As much as I adore the Wii U, it also makes me sad, because of the wasted potential. Nintendo was in a unique position to turn the Wii U into the ultimate local multiplayer machine, something completely different from all other video game companies in the early aughts. Unfortunately, they all but squandered that potential, leaving us with only a glimpse at what might have been.
That glimpse, however, is amazing. Nintendo Land, the game included on all 32GB Wii U models, was a bit of a demo disk, offering mini-games based on Nintendo’s biggest franchises. While many of these games are fun, and gave us some of our first experiences of Nintendo in HD, it’s the multiplayer games that are next level.
Animal Crossing: Sweet Land, Luigi’s Ghost Mansion, Mario Chase, and Metroid Blast are very different games, with one common link: The players on the TV see one thing, while a player on the GamePad sees something completely different.
Let’s take a look at Luigi’s Ghost Mansion. Players on the TV attempt to hunt down an invisible ghost, controlled by the player on the GamePad. The TV players see the full map as well as all players; the GamePad shows a similar screen, but also the location of the ghost they control.
The idea that a group of players could see one thing, while one player on the GamePad sees another, could have been utilized for so many different types of games. The Wii U could’ve been the ultimate party console; instead, it’s the ultimate demo.
