A little while ago I wrote an editorial called 'Losing It All - When a Wii U's External Hard Drive Dies', in which I recounted the tale of just that very thing happening to me. I bemoaned the weird setup of Nintendo's data management on the home console and in particular its treatment of save data, which rather bizarrely is less advanced than on 3DS. The short version of the story was that my hard drive had died, and that was the end of my save data unless I can find a way to retrieve it, which isn't helped by the peculiar setup of the console itself.
I had plenty of sympathy for my plight - thank you for that dear readers - and a handful of commenters lambasting me for not utilising obscure and unofficial methods to pre-emptively create backups for my data before my hard drive decided to stop working. Some did also try to help with practical suggestions for those that want to try and backup their save data now, albeit they're fiddly and awkward solutions that I can't really try out with the dead drive.
Well, the brief update is that I haven't been able to resolve the problem yet, and have little intention of trying too hard due to the fact (mentioned in the original article) that I don't feel inclined to spend money (right now, anyway) on another hard drive for the system. I'm saving up for NX (of course!) and the inevitable extra storage that'll probably require, and also for boring grown up things like a house. As said before, I hope Nintendo joins the 21st Century and supports instinctive save backups both manual (like on 3DS) and via the cloud (like PS4, Steam and lots of other things) on its next system.
In any case, I've tried to laugh it off, mainly as life's too short to cry over lost save data. The flipside, too, is that I'm quite enthused by the idea of slowly chipping away at my catalogue and replaying some of my favourite Wii U games. I'm aware that sounds strange as I could do that with my old save data anyway, so let me explain a little.
I have a bit of a peculiar psychology when it comes to game completion (or maybe it isn't just me, let me know in the comments) in that I'm not a fan of replaying levels and saves that have already been cleared. So, for example, a Mario stage with collectibles that are greyed out / transparent because I already have them disappoints me on a small, minor level, nibbling away at me as I nevertheless dash for the flagpole. I do replay levels when chasing collectables and extras, I'm not so weird that I won't, but collecting something or hitting an objective for the first time is a feeling that can't be replaced.
I'm aware it's bizarre, and it's also minor, but the loss of save data has me considering the fact that I can spend a little spare time in the next 3-6 months revisiting some of my favourite Wii U games with fresh saves. First up has been Mario Kart 8, which I've jumped into in 30 minute sessions; it's arguably the best Mario Kart game yet, and certainly better than its home console predecessor on Wii. There's a little thrill in unlocking cups, characters and customisations, making it feel new. I'm aware it's all in my head, but it's been a lot of fun doing that all over again.
Next on my list is Super Mario 3D World, a game I will defend until my dying day as a fantastic entry in the series. I think a problem some may have had with it was that it wasn't Super Mario Galaxy 3, and I can appreciate that perspective, but I still love it. I've already beaten it at least twice in different saves (green stars look better than transparent stars, remember?) but plan to give it yet another whirl.
Another one I want to try again is Pikmin 3, a looker of a game that's also lovely to play. To my shame, I haven't actually beaten it all the way before - I simply didn't quite make it. Sometimes life, other games, work and a mixture of the three distract me from a game for a few weeks, and then I find it tough to go back. I feel like this one deserves a clearance.
There are others on my list for a revisit on fresh save data too, though realistically there's no chance I'll clear them all - in some cases I'll maybe play the first few levels for a nostalgia kick. Rayman Legends will get another go, most definitely Bayonetta 2, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Yoshi's Woolly World. Maybe a bit of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker just for the charm of it; these are just games I plan to play again soon, this isn't a 'best Wii U games' list, remember. A number of these are download copies, so the limited space on the Wii U may even force me to be disciplined and only re-download one or two at a time, rather than falling into the great backlog trap that haunted my Wii U pre-hard drive disaster, and which still lingers on my ridiculously crowded libraries of games on the likes of 3DS, PC and PS4.
What I've come to appreciate, having seen all my downloaded game logos disappear from my console, is how much I've enjoyed the Wii U library (and how much I miss those logos). The eShop, it must be said, has also been a massive part of this. I've loved Wii U-exclusives like NES Remix and Affordable Space Adventures, but in a number of cases had plenty of games that were multi-platform but offered a little extra on the system (through GamePad features or Director's Cut versions). Sometimes I'd buy eShop versions of Indie games just to support the platform, as download-only games are so important to the modern Nintendo gaming system experience.
