NBA 2K13 Uses Wii U GamePad as Biometric Scanner

NBA 2K13 is already out on various consoles including the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but this eighth developer diary for the game talks about the Wii U version, which will be released on the console's launch day (November 18th in the US, November 30th in Europe). Ben Bishop, producer for the game, talks about what will be the same and then explains a little about what will be different, i.e. what players will be able to use the Wii U GamePad for.

First of all, Bishop seeks to reassure players – most of whom won't have seen games running on a Wii U before – that NBA 2K13 won't cut corners on Nintendo's console. “It's been great for us to have a true HD version of a Nintendo console,” he says, insisting that the game looks just as good as it does on other platforms. All the same features will also be included in the game, like the online mode, My Career, and Association Mode.

As for Wii U-specific features, the GamePad becomes a “Gatorade Biometric Scanner”, which you aim at the screen to get an augmented view of the players. You'll be able to see statistics on things like fatigue levels, to enable more tactical play. In the career mode, you'll get a more comprehensive view of the whole game, from what each player is doing to the “hot and cold zones” of the court. You can use the GamePad to coach, too, making substitutions or calling plays with the touchscreen.

Sounds pretty cool, but is it enough to convince you to get the game on Wii U instead of your usual console?