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Wii U Inspired By Original Concept for Wii Remote

The idea of creating a controller with a separate screen isn’t new at Nintendo.

An image from a Nintendo patent that would add a touchpad display to the Wii remote design.
An image from a Nintendo patent that would add a touchpad display to the Wii remote design.

There’s clearly more to Wii U than what Nintendo has shown so far, as evidenced by last week’s surprise announcement of the tablet-esque controller featuring near-field communication technology.

Nintendo has also been seriously thinking about the idea of a controller with a screen attached for some time, based on comments by the company in its recent Q&A session with investors.

Genyo Takeda, Nintendo’s senior managing director and general manager of the integrated research and development division (!), responded to a question about differentiating Wii U from other hardware manufacturers, and dropped this tidbit.

“So, how to differentiate the Wii U in terms of brand-new uniqueness with other video game systems is important,” he said, “and regarding this point, all I can say today is, we now have the new controller which revolves around the original concept of the Wii Remote, and the developers can take advantage of multiple screens, which enable them to leverage upon the unique combination of a big TV screen and a smaller screen in player’s hands.”

Even though Wii U is coming many years after Wii, if Takeda isn’t just messing with us, what we’re seeing with Wii U is simply fulfilling part of an idea Nintendo has been kicking around for a while.

The Wii remote and nunchuck will both be compatible with Wii U. A Nintendo patent was discovered last year detailing a version of the Wii remote with a touchpad display, essentially bringing the whole thing full circle.

You should read the whole Q&A, which also includes extensive comments from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and designer Shigeru Miyamoto. There are no startling revelations--that will come at E3--but it’s all interesting.

Patrick Klepek on Google+

80 Comments

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PrincessMattakiStar

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Sadly, I think the WiiU is gonna fail. Yea, Nintendo is seemingly good at capturing the casual gamer market, but I think that it is too soon. People are still getting over the wii fad, and I don't think they are ready to drop a load of money on yet another system. As for the hardcore gamers... Well, Nintendo just doesn't seem to care about you and me. Seriously, Nintendo is on a downward spiral. This is just my opinion.

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Blubba

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Edited By Blubba

If this thing doesn't support 4 controllers though, it's pretty dumb. From my experience, I think the Wiimote is a hot pile of crap and I'm not buying 4 Motion Plus dongles. I don't want multiplayer experiences based on the concept of one person having the awesome controller while the other people are playing with the dumb controllers.

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Hailinel

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Edited By Hailinel

@Chibithor said:

@TehFlan: Retro Studios is working on "a project everyone wants us to do" (Metroid!) for the console, if that counts. Darksiders 2 is also coming among some other multiplatform games. Also Smash Bros.

That Retro Studios is working on a title that's high in demand doesn't mean that it's another Metroid Prime title. No one expected them to be the developer of a Donkey Kong Country game, so their new project could literally be just about anything.

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FancyKnight

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Edited By FancyKnight

Thats what the controller is gonna look like!? It looks hilarious! XD

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Chibithor

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Edited By Chibithor

@TehFlan: Retro Studios is working on "a project everyone wants us to do" (Metroid!) for the console, if that counts. Darksiders 2 is also coming among some other multiplatform games. Also Smash Bros.

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kamikaze_tutor

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Edited By kamikaze_tutor
No Caption Provided
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jacksukeru

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Edited By jacksukeru

@Hailinel: I'm clenching my fists that they will.

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Tarsier

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Edited By Tarsier

ugh its so stupid it seems like an onion story. get the heck away nitendo

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TehFlan

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Edited By TehFlan

Have they actually announced any games for this thing yet?

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ddensel

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Edited By ddensel

Nintendo's been tinkering with separate screens since the connectivity days between Gamecube and the Gameboy Advance (Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles) You could even say the DS was the natural progression of Nintendo's interest in two screen gaming. Knowing this history, I wasn't too surprised by the look of the Wii U myself.

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deactivated-5f80be8681c07

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Inspired by the Dreamcast, you mean.

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mbr2

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Edited By mbr2

@MooseyMcMan said:

Dreamcast did it first though. NEVER FORGET THE VMU!

Sonic Adventure was an inside job! THE GOVERNMENT IS LYING TO YOU!!!

