Nintendo Offers New Options For Wii U Hardware

As Nintendo gears up to enter this years E3 as the ultimate underdog, it seems that part of their preparation for the upcoming holiday season includes some changes/additions to the accessories and hardware for the Wii U. Some of the changes play to aesthetics while others offer some much needed upgrades to controller longevity. Currently, all of these are only confirmed for Japan but it is all but guaranteed that these will come out in other territories (likely this fall for the big holiday push and flood of heavy hitting Nintendo games).

• New White Wii U Premium (32GB): When the system originally launched, the only way to get the upgraded internal storage was to purchase the Wii U premium set which only came in black. Nintendo will rectify this situation going into the holidays with a white premium set that will appeal to those who prefer their new system to match the original Wii color scheme.
• Nintendo Land Bundle (Includes Wii Remote Plus): Nintendo Land surprisingly does a great job of showcasing the new hardware while satisfying Nintendo fans with its theme park packed with nostalgic nods to the history of the Big N. The $60 price tag, if you purchased the game separately from the premium hardware, was a bit tough to swallow so Nintendo is making the game more attractive by bundling it with a Wii Remote Plus for the same price. This is an excellent offer when you consider how many of the games require the extra controller for full enjoyment.
• Wii U Gamepad Battery: One of the bigger knocks against the Wii U has been the battery life of the Gamepad which makes longer play sessions a bit tough. Nintendo has heard the complaints and will be offering an official 2550mAh upgrade option which will take the Gamepad from its meager 3-5 hours to a much more appealing and gameplay friendly 6-8 hours. It is currently unclear if the system will have this included in the future but the odds are high that it will within the next year or two.
• Wii Remote Quick Charge Set: Battery life for the Wii Remote has never really been an issue but many have wanted an official recharge option from Nintendo to take regular batteries out of the equation. It may be a little late considering the controller has been around since 2006 but it is a welcome addition for those who have had issues with the third party battery options.

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