Nintendo kick started the second day of E3 2012 with a long introduction about their saving grace product - the Wii U. Unsurprisingly; there was a detailed explanation of the GamePad which will be the primary control for the Wii U. The biggest hype generated by this device was the presence of a second screen on the GamePad itself which was a first in development of two-screen gameplay.
In the press conference Reggie Fils-Aime, President & Chief Operating Officer, Nintendo of America, Inc. explained that Nintendo wanted to create two screens because they are tired of having a single dependent screen like the television and wanted to offer a more portable one. The Personal Second Screen of the GamePad integrates seamlessly with the television to provide enhanced video entertainment for the user.
A notable feature is that the Wii U GamePad can be used by itself without needing to use the television. This means that the users can watch their favourite show on the GamePad itself. Many games can be pulled down on to the GamePad screen and operated from there. The personal second screen on the GamePad has a full fingertip access feature and can also support stylus interaction. With these you can control gameplay, write notes and even draw pictures.
Another impressive aspect of the GamePad is that it can control the television even when the main Wii U is off. This gives the Wii U multifunctionality which extends beyond the normal parameters of gameplay and is definitely a plus point for Nintendo. Added to this are the extensive gyroscope and accelerometer limits of the device along with a "rumble feature" (introduced in the Nintendo 64) that is now pretty much a standard in all gaming consoles.
The communication between the GamePad and the television happens over Infrared. The Infrared transceiver on the GamePad can communicate directly with other devices and hardware accessories. The built in camera and microphone can be used for special software apps along with voice and video chat.
Apart from these features, the GamePad supports the usual "+ Control pad" for controls and menu selection. The L/R (Left/Right) analog sticks are used in shooting, sports and adventure games. The usual 4 button array of ABXY is also present along with the trigger-like ZL/ZR and L/R buttons accompanied by the accessory connector, headphone jack, volume control, start -select buttons and power button.
Users can heave a huge sigh of relief as Nintendo has confirmed that two GamePads can be active per television. Of course additional GamePads will need to be purchased separately but the price has not been revealed yet. Frame rates will drop to about 30 fps if two are active; and any games that really want that extra controller won't be as smooth. On the upside, it is possible to switch one off with a smooth transition; there won't be a need for theatrics just to switch to a solo game.
Nintendo seems to have invested a lot of time, money and advertisements on this innovation and hopes that the Wii U will put them back on top in the global market. Whether they wrest the top spot from the likes of Microsoft remains to be seen.