The eShop
The eShop is the only supplement that is
included in the updated Wii U but we are optimistic. It is a big step forward
from the eShop of the 3DS, and the shopping is very fast. More importantly, the
front of the store is filled with great content (including "top" retail
games – a brave move on the digital side) while looking for is quick and easy.
The navigation is handled completely, just like Miiverse, through few contextual
virtual buttons along the left side of the screen. The main area includes the
hotlinks to the game page or more items of the game even there is a part of
India and neighboring areas. The chart is the only real disappointment of the
eShop, as it is broken. Of course we are not imagining that it will remain in
that state forever.
The
eShop
Web
browser
The game panel is notorious for terrible
browsing experience. The recent addition of IE on the Xbox 360 is no exception,
and the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii are not better. While the Wii U’s
browser is much better than that of the opponents (it is very fast and has
tabbed browsing, bookmarks and Google/Yahoo search preset), it cannot be compared
with the browsers on PC or tablet. Even it is not a good replacement for the
web browser on most smartphones. The Wii U’s browser will work in an average
game, but it is not what we call ideal for anything lasting longer than a few
minutes.
Wii U
Chat
The Wii U’s video chat functionality is an
exciting entertainment, but nothing more. These calls must be arranged in
advance, because there is no system-level approach to know you are calling
unless you are logged into the application. If someone on your Friend List is
not present, unfortunately you cannot leave a message (although fortunately, it
records missed calls in your friends’ Miiverse message, as well as in the Wii
Chat application). It also cannot be used to send live video messages. When
making calls, you have several basic options to guide where the face of each
person is represented, as well as the ability to draw on the face of each one
with multiple colors. The picture cannot be taken from the video, the entire
video cannot be saved directly to your Wii U’s store. Again: it is a fun
entertainment, but nothing more.
Backwards
compatibility
Providing what is basically a virtual Wii
console built into the UI is probably a weird way to handle backwards
compatibility on the Wii U, but it works with no problem found. Well, there is
one problem: the system requires a reboot to use the full functionality of the
Wii (including the Virtual Console, Wii Shop Channel and Wii System Transfer).
We can say the same thing to the back of the Wii U panel, with the shift of even
30 seconds each time. If you want to play Wii games on Wii U, it is best that
you really want to play them. In spite of all logics, you cannot carry over any
Wii contents and playing Virtual Console / WiiWare via the Wii U’s control
panel. You will still have to load the virtual Wii for the Wii disk-based games,
even digital games.
Warawara
Plaza
Warawara
Plaza
Although WaraWara Plaza is not part of the
update on the launch day, in the end it was born with the addition of social
features, and more importantly, others. If there was nothing else, WaraWara
Plaza would make Wii U feel like one really connected gaming device, and do a
good job of presenting what the public who owned the Wii U was playing at the
time. It seems like an area for people to experience the "discovery"
like the sketching artists who are drawing support from those who are seeing
their work and then zoom in on the Mii and "track" them in Miiverse.
Plaza also serves as a perfect reason to open the Wii U even if you do not play
any game – what Nintendo hopes you will do. WaraWara Plaza is one of the few
small but important steps that Nintendo is doing with the Wii U to fill the gap
among our elderly grandparents and those generations that have grown up with
Facebook.
Netflix
Netflix
on the Wii U
There is no reason to justify the sluggish
implementation of Netflix on the Wii U. It is as slow as ever when navigating
(and loaded, like most applications, Wii U), and the function of second monitor
can only be described as a just-for-fun presence. In addition to pause/play/…
basically, the GamePad presents information about anything you're looking at
but will not allow browsing the Netflix library, or organizing what you want to
see next, or whatsoever beyond the very basic functions. Yes, you can drag the
video down and watch it on the screen that is pretty good, but it is something
that many mobile devices have done very well. The 6.2-inch touchscreen game
controller which will more or less not be used by Netflix is incredibly disappointing.
