Subscreen

The Subscreen is a major interface element in The Wonderful 101. Originally conceived to make full use of the Wii U Gamepad when the game was created as a Wii U exclusive, the Subscreen is literally a second screen within the game that displays a wide variety of information and gameplay.

Subscreen Controls

Wii U Version

In the Wii U Version, the Subscreen appears on the Wii U Gamepad by default. Pressing the SELECT/- button on your current controller allows you to cycle between three modes:

The Subscreen is currently displayed on the Gamepad (not pictured.) Only when the Subscreen is in this mode can the Input Panel be used to control the Wonder-Liner using the Gamepad's touch screen.

Pressing SELECT switches the main screen and the Subscreen so that it appears on your TV, and vice versa.

Pressing SELECT again enables "Picture-in-Picture" (PiP) mode, overlaying the Subscreen on the bottom right of the main screen by default. In this mode the same image is displayed on both the TV and the Gamepad at the same time.

Picture-in-Picture also mode introduces a hotbar providing easy access to four more control options. These options can only be interacted with by tapping them on the Gamepad's touch screen:

The first option Pauses the game. This can also be done by holding SELECT and then pressing START.

The second option is an in-game shortcut for opening Miiverse.

The third option swaps the main screen and the Subscreen, so that the Subscreen is now in the background with the main screen overlaid in its bottom right.

The final option hides and unhides the overlaid screen.

In the Wii U version, any time important information or gameplay appears on the Subscreen, an indicator appears at top right of the main screen.

Remastered Version

Because it originally was designed to use the Wii U Gamepad, how the Subscreen works and how it can be customized is the most significant change made to the game when it was ported to other systems for The Wonderful 101: Remastered.

In the Remaster, pressing the Subscreen button (-, Touch Pad, SELECT, TAB) displays or hides the Subscreen in the bottom right of the main screen by default, like the Wii U version's Picture-in-Picture mode. The option to swap the main screen and Subscreen has been removed. Using the Switch's touch screen, the Dualshock 4's Touch Pad, or the PC Mouse you can drag and move the Subscreen to any position.
Additionally, holding the Subscreen button while the Subscreen is already displayed puts the game in a special Subscreen pause screen with more advanced Subscreen controls. From here, the Subscreen can be moved and resized using your controller's Analog Sticks or your PC Mouse, or "Dual Mode" can be activated.

Dual Mode is an entirely new Subscreen mode introduced in the Remaster that places both the main screen and the Subscreen side by side on your display. From the Subscreen pause screen, or by interacting with the slider at the bottom of the screen while Dual Mode is enabled, you can change the size of both screens relative to each other.

Additionally, during various parts of the game such as Subscreen areas or various menus, the Remastered Version of the game automatically opens the Subscreen any time it's needed to show information or gameplay, after which it can then be hidden manually. In Subscreen areas, the main screen and Subscreen may automatically swap to put more focus on the Subscreen gameplay, which isn't otherwise possible to do in the Remaster.

The Remaster also introduces two customization options for the Subscreen.
First, there are three transparency settings for the Picture-in-Picture mode Subscreen when it's inactive:

High Transparency

Normal Transparency

Low Transparency

Interacting with the Subscreen in any way activates it, turning it opaque until it deactivates.

Second, there are four selectable backgrounds that can be chosen for when Dual Mode is enabled:

Subscreen Interface (Wii U)

During normal gameplay in levels, the Subscreen displays three different menus: The Input Panel, Leader Select, and Quick Help.

In the Wii U version, the Subscreen is on the Input Panel by default. You can switch between the Input Panel and Quick Help menu by tapping the tabs on the top of the screen when the Subscreen is on the Gamepad. Leader Select can be pulled up by tapping the tab at the bottom of the screen or pressing up on the D-Pad, and it can be closed by tapping the tab at the top of the screen or pressing B.

Input Panel

When using the Gamepad touch screen to draw, the Input Panel shows the Wonder-Liner and its color.

The Input Panel is an interactive a radar map displaying the position of characters and enemies:

• Wonderful Ones are represented by yellow dots (including Minor Wonderful Ones that have yet to be recruited)
• Knocked out Wonderful Ones are represented by red dots
• Citizens are represented by green circles
• Enemies are represented by blue triangles

when the Subscreen is on the Gamepad, the Input Panel can be used to draw the Wonder-Liner using the Gamepad's touch screen.

The Input Panel also displays your O-Parts count in the upper left, and the item select wheel in the upper right which can be controlled using the D-Pad.
when the Subscreen is on the Gamepad, a Miiverse shortcut is added to the bottom left, and a pause button in the bottom right, both of which can be used by tapping the Gamepad screen. The item select wheel can also be controlled by swiping it to select items and holding it to use them.

Quick Help

Quick Help lets you view various tutorials that have been seen previously in the game. The Quick Help menu can only be navigated using the Gamepad touch screen, and it automatically returns to the Input Panel after a few seconds of inactivity.

Leader Select

Leader Select, sorted by number, all default users, and Wonder-Red highlighted

Leader Select allows you to view your entire team, manually select your team leader, and set the default users for the seven main Unite Morph weapons.

