Nintendo’s “Project Café” was recently revealed to the world as the Nintendo Wii U yesterday. The Wii U is an entirely new console that will bring Nintendo in line with the Xbox 360 and PS3 in terms of graphic prowess as well as bringing a new controller to the table.

The Wii U’s controller features a 6.2” touchscreen of unknown resolution which displays content streamed from the Wii U’s base station. The base station also has the ability to output an image to an HDTV as well, either at the same time (with the same or different image) or one at a time with the game being displayed exclusively on the controller.

Dive on past the break to hear what I’ve got to say about the new revolution from Nintendo.

While the hardware of the Nintendo Wii U may not be considered final hardware by the company, the controller seemed exactly that. With “booth babes” showing off the new system’s controller in a non-interactive form, all attendees could get a good feel for the controller without waiting in the 2+ hour long line for the system.

I managed to get our hands on both the non-interactive version and a playable demo unit after the long wait. The controller felt extremely solid and well-built, mimicking the construction and feel of the Nintendo Wii remote. Even though Nintendo may not consider it final, it looked and felt amazing.

The enormous size of the controller may throw off a few people at first glance, but its lightweight design, comfortable grip and button placement makes it a non-issue. This isn’t a portable gaming system, so you won’t need to lug it very far from your living room.

It is however, extremely easy to use both of the analog sticks to direct your character around on-screen and properly aim at moving targets. The concave nature of the analog nubs also got our approval as opposed to the convex PlayStation nubs found on the new PSVita. Although it is odd that Nintendo opted for a flat design on the analogs as opposed to raising them off the surface.

The controller also features a gyroscope and accelerometer to further enhance the controller’s functionality. One of the prototypes / tech demos we played that used this feature was Battle Mii. In Battle Mii, the player using the new controller had the option of using the gyroscope to steer his/her spaceship. In doing so we noticed it was extremely responsive and offered a lag-free experience, even with the content being streamed wirelessly from a few feet away. The game itself proved challenging to properly aim and shoot at targets. However that was just one prototype and the addition of a gyroscope opens up the door to a lot more interactive gaming possibilities.

Nintendo made a strong point during our demonstration that the player on the Wii U controller can have an entirely new and different experience in a multiplayer game. Chase Mii did an excellent job of showcasing this with the Wii U player (Mario) able to view the standard game environment as well as an overhead map of other player locations. Those using the standard Wii controllers were unable to see where he was aside from their own point of view, unable to refer to an overhead map.

Nintendo did however encourage us to communicate with our teammates to capture the fleeing Mario by yelling out his location based on the color coated level. I can proudly say that as Mario, I out ran and out lasted those chasing me. The thrill of the chase and strategy involved really left me itching for more the second I left the demo kiosk.

Still not getting what the Wii U is like? Think of it like the Nintendo DS when it first was revealed. To me, the Wii U is just an enlarged version of the Nintendo DS for the living room. It provides a new means of interaction with classic games and with the existing “innovation” of the standard Wii controller the possibilities just further evolve.

Even with many finding the announcement and controller a disappointment, we really enjoyed playing with the new system. You may be able to have the same experience on existing platforms, however the potential is there. Nintendo is truly pushing the envelope in terms of controller design and how we interact with our games.

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