At this point, I'm reasonably optimistic about the WiiU, but I can't help but think that the choice to include PSP/3DS/Vita-like nubs instead of actual joysticks will seriously inhibit the kinds of games this thing can play. I know Nintendo will probably make some great side scrollers in the vein of New Super Mario Bros that just use the D-Pad, but I'm kind of concerned about how ports from the other consoles will play, and even how the inevitable HD Zelda, Mario, Metroid, and Pikmin games will handle. Also, the button layout on the 360 and PS3 seem thoughtfully designed so that you can quickly switch back and forth between the buttons and the right joystick. That doesn't seem to be the case here, which makes me worried about how easy it will be to do something as simple as jumping in a first person shooter.

Didn't the layouts for the controllers of past systems see plenty of revisions before they came out?  I can't remember because it's been so long.

My bigger worry with the controller is whether it'll feel natural to be holding a tablet with both of your hands just grasped around two corners of it. As for the sticks, with the very brief time I've spent with the 3DS the slider feels pretty fluid on that thing but whether it'll work for full console games is a slightly different issue. I think before making my mind up on either of these I'll really need to hold one in my hands.

Well, the people who've played it tend to compare the circle pads to the nunchuck analog sticks, I don't think it'll be a big problem. As far the right analog stick, I see what you're saying, but the stick is right overtop of the buttons. Easy solution: Y= jump.

It seems to have what looks like analog sticks above the D-pad and face buttons.

It's so they can release another one with analog sticks and charge you for it again.

The thing that worries me more, is the fact that they have the analog nub above the buttons.

The thing that worries me more, is the fact that they have the analog nub above the buttons.

It seems to have what looks like analog sticks above the D-pad and face buttons.

Nah, I think it will be fine.

Wait, what? I was certain it did...

I'm sure classic controller will be able to be plugged in, they are making everything backward compatible it seems. if you don't want to play your third party shooters with a big ass tablet.

It's so they can release another one with analog sticks and charge you for it again.

It seems to have what looks like analog sticks above the D-pad and face buttons.

Wait, what? I was certain it did...

I'm skeptical about the controls. It's why the Wii isn't a good for hardcore games. Also how much is the controller going to cost and will it come with rechargeable batteries.

I'm skeptical about the controls. It's why the Wii isn't a good for hardcore games. Also how much is the controller going to cost and will it come with rechargeable batteries.

Hard to tell without having any first hands experience. The PSP style analog nub certainly sucks, but the 3DS is supposed to be much better (don't have first hand experience and nobody has in a dual-analog shooter) so no idea how the one on the WiiU will work. Given the size, price and target audience of the controller I doubt that they would butcher the analogsticks and replace them with something inferior when their isn't a good reason to (such as them not actually being inferior).  Analogsticks as they are now are nowhere near perfect and there are certainly ways to improve them, if the circle pad is a good way to do that, no idea. I personally would love to see a controller with an IBM TrackPoint for analogsticks.

You ARE the analog stick!

You ARE the analog stick!

@FreakAche said:

They don't look like full analog sticks to me. They look kind of like the circle pad on the 3DS. Admittedly though, I haven't tried a 3DS yet, so I don't entirely know if that's a good or a bad thing.

The 3DS circle pad is excellent, it feels very much like a proper analogue stick, nothing like that nasty PSP one.

I wouldn't worry about it.

If you want to play shooters, play them on the current consoles. Don't buy a Wii U for shooters.

I only held a 3DS for a short amount of time. It felt fine to me, but we'll see. I don't think it's the best choice with the whole 'getting the Modern Warfare kids interested' thing in mind though.