Nintendo Unveils New 'Wii U Gamepad' and 'Miiverse'

On Sunday, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata unveiled new features about the highly anticipated Wii U controller as well as some previews of social networking on the new console.

During a video conference, Iwata portrayed the latest version of the Wii U remote with significant revisions of the prototype first revealed a year ago at E3. The latest iteration, which is widely believed to be the one that will be packaged with the system upon its release, is called the Wii U Gamepad, is slightly larger than the prototype with different layout of buttons and now has two thumbsticks with a 360 degree range of motion in place of the flat, disc controllers of the prototype.

The controller also has a spot for near-field communication (NFC) which allows for tokens and cards to be scanned in the controller without swiping or putting in codes. It also includes a a 6.2-inch touch-sensitive screen and a fully independent infrared TV remote.

Additionally, Iwata revealed another "pro" controller for the Wii U which has similar layout to the Xbox 360 controller and lacks the touchscreen of the Wii U gamepad. All controllers used in the original Wii, including nunchuck, handheld controller and the Balance Board, are compatible with the Wii U.

Finally Iwata moved onto "Miiverse," Miiverse is presented on system start as a crowd of Mii avatars representing people using the Wii from around the world. The system enables for real-time, twitter-like communication between players in the network using the Wii U Game Pad's touch screen. According to PCWorld, Nintendo will also enable Miiverse messaging on PC or any portable device with web access.

Miiverse will also be accessible from within Wii U native games, including message posts in-game from players. Miiverse will support the Wii U plus the 3DS portable console, but no specific mention was made as to whether the original Wii would also be a part of the Miiverse.

The announcement comes days before the Nintendo prepares its presentation at E3 on Tuesday morning. It is widely believed that Nintendo will present its launch lineup for the Wii U as well as the price and release for their newest console. At last year's E3, the Wii U made its first ever appearance and Nintendo stated that the company's goal with the newest system was to bridge the gap with hardcore gamers, a niche that has eluded the company for the past decade. Nintendo's current console the Wii had record breaking sales when it was first released in 2006 due to its revolutionary motion controls and cheaper price range compared to its competitors. However, it never caught on with hardcore games due to an emphasis on family friendly content rather than more mature fare.