E3 2011: Hands-on with the Nintendo Wii U Hardware

Project Cafe no more, Nintendo's next console is Wii U and as predicted, it features powerful new graphics processors and a brand new controller that sports a 6.2-inch touch screen. Though the system is in its early stages, we were able to get our hands on the Wii U and get a sense of the hardware and experiences we can expect to see next year.

While the console was present and viewable through a plexiglass cutaway panel, Nintendo wanted all eyes on the new controller, and with good reason.

The Wii U controller is likely to draw comparison to the Dreamcast controller, but the touch-enabled display is no gimmick. Nintendo isn't providing details about the integrated display, but so far we know that it is a single-touch touchscreen LCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Though Nintendo didn't specify whether or not the controller boasts "HD" resolutions, it is clear that they haven't taken a similar approach to the Wii U as they have with the DS line, which features fairly low-res displays. The integrated display on the WIi U controller is crisp and clean, with no visible lines of resolution. The displays are bright and vibrant, though the units I used had a cool blue color temperature.

The controller is partnered with the Wii U console, and despite previous reports to the contrary, cannot be used as a standalone device. The controller communicates with the Wii U using Bluetooth and RF technology, in the same way that the Wiimote does with the Wii. How exactly the video is processed and delivered remains unclear; however, there was no discernible lag between video being displayed on TV demo stations and the video being presented on the Wii U controller. 

The touch display is also pretty responsive, whether you're using a simple tap of the finger or the included stylus. As concept demos at Nintendo's press conference showed, the display also tracks finger or stylus movements across the surface, making swiping gestures and pen-style sketching pretty effective. 

As for the tangible controls built along the edges and base of the controller, the controls felt surprisingly familiar. Though separated by the display, the dual analogs, d-pad, action buttons, shoulder buttons, and rear-mounted triggers were intuitively placed and easy to reach. The grips on the bottom allow you to get a firm grasp, but don't impede your ability to hold the controller vertically or casually along the edge.

Much to my dismay, there were no demos involving the built-in camera or the system's video conferencing functionality, but Nintendo's promotional videos suggest that the picture quality is improved over those used in the 3DS.

Then, of course, there are the internal sensors, which include a gyroscope and an accelerometer. Though the idea of tilting a controller to control in-gamer characters and features is fairly intuitive, using the gyroscope to control in-game perspective by holding up the controller and looking around was more difficult.

In one demo, Battle Mii, the gyroscope-based perspective controls are used along with the dual analogs to move a hovering craft, which at first can be quite cumbersome, but with practice the precision gyroscope becomes almost like second nature.

For a controller as large as the Wii U's, weight becomes a concern, but it actually felt comfortable to hold. Unfortunately, Nintendo has not specified what the approximate weight will be, and unfortunately, since the prototype controller was wired into a demo station, it was likely lacking a battery pack. Since, however, Nintendo will be using a rechargeable battery pack instead of AA or AAA batteries, they'll have more flexibility in terms of weight distribution.

Then, of course, there's the mystery of the console itself. Like I mentioned, the unit was hidden from close inspection by a special compartment, but from that limited vantage I was still able to get a sense of its design and scale. Though it has rounded edges and variations in the front interface, the Wii U is comparable to the original Wii in terms of size and aesthetic design.

Many of the console's technical specifications are still a mystery, but so far we know that the system has HDMI, S-Video and composite video output, with support for 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i resolutions, which present media localized on the system's flash memory, external SD cards, or USB thumbtacks. As IGN's sources had originally indicated, Nintendo has confirmed that the system will be based on IBM Power-based multi-core CPU, though they have not discussed the GPU architecture.

All of the software on display were either limited mini-games or just tech demos, so the true graphical prowess of the system is likely to be revealed closer to launch. It was still clear from what was there, however, that the Wii U is packing some decent power under the hood.

There are certainly some lingering questions about the Wii U's performance, how the controller works, and what other applications the system is capable of.

Nintendo says the system can support up to four Wii Remotes at once, but the company has not specified how many of the Wii U controllers could be paired at once. In all of the demos presented at E3, as well as all of the publicity photos and videos, only one controller is being used. Could this mean that the system can only power on Wii U controller at once? Are there limitations in terms of the specific pairings of graphics quality and controller gameplay mechanics that can be used?