Nintendo looks like it may have a winner with the Wii U, if the hours-long line at E3 is any indication. And for good reason: there’s a lot to like about the system. It clearly introduces some great ideas, and while Nintendo didn’t exactly show a ton of them in action, we’re sure there are many more Nintendo has in mind that they haven’t even hinted at yet.

1. Capacitive Touchscreen. 
   For whatever reason, Nintendo has a massive hard-on for resistive touchscreens; the kind found in the DS series and most smartphones before the iPhone. We’re guessing Nintendo sticks with it because they’re cheap, but we can’t help but wish they had used capacitive instead. 
   
   While resistive touchscreens were very well with styluses (and are even more accurate than capacitive), they’re not nearly as responsive to touching with your finger. Because resistive touchscreens are pressure based, they are much more prone to ignore your command than capacitive screens. While they generally work okay for taps (as with virtual buttons), trying to drag something is...well, a drag, since you have to maintain constant pressure. It also means no multitouch, which will limit developer creativity--a true shame considering the promise multitouch has shown on the similarly-sized PlayStation Vita.
    
2. Analog Shoulder Buttons
   While we haven’t confirmed that the shoulder buttons aren’t analog, they sure feel like it. Imagine the B-button on the Wii Remote, and you have a good idea of what these feel like. It’s strange to see this omitted for a second generation, considering Nintendo designed my personal favorite set on the GameCube, which offered a perfect amount of resistance and travel distance.
   
   While it’s ultimately not a huge deal, it does mean you won’t be able to feather the throttle in racing games, or vary the power of Luigi’s vacuum in a sequel to Luigi’s Mansion.
    
3. Augmented Reality
   While the Wii U controller has a front-facing camera for capturing your beautiful mug, it lacks one on the backside. This is in stark contrast to both Nintendo’s own 3DS, and Sony’s upcoming Vita. While the 3DS’s use of AR--a technology that enables virtual characters/environments to appear in the real-world--is impressive, we have noticed that it struggles to keep up with complex scenes. Something that the much more powerful Wii U would have no trouble rendering. Add to that the constraints of AR, such as being in a well-lit (usually interior) environment, and we find ourselves very surprised that Nintendo would pass such an opportunitu.
   
   Maybe Nintendo doesn’t want to confuse consumers even further in regards to the differences between the U and 3DS, but it’s still lost potential.
   
   
4. Multi-Wii U Controller Support?
   When the rumors first began to spread about the Wii U’s controller, my mind instantly began racing with thoughts of the potential for multiplayer. Imagine playing Madden multiplayer and being able to choose your plays without your opponent seeing, or using it as a quick-weapon select in a multiplayer shooter. And of course, who wouldn’t want to play another Four Swords-type Zelda game.
   
   Unfortunately, while Nintendo’s shown many uses for the controller, such as using it in conjunction with the TV, playing games on just the controller itself, and using it in conjunciton with several Wii Remotes (making 5-player simultaniosu play possible), the one thing we haven’t seen is multiple uses of the Wii U’s controller itself.
   
   We’re not sure if it’s because the streaming technology can’t handle more than one controller at a time, or if the system itself simply can’t power a potential five screens. All we know is that we’re disappointed at the massive amount of potential being lost.
   
   Granted, Nintendo hasn’t confirmed multiple U controllers can’t be used, but we’re pretty sure Nintendo would have mentioned it if it were possible. And when has Nintendo purposefully missed out on the chance to sell more (over-priced) controllers to its consumers?
   
   5) Less Dependent on Outdated Wii Technology
   Judging by Nintendo’s trailer and the demos we tried, the original Wii’s controllers are still going to be a significant portion of the play experience, which is both convenient and disappointing. On the upside, gamers won’t have to purchase a secondary set of controller if they already own a Wii to perform similar functions. Ont he downside, it also means they’re saddled with 5 year-old technology, which lacks the increased accuracy of the PlayStation Move or the full-body capture of the Kinect.

Don’t get us wrong: we’re very, very excited for the Wii U, as you’ll soon see with our upcoming hands-on impressions and future features. We just wished Nintendo had taken the concept even further. Anyways, be sure to stay tuned to GameXplain.com for more on the system, including a roundtable we’ll be attending tonight where more bombshells may be dropped (Smash Bros. Brawl was unveiled at a very similar event).