Molyneux: Wii U is Good, But I Don’t Think It’s Great

Peter Molyneux, iconic videogame designer who made games such as Populous, Black & White and Fable thinks Nintendo's Wii U is "good" but doesn't think it's great.

Speaking with GamesIndustry, Molyneux comments on the experiences he's had playing Wii U games and his overall impression on the console itself.

I think the Wii U is good, but I don't feel it's great…I've played the experience, I've played Nintendo Land, I've played ZombiU, and they're good. I find holding the device in my hand–looking up at the screen and looking down at the device–slightly confusing as a consumer. It's good, but it's not great. And we really need these new pieces of hardware to be great in today's world, because the competition is not just consoles anymore. The competition is everything, all the technology. When you're holding a Kindle Fire or an iPad in your hand, it's just amazing technology. It really is. It's expensive, but it's amazing technology. And people like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft need to match that. They need to match that in my mind, and exceed it. And I'm not sure the Wii U really did that

Of course, it's not all doom-and-gloom by Molyenux when it comes to Nintendo's newly-released console. In spite of what he's said so far, he states that he has "unbelievable respect" for the Big N and even credits them for creating the industr we're in now.

I've got unvelievable respect for Nintendo. They created our industry in a very real sense. I can remember everybody in the industry laughing and giggling about how stupid the Wii was, what a stupid name it was, and who would want motion control. And then it went on to sell what, 60, 70 million copies? It got people who never considered computer games to play them.

Molyneux's studio, 22 Cans, has no announced games for the Wii U platform. But they've just released Curiosity on mobile and tablet devices, and has now has "Project Godus" on Kickstarter, a game he calls an innovative reinvention of Populous.

Do you agree with Molyneux or he, of all people, shouldn't judge a console this early on just yet? For those who already used a Wii U, do you rate is as a "good" or "great" experience so far?