Wii U - Timeline
Thursday25th May 2023
Random Sony's Upcoming 'Project Q' Is A Little More Wii U Than Switch
Lots of Qs, no As
Logging onto Twitter this morning after last night's PlayStation Showcase, you might expect to see trending topics from the likes of Sony, Spider-Man and Alan Wake. But what did we notice before any of these? 'Splatoon' and 'Wii U'. The former is in reference to
Tuesday23rd May 2023
News Nintendo Japan To End Repairs For Wii U When Current Parts Inventory Runs Out
Get booked in soon
Nintendo's Japanese support service has announced that it will be ending repair support for the Wii U. When exactly? Well, that really depends on when its current parts inventory runs out. The announcement was made on the Japanese Nintendo Support Page, confirming that the period of holding repair parts for the Wii U has now...
Tuesday18th Apr 2023
Random Forget The Wii U, This Coder Got Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Running In A Web Browser
Original game was written in HTML and Javascript
Many of the Wii U's greatest games have long since been ported over to Switch. It's just something that we have all come to accept with the console — yes, it had some great games, but most of them are now playable elsewhere (often in a better condition). We expect to see these games playing today...
Tuesday4th Apr 2023
PSA 3DS And Wii U eShop Download Codes Can No Longer Be Redeemed
"Thank you for playing"
Last week, after ending 3DS and Wii U eShop sales, Nintendo announced it would be extending the period to redeem a code to make up for certain technical difficulties. The new date was extended until 4th April 2023 in Japan, and that means this extra time to redeem codes has now also ended here in the west. This marks the end...
Saturday1st Apr 2023
News More Indie Developers Are Giving Away Free eShop Codes For Wii U & 3DS
Update: WayForward joins in on the fun
Update [Sat 1st Apr, 2023 03:05 BST]: Mighty Switch Force developer WayForward has joined in on the free giveaway fun sharing codes for Mighty Switch Force 2 on Wii U and 3DS throughout the day. It seems Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games was also giving out some codes earlier this week:
News Indie Developer Is Giving Away Free Download Codes For Its Last Wii U Game
Update 3: The final batch for Captain U
Update #3 [Sat 1st Apr, 2023 00:00 BST]: The final batch of codes is now available! Once again, thank you to TaraBates for keeping us in the loop with the developer's tweets. Update #2 [Thu 30th Mar, 2023 10:30 BST]: The second batch of codes is now live! Update: Well, it seems like we opened the...
Wednesday29th Mar 2023
News Nintendo Extends Code Redemption Deadline For Wii U & 3DS eShops
You've now got until April
The global shutdown of the 3DS and Wii U eShops was technically yesterday, but it seems Nintendo has thrown a lifeline out to anyone who still has any codes left to redeem on these digital storefronts. As highlighted by the company's official Japanese customer support account on Twitter, Nintendo has extended the period...
Tuesday28th Mar 2023
News The 3DS & Wii U eShops Have Officially Closed, Purchases "No Longer Possible"
You can still download your existing library, but that's about it
Today officially marks the end of the 3DS and Wii U eShops. While you'll still be able to download your existing purchases, you can no longer buy or redeem new games from these digital storefronts. Free content including demos are also off limits. Now that the digital shops have...
Monday27th Mar 2023
Guide 23 Best Wii U eShop Games You Should Get Before They're Gone Forever
Yes, Wii U had games that didn't get Switch ports!
It’s the final countdown — the Wii U eShop is closing for new purchases today, Monday 27th March, so we’re republishing this guide to highlight some gems you might want to consider snapping up... While many are rightly lamenting the upcoming death of the 3DS eShop, we feel like fewer gamers...
Thursday23rd Mar 2023
Random Twitch Streamer Aims To Beat Breath Of The Wild With Ocarina Controller
Making music
Ridiculous Zelda challenges are our favourite, and they don't come more fun, amusing, and dedicated than what gv_mimi is attempting. The Twitch streamer is aiming to beat The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild by using a custom-made ocarina controller. (Thanks, Polygon!) gv_mimi's most recent accomplishment in BOTW is taking down...
