Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Wii U preview

Like so many other ports on Wii U, Black Ops 2 is a relatively straightforward experience with a few minor tweaks that take advantage of the Wii U GamePad.

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When Activision announced Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for Wii U at Nintendo's press conference, not many were surprised. Sure, it was long-rumored and leaked just moments prior to the event. But perhaps the biggest reason none of us were taken aback: Wii U's launch library is comprised largely of PS3 and Xbox 360 ports.

Like so many other ports on Wii U, Black Ops 2 is a relatively straightforward experience with a few minor tweaks that take advantage of the Wii U GamePad.

Should you want to play Black Ops 2 without Wii U bells and whistles, you can use the Wii U Pro Controller. However, I was impressed at the GamePad's responsiveness. Although the tablet controller is receiving a video stream, there was no noticeable lag or latency. The entire game experience was intact, and yes, the game still ran at 60 frames per second.

When playing multiplayer with a friend, the system does not use any touch controls on the GamePad. Instead, player one gets to play on the small screen, while player two gets to play on the bigger screen. It does feel like a better alternative to split-screen, in spite of the GamePad's diminutive size.

I asked an Activision rep about what other features the GamePad will offer when playing solo. There's nothing ground-breaking here. As expected, you'll be able to view a map on the bottom screen. You'll be able to use the touch screen to choose loadouts, as well. Given Black Ops 2's use of drones, you'd think there would be Wii U-specific ways of controlling them--but that kind of thought hasn't been placed in this port.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 makes the transition to Wii U entirely intact, making it the first time a Nintendo console can have the "full" Call of Duty experience. There will also be support for online multiplayer, and eSports CODcasting. However, there was no mention of Call of Duty Elite, and no word on how DLC will be deployed. Given the untested nature of the Nintendo Network, there's still a lot for this straightforward port to prove.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    September 14, 2012 12:45 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Wii U preview.

    Like so many other ports on Wii U, Black Ops 2 is a relatively straightforward experience with a few minor tweaks that take advantage of the Wii U GamePad.

    • reply
      September 14, 2012 12:54 PM

      "he game still ran at 60 frames per second."

      What do you mean "still?" The 360 and PS3 versions don't run at 60 fps and they aren't 1080p like the WiiU version is either.

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        September 14, 2012 1:05 PM

        Where did you hear it will be 1080p? Pikmin 3 is in 720p, so I would be surprised if COD isn't 720p as well.

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        September 14, 2012 5:07 PM

        Unless I missed some news all CoD games have been at 60fps since CoD4. It's the 'hallmark' of the series. It's one of the reasons it looks like crap, and renders below HD..at 640p.

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        September 14, 2012 7:36 PM

        Maybe they mean it drove both displays at 60fps? I agree it's not clear.

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      September 14, 2012 7:12 PM

      Come on fellas, are you really going to buy a WII U for BO2? No. Chances are you have already preordered BO2 on another platform. Good news for fans of Nintendo, they will now have a HD capable machine. And lets face it, most people buy these units to play more recycled Mario games. I'm sure they will have their share or exclusives, good for them. I think devs really need to think outside the box, other wise it won't take off. I wish Nintendo luck, they are going to need it.

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        September 14, 2012 8:29 PM

        Says the guy who thinks people have already preordered Call of Duty 9.

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          September 14, 2012 8:35 PM

          Do you believe that no one has preordered the new CoD?

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          September 15, 2012 3:51 PM

          I drank the COD Kool-Aid years ago and pre-ordered my copy of BO2 back in June.

          Also, the World at War/Black Ops storyline is much better than the Modern Warfare storyline

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      October 5, 2012 4:08 PM

      Black ops it the S***. I am so happy that they are bringing it to Wii.

      Because of these games I started getting into Airsoft, so I can not only recreate my favorite guns, but I can also play in MILSIMs and scenarios.

      Here's how I got turned on to it.

      http://www.airsplat.com/medal-of-honor.htm

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