Wii U Wins "Deals Award" For Being One Of The Best Kids Items This Holiday Season

Bring it on!

Being third after PS4 und Xbox One kind of means Wii U lost...

Free online, best exclusive games (matter of opinion I realise), decent amount of top third party games to keep you busy, backwards compatible, proper off screen play, very low and attractive price for bundles, games found very cheap also, attractive console for kids, families and IMO, adult demographic too......I still think it's best value for money too for what it offers compared to the other two (and no, nothing against them), at least from the prices I've seen here in the UK anyway.

@manu0 it still beat Ouya, so 3rd out 4 then, lol!

manu0 - They're not competing for the same customers. The Wii U is VERY different from the PS4 and Xbox One.

@progx Indeed

Just like the 3DS before it (and DS handhelds too), I believe many of the naysayers began their negative tone without even playing a single game on the system. Its easy to diss a Nintendo system as "kiddie" early on knowing that "more powerful" systems are on their way. Lack of advertising while the PSbox over-saturated theirs didn't help either all summer/early autumn. But its hard to ignore a 5-star/AAA/2 thumbs up Mario title, price point bundles that are an excellent value, backwards compatibility, and other features like the VC, free online and Miiverse. Now, I realize that these were all things that should've been ready to go LAST Christmas (don't get me started on the handling of the VC), for some reason Big N dropped the ball on that last year. It is still nice to see some positive news daily though.

My 8 yr old son has that Rainbow Loom on his list - they are very hard to come by this holiday.

Even though we have a Wii U already I was considering buying him the Skylanders bundle for $259 at TRU since the game is $50 anyway (well $75 but I was never paying that). I thought we could multiplayer in the house but there really isn't enough to justify 2 right now. And the tv in my bedroom is still DVI and 720P so the Wii U isn't getting hooked up to it. I was considering it though.

Thing abut the Wii U - it can win whatever awards and be on all the lists in the world, but people still need to buy it. NY Giants, Knicks and Nets know all about spending money and looking good on paper (Jets never look good on paper) but not getting the job done. I'm not too worried about the Wii U turning into another Dreamcast, MK8 and SSB will help keep this dream alive, but I'm not expecting a lot of 3rd party ports anytime soon. I'm still waiting for W_D Wii U to be canceled.

@electrolite77 Of course they are competing for customers who wish to play games, thats the broadest category it can fall under obviously there is TONS of crossover. Once you funnel it down, you will see that the Wii U is very much not aiming to directly compete with the Xbox and PS4 and is positioning itself away from them.

I still have yet to get a Wii U......

"Hey guys, I'm still a thing. Remember me?" -Ouya

None of this means much to me. I own a Wii U for Nintendo and third party games but a lot of gamers don't. I plan on gettin my PS4 and XBone around July when all the bugs are worked out. Getting a system that just came out with no killer app is weird to me. If WatchDogs was coming out, I woulda bit the bullet and got my PS4 but it was cancelled and so was my PS4. I'll be getting Black Flag on my Wii U for Christmas though. It's a great system when developers put the time in it.

@Artwark that... brings tears to my eyes.... Sniff... what a poor, horrible existince you live out...

"...grade-A first-party fare like Pikmin 3 and The Wonderful 101".

Good to see you're mentioning the 101. Great way to keep your readers happy.

The Wii U turned 1 year old today in Europe and I have to say I had an amazing year. Looking forward to what 2014 will bring.

@rjejr "Thing abut the Wii U - it can win whatever awards and be on all the lists in the world, but people still need to buy it. NY Giants, Knicks and Nets know all about spending money and looking good on paper (Jets never look good on paper) but not getting the job done."

Silence in the audience...1 stands up and starts clapping…everyone joins in (standing ovation)....its like u read my mind!

My son and I have enough games until DKCTF plus SSB4 and MK8…even though its been a rough year for the WiiU with Wonderful 101, Pikmin 3, Mario 3DW, and WindwakerHD we are happy campers

Pachter is right about one thing: Nintendo is very unpredictable

How on earth can the PS4 & X1 be rated higher than the Wii U when neither of them have any games worth playing ?

I just can't work that one out

@I-AM-REGGIE It's called preference ever heard of that?

@manu0 who cares what the dudebro gamers think about systems? The core market is limited at best. We already knew the Wii U would fail to excite among this crowd.. Mario isn't cool to this crowd, never was, they want more shooters among this crowd

Being picked as the third best toy for kids is a far more important stat of this article..... Far more parents have money this Xmas than broke-@$$ gamers who want a ps4/xBone. Once the ps4/xBone burn through the demand of people that want to upgrade, who will be continuing to buy them? I don't see expensive consoles without any compelling software having any momentum after the initial pent up launch demand sells through. Parents won't buy these in large enough numbers when cheaper alternatives exist.

