Upon first glance Nintendo seems to have once again revealed an entirely new and unique way to experience videogames. The Wii U controller, with its iPad-with-buttons design and its ability to work as a companion screen to your HDTV is undoubtedly cool, at least based off the conceptual demos and trailers Nintendo teased in its press conference and on the E3 show floor.

But is this 'new way to play' a gaming setup that is exclusive to Nintendo? Perhaps not. It's possible if not entirely likely that Sony will be able to deliver similar experiences this Christmas and beyond with the PlayStation Vita and PS3 working in tandem, and before the Wii U even has a chance to release.The price of a PS3 and PS Vita combined would presumably be more expensive than a Wii U and its controller, but if you are already one of the 50 million PS3 owners worldwide then $249 USD for the Wi-Fi PS Vita could be more appealing than shelling out for the Wii U – with the added bonus of gaining a genuine portable entertainment device that you can throw in your bag and play with away from home.Sony certainly has experience with a setup similar to Nintendo's WiiU with its Remote Play service for PS3, which allows PSP owners to browse and stream content from their PlayStation 3 console. And though largely unheralded, Lair – one of the very earliest titles for the PS3 – allowed the player to stream the game to their PSP screen with no lag. The downside was the sacrifice of control – the PSP only has one thumbstick when the game needed two to perform adequately. But such issues won't arise with the PS Vita, given it practically has every control interface type known to man – from twin sticks to touch screens.Of course, there are plenty of other factors to consider. No specifications for the Wii U console itself have been revealed, and the final console could well be uber powerful, play Blu-rays, vacuum your carpet – who knows? But the point is: do you want to make space for a new (admittedly tiny) box under your TV, or do you want to make room in your bag for a new handheld?