If hindsight is 20/20, it's fair to say that Nintendo's Wii missed out on a fair amount of its potential. The system was in many ways the "Revolution" that its early codename promised, but its unique, barrier-breaking controller was squandered under the weight of dozens of shovelware minigame collections and licensed cash-ins. Remember playing Metroid Prime 3 and thinking, "this is the future of the FPS"? Or how about the visceral, ridiculous thrill of driving in Excite Truck by steering with the gyroscope? These early-generation titles made wonderful proof of concepts, but they were never fleshed out enough to be truly revolutionary. After a while the novelty wore off, and it became apparent that the Wii just wasn't in the same league as its stronger cousins. 

Whether or not that will be the case for Nintendo's new Wii U down the line is still uncertain. Like its predecessor, the console gets by on a certain amount of novelty out of the gate; controlling games using the large tablet-like GamePad controller feels fresh and fun simply because nothing like it has been done before. When that novelty inevitably wears off, though, will gamers leave the Wii U in droves as they did the original console, upgrading to whatever the future of Xbox and Playstation have in store? Or has Nintendo learned from their mistakes and crafted a console that's worth standing by?

It's impossible to answer those questions without a time machine, but this review will do its best to break down the Wii U as it stands today. The review will be split into several categories:

• Interface
• Controller
• Online Functionality
• Sustainability
• Launch Lineup
• Future Games Lineup

Unlike a standard review, this one won't be scored because in the end, there's no way of knowing exactly how solid an investment this console will be. That's up to the sales numbers, third party reaction to the console, and Nintendo themselves to ensure. Instead, this review will aim to discuss how the console holds up as a standalone piece of technology, and to predict whether or not the system will be worth it down the line. 

Interface

I'm not going to lie; when I first saw the Wii U's startup menu at this year's E3, I thought it was a total mess. Miis were wandering around everywhere, strange messages were popping up willy nilly, and a series of random games, ones that the console owner may have never even played, were listed all in a row onscreen. It looked like chaos.

But just five seconds with the Wii U's menu was enough for me to understand the simple genius behind the philosophy of its design. The circular arena of games surrounding your Miis in the center of the screen might seem totally random, but like hashtags on Twitter, they seem to trend based on current popularity and which games you've been playing. One click on a game's portrait and you can enter the Miiverse for that game, a series of interactive forums where players can discuss games via text blurbs and even freeform drawings.

The Miiverse is by far the most forward-thinking aspect of the Wii U's design; the forums are shockingly enough filled with intelligent discussion, stunningly-realized drawings, and even screenshots captured directly from the games by players. It's obviously subject to change as the Wii U's audience grows, but I've found the Miiverse crowd to be surprisingly well-spoken and intelligent when it comes to game recommendations, tips and tricks. I've even run into a few developers and big-name gaming journalists in these early days of the console's availability. And, perhaps most shocking of all, I've yet to see one picture of genetalia or breasts pop up on my feed. Bravo, Wii U audience. Bravo. 

Aside from the ingenious Miiverse, the Wii U's interface is smooth enough. The console is primarily operated from the tablet using the touch pad. While all of the crazy Miiverse action is happening on the top screen, a Wii-esque menu drives all of the real action on the GamePad. From here you can launch games, hop into the eShop, get online using the internet browser, change up the system settings, manage your friends, create Miis, and more. It's all very similar to the Wii's menus, down to the scrolling of pages using the shoulder buttons.

Now, however, you can store multiple user profiles on the console and switch between them seamlessly by tapping a button in the upper left corner. It's a process that's easier here than on any other console, and it makes owning the console in a house with multiple gamers an absolute breeze. That's only accentuated by the fact that games downloaded from the eShop on one profile can be played in new saves from any other profile free of charge. That's much better than, say, the Xbox 360, which requires players to be signed in to the account on which they bought the game in order to play it. 

Downloading those games is easier than ever thanks to the streamlined eShop design. Large game portraits painted across the face of the store make for a highly aesthetically pleasing experience, although searching for specific games is just a tiny bit more complicated than I would have liked. As of now, most of the relevant stuff is right there on the front page anyway. In the future, as the eShop fills up, it'll be interesting to see how the interface handles the increased load. For now, however, it does an admirable job of displaying the most relevant and important content right up front, in an attractive and easily-accessible manner.

It is worth pointing out that the Wii U will not save credit card information to it when making purchases online, however. This dull point makes purchasing games online needlessly complicated, and it isn't helped by the fact that downloads on the system seem to move fairly slow. I downloaded Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed, approximately a 6 GB download, in around three hours. With my current internet speed and both using WiFi, a similarly-sized download would finish in less than an hour via Steam. It's a small complaint in the grand scheme of things (we should really just be glad that full-sized downloads are enabled on the Wii U, what with Nintendo's spotty online history) but a complaint nonetheless. 

