So what exactly IS the Wii U?

[The Curmudgeon]

So Nintendo unveiled their new console this week, and .. well, what IS it? Is it just an add on? Is it a gimmick? Is it an iPad? The fact the trailer shows people still playing the same old games (Wii Baseball? Still? Really???) is a worrying sign, but this IS Nintendo, and they're not going to waste time on anything pointless.. right?

Watch the "Concept Video" and you'll have a better idea.

e3.nintendo.com/iwataasks/

OK, it looks mighty nice but is it just a neat little add-on or can you see there being something worthwhile coming from all of this?

[trashcanman]

That video was HORRENDOUS. Couldn't watch it. This is indeed a new Nintendo console and what you were seeing is only the controller. The system itself will be more powerful than the PS3 or 360, will feature support from decent 3rd party games, and I'm predicting that the iPad controller will be functional as a standalone portable capable of downloading stuff like Angry Birds for the casuals. Here's more details.

blogs.forbes.com/insertcoin/2011/06/07/nintendos-2011-e3-keynote-the-mystery-of-the-wiiu/

Lookin' good, Nintendo. Again, I can't promise I'll buy it without seeing games I can't live without, but this is clearly pushing gaming tech forward with more than just shiny graphics while leaving Microsoft and Sony wringing their hands over what to do about this. Wii U looks way cooler than Kinect and a hundred times better than anything Sony has done so if Nintendo can keep the price down and deliver the awesome third part games, we may already have a winner in the next console generation.