The Next Gen consoles

[NecroMorrius]

If they were really going to make the DS4 a Wii-U ripoff, wouldn't they at that point just bundle a Vita with every PS4 and call it the controller? OK, so you lose a set of triggers, but you get front and back touchscreens and an accelerometer!

[Mr. Gerbik]

Which are all terrible replacements for the shoulder buttons, while the screen on the controller barely adds anything worthwhile to the experience unless you've got somebody in your house who doesn't allow you to play games on the telly. I'd prefer a decent controller instead of some costly gimmick.

[NecroMorrius]

DOESN'T MATTER. Next gen: Particle effects and gimmicks!

[Orbital2060]

At least Sony has style.

Unlike Microsoft!

[DocG]

As has already been said, the Vita costs £215 on its own. Doesn't leave much room in the £400 console budget for, y'know, the actual console…

[Harsin]

I wonder how much that ridiculous trackpad on the back of the Vita added to the cost. Can't believe that particular feature ever got beyond a pitch feature, so I wouldn't rule out anything for the PS4 controller.

[ah]

Shoulder buttons are a last-gen feature.

[SMD]

I hope Sony take inspiration of Nintendo's PRESS FACE ON STAR TO WIN controller.

[NecroMorrius]

As has already been said, the Vita costs £215 on its own. Doesn't leave much room in the £400 console budget for, y'know, the actual console…

The 3G one costs about $160 to manufacture, the WiFi one a bit less. I've seen them bundled with a game for £130! Sony are mental, the Vita is exhibit A. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see it bundled as the controller, except for the lack of a biometric gimmick holding it back.

[scottcr]

Which are all terrible replacements for the shoulder buttons, while the screen on the controller barely adds anything worthwhile to the experience unless you've got somebody in your house who doesn't allow you to play games on the telly. I'd prefer a decent controller instead of some costly gimmick.

So you don't have friends come round for some same screen multiplayer either?

[Meh]

You don't need two screens for most social stuff.

[NecroMorrius]

Three, however...

[scottcr]

You don't need two screens for most social stuff.

I know I know I know that people desperately don't want to admit it - but having your own screen when doing what would normally require a split screen in same room multiplayer is actually really quite good. Honest. It does make the game, shock, better!

[Meh]

Well, of course, but most games worth their salt in a playing-games-with-mates scenario don't require a split in the screen.

[squirtle]

Well, of course, but most games worth their salt in a playing-games-with-mates scenario don't require a split in the screen.

Apart from sports games and some puzzle games, what other games does this statement fit?

[scottcr]

Well, of course, but most games worth their salt in a playing-games-with-mates scenario don't require a split in the screen.

do I need to write a list?

[joffocakes]

Hidden in Plain Sight, Bomberman, Micro Machines, Worms, WCW Vs NWO, Street Fighter, Powerstone, Boom Street, Carcassonne, the seed spitting mini-game in Yoshi's Island, Wario Ware, Wrecked.

The best games.

[squirtle]

Ah, yeah, missed off the fighting genre. D'oh!

But for most stuff from the racing genre or FPS genre, a split screen is a necessity.

[Meh]

Mario Kart and that sonic racing game are the only ones I can think of that don't suck. Most FPS/racing games only really come to life with a full amount of players.

do I need to write a list?

Sure, if it can beat Joffo's.

[squirtle]

Mario Kart and that sonic racing game are the only ones I can think of that don't suck. Most FPS/racing games only really come to life with a full amount of players.

Sure, if it can beat Joffo's.

But the games that are made better with the second screen get added on to Joffo's list, thus making the machine better for offline multiplayer.

[Meh]

Sure, but most game-types don't need one.

[Mr. Gerbik]

So you don't have friends come round for some same screen multiplayer either?

Most of the stuff is either split-screen or same screen like Streets of Rage remake. No problem there. And if I want a second screen, which isn't often, I simply put the my gameroom telly next to the living room telly.

[joffocakes]

Trying to judge the worth of the Wii U's second screen for local multiplayer by looking at games that came before is probably a little pointless. There could be some great advantages of having that secret screen of your own while others play on the main TV; Nintendo Land was great fun because of that secrecy (alonside the still-hilarious novelty of seeing the gamepad user's face) and the way it encouraged vocal co-operation. I'm sure we'll see some more great stuff from Nintendo of that ilk.

I'm sold on the Wii U's gamepad screen through Miiverse sketches alone, though, even though there's no games to make me really want one yet.

I'd completely shifted to online multiplayer for this gen, and for the most part really enjoyed it (Even though it meant I barely played any single player games to completion) but playing Street Fighter locally and recently getting 4 players together for Hidden In Plain Sight reminded me of just how much more enjoyable it is to play games that way. To the extent that my next venture online felt a bit flat and lonely. I ended up killing myself because of it, in fact.

Also, what are we even talking about? I think the Next Gen is going have a giant GPU and all of the RAM and be always online; it'll be locked to 4k resolution and all games will be 60fps at least. The launch titles will be Blinx and The Bouncer 2.

[squirtle]

ZombiU's 2 player is fun as well, with one person throwing zombies in from all angles whilst the other person tries to survive as long as possible.

[NecroMorrius]

I feel like the Wii U local multiplayer, fun as some modes may be, is limited by the fact of one controller being markedly different from the others. It might enable you to make some interesting game modes, but they're a product of limitations and circumstance as much as they are a feature or selling point. Personally I'm most interested in the Wii U for the singleplayer experiences you won't be able to get anywhere else, I'm just waiting for either a price drop or a must-have game.

[squirtle]

I think you need to lay off the sugary drinks, clippa.

[Harsin]

I imagine it's more like this.

Hi, we're here for the dinner party. We brought a bottle of wi...

SIt down! Sit down! Have you seen my Wii U!

We haven't even our coats off yet.

The controller has it's own screen! IT'S OWN SCREEN!

Erm, yes that's very nice.

You can be Luigi and I'll be Mario.

Well I was hoping we could have a convers...

I SAID YOU CAN BE LUIGI!!!

Is there actually going to be any food?

No.

[Eats hoops and leaves]

That smilie must be integrated into the forum software, right now.

[scottcr]

that is surprisingly accurate...

[PopeSmokesDope]

So you don't have friends come round for some same screen multiplayer either?

People havnt done that for about 6 years now.