on the chapter end screen), which is cool, gives the possibility for replayability. Lots and lots of shit to buy, I've only bought the 2 costumes to go with weapons that I've unlocked, and a handful of "Oh dear god don't let me die" items

Played 4, maybe 5 hours today, finished Chapter IV.. could be further, but I've been reading all the books and checking all the angel info and all sorts of crap. Just taking my time, because yeah... so pretty. So very pretty.

And I love that a Sega game has you collecting rings. As it should.

[dsheinem]

can someone who is into the geere (e.g. played all DMC games, played Bayonetta, etc. and who recognizes differences in complexity of system and challenge, etc.) speak to how the game matches up the those in its genre? I found the first Bayonetta to be a dull walk in the park (not difficult and employing a basic/simple combo system)...

[KalessinDB]

I'm not really who you're looking for (only have passing experience with DMC, none with GoW) but I will say it's not particularly hard. I started it up on "Second Climax" (difficulty 2 of 3, at least 3 initially, for "People who have experience with action games" or something like that) and have yet to die/continue, though I have used a couple healing items on harder fights.

The "Test your skills" mini-fights in the pocket dimensions so far are pretty easy -- the only one so far that I've not been able to do in a couple tries is "Take down all enemies with one combo" because they just keep spreading out too much. Dunno how that'll hold, like I say I'm only a little ways into it.

But honestly I'm not someone who needs my games to be brutally hard. If I want a brutally hard game, I'll turn on a system made before 2000.