While the Wii U might not be as graphically impressive as we would have liked, what could differentiate the Wii U from the PS3 and Xbox 360 version of its games are the unit's GamePad. Of course, this will only work if the developers use it in an ingenious manner and not just tack it on as a gimmick.
It seems 2K Sports got Nintendo's memo and is implementing the GamePad in ways that just couldn't be done on a traditional controller. While the usual and obvious stuff like calling plays are featured, players can also use the GamePad as a way to quickly see how each player is faring on the court. This is simply done by lifting the GamePad and have its camera point at the TV. Once you do this, a thermal image of the whole court along with the players will readily be available. You can then see if players are "hot," what their fatigue rating is and so on.
Watch as 2K's Ben Bishop demos the feature in real-time (courtesy of GamerLive).
Hopefully, other developers follow suit and use the Wii U GamePad in similar fashion. Hey, if 2K can be this creative in a basketball game, other developers should be able to do it, too, right?
NBA 2K13 is scheduled to hit the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on October 2, while the Wii U version is slated to launch within the console's launch window.
