I'm not much of a gamer, I suppose, but I like having a video game console around, especially with two kids and a few months in the summer where it's nearly unbearable to be outside. We bought a Wii when the console came out and at first, the novelty of motion-detection controlling and the ability to download cheap old-school games was enough to keep me happy, even with the vastly technically superior XBox 360 and Playstation 3 out there. We had fun with Wii Fit when it came out, enjoyed playing Mario Kart, but then the games sort of stopped coming and what was available was largely a watered down version of what was available for the other systems. Now, we use the Wii to stream Netflix movies and to play Dr. Mario now and then. There are better games available for my phone right now than for the Wii, which makes me a little irritated that I bought the thing in the first place.

So, I'm a little skeptical of the Wii U, mostly because they're asking me to buy another (likely somewhat expensive) system that seems really cool upfront, but might end up being an expensive novelty down the road as gaming technology passes Nintendo's creation by. For now, the touchscreen controller is unlike anything else out there, seemingly providing a more immersive gaming experience. Until late 2012 when the system is actually available and there's some sense of how game developers will use the technology, I doubt I'll be likely to buy an expensive system just to play a fancier version of Mario Kart.