Wii U Controllers/ Miiverse Revealed

Some of the biggest buzz surrounding this year’s E3 2012 is the full reveal of the final Wii U hardware. Few will admit last year’s showing was less than exciting and, some speculate, may have damaged Wii sales as people decided to wait for the new system rather than jumping in with the Wii.

While most expected the unveiling at Nintendo’s press conference on Tuesday, Nintendo had something else in mind. During a live 30-minute Internet stream, Nintendo offered a detailed look at the Wii U, including information on system’s two controller options, the Nintendo Network and even a possible first-look at a New Super Mario Bros. game for the Wii U.

The Wii U tablet shown last year, now dubbed the Wii U GamePad, has been redesigned based on feedback from developers. The awkwardly unwieldy circle pads found on last year’s version are now full analog sticks. The change, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, makes the device better suited for home play rather than portable devices (such as the 3DS).

The GamePad also features L3 and R3 buttons (by pushing down on the analog sticks). It will also double as an infrared TV remote, allowing you to control your Wii U and TV from the same device.

A bigger concern with last year’s version was multiplatform game suport. During my short hands-on time with the device last year, I struggled to see how comfortable it would be during long sessions with games like Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed. The answer to that question is the Wii U Pro Controller.

The controller should look familiar to both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners (especially 360 owners). The controller axes the touch screen, instead offering a more “traditional” setup. The one quirk to the controller is the swapped placement of the right analog and face buttons.

The final big reveal is the Nintendo Network. Considering online play and options haven’t been Nintendo’s strong suit, the Nintendo Network looks like a big step in the right direction. The network is available on the Wii U, as well as the 3DS, PC, and mobile devices. Iwata did, however, mention that all features would not be available at launch.

Another feature is the Miiverse, a virtual space similar to the current Mii lobby, but with the added option of seeing what other people are playing. You’ll also be able to see what they think of the game via handwritten messages popping up over their Mii’s heads. Players can also take screenshots of their games and incorporate them into the messages.

Miiverse can also be integrated into games. For example, shots of a New Super Mario game showed messages on the game’s overhead map with pop-ups from friends offering help on how to pass certain areas. It’s a very Nintendo approach to something like Dark Souls/ Demon’s Souls hint system.

With the hardware out of the way, Nintendo is promising lots of information on new games for the Wii U at its press conference Tuesday. A full video of the stream is available below.