BIG NEWS FROM THE E3 GAMES EVENT
THE highlight of yesterday’s E3 gaming showcase event in Los Angeles was the resumption of the console wars, with Nintendo unveiling the follow-up to its blockbuster Wii.
When the Wii launched in 2006 Nintendo said it would change the face of gaming. It did, drawing in a whole new demographic and knocking Nintendo out of a decade-long rut. The Wii U hopes to continue this trend. At first glance, the tablet-like, motion-sensing controller is frankly baffling. Featuring a whopping 6.2 inch touch-screen it looks like a console in its own right (which it can be, with some games, and apps from the Nintendo store, playable on the unit alone). It can also be combined with the traditional motion-sensing Wiimote controller for multi-player games.
Although technical specs (as well as a launch date) were thin on the ground, Nintendo confirmed it will answer one of the major criticisms of its predecessor and offer HD graphics. The innovative console certainly looks like a risk – but with Apple confirmed as a major force in the gaming industry, and both Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation 3 eroding its market share, the Wii U might just be worth it.