Updated at 4:40 p.m. Pacific with Nintendo’s response and Q&A transcript.
You might not have to stop playing Pikmin 3 next time someone in the house wants to watch TV.
Those who like to play their games without interruption may be happy to know that Nintendo’s upcoming real-time strategy action game reportedly supports GamePad-only play.
According to IGN, famed game designer Shigeru Miyamoto told investors during a Nintendo financial meeting that gamers “can play this game only with Wii U GamePad.” He explained that it will be like playing with a “smaller but more detailed screen in your hands.”
Nintendo hasn’t said much about Pikmin 3. All we know is that it’s scheduled to release during the first half of 2013.
GamesBeat contacted Nintendo to verify that this is an accurate translation of Miyamoto’s words to investors, and a representative responded with the following:
Mr. Miyamoto did indeed say that. IGN pulled out the quote from our transcript of the investor meeting. Here’s the section they referred to:
Miyamoto:
With regard to “Pikmin 3” for Wii U, I don’t want to be misconceived, but the biggest draw of this game is the higher-resolution images through the high-definition graphics. You can even see Pikmin’s gestures with the graphics. We are not going to put asymmetric gameplay in a game if it is unnecessary. In this game, you can see the entire map on Wii U GamePad. The two screens of the TV and Wii U GamePad will let you see what you are doing at any time during your gameplay, which alone is a great evolution for a strategy game. As a side note, you can play this game only with Wii U GamePad. If it is hard to imagine what it will be like, maybe you can recall the visuals of the original “Pikmin” for Nintendo GameCube and imagine how you can play it with the smaller but more detailed screen in your hands. The two control sticks of Wii U GamePad will let you play this game more comfortably and, with a TV screen, the gyro sensor inside Wii Remote Plus will further help your gameplay. Wii U GamePad will give you style variations of playing this game and playing only with Wii U GamePad might be a good experience for you. I hope you will like this game.
You can read the full transcript here.