Tuesday21st Mar 2023
Video Everything To Do Before The 3DS And Wii U eShops Shut Down
The end is nigh
Are you starting to panic about the impending closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops? Do you find yourself wondering which last-minute games to pick up, or even how to link your Nintendo accounts properly? Then worry not, dear readers, we're here for you. Our lovely video producer Zion has put together an extensive video that goes over...
Monday20th Mar 2023
PSA You Only Have One Week To Purchase 3DS And Wii U eShop Games
Can we panic yet?
March 27th, 2023. Judgement Day. The day when Skynet will rain nuclear fire upon the earth and send a Terminator back in time to... Hang on. Sorry, wrong script. Two secs... March 27th, 2023. The day when the 3DS and Wii U eShops will shut down permanently, preventing users from purchasing new games and downloadable content. It's...
Sunday19th Mar 2023
Random YouTuber Spends Nearly $23K Buying Every 3DS & Wii U eShop Game
Jirard Khalil completes his preservation mission
The 3DS and Wii U eShop services are shutting down at the end of this month and that means you've only got so much time left to buy all of the digital games you possibly can on Nintendo's older storefronts. YouTuber, streamer and video game media personality Jirard "The Completionist" Khalil has taken...
Wednesday15th Mar 2023
Reminder Catch All The Pokémon Games On 3DS & Wii U Before The eShop Closure
Gotta purchase 'em all
The 3DS and Wii U eShop services are closing down at the end of this month on 27th March, and while all sorts of games and applications will no longer be available for purchase, one series in particular that's taking quite a hit is Pokémon. Serebii.net has put together a short social media reel to highlight what exactly will...
Friday10th Mar 2023
News Capcom 3DS & Wii U Games Available For Just $2.99 In Final eShop Sale (US)
Get Phoenix Wright, Monster Hunter & more
The 3DS and Wii U eShops are shutting down at the end of this month, and ahead of this, lots of game developers have been slashing prices on their libraries across both platforms. Capcom is the latest to do this - with an absolutely massive sale currently taking place on Nintendo's slightly older digital...
Wednesday8th Mar 2023
Random Reggie Burns E3 With Miiverse Comparison
Can we get a Rawst Berry please
After reports that the world's big three console manufacturers would not be attending E3 this year (Nintendo's absence was later confirmed), we all settled into the idea of respective announcements being a little more spread across the calendar. PAX organiser ReedPop (who — full disclosure time! — is a partner of...
News Shantae Goes Half Price In WayForward's 'Last Chance' 3DS And Wii U eShop Sale
Mighty Switch Force 1 & 2 also discounted
With the 3DS and Wii U eShops closing in less than a month, WayForward has joined a growing list of publishers discounting their games for one last sale before the end. There are a number of games across both platforms to go over here, including the likes of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse and Mighty Switch...
Friday3rd Mar 2023
Update: Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 for Wii U taken offline
Update [Fri 3rd Mar, 2023 15:30 GMT]: Nintendo has announced that it has begun temporary emergency maintenance on Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U. While unconfirmed, it's heavily speculated that the maintenance - which at the time of writing has no time frame attached to it - is...
Thursday16th Feb 2023
News You'll Have One Year To Transfer Funds Once 3DS & Wii U eShops Close, Says Nintendo
Get that Nintendo ID linked!
Ahead of the 3DS and Wii U eShop closures next month, Nintendo of Europe has shared a reminder on Twitter on what you can do in the lead up and aftermath of the end of the services. Importantly, Nintendo has clarified that you'll have until March 2024 to merge 3DS and Wii U eShop funds with your Nintendo Account. In
Tuesday24th Jan 2023
Random This Nintendo Direct Feels Incredibly Quaint Just 10 Years On
Wind Waker HD! Virtual Console! Mr Iwata!