Exactly how many people do you think want to upgrade just for the sake of upgrading? Without any compelling software available I just can't see them selling gangbusters past the million or two initial buyers that are willing to purchase a games console without games. The Wii U as I recalled sold faster than the OG Wii in its first month, but without anything compelling on the system it flopped around like a dead fish for 8 months. The new systems might not go through a drought like that, but nothing compelling is available on these systems this year.

@D3athBr1ng3r187 You know when I was a child, I was taught to be respectful and that rudeness gets you no where in life...

@I-AM-REGGIE there is pent up demand for them, but beyond that, I don't see how Sony and Microsoft keep up the momentum.

Just like the Wii U sold 3 million systems from nov '12 to dec '12, people thought Nintendo had a second hit on their hands, but with no software the system (plus a $350 price tag) all but died for 8 months..... People are confusing initial numbers of ps4/xBone as sustainable after the holidays. Price plus lack of software will hold these systems back.

@BlatantlyHeroic So you give me your variable "wisdom" I thank you but it's my opinion what I stated and it stands......

@rjejr I can't see Ubisoft canceling WD, not after they already essentially ported the game over. They dumped some serious coin into making a Wii U version seperate from he ps360 versions. No matter how poorly they think it will do on Wii U, the best business course of action is to let it fly anyways to try and recoup as much as the development costs as it can. Advertising for the game on Wii U won't be there and they will probably print a minimum number of copies for Wii U to avoid having excess stock out there.... Now about other ports being slated? Not likely until the system performs better.

If it turns into a Nintendo only exclusive box I will still enjoy the system immensely and get the other games on PC

@D3athBr1ng3r187 One person's preference is not the be all and end all of what makes one thing better than another (I like Bob Dylan better than Pink, but Pink is by far the better singer).
The only question is which console more people prefer, and that's one that will take time to answer.

you can dance around it all you and avoid the question but the answer is wii u sold less than x1 and ps4. all this junk about how nintendo is different and is not competing means nothing. the number of units sold, not shipped. in the end i own wii u and x1 and ps4. the x1 get less use but for how long after mario 3d land is over i do not know

The Wii U isn't just the most kid friendly, its also the most consumer friendly and budget friendly. Even if you argue that PS4 and Xbox One are better, they aren't better value for money at their much higher price.

@MadAdam81 Really I don't give a damn because I have a PS4 and a Wii U which is collecting dust. I don't "fanboy" a brand and buy one console because "It's Better" than the other one I go for preference of variety games and opinion what the consoles invest to me. Now to state this same loophole I read and hear over and over is getting really annoying.

Go U! I say it's okay to say it's kid friendly BUT the truth is that I have seen more people around my age (20+) using Wii U more and more. Remember there's no just Super Mario 3D World on the console, there's a nice library of top-notch quality games as well such as Pikmin 3, TW101 and Wind Waker HD among others and the truth is that right now, 2014 is the most promising year for Wii U compared to PS4/Xbone when with both of those the most anticipated games are just Infamous: Second Son, Titanfall, Destiny (FPS, FPS everywhere, ugh) and Watch_Dogs (this one available on Wii U as well.)

@D3athBr1ng3r187 I'd ignore it, for some weird reason people can't fathom how one can enjoy both Nintendo and PlayStation products, apparently you can only own one or the other.

I'm getting the PS4 first, because more of the games on that system interest me, whereas I'm getting a Wii U next for WW HD, Wonderful 101 and SM3DW, SMB Wii U and Zelda U and any other games that come out that look good.

@TechnoEA Oh I have and I agree the same about the Sony interest the PS4 since bought I've been playing the system since day one and still love it and all the titles also I have SM3DW/Wonderful 101 which is amazing titles but It's just 2 titles for the Wii U that was barley used half of the year.

Third in console category behind PS4 and Xbox One means last place :/ C'mon wii u has a better library that frickin shooters!!!

Elephant in the room: PS4 and Xbox 1 are new gadgets, and people go crazy about new gadgets when they release. Not to mention greedy resellers waiting to capitalize on the lack of stock of said new gadgets during holidays.

When I go to Metacritic and see that the two highest rated games of November were neither on PS4 or Xbox1, then I don't worry that much.

@D3athBr1ng3r187

I call it blind loyalty to a brand, I go where the games are, good ones that is.

And like I said, PS4 & X1 fail to impress. In fact this is the first time ever that new consoles have come out and I don't want them.

"One Of The Best Kids Items" Really headlines like this do the WiiU no favours and will drive young adult and mature gamers as far away from the WiiU as they can get.
Also any developer that is still supporting the WiiU or considering supporting the WiiU with 'Hardcore' games (ie not stupid kids mini game compilations, cartoon channels licenses and dance games) will no doubt think again!

