E3 Expo: What to expect from Nintendo's Project Cafe

Since Nintendo announced its intention to unveil its new Project Cafe console at the E3 expo later this month, critics and fans alike have been speculating about what new features the console will boast.

What we know

As one would expect Nintendo has kept the details of Project Cafe solidly guarded under lock and key. This means that outside of the numerous rumours floating around the internet not much is actually known.

Thus far only a handful of details are certain.

The console is set to be unveiled at E3, which begins in Los Angeles in just a few short days.

Nintendo's press conference is set to kick-off on Tuesday 7 June at 9.00am PST, it'll be at this event that consumers will get their first look at the new console.

Past this there have been a few precious details divulged about Project Cafe's new controller.

As opposed to the Wii brick style, the new controller will apparently be more akin to a tablet in shape. The controller will also reportedly house dual analogue sticks and a nifty six-inch integrated screen -- this was all reportedly confirmed to IGN journalists earlier in the year.

A common description of the new control design, is that it will mirror more classic controllers like that of Nintendo's previous Gamecube controller in function, but not aesthetics.

Some details about the controllers integrated six-inch screen have also been revealed.

It will reportedly be a touch screen capable of streaming entire games from the console -- details about how this will actually work have not been released.

What we've heard down the grape-vine

One of the biggest reported leaks regarded the hardware set to be used in the Project Cafe console.

Several websites and tech blogs have consistently mentioned the fact that Nintendo's latest machine will be more powerful than both Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.

While it goes without saying that this will probably be true, some websites have taken this speculation further. The Nintendo Life website for example posted a supposedly leaked document showing the exact hardware the console is set to use. The image released in the article can be seen by clicking this article's picture thumbnail.

The second big batch of rumours yet to be confirmed revolve around the question of what games Nintendo has in the pipeline for its new console.

The biggest news on this front is that Retro Studios -- the games developer behind Donkey Kong Country Returns and the iconic Metroid series -- is working on a, "a project everyone wants us to do".

The rumour about the as yet unannounced and unnamed Project Cafe title stems from The Paul Gale Network, who reported it after "unnamed sources" from the studio revealed the news to them. Since the report, critics and fans alike have been speculating a possible Metroid launch title for the console.

Another rumour regarding the games on show for Project Cafe at E3 speculated that Rockstar Games was making a new Grand Theft Auto title for the console.

Not long to wait

The good news for those that haven't managed to get tickets to E3 is that Nintendo has set up a live feed, ready to broadcast the new console's unveiling world-wide over the internet.

The feed will let fans watch the company's initial press conference and will then play additional presentations, interviews and games trailers.