Leaks and rumours perpetuated by gaming press led to Nintendo officially admitting that they would announce their new console at this year’s E3. The gaming audience was only left to wonder just what the supposed “Project Cafe” would be all about. Enter Nintendo’s newest edition to the family: WiiU. While not the most catchy of titles to be named, the WiiU certainly raised many eyebrows during Nintendo’s presser. With very little software to show other than a confirmed Lego: City Stories title for the platform, Nintendo’s showing of the WiiU was more about possibility than anything else.
Like the rumours have suggested, the WiiU will enable full HD play up to 1080p and backwards compatibility with both Wii titles and peripherals. The most important feature of the new console however, is definitely the controller. Shaped like a tablet, the WiiU controller sports two circle-pads (functioning like analog sticks), your standard ABYX face buttons, L/R and LZ/RZ triggers on the top and back, a single input 6.2 inch, 16:9 touch-screen, gyroscope, accelerometer, camera, rumble feature, microphone, and stereo speakers.
WiiU aims to again revolutionize the way video games are played with its ability to not only sync, but also transfer gameplay from the TV to the controller touch-screen, allowing gamers to take their gaming with them wherever they go (though this does not extend outside the house). Furthermore, additional features include seamlessly linking images and video from the tablet to the television screen, video conferencing using the cameras on the controller, and browsing the internet.
WiiU will be coming to consumers sometime in 2012. Let’s hope for great 3rd party support this time around.
| 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 RemoteTM (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once. The new console supports all WiiTM controllers and input devices, including the NunchukTM controller, Classic ControllerTM, Classic Controller ProTM 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. |
