Gaming Wii U reached its full graphical capability in 2013.

[SirAileron]

I think it's fair to say that the graphical capabilities have reached, or come close to its peak. Though the hardware analyses of the Wii U seem to indicate that there are a lot of unconventional tricks that can be used to make games prettier, it would take some incredibly skilled hardware programmers to draw out that intended potential.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

Because Lego games have always pushed the hardware to the very limits of technology... lol

Edit: I remember playing Lego Star Wars on my PS3 and thinking to myself "Holy shit this looks so much better than Grand Theft Auto V!!!"

 

[WiiCube_2013]

Here's a compilation of Sonic Lost World & Mario 3D World screenshots I've got from my Miiverse account:

Spoiler

Yeah I'm a Brosie...

Sure they look nice though at some point or another you'll encounter a detail on the game which doesn't look to be at its best quality, as it has happened to me when I'm too near the Yoshi Egg and the shadow on it is somewhat blocky or whichever term it is.

By the way, I've seen the new Zelda trailer (not that damn Hyrule Warriors) and the game graphically looks pretty nice, colourful and cartoony but do I expect it to be the best looking Wii U? I think we've already reached that point, so no.

 

[Wisenheimer]

You understand that good looking games are not about pushing hardware "to the max". They are about getting the most out of what you have available. You can use 100% of the power of the CPU and GPU 100% of the time and end up with a bad-looking game and you can sometimes make a great-looking game with only 25% average CPU or GPU usage. It is all about how you design the game and how efficient you are at implementing it.

The PS2 was a great example. It was very complicated to program for and many of the third party PS2 games looked like garbage compared to the much more powerful Gamecube and Xbox. But, there were also some very nice looking PS2 games that squeezed every ounce of power out of that weak little box to create some truly amazing visuals.

In terms of Mark Kart, I actually think graphically it looks quite stunning and you just picked a bad track. The level design is a pretty big leap in terms of what is going on in the fully-rendered background compared to previous karting games.

I've been pretty impressed with what Nintendo has done with their hardware in Zelda and Metroid games in the past and I have no doubt that they have some truly impressive art styles in store for us.

 

[MarioFanatic64]

Two words : iron-fall

Seriously don't judge the graphical capabilities of a system for the games that are already out or in development, a different art style or more complex models could give better graphics, I was amazed by the ground zeros graphics, a game that came out at the end of ps3 and surpassed various games graphics (in my opinion).

I'm not doubting the 3DS- but I'm just saying that most of the games don't even try to use it to its best potential.

 

[Foxi4]

I don't think the Wii U has been pushed to its limits, but it will reach them sooner than the PS4 or the Xbox One for obvious reasons. The architecture, although convoluted, is pretty capable - expect games to be at least 1.5 times more complex than on the PS3. I think the upcoming Zelda U is a good showcase of what the Wii U can do, the system still has a year or two before developers will start performing coding gymnastics to get more resources or better performance.

 

[BlueStar]

I think stuff like MK8 and Super Mario 3D World looks absolutely amazing. Can't see how they'd look any better on the PS4 or Xbone.

Plus, considering the other two consoles appear to be struggling to live up to their billing, having to nerf res, framerate or effects to actually look anything like the kind of footage shown at events like E3, I don't think the difference in power is as great as we first believed.

I mean, the Xbone and PS4 justified their pricetag and delay (with the delay in actually getting games worth playing that comes with it) with the promise of being graphical powerhouses. I think most people thought this meant 'next gen gaming' where every game was 1080p and 60fps as a baseline. And instead we get a shitty version of Watch_Dogs that looks nothing like what was promised. Plus the PC version being crippled in line with the console versions and needing to be modded to look like the game it was supposed to be.

Devs are stuck going "O-oh man, we can't drop these particle effects. We promised them particle effects. Can we make the res any lower? How about the textures, can we cut them down? Call the guys working on the PC port and get them to take out ultra graphics or Sony is going to be pissed."

