Hands-on with the Wii U: it's here, and it's amazing

We don’t know the price of the just-announced Wii U console from Nintendo. We don’t know the release date. We don’t know the technical specifications (asking Nintendo employees about what’s in the hardware, or even the resolution of the screen, has proven futile). What do we know? That Nintendo doesn’t want to make this system about technology alone.

What Nintendo is showing to the press is a series of proof-of-concept experiences designed to show what the hardware can do. We’re already sold.

What is the Wii U?

Although it wasn’t made clear during the press conference, this is a brand new console with an updated deck as well as a new controller. The decks are held safely behind plastic in all the demo stations, so few details could be gleaned. Imagine the Wii, but with curves, and you’re done.

The new controller is comfortable in the hands, with smooth white styling and well-designed ergonomics. The buttons are all where you expect them to be, along with the dual analog sticks. It may look awkward in pictures, but in practice the controller is a joy to hold.

I was able to play the demo for New Super Mario Bros. Mii with no problems, and so far the game is simply New Super Mario Bros. in high definition, played on the television or simply on the controller. Both methods look great.

In fact, while we didn’t find out what type of display is in the controller, we were immediately impressed by it. The image is bright, detailed, and perfect. The 6.2 inch size is perfect for the games we played, while still keeping the size you want from a controller. Very impressive.

Nintendo says the controller can display information on its screen that doesn’t appear on the TV. In multiplayer games, the player using the new controller can have a different experience from those looking at the TV, offering new co-op and competitive experiences, all in high definition.

We played a game where two players ran around a battlefield on the television; the player with the new controller controlled a flying space ship that could fire down on the other players using motion controls. The flying character had a clear advantage with the ability to fly above everyone else and look down, while the two players using the TV screen had to look for the flying ship and destroy it. There is no more peeking at the other screen; all your information is safe.

The hiding player sees the entire field, as well as the location of all the other players

Another demo had four players on the screen running around a maze and trying to tackle the player wearing a Mario hat. The player with the new controller wore the hat and could look down on the entirety of the level, so he could see where the other players were looking. It’s a high-tech game of hide and seek, and the seeking players had to work together to take down the player that’s “it.”

We also watched a tech demo showing some high definition graphics, but that’s not the point. The new controller, with its motion controls, touchscreen, and ability to intimately share data with a single player, is the real draw. The third-party support is impressive, with core games such as Colonial Marines, Metro Last Light, and Darksiders 2 coming to the Wii U. That’s all well and good, but the new experiences are what will make you get out the wallet.

Nintendo came in and delivered a tight hour of content, and once again set the world of gaming on its ear. The ability to play any of these games on the controller while your wife watches television will be amazing, and playing with multiple new controllers also offers a ton of possibilities. By mixing in backwards compabtility with all Wii games and accessories, Nintendo has upped the value in another way.

We’re calling Nintendo the “winner” of the big E3 press conferences. Everything else was interesting, but Nintendo has truly offered something new… once again.