All things considered, the Wii U's interface is likely its strongest point. The Miiverse is simply ingenious in its interactivity; it places the user front and center, and allows even strangers to communicate with one another regarding the latest and greatest Wii U games. The standard console menus are just as intelligently designed as they were on the Wii, and the eShop has received a very welcome facelift. 

Controller

As with the previous Wii, everybody's talking about the Wii U's controller. And just like last time, things are a mix of positive and negative. 

Gone is the immediate simplicity of the Wii's stick-and-buttons layout, replaced with a more standard series of two analog sticks (which can finally be clicked in for L3 and R3 functionality,) four shoulder buttons, and four face buttons. In the long run, this is a very good thing. It is now viable for developers to create hardcore games for Nintendo's console without being forced to work within the limitations of the controller. 

Those buttons feel like slightly enlarged versions of those found on the recent 3DS, with the exception of the analog sticks, which are taken straight from the Wii's Nunchuck controller. The only difference between the Nunchuck's stick and the Wii U's sticks are the lack of the weird octagonal casing around the stick; these sticks are encased in smooth, circular plastic instead, and it feels much, much better.

The buttons, on the other hand, are essentially larger versions of the DS Lite's and 3DS's. They're not flimsy by any means, but also don't have quite the same smooth, gel-like give of the Xbox 360's face buttons. The shoulder buttons are probably the most awkward; the "triggers" aren't really triggers, but instead shallow buttons like the others. This made shooting with them in games like Zombi U feel a bit odd at first, but I got used to it very quickly. The spacing between the L/R and ZL/ZR buttons, on the other hand, is a little too much to overcome. They're just too far apart, and that makes it a little hard to hit them with the same finger like you could on the Xbox 360 or PS3. 

Luckily, the fat touchscreen in the center of the controller seems super responsive based on my day and a half with the console. It's not a multi-touch screen, which perhaps sets it behind something like the iPad or Surface tablet, but then again I was never exactly planning on using it for intensive purposes like that anyway. For what the Wii U currently demands, the single-touch works just dandy, and even adds something pretty significant to launch games like Super Scribblenauts and Zombi U. 

Much has been made of the touchscreen's ability to stream games even as the television is otherwise occupied. There really isn't much else to say on this subject, other than yeah, it totally works. The screen on the controller looks positively great, on par with both Sony's gorgeous VITA screen and, perhaps more impressively, my brand-new Samsung Plasma. In fact, certain games actually look a little bit nicer on the smaller screen, just because it's easier to overlook jaggies or other small imperfections on such a tiny screen. New Super Mario Bros. U's dated graphics look pretty much acceptable on the GamePad's tiny screen, while they're just kind of upsetting on a larger screen.

Aside from the standard controller functionality, the GamePad can be set up to function as a TV remote, too. This was a funcitonality that I was completely unaware of before setting up the Wii U. As it turns out, the process was as simple as selecting my television brand from a drop-down list. After that, I could adjust volume, change channels, alter inputs, and even turn on and off the television, all using the GamePad controller. It all goes towards centralizing the experience, making the GamePad your hub for entertainment. Many consoles have shot for that "all-in-one" experience, but the Wii U is the first that feels like it has a real shot at achieving that pipe dream. It's largely due to the highly flexible controller.

Before closing off this section, it's worth mentioning just how darn big the GamePad controller is. The thing is literally the size of the Wii U console itself, and that makes it a good bit heavier than your standard controller. For as large as the controller is, it's actually quite comfortable to hold in your hands. I cradled the thing for a good six or seven hours straight this evening in my runthrough of New Super Mario Bros. U, and returned shortly thereafter for a lengthy Zombi U session, and never suffered from tired hands or cramping. For as large a controller as it is, it's really impressive how well it fits in your hands. Just note that if you're playing with a young child, the GamePad might be as big as they are.

Oh, and it's definitely not cool how the console practically demands the use of Wii Remotes and Nunchucks right now. This is a new console, the primary feature of which is a new controller, and I want to use those controllers with multiple players. They're far and away superior to the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, but we won't have the option to play multiplayer games using them until Spring of next year. Lame.

Online Functionality

I touched briefly on the Wii U's eShop in the Interface section, and it really is a vastly improved user experience. Both the layout and content of the eShop are worlds; nay, galaxies beyond what Nintendo accomplished with the DSi and the Wii. It's great to finally be able to download full-sized games to the console, even if it would have been nice had a digital discount been applied to accomodate the lack of packaging and shipping fees.