Thinking about the Wii U line-up, and all of the games I want to re-download and/or play again on disc, I realise that it's up there with my favourite consoles ever, battling near the top of the list. I also realise that, pound-for-pound, I think I've had more pleasure from the Wii U over the past four years (just under, but close) than I arguably did with the Wii in the last generation. I'm not sure the best Wii U games are better than the best Wii games - after all, Wii had the likes of Galaxy 1 and 2 and Metroid Prime Trilogy - but I think I've enjoyed more sustained and varied gaming on Wii U. This Summer, in actual fact, was the first period I can remember where I wasn't playing the system as much or more than 3DS and PS4.
I am a little saddened by the fate that's befallen the Wii U - abysmal sales, mocked by some, drifting towards discontinuation before its 4th Birthday. Yet my own memories of it and my ongoing opinion of its games remain entirely positive. I'll happily go to bat for it until the end times - there's a reasonably-sized batch of top-notch retail games, and an eShop that's been home to some fantastic Indie and 'Nindie' efforts. It does, I think beyond debate, have some wonderful top-tier games, many of which can't be found on any other hardware.
Ultimately, history won't be kind to Wii U, and it'll be termed (on various metrics) a failure by many. I'll bemoan its flaws and the mistakes that crippled its chances of success, but I'll always talk up its games and how a lot of those games make me feel. I'll treasure memories of family sessions in MK8 or Nintendo Land, along with thousands of solo hours playing its best titles, big and small.
Objectively speaking its a failed console. In my eyes, however, it's been a delight that I'll revisit in years to come, right after I've inevitably succumbed to buying a new hard drive to backup all those retail downloads.
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No mention of Xenoblade Chronicles X? That is, by far, my favorite game on the Wii U so far.
A marketing and commercial failure, maybe. But Wii U is a great console with an amazing library. Maybe not the best in terms of innovation, but it has titles that give you many hours of enjoyment, easily.
Wii U always be in my heart, no matter what people said.
Even my Wii U games not so many as Wii, I still love it.
I agree with a lot of the choices though a few more should be added. I notice they're all Wii U exclusive(or Nintendo platform exclusive) with one exception, Rayman Legends which was meant to be an exclusive and speaking of which from Ubisoft as well, ZombiU. Actually scratch that, that didn't remain an exclusive either, eventually. In keeping with your list, another great exclusive is Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. There's first party games missing too like Xenoblade Chronicles X, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros. Wii U and The Wonderful 101. Quite a lot missing. And then there are others, some might say Tokyo Mirage Sessions.
Edit: I forgot Splatoon. You really need to be looking at the games in front of you or you'll miss something.
Edit no.2: I left out Super Mario Maker. How did I do that? It's my favourite Wii U game and makes the greatest use of the gamepad.
I can totally relate to your psychological method related to gaming. Im actually quite similar in that, I tend to enjoy the 'new' aspect of gaming. When I was younger id replay the same games tons of times. These days i get new games all the time and tend to refrain from retreading the same ground. Part of it is OCD, but another part could simply be habitual;]
@Royalblues Wonderful 101
The Wii U was doomed from the start, and lacked a vision from Nintendo themselves. But for me, the integration of Miiverse as a friendly, good natured community with whom to share the great gaming experiences I've enjoyed this generation will go down as my defining memories of the Wii U.
Mario Kart 8 until 4am. Magic.
@abbyhitter XCX and Hyrule Warriors are probably my 2 favorite games. W101 was great as well, except for a few Gamepad features I didn't like. And of course Splatoon. And I'll be starting Bayonetta 2 once the NY Mets season ends, hopefully not too soon. I re-played B1 end of August when I thought their season was over.
A warning for wanting cloud saves on NX. PS4 cloud saves cost $60 per year via PS+. (It went up from $50 last Thursday.) That might have been worth noting in the article. Storage did go up to 10GB from 1GB last September though. Xbox One is free and automatic, so lets cross our fingers for that model. Online is still $60 per year though.
