There’s finally a face to put on Nintendo’s mysterious new console, first revealed in late April this year. Originally known as Project Cafe, speculation about its final name went wild, including suggestions such as the Wii 2, Wiiii, Wii HD, and The Mario Wonder Machine of Link and Kirby Happiness. Nintendo has settled on the simple yet ambiguous Wii U.
Deeper and wider. Nintendo made a huge breakthrough with the Wii, introducing videogames to a demographic that had previously been untapped. However, the company is aware that it had estranged the previous core group of gamers with its focus on more casual play. With the Wii U, they now aim to provide the first console which can truly bridge the gap - one with a reach wide enough to grasp every kind of gamer, and deep enough to fully satisfy them.
Regarding features, the console does not seem to disappoint. 1080p HD is a go, and a beautiful one at that, if the Zelda tech demo Nintendo showcased at its Wii U unveiling is anything to go by. The controversial new monster controller admittedly looks a little bulky, but with 6.2" touchscreen, accelerometer and gyroscope, microphone, front-facing camera, speakers, and the ability to instantaneously stream video from the console it proves to be a very impressive piece of technology. While the console itself has only 8gb of internal storage, its disc format will support up to 25gb in capacity, and external HDDs can be connected via USB to expand the space if necessary.
This is just barely scratching the surface of the console, which is due between April and December of next year. All this was announced just on the first day of E3, so stay tuned for more information, such as the price, as they come.