Other aspects of the online experience have been streamlined and improved, as well. As mentioned earlier, the Miiverse in ingenious, and allows players to communicate and friend each other much more quickly and easily than before. 

The laborious Friend Code system is basically a thing of the past, too. This will be welcome news for any gamer serious about online play. Now, adding a friend is as simple as a few clicks. 

Then there are the various streaming apps available for the console on day one. Netflix, Amazon Instant, and Hulu Plus are all front and center on the console's menus, a vast improvement over the Wii and its timid streaming services. Better yet, all three services look and function great on both the TV and the GamePad. 

When Nintendo TVii is eventually patched onto the console (it's not available out of the gate), it's not hard to see the Wii U becoming a household hub for online entertainment (unless the family already owns a Smart TV, in which case streaming via console would just be adding one extra step to the streaming process.) I'll have to reserve judgement on that entertainment suite until it's officially released, but for now, it looks promising. 

Oh, and there's also the option of browsing the web from the console, if for some reason you want to do that. Using the touch screen simplifies the process a little bit, but it's still far from the ease of use that is a keyboard and mouse. There's pretty much no excuse to boot up that web browser.

It would have also been nice to see Facebook and Twitter integrated more heavily into the console. Yeah, you can use the web browser to look them up, but official apps would be appreciated. And why stop there? A variety of other apps, from recipe books to dictionaries to drawing programs, could all make great use of the tablet's touch screen and online capabilities. 

As is, the online suite is a vast improvement over Nintendo's previous gunshy work, but it lacks the social media hooks and extraneous apps that would make it perfect. I understand that Nintendo probably intends for users to use Miiverse as an alternative to some of these things, but it's always nice to have more options.

Sustainability

This is where the Wii U takes the biggest hits. The console's future viability has rightfully been called into question numerous times, with critics claiming everything from the console's graphics and computing power to its hard drive size as reasons not to lay down the cash just yet. And for everything that the Wii U gets right, some of these points are a bit tough to get over.

For one thing, let's not kid ourselves about the Wii U having "next gen" power. This is no doubt a vastly more powerful machine than the Wii, but at this point that's not saying much. So were the Xbox 360 and PS3. So is every modern gaming PC, to a nearly exponential degree when upgraded properly. The fact is that the Wii U is running late-gen games like Assassin's Creed 3 and Batman: Arkham City with ease. As early as we are in the console's life cycle, we have yet to see it flex much of the graphical power it posseses. It's fair to say that we can expect to see much better looking games than Assassin's Creed 3 running on the system down the line, and that's nothing to scoff at. At the same time, with launch dates pegged vaguely for late 2013 or 2014, it's also fair to say that Microsoft and Sony's next-gen consoles will be a good deal more powerful than the Wii U. Will we run into the same problem as the Wii did, by which third parties eventually stopped bothering with Wii ports becuase of the odd controller and graphical limitations? Honestly, only time will tell at this point, and if this is a sticking point for you, it might be best to wait until late 2013 to scope out the competition. Besides, if the next Xbox or Playstation really does launch next year, it's all but inevitable that the Wii U will conveniently see a price cut around the same time.

The bigger issue, to me at least, is the meager size of the bundled hard drive. 32 GB for a "Deluxe Edition" in this day and age is just a joke. As mentioned above, I downloaded 6 GB worth of Sonic racing action already. I also bough Mighty Switch Force HD for around 500 MB. I know for a fact that many launch titles, like Assassin's Creed 3 and Zombi U, are much bigger than those. Then there was the big day-one system update, not to mention the fact that almost every game required a day-one patch. And that's not even taking into consideration the fact that the 32 GB figure doesn't include space needed for pack-in apps like the Mii creator, internet browser, etc. At this rate, I'd give the hard drive a year at most until it's completely filled.

And then what? Start storing things on external USB drives? Delete the games that I paid good money for, just to have room for others on the hard drive? These are far from ideal solutions. I'd love to be able to do most of my Wii U shopping digitally, but for long-term sustainability that would require at least a 300 GB hard drive. The 32 GB "Deluxe" Edition is... quaint. And as for the regular edition? Don't even bother.