Wii U on lanuch: Sells well.
After Launch: Dies because of no games.

PS4/XBox on launch: Sells well.
After Launch: Dies because of no games.

Everybody: Waits for games to buy consoles.

It's the exact same scenario in both cases, except Wii U came out first and will have big games first.

Nintendo really has a good shot to push the Wii U to consumers this holiday season, especially given how lackluster the PS4 and Xbox One are. They have the key Nintendo exclusives, most of the major third-party titles of the holiday season(only Battlefield 4 is missing on the Wii U), free online, and a family friendly image that offers something for everyone.

More importantly, Nintendo needs to be shouting from the rooftops that the Wii U is a gaming machine first and foremost. There is no silly fantasy football, TV guides, or other things. It's not trying to be a PC in a box that sits on top of your TV. Its just a gaming machine that has Nintendo's first-party games, major third-party titles like Assasin's Creed IV, Batman: Arkham Orgins, and Call of Duty Ghosts along with their retro offerings and some video services.

I'll be honest, I'm not buying this year(due to cost) but the Wii U has started to win me over as a consumer. The PS4 and Xbox One don't look like they offer anything that's a step up from the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Nintendo needs to be aggressive and attack Sony and Microsoft. Both are suffering from issues where consumers are not impressed with their new systems, and now is the time for Nintendo to strike before the second wave of games arrives on those system that might win back consumers.

Now is not the time for the conservative Nintendo. I would love to see the "Play it Loud" Nintendo that took the fight to Sega back in the 90s. Where is that Nintendo? They have a good opening to take advatage, they just need to act.

@AdanVC Not to mention, many of the holiday's top third-party games made it to the Wii U alongside some exclusives like Sonic Lost World. People tend to forget that Assassin's Creed IV, Batman: Arkham Orgins, and Call of Duty Ghosts are all on the Wii U. Battlefield 4 is the only one that's missing, but the Wii U got Sonic: The Lost World which no other console(besides the 3DS) has.

People love to go on and on about how the third-party support is bad, but its pretty decent all things considered. Many of the major third-party titles are making their way to the Wii U, and there are even some exclusives that can't be found anywhere else.

While this is still far below the SNES level of third-party support, its somewhat comparable to the support the Gamecube had. Honestly, the Wii and N64's third-party support can't hold a candle to the Wii U's support so far.

This gets forgotten when people discuss Nintendo's games. The third-party titles are there and many of them are quite good.

Here we are again with hating on the other systems. LOL Some of you are too much. I'm not even going to go any further here by saying what is what. Just enjoy the system you are on WITHOUT having to bash the others to make your console look good...or make excuses about why they are struggling.

Anyway, I have to say it here....Super Mario World 3D is one of the best games I've played in a long time. I have so much fun with it. I can't believe I'm almost done. I'm on the last world with all the stars, stamps, and gold flags collected up to the current stage on the last world. I definitely recommend it.

im glad Wii U is picking keep up the good work nintendo so is anyone excited for X

@Rafie ikr lol im enjoying Wii U and ps4 they look really good in my game collection

@Rafie i love 3d world glad to see mario still got it

aww man i just beat 3d world the fun ended

@LDXD dude the new zelda was amazing it reminded me of the old zeldas

@LDXD im waiting for a metriod for Wii U i wanna see samus in HD

@Luigi789

With or without an online mode ?

consider wii u a toy is offensive....what have a kid to do with ninja gaiden razor's edge?
Nintendo why did we reach this point?
I think kids will buy ps4, kids in 2013 are not like kids in 1980
Kids have smartphones, there is no space for toy console, nintendo should understand that nowdays vgames are adult business

@I-AM-REGGIE i don't know if they put online it might effect the story i mean just look at call of duty it has good online but terrible story, but who knows i'll like to see nintendo try it to see how it goes

@LDXD that would be awesome , we also need star fox

The fact is the Wii U actually won the 3rd Place award for the best kids toy which sadly show that the system is a kiddy system which is kinda sad to me which I didn't see the system as this but this is fate.

just wait until bayonneta 2 comes out it might change that but who knows

@Rafie
Agreed

i was at the same checkout as everyone buying the ps4 on friday and i was alot happier with my super mario 3d world its one of the best games this decade

@S7eventhHeaven

LMFAO. I cancelled my PS4 pre-order coz there's nothing at this time that screams to me I need a new £350 console to play nothing on. Every game I want is out for the Wii U. My brother kept his order though and we went together to collect it together Friday morning, and low and behold, just like you said, everyone in there is handing over hundreds of pounds for their new console, my brother included, and then there was me, proudly purchasing my copy of Super Mario 3D World, and announcing that this was where the REAl fun began lol. I did get some glares when some customers overheard that I had cancelled my order. They couldn't understand why lol.

