Topic: Wii U / Switch?

Hello!

I am wondering if the switch is worth buying. I can get a Wii U fairly cheap, and was wondering if I should get the switch even if its more expensive. I am no hardcore nintendo fan, and most of my nintendo days were when i was younger. I would like to play games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.

What i like about the Wii U is that it is compatible with older consoles, so i can expand my game library pretty cheap if I want. As far as i know switch is not backward compatible.

tl;dr
I would like to play Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. Should i just get a cheap Wii U, or should I get the switch because it would be better long term?

I think you should get a Switch as it will end up with vastly superior iterations of Nintendo's biggest IPs.

Plus, the Wii U can result in a lot of clutter and cables, and ensuring that it is ready for multiplayer can become very expensive with the myriad of peripherals and control options available (all of which are now discontinued). With the Switch, the Joy-Con controllers alone cover both motion and conventional controls and are rechargeable, whereas Wii Remotes use AAs, so you'll rarely need to worry about your controllers not having enough juice.

Plus, you can take the Switch with you anywhere with ease for spontaneous Smash/Kart sessions with friends.

@Quilizeer
Nintendo Switch
1. You can play it Without TV.
2. There are some Enhanced Wii U ports on Nintendo Switch (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, LEGO CITY Undercover, Pokken Tournament DX, etc) & even Wii port Remastered (Go Vacation due to 27 July 2018).
3. Switch has some Ports from other Non Nintendo machines (ps4, xbox 1, pc / steam) such as Portal Knights, Crash Bandicoot N'Sane Trilogy, Yooka Layle, Okami HD, etc.

Smash Bros Ultimate (Switch) will be released on 7 December 2018. Prepare your budget to buy that game.

@Quilizeer The Wii U certainly does still have it's advantages over Switch. Short term, the games are going to be cheaper (Since Switch is still so new), and as you said, the library is much bigger. The big thing to consider is this: Which games specifically are you getting the Wii U for? Considering prices will likely only go up from here, and no new games will be added, I'd take a look through what you want on Wii and Wii U, and figure out how much those games and the required controllers would cost you. Also, which of them already have Switch ports is important too.

Outside of finishing my Wii U backlog, I have no reason to play on it except to play Smash mods, until Smash Ultimate gets mods and I can get those easily.

If you are going to invest deeply in the virtual console, for right now the Wii U would be the route to go. In terms of long-term, you are better off to get a Switch, however, because we don't know if there will be a full fledged virtual console on the system but it will have a larger game library due to third party support and the advantage of being a big selling console. Plus, if you want a Wii U for the first party games, many of the classics have already been released on the Switch (Bayonetta 1/2, Hyrule Warriors, Breath of the Wild, DK Tropical Freeze, Capt. Toad, Mario Kart 8, etc) with the exception of Smash Bros, and Smash Ultimate will fix that issue.

And like other comments say, with the Wii U it will take up more space, be costly for controllers and will only get harder to find over time. Lastly, you get access to the Wii backwards compatibility but the Wii Shop Channel has been almost completely shut down (can't make purchases currently and can only redownload previous purchases) so that backwards compatibility is only available with disc based games unless you have previous Wii purchases transferred to the Wii U.

Well the wiiu is a wii out of the box and has VC and access to the wii VC (which is more robust) The wiiu versions of smash and Mario Kart are perfectly serviceable. So the question is are you looking to build an old library quickly with no new games coming to the system or are you trying to keep with with current releases. If you have not played Nintendo in some time the wiiu can provide a great deal of material you missed out on...but if you are a bleeding edge gamer...buy the latest console.

@Quilizeer Same as the comment above, if you want to play Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 the Wii U and Switch versions are similar and if you want to get cheaper games, backwards compatibility and Virtual Console Wii U is the answer. You can use Wii Remotes, the SNES controller included with SNES Mini, the Wii U pro controller that is considered one of the best Nintendo controllers... Wii U has tons of possibilities for a fair price.

My Wii U is currently in a box on the shelf /my2c

Does no-one notice OP was a month ago?

@Quilizeer

Without any doubt, get a Wii U !

