Metroid Hunter
Banned
Welcome to the next generation of gaming. Officially announced at Nintendo E3 2011 Press Conference, the Wii U is posed to take on two very different markets: the casual market and the core gamer market. This console is designed to cater to everyone. The addition of a tablet-like game pad will create a paradigm shift with asymmetric gameplay, just as its predecessor disrupted the traditional gaming market. Nintendo is positioning three pillars for Wii U: Gaming, Entertainment and Social Networking.
Watch Nintendo's All-Access E3 2012 Press Conference here!
Visit Nintendo's E3 All-Access Website!
Watch a virtual tour of the Wii U Game Pad
Release Date: Holiday 2012 Worldwide (Presumably Sunday, November 18, 2012 for NA)
Price: At Least ¥20000/$251/£163 (Confirmed by Iwata)
Size: Approximately 1.8 inches high, 10.5 inches deep and 6.8 inches long
CPU: IBM Power-based multi-core processor
GPU: AMD Radeon™-based High Definition GPU
Storage: Internal 8 GB NAND (Rumored) with support for SD Cards and External USB Connected Hard Drives
Networking: 802.11 b/g/n Wifi
Video Output: Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i
Video Cables Supported: Compatible cables include HDMI, Wii D-Terminal, Wii Component Video, Wii RGB, Wii S-Video Stereo AV and Wii AV.
USB: Four USB 2.0 Ports
Included Features:
Nintendo Network is Nintendo's new online infrastructure, in the same vein as Playstation Network or XBOX Live.
It has been confirmed that the Wii U is account-based, and each player in the family will have their own account. One Wii U console can support up to 12 different accounts. Wii U will also have an eShop, that is rumored to include applications and books, in addition to the confirmed ability to download full retail games on launch day.
MiiVerse is Nintendo's proposed social network for the Wii U, that will gradually become available on Nintendo 3DS, Internet Browsers, and Smart Phones. It is also future compatible, so all future Nintendo consoles will support MiiVerse. MiiVerse is the first screen you see when you turn on the Wii U console, and it displays your household's Miis, your friends' Miis and Miis from all around the world gathering around tiles which represent the titles that you play and the titles trending globally for Wii U. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata confirmed it will take 30 minutes for your messages to be sent due to moderating, but it is unknown if this will affect messages send to people on your friends list.
Information, announced and unannounced, can be found from trademark filings here!
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Controls
Two game pads can be supported at once. A game pad and four Wii U Pro Controllers or four Wii Remotes can also be supported.
Wii U Game Pad:
The name and shape are inspired by the NES Game Pad, and the controller includes:
- 6.2 Inch LCD Resistive Touch Screen
- Low Megapixel Camera
- Stereo Speakers
- Sensor Bar (on the controller itself)
- Microphone
- Power/Home/Start/Select Buttons
- Two Clickable Analogue Sticks
- + Control Pad
- ABXY Buttons
- Digital L/R/ZL/ZR Triggers
- TV Control Button
- Gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Geomagnetic Sensor
- Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology
- Rumble
- Stylus
- Charging Port
Wii U Pro Controller:
This controller was made for gaming enthusiasts, designed specifically for long gameplay sessions, and includes:
- Power/Home/Start/Select Buttons
- Two Clickable Analogue Sticks
- + Control Pad
- ABXY Buttons
- Digital L/R/ZL/ZR Triggers
- LED Play Indicator
- Charging Port
- Further information had yet to be confirmed, on capability such as rumble or a gyroscope
Wii Accessories
Virtually all Wii Accessories are backwards compatible, and this includes:
- Wii Remote and Wii Remote Plus
- Wii Nunchuk Controller
- Wii Classic Controller
- Wii Classic Controller Pro
- Wii Balance Board
- Wii Wheel
- Wii Zapper
- etc.
Wii Software
Wii retail software is fully backwards compatible with the Wii U, but as of this current moment, they do not upscale to HD resolution. All Wii Virtual Console and WiiWare titles will also be able to be transfered to your Wii U console (and presumably to your new eShop account as well).
Countdown
Nintendo of America has announced a Wii U Conference for Thursday, September 13, 2012, which is analogous with the Wii's prelaunch conference on September 14, 2006.