Launch Lineup

This is another category in which the Wii U falters, albeit not nearly as hard as in its future potential. The full launch lineup for the system is as follows:

• Assassin's Creed 3
• Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• Chasing Aurora
• Darksiders II
• Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
• EA Sports FIFA Soccer 13
• ESPN Sports Connection
• Game Party Champions
• Just Dance 4
• Mighty Switch Force
• New Super Mario Bros. U
• Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
• Nintendo Land
• Rabbids Land
• Scribblenauts Unlimited
• Sing Party
• Skylanders Giants
• Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed
• Tank! Tank! Tank!
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition
• Transformers Prime
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
• Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper
• Wipeout: The Game 3
• Zombi U

Of those, I can only personally attest to the quality of Zombi U, New Super Mario Bros. U, Mighty Switch Force, and Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed. I've put pretty significant time into the first two, and I can safely say that I love the former and am bored by the latter. See our official New Super Mario Bros. U review for more on that one. I played the latter two for only around half an hour, and while I had tons of fun with both, I'll still need to put in more time to say for sure whether or not they're worth the purchase. Expect a Zombi U review soon, and expect it to be pretty positive. 

Additionally, my roommate played NintendoLand while I was out, and had nothing but good things to say about the minigame collection. We'll be picking up more controllers soon in order to test it out in a multiplayer environment, but early word on the title seems good. I'll also be getting more hands-on time with Scribblenauts Unlimited very soon, so stay tuned for the official word on that. 

Aside from those titles, I've had first-hand experience with Assassin's Creed 3, Batman: Arkham City, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Darksiders II and Call of Duty: Black Ops II on other consoles, and can safely say that all of the above are safe investments, especially Black Ops II. I've heard that the Wii U version of Batman is more glitchy and gimmicky than the other versions, but I'd venture a guess that it's still pretty great regardless. I haven't had hands-on time with it myself, so I can't say for sure. 

Based on early word or previous impressions, I wouldn't touch Wipeout, Game Party, ESPN or Transformers Prime with a ten-foot, touch-enable pole.

All in all, there's plenty here to amuse and astound gamers who haven't owned much besides a Wii. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of fantastic content waiting to be mined from the rich worlds of many of these third-party games. Problem is, most of us have experienced that stuff already. In terms of Wii U-exclusive content, the lineup is lacking. For mature and patient gamers, I can't recommend Zombi U enough. For the young'ns, Mighty Switch Force and Skylanders seem like admirable chioces, even if they aren't appearing here for the first time.

Future Games Lineup

Bayonetta 2. 'Nuff said. 

Okay, so actually, operating an intense actoin game like that would be super awkward on the massive Wii U GamePad controller. That'll probably necessitate the Pro controller whenever it releases. 

Anyways, the Wii U has a decent lineup of games on the horizon, including the long-awaited Pikmin 3, as well as the charming The Wonderful 101 and LEGO City Undercover. And yes, of course, there's Bayonetta 2 coming to placate the hardcore among us. Then there's the latest Super Smash title, which we haven't glimpsed yet but which is being developed by Namco Bandia for the first time. Whether or not that's a good thing remains to be seen.

Couple that with the fact that it's all but inevitable we see new games in the Zelda, Metroid, Kirby and Mario series, and you're looking at a decent investment as long as you care about first-party Nintendo titles. A new Donkey Kong game isn't exactly guranteed, but it would be nice after the surprisingly awesome Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii.

But for as many games as the Wii U boasts in the future, it lacks others. There's no Bioshock Infinite here, no Tomb Raider, GTA 5 or Crysis 3. Owning only a Wii U at the moment is a big risk, and for the hardcore gamers it isn't advised. 

Conclusion

All things considered, there's no way that purchasing a Wii U right now won't be a big risk. The console's interface and controller might be pulled from the not-so-distant future, and trump almost anything that Microsoft and Sony have thrown at us thus far, but the sustainability of the console must be called into question. The minisclue hard drive of the Deluxe Edition makes a future upgrade not just inevitable, but closer than you may think. Then there's the lineup of exclusives, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Nintendo themselves are trumped by none other than Ubisoft, whose launch title Zombi U currently stands as my favorite piece of software for the system (followed closely by Sonic and All-Stars and Call of Duty, although I haven't gotten my hands on NintendoLand just yet.) The lineup of the future isn't exactly brimming with dozens of titles, either, although it's not sparse enough to bring up the warning lights of the VITA and its troubled launch.

It may sound like a cop-out, but right now you just have to go with your gut when it comes to buying a Wii U. How important is it that you own that shiny new piece of tech? Do you mind the fact that you'll probably end up upgrading to a model with a bigger hard drive a year or two down the line? Are you wiling to take a risk on a new, admittedly slick piece of technology with fantastic usability and the potential to do something great? 

I was, and although the future of the Wii U is uncertain, I remain confident in my investment for now based solely on the unique controller, slick online interfaces, and the promise of Pikmin and Super Smash in the future, coupled with the fun of Zombi U in the present.