A wii u is for anyone who thoroughly enjoys gaming. Yea, pc has an amazing and diverse library. But next gen consoles are not very diverse as Nintendo. being that a wii u has wii vc and disc games, wiiware, eshop and the amazing wii u exclusives like some named above and many more, I have amassed over 300 games for mine and will never stop using it. No matter what nx is, I'm getting a spare wii u for the day mine dies. I have a 1TB hdd Nd would buy another in a heart beat if mine died. And I would enjoy every minute of replaying old games
Imho the wiiu has an amazing library. Since that was my first nintendo console since the n64 it gave me the opportunity to experience lots of wii and vc games. Logically my backlog has become enormous. I like the wii u so much that I even boughy a second one just to be on the safe side.
No matter how great this console is it could have been much better if nintendo hadnt gone the cheap out way and invested more into specs than into a controller which was unnecessary and its cons definitely outweighed its pros. There could have also been more games by nintendo like metroid wave race and tons more. I just hope the nx will not fail and that nintendo will strike the right chords.
I agree, the Wii U has definitely been a case of quality over quantity. I think Smash Bros, Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon form a perfect trifecta of multiplayer greatness, and single player experiences like Bayonetta 2, Pikmin 3 and Mario 3D World (I didn't play it in multiplayer) are all stellar. I'm even a sucker for Wonderful 101 and Star Fox Zero, though they're not as popular. And the eShop has a great amount of gems too!
Despite who poorly the console sold, I'll never regret purchasing it. And i've still got games to purchase, like TMS, WW HD, Lego City Undercover, and Fast Racing Neo to name a few. I have a feeling I'll be playing with this console for a while.
The WiiU has some of my favorite games from past years. Splatoon, Mario Kart 8, the gorgeous Wind Waker remake, Pikmin 3, Tropical Freeze, SSB4 and Mario Maker. Yes, I am one of the people who find SM3DW rather bland for its linear and NSMB-oriented design and gameplay - although I do recognize it as a good game... just not great on a Mario 3D standard.
As an overall console, however, it's not really my favorite for whatever reason. I don't know but the Gamepad just felt unneccessary to me in most cases and I more often than not used the Classic Pro instead. Or it's just the first console I've bought as an adult and wasn't blown away by its capabilities? Or it was the huge gaps in-between games that drove me away from WiiU and to PS4/3DS? I don't know. I'm more amazed at its library than the console itself tbh. You may take that however you want but WiiU is not a system I boot up and then look for what to play there (like is the case with PS4/3DS and many past consoles) but rather the other way around. Geez, I'm getting philosopical again. Sorry about that, hope you all have a lovely day.
Nice summation, Thomas. There are so many quality games on the Wii U. Yes, it was a commercial failure, but it has and continues to offer great gaming experiences. Splatoon, MK8 and The Bayonettas were some of my best gaming experiences ever . . . and I still have yet to play Rayman, Pikmin 3 (both sitting in my closet for a rainy day) and other titles people here have enjoyed.
Also, Mario 3D World was flawed in many ways. No 3D hub world, short obstacle course style worlds, unnecessary pop up and lag, graphically underwhelming, a broken multiplayer concept and to me, a generally unmemorable Mario game.
I enjoyed it, but it doesn't mean anything to me.
My list of uncompleted Wii U games is embarrassing. I need to try to clear them down while I wait for NX. I did really well completing Wii games after it died but I keep finding myself playing SSFII when I turn on my U
Splatoon is Wii U's defining game by far.
Not an strange mindset at all about replaying games. I'm much the same. It's why I was mildly disappointed to find Capt. Toad did away with the usual Nintendo format of at least 3 separate files to use. Once you find all the gems, the game knows you're done. And again you can replay as much as you want if you don't mind grabbing glass versions of the gems, but it just doesn't feel as good.
I routinely erase completed files to start over with games I enjoy replaying (although I'm leaving my 5 shimmering stars on SM3DW slot 1 alone), so I can go through again.
It's not just the transparent collectibles, though. Paths that open on the world map as you go are never seen again until you replay on a fresh file. It may all seem trivial and irrelevant, but it makes a difference.
"Xenoblade Chronicles X" alone is worth the console purchase alone! Of course thankfully I have 95 other boxed games and plenty of eShop gems also to play around. I recall the GameCube was too a failed console and I still play it nowadays. So never mind the numbers, we are not share holders, we are gamers and a lot of gaming is exactly what I did (and still am doing, jut got "Fast Racing Neo" and "Steam World Collection") on my Wii U.
