I love my Nintendo Wii. I’m basically unbeatable at Wii Tennis and can hold my own in Wii Bowling (though my six-year-old nephew beats me pretty handily). My family’s Wii Fit has been well-loved, and I’ve saved the world more than a few times in Call of Duty.

Nintendo's simple, low-res, get-up-and-play console has been a huge hit, outselling both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 and taking over my family like I never expected. Now Nintendo's back with the Wii U, hoping to bolster its offering and preemptively outshine whatever Microsoft and Sony are up to next. The Wii U comes with upgraded graphics and processing power, but true to form it's all about a gimmick: the GamePad. Like the 3DS did with portable games, the Wii U's GamePad adds a second screen to the gaming equation, which Nintendo hopes will lead to more immersive, fun, and interactive games.