Meanwhile, there's Nintendo in the background making games people are going crazy over, that look great, play great and are running at a proper gamer's framerate, working comfortably within the limits of the system.

 

[Taleweaver]

I'm missing two important things here:

1) a measurement of frames per second and a mention at which setting this screenshot was taken. Microsoft and sony consoles are all about 60FPS @ 1080p nowadays. While that may be overkill, you can't deny that smoothness plays an important role, especially when talking about reaching the graphic capabilities of said console.
2) nintendo has a long track record of producing cartoony games. While I'm not much of a fan of all the gritty realism games on other consoles*, I can't deny that those are the ones pushing the full potential of what a console can do. So why the heck are we looking at nintendo's own franchises as proof of what the console is capable of? LightyDK is right: a single screen of Need for speed shows far more details than any of your screens, Wiicube.

In other words: I think nintendo simply isn't trying to squeeze anything out of their console (just yet). It wouldn't even surprise me they secretly hoped that third party developers would do that job for them, and are now kind of pissed that a large part of the potential of the wiiu's power is being wasted.




*thanks to all that detail, Lara Croft looks so dirty - with dirty as in 'covered with mud', that is - she's hardly attractive anymore.

 

[duffmmann]

"If you disagree with me, you're an asshole."

If nothing matters but the gameplay, then why are you so defensive about the visuals?

These screenshots aren't impressive, especially compared to what the other machines are doing (especially the PC), but that's not a crime. The Wii U's in the same position as the Wii when it comes to graphics. The machine is running outdated tech compared to its competitors, though some of the developers will figure out how to squeeze all the power they can from the device. On the bright side, to compensate for the lack of juice, a lot of games are going to have to rely on a strong aesthetic style over simple horsepower, so at least there'll be some interesting-looking stuff out there, too.

There's no need to be upset.

Sorry if I apparently came across as upset or defensive. I couldn't be less upset about the matter, nor do I feel it is a subject that even needs defending. I don't care much about this subject at all, and there are plenty of people with my same mindset. Problem is there are plenty of people that put all faith in the graphical output and little else, and I know I'll never get through to those people, so I'm really not trying. I am merely sharing my personal opinion on the matter.

 

[natkoden]

Looks good to me. Is it amazing? Nope. Is it better than PS4/Xobne? Nope. Still, looks decent enough to not get blind when you play a game.

Besides, those games are really not the best examples. Zelda, Bayonetta 2 and Xenoblade are proper examples.

Wow they look like last gen console games.

G-great job Nintendo.

And PS4/Xbone are identical to a computer from 2006.

G-Great job Sony/Microsoft.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

And PS4/Xbone are identical to a computer from 2006.

G-Great job Sony/Microsoft.

So the Wii U is like... a computer from 1999?

Shit it'll probably crash when Y2K happens.

 

[natkoden]

So the Wii U is like... a computer from 1999?

Shit it'll probably crash when Y2K happens.

yeah, that makes sense

 

[DinohScene]

In 2015, games on the Wii U will look slightly better.
They can always push a little more.

 

[Supernovakid]

Graphics don't makes games dudes. You guys are such graphics w****s. When i play mk8, i think it looks absolutely amazing, you guys just like to pick the parts that don't look amazing and rant about them. Can you just play the games? Or would you like to see a human being on the TV shooting other people. By the way, these are cartoony graphics, not realistic, so it would make sense if the single grass blades weren't moving, or their faces weren't identical to a human.

 

[XDel]

Look at it like this... stare at a TV all your life and it will eventually wear away at your eyes which in turn means you'll no longer be able to pick up on those fine details in the display anyhow.

Graphics have been fine where they are at for a few years now. I even stopped upgrading my PC graphics card for lack of caring.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Graphics don't makes games dudes. You guys are such graphics w****s. When i play mk8, i think it looks absolutely amazing, you guys just like to pick the parts that don't look amazing and rant about them. Can you just play the games? Or would you like to see a human being on the TV shooting other people. By the way, these are cartoony graphics, not realistic, so it would make sense if the single grass blades weren't moving, or their faces weren't identical to a human.