Completely unrelated, but I miss the retro Mario sequence when downloading games on the original Wii. They should have done similar on the Wii U and 3DS eShops.
@Jimsbo
I'm the same way. A game like Super Mario World is just not the same unless you start over fresh and have to try and remember how to unlock the secret worlds, paths, and shortcuts. Plus the charm of the little cutscenes and animations you get when you clear a world.
@Shiryu I agree, I got more enjoyment out of that one game than any other game I've ever played, except maybe the Pokemon series if it's counted as a whole. I played X for several hundred hours across thee save files myself, 100%'ed the game twice...And I still want a sequel, asap. The story needs to be finished and I need to see more of Mira!
@abbyhitter I like it, but there's no way I'm starting Xenoblade Chronicles X again
BACKIN UP SAVES :
Ninny = hard way:
Copy some game data to another pendrive, delete files, leaving only save data. Repeat.
May take some time, but it`s the only way.
RE all - This wasn't meant to be a list of the best Wii U games, I was just reeling off those I plan to revisit, that's all!
@Royalblues29 The Wonderful 101, another excellent game.
@bluedogrulez My name is Thomas, right there at the top of the page
" Super Mario 3D World, a game I will defend until my dying day as a fantastic entry in the series"
I love you so much. So many people hate this game for the reason you stated. It makes no sense to me. This game was not striving to be an "open world" objective based puzzle collectathon (with little platforming), so why compare it to 64? Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVED 64 and Galaxy, but 3D World really captured the best of Mario to me. It's actually my favorite Mario game, and I have been playing Mario games since the early 90s (Super Mario All Stars was my first video game).
Best games lineup since the SNES. MK8, SM3DW, DKTF, W101, Yoshi, Xenoblade, Hyrule Warriors, the Zelda Remasters, Cpt Toad, Pokken... AND TWO DOSES OF BAYONETTA!!!
Meanwhile on my PS4... well, there's a lot of dust....
Well, the fact the article stopped before I even felt like I'd started properly scrolling down through it is probably rather telling.
Ah, the Wii U. I remember the one faithful day- November 16th, 2013, the day I got my NSMBU + NSLU console...
And since that day came Wind Waker HD...
and then Super Mario 3D World...
and then Mario Kart 8...
and then Pikmin 3, and Smash Wii U, and NES Remix, and Kirby & the Rainbow Curse, and Treasure Tracker, and Splatoon, and Yoshi's Woolly World, and Mario Tennis, and Star Fox Zero, and Tokyo Mirage Cessions, and Minecraft Wii U, and most recently Paper Mario: X Color Splash (preloading FTW!). I've yet to play a game that I haven't like on this system (yes, even Ultra Smash and Color Splash).
But there's one thing that has really supplanted this system in my memory...
Super Mario Maker
These games all have levels of creativity and fun that no other collection of games can boast. And while, of course, the Wii U has had its flaws, it'll always remain a favorite to me.
I to, have unfinished games like Pikmin 3 where I've almost got to the end but haven't gone back to them due to other games and not having time. With the lack of upcoming games, now will be a good time to finish them.
Wii U is definitely one of the best consoles I have owned. With all of the awesome Wii U games, plus all the great Wii games I kept to play on it, and all of the eshop and Virtual Console games (including NES, SNES, Master System, Genesis, TurboGrafx, N64, Neo Geo, GBA, DS) I have a large chunk of all the best games I have played over the course of 30+ years of gaming all on one console! Of course the glaring omission being the Gamecube games.
@impurekind All the article was was him grieving over the loss of his Wii U saves and then listing the games he is going to replay.
The real discussion is in the comments (as always).
@HappyMaskedGuy +1 for Miiverse. I particularly loved it in WW HD, it both added a new sharing mechanic just for fun, while at the same time easing the figurine collection process. Super Mario 3D world and Mario Maker also greatly benefit from Miiverse.
@dsanch There are people who hate SM 3D World? I'm honestly surprised. It's a super fun game, and it pretty much perfected co-op in a Mario game. My only gripe with it is that some items like the helicopter-block are underused compared to 3D Land, in favor of the cat suit, but even that is just a minor complaint.
