The Nintendo Wii U console looks almost exactly like the original Wii. At 10.6 inches, it's longer than the 8.5 inches orginal Wii, a bit rounder on the edges, and there's an HDMI port out back, but overall it's quite similar to its predecessor. You'd surely confuse between the two if they were sitting besides each other. But the same can't be said for the internals, as they've been beefed up.
Talking about specs, there's an IBM Power-based multi-core processor and an AMD Radeon custom high-def GPU on the inside. There's an HDMI port and a slightly altered AC power port. There are two versions of storage, with the $300 model getting just 8GB of internal flash memory while the $350 model gets 32GB. Since both flash and full-on external HDDs are supported via the 4 USB ports, storage is not much of an issue. The Wii U console is made of glossy, fingerprint-loving plastic.
The Wii U's touch-based GamePad controller is the star of the show here. It's a 6.2 inches resistive touchscreen controller with an 854×480 resolution in a 16:9 ratio, with a microphone residing along the bottom. A player-facing camera is also there. Two clickable analog sticks punctuate the left and right sides of the GamePad, and the plus and minus buttons sit along the lower right. Also present is the four-button layout and d-pad line up on either side of the touchscreen just below the analog sticks.
Besides the Gamepad, there's also a Pro Controller. The Pro Controller is basically a hybrid of the PlayStation 3's DualShock and the Xbox 360's controller.
When it comes to the UI, it's a simplified version of the user interface found in the original Wii. Movable, rounded square tiles (five across, three down) represent most of the experience, aside from the ability to swipe.
Backwards compatibility works without any issues, but the system requires a full restart to use the Wii's functionality. The same can be said for returning to the Wii U dashboard, with a full 30-second switchover each time.
Here are some of the cool Nintendo Wii U game titles available at the moment:
- NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. U
- NINTENDO LAND
- ZOMBIU
Nintendo promised consumers a modern HD gaming console. Though the Wii U delivers on that promise, but only in some respects. The Games look gorgeous and the new Gamepad controller is another successful innovation. But there are also some major missteps and half-baked ideas. There's still time before the console shows its true worth.
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