For the less gaming-focused tech enthusiasts that missed the E3 2011 debut, Nintendo has brought its Wii U hardware to CES this year. It's the exact same demo we saw back in June, albeit as two editors capturing shaky DSLR video in the midst of a very loud show floor. This time, fortunately, we had an awesome video crew with us to capture the moment in more quiet, intimate (aka dimly lit) environment. With a little help from future Vox Games Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant, I find a way to stumble through Chase Mii (a top-down hide-and-seek on the controller against three players using the TV and Wii Remote) and Battle Mii (similarly, a two-on-one Metroid-inspired shooter between Galactic Bounty Hunters and a spaceship). Despite suffering heavy loses — repeatedly — both were lots of fun and I hope make it in some form to launch.
Other demos include Panorama View, best described as "live action Google Street View," and the HD experience that shows Wii U's graphics capability (specifically lighting) while Link (of Legend of Zelda fame) fights spiders. Usual Nintendo caveats apply: this is not the final hardware, none of these demonstrations are necessarily future Wii U games, and the Wii U is a controller (read: not a tablet). We expect to see the final hardware and more launch details at this year's E3.