Nintendo Wii U Project Cafe: Specs, Demo, Review, Price and Release Date

Nintendo Wii U Game Console System, formally known as "Project Cafe", was unveiled on the second day of E3 2011, with a huge focus on its controller that hosts an array of new features, including a larger Touchscreen, Microphone, Accelerometer and Gyroscope in addition to other regular Nintendo 3DS like controls.

Nintendo Wii U Game Console Specifications and Features

These are the Official Specifications of new Nintendo Game Console machine 'The Nintendo Wii U', revealed at E3 2011:

Nintendo Wii U CPU: IBM Power®-based multi-core microprocessor.
An IBM insider revealed that Wii U will have an IBM 45nm Custom Chip with huge embedded DRAM. It is a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in IBM Artificial Intelligence Supercomputer "Watson" that Won TV Quiz Show Jeopardy.

Nintendo Wii U Controller: The new controller incorporates a 6.2-inch, 16:9 touch screen and traditional button controls, including two analog Circle Pads. This combination removes the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the video game world. The rechargeable controller includes a Power button, Home button, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons. It includes a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, rumble feature, camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, a sensor strip and a stylus.

Nintendo Wii U Other Controls: Up to four Wii Remote™ (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once. The new console supports all Wii™ controllers and input devices, including the Nunchuk™ controller, Classic Controller™, Classic Controller Pro™ and Wii Balance Board™.

Nintendo Wii U Media: A single self-loading media bay will play 12-centimeter proprietary high-density optical discs for the new console, as well as 12-centimeter Wii optical discs.

Nintendo Wii U Storage: The console will have internal flash memory, as well as the option to expand its memory using either an SD memory card or an external USB hard disk drive.

Nintendo Wii U Video Output: Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i. Compatible cables include HDMI, component, S-video and composite.

Nintendo Wii U Audio Output: Uses AV Multi Out connector. Six-channel PCM linear output through HDMI.

Nintendo Wii U 4 USB 2.0 Slots: Four USB 2.0 connector slots are included. The new console is backward compatible with Wii games and Wii accessories.

Nintendo Wii U Size: Approximately 1.8 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide and 10.5 inches long.

Nintendo Wii U Confirmed Games: Assassin's Creed, Darksiders II, Ghost Recon, Dirt, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Metro II, Batman: Arkham City

Nintendo Wii U Game Console Preview Demos

There were a couple of notable demos in which The New Nintendo Wii U seemed to stand out most, particularly Shield Pose, a rhythm game where players use the controller as shield and block arrows slung by pirates. From the controller screen, players get a 360-view, turning left to right and up to view three different pirate ships as well as up to watch the moon. Here under are the some of the other demos shown at E3 2011:

Chase Mii. Four players armed with Wii remotes must chase down another player using the Wii U controller. The player being chased has a top-down view of the map, as well as an eye on where opponents are moving. It really requires the foursome to talk and coordinate to pin the player down. Very fun concept, although it's much easier to evade when all four players aren't involved.

Battle Mii. A player holding the Wii U controller mans a spaceship and must patrol a map trying to take out two opponents using the Wii remote and nunchuk. The first to knock out the other wins. The motion controls are key when maneuvering the spaceship.

New Super Mario Bros. Mii. Players can take on the side-scroller by watching on their TVs or watch the action streaming onto the Wii U controller screen. However, watching the game in high definition is great. Colors look brighter, and the game just looks sharper overall.
Let's get right to what every reader is likely thinking right now when they see the controller for Nintendo's new Wii U console: It's kind of big.

Nintendo Wii U Game Console Demo and Impressions

With a glossy white front face and smooth contours, the Wii U controller tablet has an uncanny resemblance to something Apple would conjure up. It also looks like a giant bottom half of a DSi XL, with dual analog pads added. The tablet is roughly the size of many 7-inch tablets, but with a larger bezel, thicker chassis, and more controllerlike feel. It's lightweight enough to hold for the sessions we used, but after a few minutes of motion use, it felt less ergonomic than a Wii remote.

While it’s odd that the display on the new controller doesn’t boast the same 3D tech as found on the Nintendo 3DS - a point they refused to comment on - it’s still vivid and bright, despite not offering the ‘HD Experience’ that Ninty is so proud of bringing to your TV. It’s also great to see a pair of thumbsticks and trigger buttons, too, as it opens the door to less gimmicky titles that hardcore gamers bemoaned the lack of on the Wii. The motion control aspects were seamless, responsive and new, but we’re unsure what part, if any, the front cagin camera played.

The controller can be used in lieu of a TV all together, so that one person can play while another watches Eastenders. With this, we really can see a shift in the way a home console operates, especially if the wireless range is big enough to allow play in other areas of the house.

There were lots of questions that Nintendo simply couldn’t answer at this stage. The gaming giant referred to this year’s E3 as a ‘coming out party’ rather than a launch, stating that the machine won’t hit the shelves until some point in after April 2012. That’s a long way off and it shows; The dev-kit console was built around the shell of a Wii and details were sparse. Rather than splurging facts and figures, Nintendo wanted to show T3 what it was like to actually play it - to experience it. Now we’re hungry for more.

Nintendo Wii U Game Console Price and Release Date

The price was a key contributor to the success of current Nintendo Wii console. The Wii launch price was ¥25,000 in Japan, $249.99 in US and £179.99 in UK.

But because of higher-power IBM multi-core processor and AMD HD-capable GPU along with the complex touchscreen motion-sensing controller, Nintendo Wii U is likely to be more expensive then Wii.

Though Nintendo already said that the new "Nintendo Wii U", to be launched on April 1, 2012 - will offer fantastic value for money, next to the PS3 and 360. But Nintendo Wii U is certainly going to be retailed above ¥20,000 / $250 / £150, Bloomberg has reported attributed to an interview of Nintendo leader Satoru Iwata with The Nikkei Japanese newspaper.