'Mass Effect 3' for Wii U introduces new weapons and Dark Horse interactive comic

Mass Effect 3 for the Wii U will have exclusive weapons and allow players to experience the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 through an interactive Dark Horse comic.

Mass Effect 3 for the Wii U will have exclusive weapons and allow players to experience the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 through an interactive Dark Horse comic.

Speaking to Polygon, Mass Effect 3 Wii U's external producer, Melanie Faulknor, said that because the first two Mass Effect games are not available on Wii U, the developers at Bioware wanted to make sure that those who pick up Mass Effect 3 for Wii U have the option to experience the game's predecessors.

"One of the things we've got for Mass Effect on Wii U is a Dark horse interactive comic that allows players to play through the first two games through comic screens, just like if you were reading a comic book," she said. "You play through the story and it will bring up conversation options that allow you to choose where you want to direct the story."

The choices players make in these interactive comics will carry over to and affect their game of Mass Effect 3 in the same way that players' game saves from the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 shaped their experience of Mass Effect 3.

A new and exclusive weapon to the Wii U version of the game is also being introduced. A heavy duty weapon called the Ladon will allow players to hit up to eight enemies at a time, often clearing a whole area of enemies in one shot.

Faulknor says that all the features introduced on the Wii U version of the game add to the gameplay and are only included if they are intuitive and useful. One of the key features is the ability for players to see level maps on the Wii U controller's screen. By looking down, players can see a level map with dots indicating where enemies are located as well as where grenades are being thrown. This ensures that players can't be surprised by grenades and gives them an advantage of seeing enemies even if they are not yet visible on the television screen.

Another key feature is customizable buttons that allow players to map up to eight different powers. Where traditional controllers only allow players to map three powers to three buttons, the Wii U controller lets players map out eight, all of which can be swapped and moved around. If players choose to play the game through the Wii U controller instead of the television, these mapped out powers revert to the traditional controller buttons and players are limited to three.

Faulknor says that Bioware have worked hard to keep the core Mass Effect experience and that the Wii U controls are anything but a gimmick.

"We didn't want to go too far out there and have features just for the sake of having features," Faulknor said.

Mass Effect 3 is a launch title for the Wii U.