Splatoon's the best!!!!!!!
The Wii U, whilst being a failure commercially, was a console that introduced Nintendo to the modern era of HD graphics and downloadable content, not to mention post launch support. It also toys with the idea of handheld/console interconnectivity and the NFC chip brought us a whole line of Nintendo toys in the form of amiibo! I'll miss her so much...
Honestly, this console should of lasted a few more years. I feel that no one would really trust Nintendo now thanks to the lack of third party support and constant droughts. Heck, nothing has been done about the piracy problem the Wii U is currently having now!
Also, why wasn't this masterpiece mentioned @ThomasBW84?
For me, it all depends on the game. Mario, Sonic, to some extent Zelda, and other similar simple games are great to replay. Bigger, more involved games like the Arkham series, Assassin's Creed, and other open world games with huge stories are titles I prefer to play once for the experience
Nintendo gamecube didn't do that well either (and that was my favorite of that generation), and now look at it...the console is cheap to get a hold of but the games are crazy expensive and very rare to find all together...this comes to say the least that the Wii U will be a commercial failure, but it will also become a great rare treasure for some that want it someday down the generations...you know it will be expensive for anyone to find and the games (since they will be known as classics and also bare the 'retro' side to them) will be very expensive to find! All in all, if you keep it and have the retail games for it...don't get rid of it or the games, save them for the next 10-20 years and watch later on how much they are worth! I've made the mistake of getting rid of some of my old consoles in my lifetime, and regret it later on when I see the cost of some of the games and consoles that I owned at one time...currently, I'm having fun watching on how much some of the N64 and Gamecube titles that I own are...considering my wife and I have almost 200 titles for the gamecube. Eternal Darkness is crazy expensive! And I don't want to go on about Conker's Bad Fur Day price when I look it up.
I don't care what anyone says, I absolutely love my Wii U. I bought it the day Super Mario 3D World was released and that game is pure joy, I love it. Played it on my own, and with my family, an absolute treat from start to finish. Pikmin 3, Splatoon, Super Mario Maker, Rayman Legends, Bayonetta2, Super Smash Bros. Yoshi's Woolly World, Lego City Undercover, DKC Tropical Freeze, indie downloads and a number of virtual console releases have made it just about my favourite console of all time. Love it, my kids love it, even my partner has played it. It's played every single day in my house.
I think you and I think alike in terms of revisiting games. I've had plenty of busted games, burned out save batteries, and more that have forced me to start over on certain games. As it stands, I sort of accidentally lost my entire Wii save collection, so any of those games I've revisited have been from the start. And it's kind of nice in its own way.
But I like this article. There's a lot to love about the WiiU. It may not be as "perfect" as other systems, because it has a -lot- of problems, but at the end of the day I've bought and enjoyed way more games on the system than I have on any competitor's console. I think the rise in PC Gaming is making those kind of blanket console chases less unique and interesting. Why would I play a gimped version of a game on my PS4 when my Steam Link is right there, and runs off a more powerful computer? Nintendo doesn't really have that problem, currently.
Not really sure what the point of this is supposed to be when pretty much all of the games discussed in the article are all the big first party titles that already immediately come to mind, and like one or two eShop indie games. Where is Lego City Undercover? Where is anything that wasn't a major triple A title from Nintendo?
Some of my favorite games ever and I will revisit them often I'm sure. There were maybe 2 or 3 games that would have made it my favorite Nintendo console of all time.......N64 remains the champ for now
My feelings for the Wii U are mixed as there is a lot that I love about it, but at the same time it makes me sad that it never lived up to it's potential. That said, I think Gamecube still reigns as my favorite console of all time.
There are a lot of gems in the lineup, and a lot of flawed games that still were a lot of fun.
My favourites:
DKC:TF
Smash 4
Bayonetta 2
Splatoon
Pikmin 3
I will also defend Super Mario 3D World to my dying day as one of the greatest platforming games ever made. Champion's Road is nothing short of greatness!!!
WiiU is my favorite system hands down. No system has a higher percentage of its library that I adore more than this system. Don't get me wrong, there are previous systems that have individual games I enjoy more but no other system has me returning to the majority of its library regularly. I'm still playing nintendoland for crying out loud. Even a few entries of franchises I don't usually like have made me take a second look (Star Fox Zero and Yoshi's Wooly World) at their predecessors.
