Gaming: Wii U Boasts Tablet-Style Controls

Story by Joey Galvan, Reporter
Photo courtesy of Nintendo

Nintendo’s Wii U is poised to dominate the gaming console market once again. With Sony’s Playstation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox 720 at least a year away and likely to be more expensive, the reasonably priced Wii U has a real chance of retail success.

One of the system’s bragging points is its controller, which features a gorgeous 6.2-inch LCD touch screen, motion controls, a camera and built-in speakers. The controller seems large at first, but it’s light-weight and moves effortlessly during use.

Generous features such as “Wii U Chat,” an internet browser, “Nintendo Tvii” (a channel loaded with Nintendo related content) and “Nintendo eShop” add to the system’s appeal.

Transferring content from a previous generation Wii can be completed in about an hour, and the system also features backward compatibility for old Wii games and controllers.

Two versions of the Wii U are available. The basic unit runs around $300 and the deluxe edition is about $350. The two packages are very similar. The extra money lands you a black console with a controller, a larger hard drive and a few extra peripherals like a stand for the console, a controller charge station and the game “Nintendoland.” Since both units contain the LCD controller, either one is a solid choice.

Playing Nintendo games in high defintion while using an extremely detailed, lightweight LCD controller can be somewhat overwhelming. It’s like nostalgia on steroids. The only real disappointment is the limited library of games. However, that’s bound to change with time.

Purchasing the Wii U is a no brainer for Nintendo fans, especially diehard Nintendo fanboys like myself. The new Sony or Microsoft console releases could be more powerful, but do yourself a favor and demo a Wii U. Chances are it will quickly draw you in.