Wii U boasts huge touchscreen controller and Full HD graphics
by Steven Mostyn - Jun 8 2011, 08:07
Look, the Xbox 360 and Wii have had a baby. Image: Nintendo.
As we suspected, Nintendo has used the global exposure of this week’s E3 Expo in Los Angeles to unveil a tantalisingly (pseudo) new home videogame console to the greater gaming world.
The ‘Wii U’ was rolled out during Nintendo’s keynote address on Tuesday and—beyond looking not unlike a miniature Xbox 360 with a gash in its faceplate—promises to deliver a mixture of long-awaited and unexpected tweaks to the established Wii formula.
Confirming recent rumours regarding the hardware, the Wii U does indeed come with a radically redesigned control pad, which adds an extra gameplay dimension (note: not 3D) to proceedings thanks to the inclusion of a whopping 6.2-inch colour touchscreen.
“Previously, video games played on a home console have been confined to the TV and offered identical viewpoints to each player in a multiplayer environment,” outlined Nintendo in an official release.
“Furthermore, watching TV and playing console games have been completely separate experiences,” it added. “The new controller removes these boundaries…”
Although it remains to be seen exactly how software developers integrate the revised visual-physical control interface into upcoming Wii U titles, Nintendo is confident that the introduction of dual-screen home entertainment creates “a more dynamic and fluid gaming experience.”
In terms of possible applications, Nintendo says the controller can host its own games or serve as an extension for others, and it can also be used to enhance gameplay interaction—for example, aiming a baseball pitch or when teeing off in golf. The controller is also capable of serving as a drawing tablet and as a platform for connecting video calls.
Other contributing aspects built into the Wii U gamepad include a Classic Controller button layout, motion-sensing accelerometer and gyroscope technology, a rumble feature, forward- and rear-facing cameras (for augmented reality games), a microphone, and onboard speakers.
“Wii U redefines the structure of home entertainment by fundamentally changing how the TV, the game console and the Internet function and interact together,” enthused Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata.
“The experience enabled by Wii U and the new controller takes players deeper in their games, while reaching out wider than ever before to be inviting to all kinds of gamers.”
Each Wii U console will come with a single new controller and will be capable of functioning alongside up to four conventional Wii Remote and Wii Remote Plus wands. The revamped console is also fully backward compatible with all Wii games and all Wii accessories.
The Wii U also supports full 1080p high-definition graphics, which is a current-generation console feature that’s been evident for several years in rival hardware systems and long-requested by Wii gamers.
Nintendo is likely hoping the Wii U will reverse declining consumer interest in the market-leading Wii brand, which has dropped over the last 12 months despite the Wii having sold some 86 million units globally.
Leading third-party publishers such as Electronic Arts (EA) and Ubisoft have already announced their support for the console, offering up Wii U games plucked from respective properties such as Battlefield and Assassin’s Creed.
Nintendo has said the Wii U will be ready for retail after the close of its fiscal year, which means any time after March 31, 2012. No price points have been released at this time.
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