Best First-Party Wii U Games

3. Splatoon (Wii U)

In a sea of rock-solid single-player Nintendo experiences, Splatoon stood out as being an utterly sublime multiplayer endeavour. Everything is knitted beautifully and seamlessly together to create what is quite simply some of the most fun you can have online.

The single-player elements and the local multiplayer also presented a way to enjoy the game when you're not geared up for the chaos that comes from fighting others online, and provided a useful reprieve if your internet cut out.

Indeed, the formula was potent enough for Nintendo to repeat it more or less verbatim in its Switch sequel, but Splatoon got away with it by being easily the freshest shooter we'd played in years.

2. Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Mario Kart 8 took a while to arrive, but was worth the wait. The vehicles and racers have never handled better, the collection of courses is possibly the best ever, while replayability through Ghost Races or — primarily — online races and Tournaments is almost endless.

While the Deluxe version on Switch would include all the DLC, add the missing Battle Mode and polish everything until it glistened, the brilliant base game is largely unchanged. Mario Kart 8 was an accomplished effort that pushed the franchise forward in thrilling ways, and regardless of the version you play, you're guaranteed a great time.

1. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U)

Nintendo breathed new life into The Wind Waker in this HD remaster, taking its timeless art style and giving it a glorious high-def sheen and also making worthwhile improvements to previously flawed aspects of the original. Sailing across the Great Sea, discovering new islands, and exploring exciting dungeons — the designs of which still shine even today – has never been more fun than on Wii U.

Nintendo could have done more in certain areas — there really isn’t anything substantial in the way of new content — and the updated lighting, though lovely in its own right, is not necessarily 'better'; it's heavy on the bloom compared to the sublime original.

Still, The Wind Waker was never in need of a drastic overhaul; this refinement made welcome tweaks that brought it more in line with modern standards. A great game made (for the most part) even greater, then.