Nintendo’s E3 press conference just wrapped up and it ended with a bang: the reveal of their next console, the Wii U, and specifically its controller. It confirms the rumors that their next console had a controller with a massive (6.2″) touchscreen on it, as you can see below. Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata said Nintendo’s goal is to appeal to both the casual and hardcore markets, “The goal of innovation is to serve every player, then though each brings to video games an individual appetite, a personal passion and a distinct gaming history.” Nintendo is definitely trying to address the concerns of core gamers, a majority of which never warmed up to the family-friendly Wii console.

The Wii U’s controller might not be the most attractive thing on the market, but its large touchscreen, twin analog sticks, a front-facing camera, and gyroscope are still easier for my mind to wrap itself around then that Wiimote, which after years of using controllers for the PlayStation and Xbox, it just never felt quite right. The rumors that you could take the Wii U controller on the go, making it a portable gaming device, were squashed. However, if someone wants to use the TV you can switch the screen to the one on the controller and continue your gaming uninterrupted. Head past the break for some of the console’s announced games, a look at the console itself, and when we can expect this exciting new device. Many, including myself, thought Nintendo would surprise the world by unveiling their new console and giving it a Holiday 2011 release – but this didn’t happen. Instead we got the controller and a pretty wide release window of 2012. Microsoft and Sony are expected to unveil their followups to the Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively at E3 next year, so that should make for a fun June next year.

Developer support for the console is already looking better than the Wii, Many top developers expressed their excitement for the platform and several games were announced for the console, including (but not limited to): Batman: Arkham City, Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3, Lego City Stories, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Metro: Last Light (that last one was a bit of a surprise).

I should also mention that the Wii U is backwards compatible with the Wii as well as its peripherals, like the balance board and zapper (you can even combine the controller with the zapper to create an entirely new experience). So, does our first look at Nintendo’s next console have you excited or are you withholding comment until we see what Sony and Microsoft do?

Oh, and you can totally use a stylus on this thing.