Just as I'm writing this, Nintendo has now finished streaming a new Nintendo Direct show on their official website. This stream focuses on three major parts of their upcoming console even before their E3 press conference scheduled for this Tuesday. These include the Wii U Gamepad, the Miiverse online network, and the Wii U Pro controller.
Wii U GamePad
As was previously known, the Wii U controller has undergone many changes since the original prototype was shown off. It will now use traditional joysticks instead of the Nintendo 3DS Circle Pads, and has been redesigned to be as comfortable as possible. It has now also been officially named the "Wii U GamePad".
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata also pointed out some the the already known features of the controller: a motion sensor and gyro sensor, and also pointed out the small rectangle on the bottom-left of the controller that is the NFC reader/writer. Also discussed was the ability to play games on the Wii U controller while the TV is doing something else.
Miiverse
The Miiverse seems to be a major part, if not the only part, of the online system that will be accessed by the Nintendo Wii U. It is a social network for your Miis where you can interact with other Miis on your console, your friends, and other Miis that are playing the same games as you.
Some features of the Miiverse online network include a social network where you can send an receive messages and drawings (using the controller's touch screen), as well as video chat with your friends and the ability to share screenshots from games. The Miiverse social network will at first only be available from the Wii U console but is said to come to the 3DS, PC, and any web enabled mobile device such as the iPhone.
Wii U Pro Controller
Another thing that I think surprised many people was the short tease of the upcoming Wii U Pro Controller. As a console that is intended to step into the 'hardcore' market as much as possible, a controller like this is a necessity to those who don't see themselves playing the latest Call of Duty games with a giant tablet in their laps.
Some of us at AnythingGeek.net worry about the possible comfort issues that may arise with this pro controller. Jake from the site points out that the left side of the controller is similar to Xbox while the right side is like the PS3 controller reversed. This layout could make it more difficult to use the joysticks. Another complaint from some is the small size of the centre buttons and the inclusion of a power button. One may ask why it is necessary to have a home button and a power button when you could simply hold it down to turn the controller on and off. I however am excited to try out this controller just as much as the tablet alternative.
Stay tuned for our E3 coverage next week, where we will see much more from Nintendo and all the other major game companies. Expect to see more to do with the games coming at the launch as well as possibly a more in depth look at the hardware. If you want to check out the original Nintendo Direct video, head over
here. Until next time, Together Wii U.
Just as I'm writing this, Nintendo has now finished streaming a new Nintendo Direct show on their official website. This stream focuses on three major parts of their upcoming console even before their E3 press conference scheduled for this Tuesday. These include the Wii U Gamepad, the Miiverse online network, and the Wii U Pro controller.
