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Following its announcement at Nintendo’s E3 2011 conference today, further information is beginning to surface about the console.
Judging from the information provided by Nintendo, it sounds like only a single tablet controller will be usable with Wii U at any one time. This explains a lot of the “one vs. many” demoes shown during the conference but could potentially limit the console’s ability for successful multiplayer. The tablet controller itself will be rechargable as well having a Home button, similar to Wii and 3DS, four shoulder buttons, a built-in mic, stereo speakers, a sensor strip and a stylus.
The console will have 4 USB slots built-in and these may come in handy since Wii U will lack a hard drive of its own beyond its flash memory, depending on SD cards and “USB hard disk drives” to expand its memory size.
On the graphical power front, it was confirmed during the show that Wii U will be the most powerful console available (although perhaps Nintendo wanted to be subtle about this) and put serious weight behind this argument with not only a sumptuous visual tech demo but also a brand new style of Zelda game, which is currently only being branded as a demo. The game, which for now is only being referred to as the “HD Experience”, showcases not only the power of Wii U but also the control offered by the tablet controller, including the ability to freely adjust the camera angle or move the action to the tablet’s screen itself with minimal downgrading of the visuals. Check out this video to see for yourself.
While Zelda HD may have been the only demo to realistically use the tablet controller in a conventional game setup (many of the previewed styles leaned heavily on casual gaming) a new Mario game was also previewed but it is equally, only a demo at this stage. The one game that has been confirmed for Wii U was Lego City: Stories, a partnership between Nintendo and Traveller’s Tales.
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as someone who has never played a 3ds, how does the slide pad compare to a thumbstick? How long do you think it will be before it gets copied?
Ugh, I think PS Vita has has one. So… now.
Feel wise, it’s pretty good. I’ve yet to really test it out in gameplay but it feels really precise and altogether more ergonomic than a D-Pad. I really like it.
This is terrible. Wii U? And that controller is ghastly. Nintendo could have been so good, they could have competed. Now it’s just no hope. Poor Nintendo.
I think the controller is very Dreamcast-ish.
As for the name? I keep referring to it as The Wii Ultra. (Wii U for short.)
Hoping that sticks. It would be a throw back to the “hard core” Ultra 64.