The system is a platforming haven with some very memorable RPGs to boot. I love #FE and still trying to hammer down Xenoblade x. Platinum's contributions were stellar. I couldn't put either Bayo 2 or W101 down until I beat them. Also I haven't done marathon gaming in years. This was the system that made me feel like a little kid again, when games were just fun. Splatoon and Hyrule Warriors (and Battride war II) got me to invest more time than I ever had before in their respective genres. We also got another solid Taiko no Tatsujin entry that had me drumming the night away. Pokken was the sleeper hit my fighting game soul was looking for. When I talk abut the WiiU's games I always have a smile on my face. The system may not have had a ton of games but the majority of them were fun experiences.
Add in the GBA/DS VC and the Gamepad itself and honestly it is the best investment I've made this gen.
I own about 30+ retail Wii U games and love everyone of them! Star Fox Zero has been a highlight as one of the best couch co-op games I have ever played! Also, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Directors Cut made one of my all time favorite games even better thanks to the touch-pad inventory, Map and hacking options!
Edit: Also how could I forget Xenoblade X and Tokyo Mirage Sessions as two of the best JRPG games I have played this gen! Love the Wii U hope to own a complete NA Retail collection for it at some point.
I'm not a fan of replaying levels and saves that have already been cleared. So, for example, a Mario stage with collectibles that are greyed out / transparent because I already have them disappoints me on a small, minor level, nibbling away at me as I nevertheless dash for the flagpole.
You did mention this game later, but Super Mario 3D World is the perfect example of this. It just isn't as fun playing through the game multiple times to get the character stamps. Starting over is much more fun.
...Its treatment of save data, which rather bizarrely is less advanced than on 3DS
I know this is a different topic, but when I read this, my mind immediately jumped to how the Wii U handles Wi-Fi networks. You can only use one at a time, where the 3DS can pick from three. Why did Nintendo think this was a good idea?
Yep, I definitely like to replay old games with a new save. But I don't really replay games these days. It's not a Wii U game, but the only one where I do that on anything like a regular basis is Pilotwings Resort. I find that it's chill enough (and short enough) that I want to go back and re-experience it occasionally.
Even then, I mostly replay the Free Flight Mode (plus Mission Mode far enough to unlock the full Free Flight options) and hunt down the collectibles when they're not greyed out!
Otherwise, I'll gladly replay VC games where they don't keep track of progress at all.
The biggest thing that limited me on my Wii U was technical problems related to environmental interference and how my Gamepad works (basically the Gamepad was inoperable for half my time in possession of a Wii U due to weird interference). This utterly killed the chance to play a lot of remarkable games to their fullest extent, and I was very disappointed at this.
Taking into consideration that some of these games would have been enjoyed even longer had the Gamepad worked, here's my top list:
1. Smash 4 (by far, I still play this very regularly)
2. Splatoon (haven't played this for almost a year sadly, due to Gamepad and Wi-Fi issues. But while I did, it was amazing)
3. MK8 (technically tied for 2nd, a really amazing game)
4. Super Mario Maker (also killed by Gamepad issues...saddening, since I really loved it)
5. Hyrule Warriors (a drastically different LoZ game, but a lot of fun nonetheless)
6. Super Mario 3D Land (Wasn't a major fan of this as a 3D Mario game, but it was still okay)
I'd also put remakes like LoZ: TP & WW on, but left those off to only include new games.
The Wonderful 101 is probably still my favourite WiiU game!
Splatoon is certainly a close second place though. Really close.
For all it's flaws (and there are many) I had more fun with the WiiU than I have most home consoles over the years. I think a large part of that was all the stuff Iwata was doing, making the Directs, making it feel more personal, making characters of the people at Nintendo. It felt like the fun extended beyond the games. That man will forever be an inspiration to me!
I think people will look back at the wiiu and try to understand why people didn't buy it
My favourite console so far I think it's because there's such a large amount of games available
@Ogbert I'm playing Bayonetta just now, then I'm going to play Wonderful 101, having owned it for 3 years and never touched it! I genuinely can't wait to get into it Platinum Games have really done a great service to the Wii U in the face of all those 'no third party' doom merchants. Shame more people didn't buy W101.
