The names of the two biggest hardware announcements at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo left everyone scratching their heads. Vita? Wii U? That’s the best they could come up with? Here’s a closer look at the funny-named gadgets headed for your living room.
PlayStation Vita
Sony’s newest handheld, the successor to the ever-evolving PSP line, has a 5-inch multitouch OLED screen on the face and another multitouch sensor pad on the back of the device to allow for finger motions like pushing and pulling. It also features dual analog sticks in addition to front- and rear-facing cameras, a cross pad, shoulder triggers and four-button setup. The graphical improvement of the Vita will allow players to pick up games from their PS3 on the handheld device and vice versa. The $250 price tag for a Wi-Fi only model positions it directly against Nintendo’s 3DS, while a $300 model comes with 3G connectivity exclusively through AT&T. The Vita will be available later this year.
WII U
There was a lot of confusion after Nintendo’s keynote, which ended with the unveiling of the Wii U: Is there a new console? All the images, all the chatter were about the new controller — a 6.2-inch touch screen surround by the usual bevy of buttons, including dual analog pads.
Yet lurking in the background, there it was: a console that developers claim has 50 percent more processing power than the PS3 and Xbox 360. Say hello to high-definition Mario, Zelda and Metroid games.
The demos shown — there are no games officially announced yet — used the new controller to give a fifth player a different perspective from the other four players, who use standard Wii Remotes. Players can also use the touchscreen to peer inside, magnify or otherwise enhance the image on the TV using the rear-facing camera. Gameplay can also be transferred from the TV screen to the screen in the new controller, freeing up the TV for someone else to watch a show or movie. The Wii U will launch sometime in 2012.