Nintendo has taken the cover off the successor to its market-shaping Wii. The company introduced the Wii U at the E3 Expo, making it the first to demonstrate the next generation of video 
-game consoles.
Though the Wii U has met with mixed reactions, Nintendo is hoping for another success with its latest console. Here's what you can expect: A controller with a 6.2-inch screen that promises to drive new gaming experiences and the ability to customize entertainment.
To be sure, Nintendo is taking a different approach to gaming with the Wii U. Typically, video games played on a home console are confined to the TV. Each player in a multiplayer game has the same perspective. Nintendo is shaking up that paradigm by blending the experience of watching TV and playing games with the Wii U and its new controller.
Investor reactions to the Wii U were not favorable, and Nintendo's stock dropped Wednesday in Tokyo after the Wii U's introduction.
Nintendo's Huge Risk
Nintendo demonstrated the possibilities at E3, including the controller's ability to display information on its screen that doesn't appear on the TV and shifting viewpoints based on the orientation of its gyroscope.
"Nintendo is taking a huge risk here, both moving against the conventional wisdom of enhancing their motion interface and trying to embrace the tablet with a non-tablet product," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
"I think this may be a bridge too far for them as games for twin screens won't port easily or at all to other systems, which creates a huge risk for the game developers. In the end they have come to market with a heavy expensive controller when the trend being driven by Microsoft and its Kinect is no controller at all. That is swimming upstream, which is vastly different than what they did with the original Wii. With the original they carved out a new gaming space."
The Next Generation
Beyond the 6.2-inch screen on the controller, the Wii U also offers high-tech bells and whistles like an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a rumble feature, an inward-facing camera, a microphone, and speakers. The controller comes equipped with all the classic control buttons and two analog circular pads.
With the Wii U, Nintendo worked to combine motion-sensing game play with the ability to support full HD graphics. The system is backward compatible and can play all Wii games and use all Wii accessories. Nintendo said developers are already working on new games and experiences for the console.
Handheld Competition
In the wake of Sony announcing its latest portable gaming device, the PlayStation Vita, on Monday night, Nintendo swiftly announced upgrades to its 3DS handheld gaming system.
The Nintendo 3DS launched in March, offering gamers the ability to see 3D images without special glasses. But Nintendo said the device has evolved with new content and updates by Nintendo and third parties.
Nintendo launched a system update that users can download via a wireless broadband Internet connection by tapping into the Nintendo eShop. The eShop offers games and apps for sale, including 3D software, classic games remastered for 3D, classic Game Boy games, and more than 350 games and apps for the Nintendo DSiWare service.
Mike Kent also contributed to this story.
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