Wii U GamePad Prototypes

[Justin]

Eguchi: This was the start of two-screen gameplay.

Iwata: Yes. I did that, too. An experiment using the Wii Zapper4 controller was what inspired us to put a gyro sensor5 in the Nintendo 3DS system, which was in the final phases of development.

Shimamura: Yes. After development of Wii Sports Resort, Yama****a-san and I were thinking about something new that would draw upon the knowhow for Wii MotionPlus.6 We tested gameplay that involved moving the Wii Zapper and having images from the Wii move in sync on a monitor in your hands. It was fairly well received…

Iwata: When (Shigeru) Miyamoto-san saw that experiment, he said that he definitely wanted to put a gyro sensor in Nintendo 3DS, so even though the ship was headed out of the harbor, he called it back.7 This happened after the people in the hardware department had already been declared that "all features are now set!" (laughs)

Yama****a: Yeah. (laughs) We intended to present it as a Wii U project, so when it was snatched away for the Nintendo 3DS, we were sad, but also pleased.

Shimamura: Right. The next makeshift thing we made for Wii U GamePad concept—a second prototype—is this.

Iwata: Behold the original form of the Wii U GamePad! (laughs)

Shimamura: It's very high-tech—a monitor and controllers stuck together by double-sided tape. (laughs)

Iwata: I remember that you made a lot of prototype software with this.

Shimamura: Yeah. If we made a list, I think there'd be about 30.

Eguchi: We used this prototype and two Wii consoles to run simulations for Wii U. EAD isn't a hardware department, but a "handicraft team" knowledgeable about hardware makes stuff like this.

 

[Feraligator]

It's design has progressed very nicely, from a simple, basic design of a screen to a complex, refined finish.

 

[Stevey Queen]

The 2nd one looks stupid. How would you even play like that? lol

 

[PoizonMushro0m]

Link to the Iwata asks that this is in?

 

[Justin]

http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/nintendo-land/0/0