For the most part, today’s E3 extravaganza was pretty fantastic. I must say that I was absolutely jaded before having played Nintendo Land for myself, the video shown at this morning’s press conference left a lot to be desired, but after getting my hands on all of the mini-games being shown today, I’m sold.
The first ‘game’ I was ushered into was the Panorama View (working title) demo. The demo the first thing that everyone waiting in line was able to play for Wii U, and that makes sense as it really gives the feel for what the GamePad is all about. No buttons were used aside from the right analog for zoom, but moving the GamePad around in space allows you to view a 3D view of the environment, much like you would with Google Street View, but just more fluid.
In fact, the fluidity was what struck me most about the Panorama View demo. You could move the GamePad just as fast as you would like, and the scenery will move with you. My first impression was how well the gyroscope technology would work in a first person shooter.
As for the GamePad itself, it’s just fantastic. Wouldn’t you think that a tablet that includes rumble, two analog sticks, and six action buttons to be big and bulky? Well, the ergonomics on the device are just great. When you hold the GamePad in your hand, it’s almost as if it isn’t even there. All of the virtual buttons (from the few games I played that used them) on the touch screen are easily accessible and don’t feel like a burden to reach for. And I have small hands.
I promise you that once you get your hands on the Wii U and it’s GamePad, you won’t want to go back to anything else.
More impressions to come, keep it locked to Infendo.com!
