Topic: Question about WII U backwards compatibility

I've been looking to get a Wii U for some time, especially after the recent Nintendo Direct announcements. I just have one question though.

Alongside Wii U titles, there are a couple of Wii titles I missed out on because I never owned the console and I still want to play them. I keep hearing that the Wii U can play Wii games and so on, but I'm wondering one thing. Since I never owned a Wii console, would I need to buy anything extra for the Wii U so I can play the Wii games?

Thanks in advance!

The standard Wii accessories (Wiimotes and stuff).

It all depends on the game.

Nowadays, all wiimotes should have WiiMotion+ integrated, so you won't need to worry about that.

Mainly just a Wiimote with Wiimotion+ and a Nunchuck to get started.

Wiimote plus and nunchuk

Just the wiimotes and nunchucks. The WiiU has it's own channel that acts just the Wii would, with the exception of not being able to play Gamecube games. Either way you will need at least one WiiMote to use the Wii channel.

Would I need the sensor bar? Or does the Wii U come with it's own?

It comes with its own. It comes with one in the deluxe/premium.
@TysonOfTime Hmm, I didn't think to look for that. Strange how the basic Wii U doesn't have one over there. _{(Although I think I do remember Nintendo Life running an article about that now.)}

@Void
He's in the UK. I'm unsure whether or not they come included in Europe... Maybe in the Deluxe pack?

Yes it comes w/ a sensor bar. Otherwise how gamepad work. In the basic set in US it came with sensor bar and should for you too. Can't see why it would not.

@SMEXIZELDAMAN
The GamePad does not run off the sensor bar though.

And a quick Google search shows that the Sensor Bar is included in the Deluxe/Premium Pack only, not the Basic.

You can actually get a "Wii Remote Plus Additional Set" for not much more than a WiiMote itself and certainly less than a WiiMote + Nunchuck at least in Australia. It includes a WiiMote with motion plus, a Nunchuck and sensor bar. All you need even if you have the basic. Probably your best option.

There's something I've been wondering though. I have the old Wiimotes that don't have motion plus in them. Will they still work on Wii U? Or am I going to have to get a new set? (I don't want to get the bulky add-on motion pluses and put them on the old remotes, some of them are half broken anyway).

Depends on the game. Some games require it like the Zelda minigame in NintendoLand while others don't like the VC or any of the competitive attractions in NintendoLand. Often games that support it just use it for improved pointer controls and those games still work without motion plus from my experience.

Games that require Motion+ say so on the back of the game. As mentioned, Nintendo Land requires it for some attractions. I'd expect more and more games will assume you have Motion+, as new remotes include the feature. I'd imagine most multiplayer games (sans Nintendo Land and similar first party games) will not require it but it might be best to pick up one Motion+ remote for single player games.

So basically, while not all games require Motion+, it'd be best to get new controllers with it anyway. I need to replace the old ones as it is I guess...

Correct, the Basic in the UK has no sensor bar.

Yeah I am in the same boat as you. Honestly if if wasn't for my gold Zelda wiimote I wouldn't have motion plus at all. My advice is trade in those Wiimotes for ones with motion plus.

You can do that? Just trade in regular Miimotes for Motion+ ones? Where would you be able to do that?

You wouldn't be able to get full price back, but stores like Gamestop buy them back

There's also a helpful list on Wikipedia of games that require motion plus and games that have it as an option (confusingly, Nintendo Land is listed as required). I'd expect it to become a more common feature on games that use the wiimotes going forwards but, there again, I don't expect many games to have that as the primary controller on the Wii U (an end to great gaming experiences like Red Steel 2 and Madworld).