I even recommand to you to look at several points such as :

• the global price (console, controllers and games) Wii U wins
• Virtual Console if you want to get fantastic gems from the past Wii U wins
• FREE ONLINE to play your MarioKart8 and SSMB without any additional cost Wii U wins
• Backward compatibility with the entire previous system (games and accessories) Wii U wins
• Extra features such as NETFLIX can be usefull, really usefull Wii U wins

Now, if you aren't in the urge to have the last trendy stuff blablabla, I'd say to wait for the Switch.
Basically, in some years you'll find the system cheaper with more games at a better price...

Follow your heart AND your brain !

Well I ofcourse would choose the Wii U. I’m not a fan of the Switch gamepad verse the full size analogs and buttons on the Wii U. I also haven’t seen any games yet that make me need to buy a Switch. You can get BotW on the Wii U, Smash Bros( cheap pdp fight pads), Super Mario Maker, Earthbound, and Bayonetta 2. I’m not sure what else to mention besides Mario Kart 8, And Xenoblade Chronicles X. Also, the original Xenoblade Chronicles for $20! Ofcourse as my user name suggests I am a huge fanboy, but for good reason. Also, your wallet will thank you. Backwards compatability to the Wii is also a nice bonus. That’s never going to happen on the Switch.

Switch longterm. But youtube and netflix especially are AMAZING on the gamepad. And VC is also totally awesome on the gamepad. I keep falling asleep in bed ON the gamepad. If I did that with the Switch it'd break.

Hahaha, same here. I take my Wii U to bed to game, and to watch movies/youtube and to browse the internet. I sleep next to it and the next morning it's somewhere between the pillows sitting there comfortably, undamaged, and still running on a power cable.
I couldn't do that with the Switch. Such a fragile system. And doesn't have a browser and Netflix anyway.

I can really see people realizing how great the Wii U was ,and is , more and more as time goes on. And by the time most people really get how great it is, the price for the games and system will be ridiculous. They can’t have my white 32GB refurb that’s for sure. I can see this happening very quickly once people realize that Nintendo isn’t going to do a Virtual Console anymore. Atleast not in the traditional sense. Being able to play all of the Zelda DS, GBA, NES, SNES, N64, Wii, and WiiU games all in one place is pretty amazing!

I’d say go with the U. Cheaper but magnificent titles, virtual console games plus Wii compatibility. Don’t forget that the flagship LOZBOW for the Switch is also available for the Wii U so so far you’re going to miss any major title from the Switch.

Switch unless the lack of retro games really bothers you. It's very likely that once Nintendo has finished porting Wii U games to Switch the only exclusives left will be stuff like Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival which is not worth having a Wii U for but I doubt Switch will ever get a retro library as good as what's on Wii U especially with comments like "Nintendo Switch Online is the successor to Virtual Console".

Another thing to consider which is in Switch's favour, Nintendo tends to shutdown services for old consoles. Although not really their fault, the Wii and DS online were shutdown 10 days before Wii U's first big online multiplayer game. There's other services Nintendo have shutdown like Miiverse last year (this was essential to some games' functionality).

Super Mario Odyssey says "hi"

@TheLZdragon

Super Mario 3D World exterminate Odyssey in term of fun, joy, gameplay and ideas.

I own both and play both regularly. They both have advantages and disadvantages. From what you described, it sounds like a Wii U might be better. Just pick up a Wii U from someone unloading their entire library on Ebay for less than a new Switch with no games. The Wii U is backwards compatible with the Wii. Just take a look on Nintendo's website and see if the game appeal to you because the library of games on the Wii U is what it is. Besides the occasional Dance game, there will be very few new games.

The Switch will be getting all the new games, but new games are obviously full price. IMHO the two "controllers" that come with the Switch are only fit for children size hands. My daughter does not mind them, but everyone else in my family never uses them, instead opting for the pro controller (and it is not cheap). The Joy-cons might work fine for a few games, but for the average game, they are not ideal.
But understand what you are buying. The Switch is without a doubt the future of Nintendo. But if you are looking for something that will work with your Wii games and only looking for a little Nintendo fun, the Wii U just might fit the bill.