Wii U前途未卜，任天堂命懸一線
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????任天堂（Nintendo）能否在Wii U上復制Wii的奇跡？Wii發布于2006年，這款名字有些拗口的游戲機憑借動作識別技術，一舉顛覆了成千上萬玩家的游戲方式。這一次，任天堂卷土重來，希望觸摸屏能助其再現奇跡。 ????我們此次評測的是價值350美元的“豪華版”Wii U，配置包括：內置32GB存儲空間的黑色游戲主機、一個Wii U游戲手柄、一套手柄座充，以及迷你游戲合集《任天堂大陸》（NintendoLand）。游戲主機是一個厚厚的黑色塑料盒，看起來很像外置硬盤，不過與游戲手柄相比黯然失色。Wii U手柄高5.3英寸（13.4厘米），寬10.2英寸（26厘米），有將近1英寸（2.5厘米）厚，絕對是個龐然大物。這款手柄功能眾多：攝像頭、麥克風、揚聲器、動作感應器、甚至在手柄正中還有一塊6.2英寸的觸摸屏。任天堂對這塊屏幕寄予厚望，希望開發者能借此打造出獨一無二的游戲體驗。 ????不過游戲體驗和游戲息息相關。生存恐怖游戲“僵尸U”（ ZombiU）是Wii U的獨占游戲，它對觸摸屏的使用堪稱完美。當艱難行走在逼真的末日后病毒蔓延的倫敦街頭時，我不得不寄希望于觸摸屏。它可是名副其實的大救星，能顯示周邊環境，還能在雷達上標出附近的僵尸。而且，我只需點擊一下，就能管理武器和物品。這使我的體驗感覺更完整，甚至得到提升。在《任天堂大陸》中，有一款名為《忍者城堡》（Ninja Castle）的小游戲。它把觸摸屏變成一個平臺，從平臺上瞄準、射擊飛鏢到電視屏幕上。這個理念一點都不復雜，但有趣極了。 ????不過對于《忍者龍劍傳3：刀鋒邊緣》（Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge）等其余首發游戲而言，觸摸屏部分更像是開發完成后才添加的。雖然玩家也能在屏幕上指指點點，但這還不如他們用Wii U Pro直接在電視屏幕上操作方便。Wii U Pro售價僅為50美元，沒有屏幕，外形很像Xbox 360手柄，握在手里非常舒服。游戲開發者有責任充分利用Wii U的大手柄及其觸摸屏。當然，我們這次見到的只是第一批游戲，也許假以時日，我們能見識到真正的Wii U游戲。 |
????Can Nintendo do with the Wii U what it did with the Wii? When Nintendo launched that console in 2006, the oddly named system changed the way millions of players interacted with games with a controller that recognized gestures. This time, Nintendo aims to repeat that success, this time by including a second screen. ????Our review unit was the "Deluxe" package, the black console which retails for $350 and includes 32 gigabytes of onboard storage, one Wii U GamePad controller, a charger stand for the controller, and NintendoLand, a pack of mini-games. The console, a thick slab of plastic that resembles an external hard drive, takes a back seat to the controller itself. Standing 5.3 inches high, 10.2 inches wide, and nearly an inch deep, the Wii U GamePad is positively huge, hosting a buffet of features -- video camera, microphone, speakers, motion-sensing tech, and a 6.2-inch touchscreen display -- among them. By adding a second screen, Nintendo hopes developers will create gaming experiences that can't be found elsewhere. ????That experience depends on the game. The survival horror game "ZombiU," exclusive to Nintendo's console, uses the second screen to excellent effect. As I anxiously stumbled my way through a convincing, post-apocalyptic, virus-infested version of London, I was forced to look at that second screen. It was a veritable lifeline that offered a map of nearby surroundings, helped suss out nearby undead via radar, and let me manage weapons and supplies with a tap. Doing so felt integral and even enhanced my experience. In "NintendoLand," one mini-game called Ninja Castle turned that same screen into a sort of platform from which to aim and shoot ninja stars from to the TV screen. It's a simple enough concept, but incredibly fun. ????Yet in other launch games like the action game, "Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge," the screen felt more like a gimmicky afterthought, where players can tap into features that otherwise could have been easily accessed on the TV screen with the Wii U Pro, a $50 screen-less controller shaped a lot like the Xbox 360's that also fits snugly in hand. The onus is on the developer here to fully utilize the larger GamePad and its screen, and obviously we're only looking at the first wave of games, so it may be some time before we see what the Wii U can really do. |
