Nintendo's Pre E3

Yesterday, Saturday June 02, 2012; Nintendo made an announcement that they were going to make a Pre-E3 announcement today June 03, 2012 through their Nintendo Direct Channel - Nintendo Direct Pre E3 2012.

Wii U Prototype showed last year E3

While every person awaits for the press conference, on Tuesday June 05, 2012 at 9:00AM PT, of Nintendo for news about the upcoming next-gen console, the Wii U, and the games that are going to be released for it, Nintendo does the unsuspected and goes live on the web with a Pre E3 mini-conference giving details and specifications for the next console.

Starting the video Global President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, tells every one that he is in a conference room on the Nintendo's Headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. He then gives a description of an slogan hanging on the wall of the conference room that the company has used since the beginnings, the slogan in English means "Creating Something Unique". After the brief explanation of the slogan, he then makes a statement telling every one who's watching the online stream that this next Tuesday the press conference is going to be all about games for Wii U and the new UI that comes with it.

After the brief introduction given by Nintendo's Global President the video carries on to the description of the updates done to the Wii U controller, or as Nintendo calls it the "Wii U GamPad" and the console interface, focusing on the idea of uniting people throughout the world through the use of many features implemented in the Wii U.

The main focus of the video is around the Wii U GamePad, that bring with it some changes to the physical interface. Some of the new and "improved" features of the game pad is the change from NDS like analog pads to the conventional analog sticks with multi-features implemented through the pressing of them. Other change that, atleast for me is a plus, is the position of the analog sticks and the buttons of the game pad making them much more comfortable to the user.

Wii U GamePad Physical Changes

After devoting six minutes to the game pad physical changes the stream goes to describing new features implemented in the touch screen of the game pad. The most noticing one is the ability to use the game pad as a TV universal remote control and be able to turn OFF and ON the Wii U without having to turn OFF the game pad as well. Afterwards, Iwata, shows the ability for the Wii U to support all the Wii controllers, the Wii remote, nunchuk and balance board. And for the hardcore gamers and fans of the platform games comes the Wii U Pro Controller, a standard controller with two thumb sticks, an arrow keys pad, dual triggers on both sides of the controller and the usual Start, Select, A, B, X, Y buttons. In my opinion it look very similar to the Xbox 360 controller.

Wii U Pro Controller

After presenting the viewers with new physical assets of the Wii U, Global Nintendo President leave us alone to watch a trailer where many more features of the next console. To mention a few we have the ability to chat using the touch screen QWERTY keyboard in the game pad with friend and the whole Nintendo community to find answers and help for games as make friends, the ability to have video calls using the game pad's incorporated front camera and mic, we see that we can even sync our smartphones to the Nintendo Network and getting up to date news and information about our Nintendo account and our friends accounts. Another interesting feature they present in the stream is the ability to see which games are the most played in the world just in your Wii U home screen or the Wii U game pad touch screen, this is made by using the community's Miis all together around game logos in the screen. Another amazing feature is to be able to browse the web using the Wii U game and if something interest us we can show it through or TV screen with even theatrical effects as putting a curtain before showing the information.

Wii U gamepad as a TV universal remote control.

In my humble opinion, I think this next console from Nintendo comes with great and improved features but still in need to give more. The user interface and the game pad touch screen are great assets for this system but for me those are more toy-like devices to interact in a world where Xbox and Playstation had already enter. Nintendo has to step up the pace or it will be left behind to be just a gaming console while the competition grow every passing year as Home Entertainment Devices.

I ask from the readers what is your opinion? Is the Wii U going to be able to compete against Xbox and Playstation? What do you like and what do you don't like about this next generation console? Will you, as a gamer, use the features presented for the Wii U? This and many more comments can be made I appreciate your opinion!

Watch the video recorded by BRAND Tanooki and posted in YouTube below:

By - Isaac Gozzo

Student from Universidad Simon Bolivar, Venezuela.