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Shaanyboi

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Edited By Shaanyboi

I'm excited to get my hands on a Wii U. I just hope the games will be there...

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fazzle

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Edited By fazzle

I want Gungirl for WiiU, with.....touch options on the tablet. Also just imagine all the extra "toys" you can put on the tablet with NFC chips in them

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Hailinel

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Edited By Hailinel

@RockmanBionics said:

If I recall correctly, didn't they also once say that their idea of having motion controls dated back to the NES?

The WiiU is definetly interesting, more interesting than any regular motion controls as far as I'm concerned, and it's what I'm currently most looking forward to hearing about at this years E3. Then again, that was also true of last year's E3 and that didn't turn out...great.

I'm not sure about motion controls, but Miyamoto has stated in the past that the idea behind the Mii extends that far back. As far as this year's E3 is concerned, I imagine that Nintendo will have a better showing now that the 3DS is exiting the post-launch game drought and the Wii U will have more substance behind it than a few controller tech demos.

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sgt_smack

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Edited By sgt_smack

wtf

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jacksukeru

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Edited By jacksukeru

If I recall correctly, didn't they also once say that their idea of having motion controls dated back to the NES?

The WiiU is definetly interesting, more interesting than any regular motion controls as far as I'm concerned, and it's what I'm currently most looking forward to hearing about at this years E3. Then again, that was also true of last year's E3 and that didn't turn out...great.

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Sooty

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Edited By Sooty

@MooseyMcMan said:

Dreamcast did it first though. NEVER FORGET THE VMU!

Nevar forget.

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wolf_blitzer85

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Edited By wolf_blitzer85

Well that's interesting.
 
Nintendo, keep on keepin' on man.

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Julmust

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Edited By Julmust

E3 will be very interesting to say the least.

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MooseyMcMan

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Edited By MooseyMcMan

Dreamcast did it first though. NEVER FORGET THE VMU!

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Hailinel

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Edited By Hailinel

Interesting, and also not altogether unusual. A lot of such ideas are born from previously scrapped incarnations.

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prestonhedges

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Edited By prestonhedges

"an question"

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Creme

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Edited By Creme

The drawing of the idea looks weirdly cool, like a Star Trek apparatus.

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Tan

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Edited By Tan

Always interesting to hear anything about the WiiU. Next gen is gonna be weeeeird.

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PatVB

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Edited By PatVB

Cool! I still don't know what to make of the WiiU, but I'm interested to hear more.

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morningstar

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Edited By morningstar

Anybody excited by this?

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Mijati

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Edited By Mijati

Interesting

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jacksukeru

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Edited By jacksukeru

I'm too embarrased to try this.

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Edited By patrickklepek
An image from a Nintendo patent that would add a touchpad display to the Wii remote design.
An image from a Nintendo patent that would add a touchpad display to the Wii remote design.

There’s clearly more to Wii U than what Nintendo has shown so far, as evidenced by last week’s surprise announcement of the tablet-esque controller featuring near-field communication technology.

Nintendo has also been seriously thinking about the idea of a controller with a screen attached for some time, based on comments by the company in its recent Q&A session with investors.

Genyo Takeda, Nintendo’s senior managing director and general manager of the integrated research and development division (!), responded to a question about differentiating Wii U from other hardware manufacturers, and dropped this tidbit.

“So, how to differentiate the Wii U in terms of brand-new uniqueness with other video game systems is important,” he said, “and regarding this point, all I can say today is, we now have the new controller which revolves around the original concept of the Wii Remote, and the developers can take advantage of multiple screens, which enable them to leverage upon the unique combination of a big TV screen and a smaller screen in player’s hands.”

Even though Wii U is coming many years afterWii, if Takeda isn’t just messing with us, what we’re seeing with Wii U is simply fulfilling part of an idea Nintendo has been kicking around for a while.

The Wii remote and nunchuck will both be compatible with Wii U. A Nintendo patent was discovered last year detailing a version of the Wii remote with a touchpad display, essentially bringing the whole thing full circle.

You should read the whole Q&A, which also includes extensive comments from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and designer Shigeru Miyamoto. There are no startling revelations--that will come at E3--but it’s all interesting.