Well the strawmen have been brought out, sounds like it'll be fun.

Graphics are important to games and to say otherwise is stupid. You like to play good looking games as much as the next guy, asking for your games to have a certain level of aesthetic pleasure is not being a "graphics whore".

Also holy shit what's wrong with wanting to play realistic games? Everyone's treating it like such a negative thing to want to show things that are realistic or at least mature in content.

 

[Supernovakid]

Well the strawmen have been brought out, sounds like it'll be fun.

Graphics are important to games and to say otherwise is stupid. You like to play good looking games as much as the next guy, asking for your games to have a certain level of aesthetic pleasure is not being a "graphics whore".

Also holy shit what's wrong with wanting to play realistic games? Everyone's treating it like such a negative thing to want to show things that are realistic or at least mature in content.

Well, if you are posting pictures of games and then saying "hey look at the grass, why is it flat?" and saying you are not a graphics w.... is pretty contradictory. Well, I think it's bad because most realistic games only have one genre, and that is shooting. It's extremely repetitive. Cartoony graphics allow you have more than one time of game, and i think it's better to have a cartoony game with not EXTREME graphics, than realistic games with only shooting. If you want graphics so bad, why not complain about this gens console and PC's. Ask sony, "hey why isn't your ps4 as good as a pc?". Anyway, i think we should all just have fun with what we get.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Well, if you are posting pictures of games and then saying "hey look at the grass, why is it flat?" and saying you are not a graphics w.... is pretty contradictory. Well, I think it's bad because most realistic games only have one genre, and that is shooting. It's extremely repetitive. Cartoony graphics allow you have more than one time of game, and i think it's better to have a cartoony game with not EXTREME graphics, than realistic games with only shooting. If you want graphics so bad, why not complain about this gens console and PC's. Ask sony, "hey why isn't your ps4 as good as a pc?". Anyway, i think we should all just have fun with what we get.

Shooting is not a genre. There's first person shooters and third person shooters. There's a ton of diversity between and in those two genres. Borderlands is not like Call of Duty. Gears of War is not like The Last of Us. To condense all realistic games to "shooters" is like to condense all cartoony games to "platformers". Even then, what about the non-cartoony games that are "realistic"? Like what about WRPG that, while in a fantasy setting, are still mature in content and don't pull punches.

I prefer games that are good, whether it's realistic or cartoony. To generalize any one genre is to be shallow and limited with your entertainment.

 

[p1ngpong]

Lol debating and arguing over graphics on a system that is on first party life support with no sales!

 

[Hielkenator]

The graphics bhave blown me away in some games.
To be honest I was'nt expecting th Wii U would impress me in term of graphics, but it does.
Assasin's creed, Pikmin, Nintendoland ( yes, beautifull light effects at 60fps )
Need for speed very nice to look at, Lego Marvel heroes impressed me.
Overall I really am fond of the Nintendo "world".
I love how All the famous characters look, even better in the higher resolutions.
Nowaday I think it comes down to art direction more than anything.
We all know Nintendo nails that departement.
And jesus! Games look better than most animation film and catoons!
There's nothing to complain in regard to eyecandy.
The amount of artistic detail is breathtaking.

I do know the GFX power is is nothing, compared to PC specs, BUT IT IS NOT A PC!.
It's a gaming machine ( with a few extras ) that bring the World of nintendo to your living room.
I'll take that anyday instead of a perfectly rendered battlefield.
When I play Nintendo games I always get that warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
BUT do not be fooled, for people that are willing there's almost always HARDCORE gameplay underneath.
In order to get 100% in their games will alomost always fully test your skills in a fun and addicting way.
And above all I love originality.
Alway when I play with my kids& family there's laughter and happiness in the living room.
People enjoy Nintendo's games, regardless of GFX.
KNowing I am using a tablet everyday, easily beating the WiiU's specs, but hey, it is'nt nearly as fun!
Do not loose yourself by looking at specs or what other people say is cool,
Enjoy yourself while it last.
Life is short, be happy and have fun.