Top 10 ways to make Pokemon on the Wii U work

Use the tablet to find hidden items and Pokemon

Discover elusive Pokemon hiding in tall grass! In HD!

Personally, I don't know how something like this could work without it getting stupidly boring, but that's why I'm not a game developer. I'm just a guy who writes about video games and oftentimes suggests ideas that are pretty bad. That said, I'm certain developer Game Freak could do something cool with the Wii U controller where players can scan certain areas (like tall grass) for Pokemon and items. Maybe the developers can even throw in some mini-games that actually have an impact on the game rather than just being throwaway distractions.

Just make Pokemon Snap 2

Nintendo, if you don't want to bring a true Pokemon RPG to the Wii U, then at least give us Pokemon Snap 2. That tablet controller could totally be used as a camera, and it would be pretty rad scanning the TV while looking for elusive Pokemon and attempting to photograph them at just the right time. It's time for Pokemon Snap 2, and the Wii U could provide us with the proper gameplay tools to have an exciting time taking pictures of hundreds of Pokemon.

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Feature online content such as downloadable Pokemon and events

Tournaments! Ya like 'em?

Nintendo should keep players engaged and coming back for more if it releases a Pokemon game for the Wii U. Instead of just releasing a new Pokemon game a year or two later, why not release some DLC with a hefty amount of content including new regions to explore and more Pokemon to capture? Special online events would be awesome, and you just know the more dedicated trainers would enter any and all contests for pure bragging rights.

Co-op

I'm getting a real Monster Hunter vibe here. Seriously, how cool would it be to pair up with a buddy (or possibly even a group) and explore different regions in search of Pokemon? It would add a nice cooperative element, and it would be a good change of pace from just battling your friends all the time. If you did want to battle other players, though, why not do so with a good friend by your side?

Deliver a fully realized, compelling story

These are bad people (and a cat thing) that need to be destroyed.

One of the reason games like Pokemon Stadium and the aforementioned Battle Revolution failed was because they didn't offer much to gamers outside of the battling. Pokemon on the Wii U needs to be more than just an extension of the traditional turn-based battle system in order to provide fans with a rewarding experience. Nintendo, give us a story — present us with a narrative to play through. Pokemon games are fun because they have players hunting down legendary beasts while trumping evildoers and facing rivals. It seems like a no-brainer, but Nintendo has yet to provide fans with a traditional Pokemon RPG experience on consoles. Now's the perfect time for that.

Offer a game with beautiful HD graphics

This is Pokemon in HD.

As charming as the pixelated look of the handheld Pokemon games may be, that graphical style simply wouldn't make sense on the Wii U. Console Pokemon games have been praised for their visuals, which manage to bring the iconic monsters to life. With the Wii U being an HD console, it's the perfect platform to make the Pokemon look larger than life and incredibly fierce (or in some cases just plain adorable). Lush grassy environments, earthy mountainous regions, and serene oceanic coasts — imagine how these locales would look in a wondrous HD Pokemon game. The Wii U could make Pokemon come to life in more ways than one.

Let players transfer Pokemon between the Wii U and handhelds

Countless Pokemon fans have accrued hundreds of critters over the years. Whether they're scouring every last inch of their game worlds or trading with buddies, many Pokemon fans are truly dedicated to the game and have a crazy collection of creatures to do battle with. If a Pokemon game comes to the Wii U, it should allow players to transfer their Pokemon to and from handhelds like the DS and 3DS. After all, these folks have been working their asses off to collect and power up those Pokemon. It would be a shame if they couldn't use them on a big screen.

Allow players to battle their friends locally

People should be able to fight their friends locally, because bragging feels so much better in person.

Games like Pokemon Battle Revolution generally failed to deliver a robust RPG experience, but they did provide gamers with the opportunity to duke it out with their friends locally. Pokemon on the Wii U needs to push the multiplayer experience by letting gamers go over to their friends' houses to battle. Currently, it seems as though only one Wii U controller will work with the console at any given time, but let's hope Nintendo changes that. At the very least, there should be some connectivity between the 3DS and Wii U that would allow Pokemon trainers to take on their pals while in the same room.

Pokemon is one of Nintendo's most successful franchises, and while the series has certainly flourished on handhelds, it isn't particularly known for crossing over onto home consoles very often or very successfully. The few Pokemon games we have gotten on systems like the Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Wii have all been spin-offs that don't focus on the RPG tropes that made the handheld titles so addictive and so incredible.

Is it time for Nintendo to break out of its shell and release a proper Pokemon RPG on a home console? The Wii U would certainly be a fitting avenue for that venture. Here are 10 ways for Nintendo to create a great Pokemon game for its upcoming platform.

Let the tablet controller be used like the DS touchscreen for battles

Pokemon games on the DS have the minor yet noteworthy benefit of featuring touchscreen controls for battles. By allowing players to simply tap on whatever actions they want to take next during battles, Pokemon games on the DS deliver a highly intuitive and responsive system that works well and feels organic. Sure, maneuvering around battle menus using the D-pad has never been troublesome, but there's something satisfying about being able to choose your next move with a simple tap.

Throw in online play akin to the handheld games

Being able to battle other trainers online is one of the major selling points of the current crop of Pokemon games. While we still don't have all the details on the Wii U's online component, Nintendo has assured us that it will be more in line with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Any improvements over the Wii's online capabilities are most certainly welcome, and if the Wii U can deliver a strong online element, Pokemon could truly succeed as one of the top games to play online on the console.