Nintendo's new console is called Wii U, and it's got a full touchscreen controller that looks almost like a stretched out, tabletized DS with twin analog sticks and full motion controls. It is insane. Updating live.
The controller's got a 6.2-inch touchscreen. It's got a d-pad, twin analog sticks, a front-facing camera, four shoulder buttons, accelerometers, vibration motors, and a mic. It's backward compatible with the original Wii and Wii accessories, like Wii Fit.
Nintendo showed it doing some seriously wild stuff: Attached to a gun it's acting like a sight (kind of like Silent Scope), and in another demo, held portrait-style, it was a way to flick shuriken. In another, your holding up the controller like a shield to block pirate arrows. You can basically play an entirely different game on the touch controller than everybody else is playing on the big screen. Or use it for another view of what's happening up on your TV. The possibilities do seem legit limitless. Multiplayer with Wiimotes is interestingin one example, the touchscreen remote has a top-down view of the gaming, while everybody else plays normally with Wiimotes.
It also does video chat, it's web browser, and it mirrors photos/videos up on the TV. Nintendo's being careful to say the controller is not a portable gaming machine. All the images come from the Wii U, wirelessly transmitted.
No. It's not just the controller. It's a whole full-fledged new console
with a new controller to boot!
Launches: 2012 Size: Approximately 1.8 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide
and 10.5 inches long. New Controller: The new controller incorporates a
6.2-inch, 16:9 touch screen and traditional button controls, including
two analog Circle Pads. This combination removes the traditional
barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window
into the video game world. The rechargeable controller includes a Power
button, Home button, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and
ZL/ZR buttons. It includes a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope,
rumble feature, camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, a sensor strip
and a stylus. Other Controls: Up to four Wii Remote (or Wii
Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once. The new console
supports all Wii controllers and input devices, including the Nunchuk
controller, Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro and Wii
Balance Board. Media: A single self-loading media bay will play
12-centimeter proprietary high-density optical discs for the new
console, as well as 12-centimeter Wii optical discs. Video Output: Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and
480i. Compatible cables include HDMI, component, S-video and composite. Audio Output: Uses AV Multi Out connector.
Six-channel PCM linear output through HDMI. Storage: The console will have internal flash
memory, as well as the option to expand its memory using either an SD
memory card or an external USB hard disk drive. CPU: IBM Power-based multi-core microprocessor. Other: Four USB 2.0 connector slots are included.
The new console is backward compatible with Wii games and Wii
accessories.
(Taken from the Nintendo E3 2011 Press Release) Games announced: Smash Brothers, Battlefield 3,
Batman: Arkham City, Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon Online, Darksiders
II, Dirt, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Metro: Last Light, Tekken, Ninja
Gaiden 3, FIFA 12, Madden 12, Driver, Lego City Stories Other facts: (GTTV interview with Reggie, thanks to
hiero and others)
- The price point of the system will be competitive to the
current prices of the PS3, 360 in terms of value
- The games shown for Wii U at the show were actually PS3 and
360 versions but the Wii U will look the same or better
- No BluRay Support
- Controller's screen is single-touch
- Backwards compatible with the Wii's Games, but no upscaling
is done
- Nintendo Online system to be announced by the end of the week