The Wii U has been a magical system for me. My favorites include Tokyo Mirage Sessions, Mario Kart 8, 3DWorld. Also, revisiting great Wii games (SMG, Paper Mario). Amiibo interaction has been fun too, along with Miiverse communities. I have put many hours into the console, more so than PS3/4. I intend on getting a few more years out of my Wii U. Love that little thing, lol.
@ThomasBW84: For the love of Konami, what was I thinking!?!? Please know I hold both you and Alex Olney in high esteem.
Wii U is my second least favorite Nintendo console. The library just didn't grab me, the gamepad was a hassle to use having to feel like I had to keep it plugged in , major titles were left out (Metroid, F-Zero, an exclusive Zelda, a true 3D Mario, etc). What's there is admittedly good, sometimes amazing even, but it's just not enough for me.
Pikmin 3 was Fantastic though, as was Mario Kart 8, Yoshi's Woolly World, Toads Treasure Tracker and the biggest surprise of all - Splatoon. They definitely hit home runs with those games.
But the system was also very disappointing to me. Mario 3D World was good but forgettable (as was NSMBU). Hyrule Warriors and 2 HD ports of old Zelda games was not a good replacement for an actual Zelda title. Metroid had no representation. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse was cute but finished it in a day and never touched it again. Star Fox Zero was hugely disappointing to me, also finished in a night or two and probably will never touch again. Xenoblade X I was actually excited about but was bored to death after the first 10 hours. Mario Tennis ultra Smash was severely bland and felt lazy. Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival is almost an insult to all of us that wanted a real AC game. Wonderful 101 seemed cool at first but it just didn't hook me. And forget Bayonetta 2. I tried it only because everyone said it was Wii I'd best game but it honestly be my least favorite game of the last decade. I thought it was absolutely terrible.
But anyway.. I'm glad Wii U found some fans, it wasn't terrible, and when Nintendo hit a home run it REALLY hit a home run. But a few spectacular games just didn't fill me up.
So many trolls on NintendoLife like to comment on opinion pieces/articles etc.. as being a slow news day, as if sites are soley there to regurgitate "new" information. These things add a little depth and are an aside to the random bits of information, and give us some insight to those who work at Nintendolife. I appreciate said opinions, interviews, polls, history etc... and hope Nintendolife staff continues to show us a little bit more into their interests,/personality, after all they are people too.
I didn't like Super Mario 3D World because it was basically "New" Super Mario Bros with 3D levels.
The reason Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy are loved is because of the fantastic 3D level design, and the almost open-world feel to the main hubs and the worlds you go to.
Ignoring sales, I think that the Wii U is an infinitely better console than the Wii. I'll also confess that titles like Mario Galaxy for some reason never really worked for me, but honestly, looking at the major iterations on Nintendo's key franchises, I think that the Wii U is Nintendo's best console since the SNES. If it had sold 80 million units up to now, I'd be willing to guess lots more folks will agree, but the sales have definitely doomed the Wii U's legacy, until people go back and reflect fondly on it like many (myself included) have done with the Dreamcast.
Admittedly there are a ton of eshop game I want but haven't gotten yet since I have not had a chance to get ahold of some eshop money
Already got a spare Wii U (bought it used in great condition). Even thinking about picking up a third, just in case.
@Crimzonlogic I hope I have the clarity of mind to write a huge feature article about it for NL before the year comes to an end . did you read my previous one? If you haven't , here you go:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/12/feature_there_and_back_again_-_a_xenoblade_tale
The WiiU was just a stop-gap and beta test for NX.
It is still my favorite console, with excellent versions of many franchise games... if only a few more titles could have found their way to it, it would easily be the best console ever (still might be for me).
The Wii U had me at Nintendo Land if I'm being honest.
It's tough to judge a console and compare it on it's own merits objectively and probably useless to do so.
When I think back on my love of one console or another it's usually inexorably tied to people. My wife and two kids and I played Nintendo Land for hours at a time together exploring every part. Then, for about a year my son and I tried to achieve challenges together for Metroid Blast in Nintendo Land (and Battle Quest). We aren't going to forget that. It's going to make this console special to me for the rest of my life.
