From it's dynamic controller to connectivity to potential library to everything and beyond. Everyone is talking about the new Nintendo console, dubbed the Wii U, and it's all good talk too. Nintendo's early morning Press Conference featured the highly anticipated reveal of its next console with several accompanying videos. Many of these showed off the console's hardware and software. Among the games shown that will soon be playable on the Wii U are The Legend of Zelda, Ghost Recon Online, Darksiders II, and Battlefield 3. Yes, THE Battlefield 3.
First, the controller. Nintendo has always innovated the world of gaming not only through its products but also through its hardware and the Wii U is no different. The new controller will boast a similar control scheme as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation: 2 shoulder buttons, 2 triggers, four face buttons, a D-Pad and two Circle Pads (similar to the one found on the Nintendo 3DS). Oh and a 6.2" front touch-screen. Yeah, no biggie. Nintendo also decided to throw in motion sensing because...well they have just about everything else on the controller. Nintendo is touting its one-of-a-kind controller as the next step in the evolution of gaming as the controller will be capable of playing games that you would normally play on the TV. How the system works is that the console transfers the stream from the television to the controller keeping everything intact graphics-wise. An example posed is the usual situation where someone wants to watch an important event on the television leaving you to switch to the TV and hold the gaming off to a later time. Not anymore as that person can be able to watch the TV while you continue your adventure on the controller. Nifty, huh?
Speaking of graphics, the console is capable of running at a full 1080p (finally!) and from the looks of things, it can handle some pretty powerful engines. Battlefield 3 keeps coming to mind when talking about this as that game is being heralded as "a damn good-looking game." A tech demo shown at Nintendo's Press Conference showed a bird flying around in a Japanese environment with cherry trees and shrines which all looked incredibly impressive but not really jaw-dropping. Time will tell whether or not the Wii U will be able to keep up the pace with the eventual release of the next Sony and Microsoft consoles. But if this current-gen is any indication, they may not have anything to worry about after all especially with their third-party support they keep clamoring about. On the Wii, Nintendo has suffered in terms of third-part support whether it be by no support at all or a shoddy port in order to cope with the Wii's unique control scheme and dated graphics. Now with the new controller and updated looks, the Wii U is being looked at seriously (according to a video of interviews of several developers) as a true candidate of games being hosted on. Batman: Arkham City was another title thrown around addressing this issue.
All-in-all, the Wii U both lived up to and exceeded expectations. No one expected Nintendo to unveil a "regular" console and that's exactly what they didn't do. They continued to do what they do best and that's shape the future of video games.
