By JACOB WOOMER ’14
In 2006, Nintendo released the Wii. It revolutionized the the video game industry with its innovation and strong sales. Now, after 6 years, Nintendo is releasing their newest console, the Nintendo Wii U. Like the Wii when it first came out, it’s definitely going to be a challenge to buy one of these in the first couple of months. So, will you be standing outside at 6AM in the middle of November waiting to buy a Wii U? In case you’re having trouble deciding if it would be worth the effort and icy winds, here is a list of the 3 major things you should know about the Wii U.
Gamepad:
The first thing you’ll probably notice about the Wii U is its controller; the Gamepad. The primary feature is the 6.2 inch touchscreen. The reason why the touchscreen makes this console a big deal is that you can use the Gamepad as a supplement to gameplay to provide additional functionality for games; and also as a tv screen replacement. It is also equipped with a front facing camera and rechargeable battery. Games coming out at launch are only going to use one Gamepad.
High Definition:
The Wii U will be Nintendo’s first high definition console. Now I know that we live in a time where electronics having HD is the norm, but seriously, this is a big deal. Just think about it: for the first time Super Mario Bros, Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart, and countless other Nintendo titles will be in glorious HD. But for right now, most launch titles will be in 720p, but Nintendo has confirmed that the Wii U does support 1080p.
Bundle:
At launch, two versions of the Wii U will be available for purchase; A Basic Set and A Deluxe Set. The Basic Set will include the following for $299.99: Wii U console, Gamepad controller, 8GB memory, The Deluxe Set will include the following for $349.99: Wii U console, Gamepad controller, 32GB memory, Charging cradle for controller and console, Nintendo Network Premium Subscription, Nintendo Land game.
The Nintendo Wii U is set to release on November 18th in the U.S., November 30th in Europe, and December 8th in Japan.
