Nintendo’s New ‘Wii U,’ Touchscreen Controller - coming 2012

Its a rumor no more - at the 2011 E3 Expo, Nintendo showed off its new videogame controller for the upcoming 2012 "Wii U" videogame console. The Wii U will be Nintendo's answer to the aging Wii video game console.

This new controller promises to be as revolutionary as the Wii-mote was when it was first introduced with the Wii console. This new touchscreen controller can display anything: exactly what’s on the TV screen, the same action but with a different camera view, or something else entirely.

The controller includes motion sensors so like a traditional Wii-mote you can change the viewing angle or your aim on the touchscreen by moving your hands or your whole body. Obviously this has to be two handed unlike the Wii-mote.

It seems to be designed to capture casual gamers that are expanding the overall gaming market but not exactly to Nintendo's benefit, more to the Apple and the iPad. It will be interesting to see if you can play Wii games with this device only and in different parts of the house.

As for the touch screen controller - it’s huge compared to a regular Wii-mote but maybe it will be designed to for games that require only one finger. Not going to make much of a dent in the obesity rates in America - the original Wii was responsible for a number of people getting into shape when it got kids and parents off the couch and moving around.

At the E3 Expo Nintendo demoed the concept with a golf game where the controller placed on the floor showed where the ball was and in a new Mario game you could play completely on the controller without using a TV.

• Draw on it
• Play games on it
• Switch from TV to controller
• Use the motion control on the controller
• Get new views
• Stay fit (free from TV)
• Take aim
• Play across controller to TV
• Make video calls
• Browse the internet
• Share with controller to TV
• Get more detail