Black Main Console

While it's easy to point out the range of multi-platform games not available on Wii U, it's equally simple to point to a reasonably-sized range of exclusives and download games that make the system a unique and fun option. That's only going to improve once September kicks off with Hyrule Warriors, with the rest of the year from that point bringing a consistent flow of retail games; the eShop is also sure to deliver some quality downloads.

Of course, we're in the middle of a dry summer of releases. In fact, if you're dealing in substantial retail titles, the last release that caused mainstream excitement for the Wii U was Mario Kart 8 on 30th May, though One Piece fans may point to One Piece Unlimited World Red as a late June / early July arrival; as for Wii Sports Club, it doesn't appear to have made much of a sales impact. This isn't a scenario that means there's nothing to play, however. That's where backlogs, the eShop and the Wii U's backward compatibility — unique in this generation of systems — come into play.

Keen to make the point, well-known Destructoid contributor Jonathan Holmes has kicked off a #wiiudroughtaid hashtag on Twitter; it's riffing on the constant references to games droughts over the summer months, with the initial pitch being to suggest Wii games to play on Wii U while we await the upcoming batch of new games. While plenty are doing just that — the Wii does have a fantastic library — others are pointing out a range of current-gen gems just waiting to be played and are, based on sales numbers, yet to be enjoyed by a lot of Wii U owners. That's a perspective we certainly support, and we're produced enough recommendation lists for retail and eShop games to suggest that there are excellent titles waiting to be played.

Do you feel this summer has been a tough game drought for Wii U, or do more gamers need to explore the library — retail and download / Virtual Console — more thoroughly to realise how many excellent options are available? Let us know what you think in the poll and comments below.

Do you think there's been a notable summer drought of Wii U games? (436 votes)

  1. Definitely, it's been a particularly dry spell25%
  2. There has been, but it's irrelevant due to the overall system library43%
  3. Hm, not quite sure5%
  4. Not really, especially when you consider eShop options19%
  5. Not at all, it's been a typical summer for the system7%

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[source twitter.com]