Hark doth I hear the sounds of children, and adults enjoying their Wii U this Christmas.

I'll always be a PC gamer at heart, but when it comes to consoles, I go Nintendo because they aren't afraid to push the envelope. Plus, many of my fav games of all time have the word Mario in them (I still remember the feeling SM64 gave of being able to explore a 3D world, for example). I did have an Xbox 360 for a time, but other than the excellent Fable 2, there was really no reason to own one since practically everything else was also for PC, and you don't have to pay gold membership just to freaking use the internet. Oh, and I love the Wii U thanks to Super Mario 3D World (the VC release of Earthbound helps too!)

@element187

who cares what the dudebro gamers think about systems?

You must do else you wouldn't be posting.

The Wii U is aimed at Kids and casual gamers thats more or less fact, where as the PS4 is aimed more towards adults and so god knows how you come to this conclusion.

Far more parents have money this Xmas than broke-@$$ gamers who want a ps4/xBone.

unless you mean you yourself taking it that your an adult that is? and god knows why you think family's are made of money with other priority's. After the launch window its 2014 so software not a problem Q1 onwards, when rambling use logic not nonsense.

@banacheck my systems, C64, MasterSystem, SNES, GBA, Saturn, Dreamcast, GameCube, Wii, DS, 3DS, & I bought a Wii U on Friday. I'm neither a child or a casual gamer, I'm a parent of two and trust me I don't have money to burn, but myself & my daughter will get plenty of enjoyment & value from my new purchase when it arrives, I'm sure of that

@banacheck "The Wii U is aimed at Kids and casual gamers thats more or less fact"

Well, you can put it that way, but in all factual honesty the Wii U is actually aimed more towards families. Nintendo has always aimed more for the quality games that families can all enjoy together. And with the case of Wii U, it has the best of both worlds--games that kids and their parents can enjoy together (and everyone else in between because their games are fun like that) and games that are safe enough for older kids and adults to enjoy too.

The thing that separates Nintendo's games from the other kid-friendly attempts from companies that only know how to make violent games, is that Nintendo still knows how to make a fun family-friendly experience. That's what sets Nintendo apart and gives Wii U a fighting chance.

@manu0 So by your thinking, the PS3 lost last timr, as it sold less overall than Xbox 360? Idiotic fanboyism thinking.

Sony president came out and said he is sure Wii U will go on to be a success, and is sure Nintendo has a positive future. Of course he does, he want to see what innovation they come up with next, so they can try and rip if off again. The new CEO at Microsoft already said he would sell both Xbox and Bing for the right money, as they are both bleeding money out of Microsoft. So, Xbox might be owned by Apple or Google next year sometime, and Sony are waiting to see what Nintendo come up with next!!!! Well done both of you...... lol.

@linktothepichu It says a lot does it not. Xbox ONE and PS4 launch with their killer titles (rather lack of), and the opinion of virtually ALL respectable magazine and sites, is, that the FIRST TRUE NEXT GEN title is.......... Mario 3D World. Just shows, Nintendo still has the knowledge and creativity to make the best games you can play. Dead Rising 3 was supposed to be the big title on ONE, yeah, they called it that because at time you only get around 3 FPS.

@akaDv8R well, it seems that the special new feature of new game systems is expected poor games! I love nintendo land and nsmbu, but big N should'a waited for super 3d world instead. with MK8, SSB4, DK, and if it is real, yoshi yarn, i will get no other system.

Of course PS4 and Xbox One topped the Wii U- those consoles are "what's popular", so things like, ya know- overheating issues at launch, blue AND red lights of death, game-breaking glitches, not reading discs while making loud scratching noises, having literally squat for games, top 2 launch and launch window games delayed, etc... those things don't come into consideration one bit. Nor does the fact those consoles cost $100 and $200 more, PLUS a game, PLUS an annual subscription. Nope, all that matters is that's what's in, and Nintendo's not.

That's the harsh reality of the situation, unfortunately. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm excited for the other consoles as much as the next guy, heck I had my PS4 pre ordered back in September. But not because I "had" to play it. On the contrary, I don't play it at all, not when it's in the same room as the Wii U. I bought it in preparation of future game releases over the course of the 8th gen.

People talked so much trash about Wii U for not having any must-have games during it's first few months (and even then, there was NSMBU which is a must-have game), yet, it's perfectly ok for the other 2 consoles to have squat. Even with the Wii U's lower price, included game, spanning and impressive library, free online, backwards compatibility and being the only next gen system to differ from the last gen instead of getting a simple graphical overhaul, it's still named last among the consoles. I wonder why that is? Isn't based on actual logic or value or game selection, that's for **** sure!