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Nintendo promised consumers a modern HD gaming console, and the Wii U -- what's there of it thus far -- delivers on that promise. Games look gorgeous (HD Mario!), the risky controller is another successful control innovation and there's a ton of promise on the horizon.

The GamePad, even if it doesn't feel like the linear progression of game console technology we'd expect, does feel like a futuristic leap. It's rooted in classic experiences, but adds weird new possibilities. Nintendo has always excelled in taking unexpected steps, and this is one of them.

Svelte hardware design is much smaller than competing systems. HD graphics are easily the equal of the Xbox 360 and PS3. GamePad is comfortable, sturdily built, and not too heavy. Large touchscreen looks better than its low resolution would suggest.

In almost every other department, save for what Nintendo TVii is supposed to provide, the other consoles on the market have the Wii U beat: network and offline media playback, diversity of streaming services, exclusive games, and speedy operating systems.

While technologically, the Wii U sort of feels like the step you'd take before you get to motion controls in the Wii, that doesn't mean it doesn't totally fit into Nintendo's ethos of interaction. It's fun. It's something your family will enjoy using.

What's more, the quality of these unique, untouchable games will only get better as the Wii U matures. Nintendo is the Pixar of video games, and despite the odds stacked against the console, for many prospective buyers, that in itself will be more than enough.

Nintendo deserves credit for creativity. But like a player who can’t seem to get through a difficult level in a videogame, the Wii U’s faults hold it back from success.

Wii U has major potential and if Nintendo plays their cards right, the system can become a major player, especially once the media capabilities and game options are fully stocked. The second-generation Wii might not be as game-changing as the orginal, but it certainly is a lot of fun to play with.

Unless Microsoft or Sony have more than burlier hardware up their sleeves, and assuming third-party developers can match Nintendo’s skill utilizing the second screen, the Wii U already has a lock on the future of big-idea gaming.

Having played a batches of games on the Wii U and having had the system in my home for nearly a week, I can confirm that it is a good machine that makes one's console gaming life surprisingly more convenient and luxurious. I just can't tell you that you have to have one now.

The Wii U does prove one point that all tech developers and game designers should heed: Smart devices are nice, but ones that connect are better.

The Wii U once again sees Nintendo plotting its own course and the results are as unique as they are satisfying.

Considering its myriad parts, the Wii U seems to offer a mix of the new and novel and the old and familiar.

Unless you need to play New Super Mario Bros. U right now, you don’t need a Wii U. But it’s hardly the worst thing to find under your Christmas tree.

Whether the Wii U reaches the incredible heights of its predecessor remains to be seen ... Until we see Nintendo Network fully functioning with the TVii service and additional games that take advantage of the GamePad, it's hard to say whether Wii U recaptures the console magic.