During Nintendo’s early morning keynote at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Warner Brothers Interactive Montreal executive producer Reid Schneider touted Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition for Nintendo’s upcoming Wii U console and revealed several new in-game features capitalizing on the system controller’s secondary screen.
“With the Wii U GamePad, you’ll have access to Batman’s entire arsenal at the touch of the finger,” Schneider said, declaring the arrival of “the most immersive Batman experience yet.”
The original Batman: Arkham City, the sequel to 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum, released late 2011 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Batman’s presence signifies Nintendo’s strengthened efforts to build a powerful third-party lineup that compliments its traditionally singular endorsement of first-party games.
In a short gameplay video, a player demonstrated the new Battle Armored Tech (BAT) mode providing increasingly damaging melee attacks via carefully timed taps on the GamePad’s screen during combat. The GamePad also gives direct control over Batman’s staple problem-solving tool, the Batarang, during its deadly flight in the air.
Item selection and inventory management neatly fit within the GamePad’s screen, including Batman’s repertoire of explosive and freezing foam. Players can set off each explosion with screen taps; although, devoting too much attention to the GamePad’s smaller screen still presents an ongoing concern for the fledgling console.
Warner Bros. Interactive Montreal handles porting duty for Batman’s Wii U adventure. Look for Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition’s release this holiday season.