It's an easy business to sit and discuss the failures of the Wii U — lacking purpose, chunky design, confusing name — but what about its successes? It's a much shorter list, we'll admit, but one of the things that many of us will agree on is its stellar games library (we mean, just look at how many have...
Friday20th Jan 2023
Talking Point In 2023, Do You Still Care About amiibo?
Or are you amiibored?
Nintendo's amiibo line has been going for over eight years now. Originally launched back on November 21st, 2014 in North America alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the toys-to-life figurine series has maintained relatively steady interest while competitors like Disney Infinity and Skylanders have completely fallen by the...
Tuesday10th Jan 2023
Random Indie Dev Giving Away Free Game Codes Until Nintendo Closes Wii U & 3DS eShops
Both eShops will close this March
It's now officially 2023 and that means we're getting closer to the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops. The last part of the closure will take place on 27th March 2023 and after this you'll no longer be able to purchase in-game content, download demos, add funds or redeem download codes. In response to this, indie...
Monday2nd Jan 2023
Soapbox After 10 Years I Finally Got A Wii U, Here’s What I Thought
The good, the bad, and the ugly
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, following up on his piece from a few weeks back, Jim delivers his verdict on the ten-year-old console and how it holds up in 2022 ... Picture the scene. The year...
Saturday24th Dec 2022
Full server shutdowns could be coming sooner than you think, too
Over the holidays we're republishing some choice features from the last 12 months. A mix of talking points, interviews, opinion pieces and more from NL staff and contributors, you'll find our usual blend of thoughtfulness, expertise, frivolity, retro nostalgia, and — of course —...
Thursday1st Dec 2022
Soapbox Xenoblade Chronicles X's Influence Is Bigger Than You Think
So why is it *still* stuck on the Wii U?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, on the 5th anniversary of Xenoblade Chronicles 2's release, Alana wants to celebrate the influence of its predecessor and series spin-off... Xenoblade...
Thursday24th Nov 2022
Video Nintendo Land Will Likely Never Come To Switch, But That's Okay
Catching up on the Wii U launch title
The Wii U had a pretty dull launch line-up, all told. There, we said it. Between the likes of New Super Mario Bros. U, ZombiU, and Mass Effect 3, there was a general consensus that while all of these games are undoubtedly good, they didn't exactly set the world on fire and justify the Wii U as a "must-have"...
Monday21st Nov 2022
Video Remembering 10 Years Of Wii U
Looking back on the console's launch and legacy
The Wii U is now ten years old. Crazy, right? The successor to the WIi launched back in November 2012 to - shall we say - lukewarm reception. Nevertheless, for fans of Nintendo, it remains a quaint and beloved entry to the company's console line-up, introducing the likes of Splatoon, Xenoblade...
Friday18th Nov 2022
Feature Wii U Memories - Our Pre-Launch Thoughts On Nintendo's Charming Misstep
You Wii-n some, U lose some
It's the 10th anniversary of the Wii U's North American launch and to mark the occasion we invited erstwhile Nintendo Life editor and all-around thoroughly nice chap Thomas Whitehead to reminisce about the machine, the time he first got his hands on it, and the hot takes he had pre-launch... The Wii U is now 10 years...
Guide 50 Best Wii U Games Of All Time
As ranked by you
Remember, this ranking is based on each game's User Rating in our games database, and is therefore subject to real-time change even as you read this! If you rated the Wii U games you've played, feel free to do so now and potentially alter the ranking below. Enjoy! Despite our affection for the console, there's no denying that Wii...
Thursday17th Nov 2022
Feature Wii U Vs. Switch - How Did Those Nintendo Hardware Reveal Trailers Compare?
A lesson in the importance of first impressions
With the Wii U turning ten years old (crikey, we're really starting to feel old now), it's only natural that we're finding ourselves looking back at the console that's graciously gifted so much of its previously-exclusive software to its successor. Where did things really go wrong? What did we like...
