June 7, 2011 by Paul Curtin
If you were expecting Nintendo to reveal a new super console to go head-to-head and even beat PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, you’re most likely a little upset with Nintendo’s 2011 press conference. In typical Nintendo E3 fashion, the boys at Nintendo have once again decided to play it safe. After announcing a bunch of remakes to classic games for the 3DS (Mario Kart 3D, Super Mario 3D, Luigi’s Mansion 2, Starfox 64 3D, and Kid Icarus: Uprising) that will please Nintendo’s younger audiences and fanboys looking for more nostalgia, Nintendo finally announced what everyone has been waiting for, Project Café, or what it is now known as “Wii U”.
The new successor to the Wii has left many scratching their heads (us included) as to what exactly it is. The video packages shown by Nintendo didn’t actually show a console, and instead a weird mash-up of the Nintendo Wii and an iPad with a giant controller that has a 6.2 inch touch screen. There was no actual console shown, so it’s unclear whether Wii U is an actual console, or just a controller add-on to the Wii, or a console in the form of an iPad-style controller.
What was even more confusing was after showcasing a bunch of typical Wii games for Wii U with the added ability to use the touch screen controller, Nintendo showed a video package promising big name titles like Darksiders II and Ghost Recon that would be playable on Wii U. Although there was a nice video package, there was no actual live playing of said games, and even more importantly, there was no mention of a price. The Wii U controller/console (whatever the hell it is) looks somewhat large and awkward to use, especially when playing hardcore games. Even if the console was priced competitively with Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, I can’t see any reason to buy it over a 360 or PS3, especially if you already own one of the major consoles. Sadly, Project Café/Wii U looks to be another neat concept that plays more as a gimmick and will be another Nintendo product that will start collecting dust months after purchase.