Leader Select can be navigated by tapping the Gamepad screen or using the D-Pad to highlight individual team members; highlighted Wonderful Ones also display their name and Rank. Confirming a highlighted team member makes them the current team leader, and if they're a user of one of the seven main Unite Morphs, set them as the default user of that Unite Morph too. The default users of each Unite Morph are displayed in a row on the bottom of the screen. Any time a team member is confirmed the Leader Select menu closes automatically.
Team members that are unavailable, such as if they're knocked out or being used in a Unite Morph, have their icons grayed out, meaning they can't be selected until they become available again.

Leader Select can be sorted three ways: by Number, by Weapon, or by Body Type.

Subscreen Interface (Remaster)

During normal gameplay in levels, the Subscreen displays three different menus: The Radar Panel, Leader Select, and Quick Help.

In the Remastered version, the Subscreen is on Leader Select by default when opened. You can switch between Leader Select and the Radar Panel by pressing the Subscreen Mode Change buttons (L/R, L1/R1, LB/RB, Q/E, the same inputs as zooming the camera in and out.) Quick Help can be pulled up by holding up on the D-Pad (or FCVB keys), and it can be closed by holding down.

Note that when the Subscreen is displayed, the D-Pad can only be used to select and use items when the Radar Panel is shown. If Leader Select or Quick Help are shown, pressing any button on the D-Pad "activates" the Subscreen. When the Subscreen is activated the face buttons control the Subscreen instead of performing normal gameplay actions. Performing any other action such as moving the team leader deactivates the Subscreen and the face buttons can be used for normal actions again.

Leader Select

Leader Select, with Minor Wonderful Ones set as default users.

Leader Select allows you to view your entire team, manually select your team leader, and set the default users for the seven main Unite Morph weapons.

Leader Select can be navigated using the D-Pad to highlight individual team members; highlighted Wonderful Ones also display their name and Rank. Confirming a highlighted team member makes them the current team leader, and if they're a user of one of the seven main Unite Morphs, set them as the default user of that Unite Morph too. The default users of each Unite Morph are displayed in a row on the bottom of the screen.
Team members that are unavailable, such as if they're knocked out or being used in a Unite Morph, have their icons grayed out, meaning they can't be selected until they become available again.

Leader Select can be sorted three ways: by Number, by Weapon, or by Body Type. Additionally, the rank of each Wonderful One is displayed next to their icon.

Radar Panel

Fighting Chew Dough-Goos with Unite Hand next to some civilians.

The Radar Panel is a radar map displaying the position of characters and enemies:

• Wonderful Ones are represented by yellow circles (including Minor Wonderful Ones that have yet to be recruited)
• Knocked out Wonderful Ones are represented by red dots
• Citizens are represented by green dots
• Enemies are represented by blue triangles or blue circles, depending on the enemy type

The Radar Panel also displays your O-Parts count in the upper left, and the item select wheel in the upper right which can be controlled using the D-Pad.
Additionally, the Rank of each group of Unite Morph users is on the bottom left, and the Total Rank of the entire team is on the bottom right.

Quick Help

Quick Help lets you view various tutorials that have been seen previously in the game.

Subscreen Areas

When entering certain enclosed areas in levels, the game camera may switch to following the team up-close in third person on the Subscreen, while the main screen continues to show an overhead view of the area. In the Remastered Version of the game, sometimes the screens are automatically swapped also. Missions taking place in areas such as these are challenges or puzzles that involve observing both screens at the same time to find threats or puzzle elements on the main screen, while fighting enemies or completing puzzles on the Subscreen.

In the Wii U, Switch and PS4 versions of the game, the camera in these Subscreen areas can be controlled using gyro when playing with a compatible controller. In all versions of the game, the camera can also be controlled by holding the camera zoom in button, which disables the gyro camera and the Wonder-Liner, and allows the camera to be controlled using the same inputs as the Wonder-Liner.

The first Subscreen area in the game in Operation 001-A requires you to unlock a door by turning hand-cranks on the Subscreen to change numbers visible on the main screen until they match the door.

Mission 008 of Operation 002-B requires you to pilot a Cough-Foon by observing its surroundings for enemies and obstacles on the main screen while controlling it by stepping on buttons on the Subscreen.

Mission 001 of Operation 008-B requires you to repair a GDA cannon to battle an Envan. This Subscreen Mission is unique in that the Subscreen is used to aim in first person while avoiding projectiles on the main screen.

Other Subscreen Uses

The Subscreen is also used to show extra information or options in the game's various menus. In the Remaster, the Subscreen may automatically open in menus such as theses:

In the Operation Select menu, the Subscreen displays the Difficulty and team size selection screen.

In your inventory, and in the Wonderful Mart in the Remaster only, the Subscreen displays detailed Item information.

In menus like the various Files Lists, Bottle-Cap Collection, or Final Result, the Subscreen displays a list of all entries or more detailed information.

In the Wii U version, on Results screens, the Subscreen displays the option to post your score to Miiverse.

The Subscreen is also used in various other situations to show extra fun details. These serve no real purpose in-game:

In the Load Menu, the Subscreen displays every recruited Wonderful One in the highlighted Save File.

When any of the seven main Wonderful Ones join the team, information from their Member File appears on the Subscreen.

When recruiting a Minor Wonderful One, the Subscreen displays their ID card and logo.

In the Remaster, on Results screens, the Subscreen displays the Most Wonderful Player (MWP): the Wonderful One that was used the most during the Mission/Operation.

In a giant-robot boxing match, the Subscreen shows an inside view of the team at the controls.

In the Wii U version only, in the Wonderful Mart, the Subscreen displays the selected product, and purchasing something displays your receipt