The NES was probably the central interest of my middle school age friends, most things we did circled around video games for a long time, but it started there. The person who is now my wife played through Super Metroid, Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart with me during the heyday of the SNES.
Yeah, not going to try and be objective about it. Love the Wii U, though.
shame the console is lacking in rpgs but at least theres tokyo mirage and XCX
I got a Saturn not too long after its US launch. I never regretted it and loved the thing. It had its problems(more so for developers), but it had a great library. I always looked at the Wii U as similar to the Saturn, a failure commercially but with a quality first-party library. I think it's hard to turn things around after a certain point and after too many mistakes are made. Nintendo, like Sega, made their mistakes marketing the thing. I understand the position of the people who love the Wii U as I've been there.
Wii u was a failure but come on I have
Yoshis wooly world
Splatoon
Mariokart 8
Captain toad tt
Donkey kong tf
Sm4sh
Super Mario maker
Nintendo land
Party u
NSMBU
NSLU
LOADS of wii and eshop games
On my ps4
I have
Street fighter 5
And
A lot of PlayStation network indies
Despite the dorky gamepad being useless in 99% of the software I'll forever remember the WiiU for being an island of local multiplayer in a sea of online worlds. Destiny nonwithstanding (due to the lack of blood) I can't share any online experiences with my kids or family.
Me, my wife and my 2 sons regularly play Rayman, Mario, Mario Kart, Nintendoland, Splatoon, MK8 and Smash together. We even throw some classic Wii games on from time to time, like Ghost Squad and Resort. The PS4 and X1 whilst being great consoles completely ignore the family oriented end of the market. Even Halo doesn't have local multiplayer anymore.
Games are infinitely more fun with friends and this fun is multiplied exponentially when your friends are there with you. Why is it only Nintendo gets this?
@HappyMaskedGuy Mario kart 8 till 4am
I'm not the only one then
Games to appreciate but a legacy to regret
Fantastic Library of games on the Wii U !
It's a disappointment all round for me. There's nothing I'd consider Game of the Generation material, and not many consoles go without at least one of those. Not interested in Mario Kart or Smash Bros for a start. Bayonetta 2 is a fantastic game, but it's just more of the same so lacks the impact the first game had. Wonderful 101 is very, very good, but too many flaws holding it back from being one of those all-time greats. Tropical Freeze, another very good game, but it's just slightly evolving a game we'd got a few years earlier on the Wii. Super Mario 3D World is fun, but that game will forever be associated with a lack of ambition for me. That style of play was more than fine on a handheld, but on a home console, I have much higher standards for Mario. As it draws to an end, Splatoon stands as my favourite Wii U experience, but even that was plagued by that awful roll out of levels, weapons and modes, and has dropped a feature in the Splatfests that should easily be achievable without any human input for years to come. That one is just baffling.
I see some people compare the Wii U to the Dreamcast, but for me there's none of the excitement and originality the games on that console had. It's a handful of slight improvement on things that have come before, with one or two games that were a massive drop in quality from their predecessors (looking at you Xenoblade Chronicles X).
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
Edit no.3: I also left out StarFox Zero. How is this possible?
@Andrzej777
You forgot 1080. Avalanche was one of the best 'Cube games.
@iGen That's NEVER going to happen.
Star Fox Zero would go in my \"Forgetting the Nightmares of the Wii U Library\" list. Probably right at number 1 on its controls alone, nevermind its other faults. And yes I've played it. I own the Star Fox Zero/Star Fox Guard Collectors Edition and the solus version of the game. A bit of a waste of €100.
My major problems with the Wii U are:
1) The gamepad, it's quite big and didn't really add much to most games. Battery life is poor too so I bought a high capacity battery.
2) Having to buy an external hard drive and the risk of it failing.
3) Having to buy a pro controller because the gamepad one wasn't ideal for longer sessions.
4) Lack of third party support.
On the positive side there's some awesome games that really shouldn't be missed and I'm still glad I bought my Wii U. I'm holding out for Color Splash and Breath of the Wild
I've still not played Nintendo Land yet despite owning it for years. It's like Wii Sports, never really played it that much.
I'm thinking in the exact same way you think about save files. When I a few years younger I had a R4-card where you could manually delete the save file off the card. When I wanted to replay a game I always deleted the whole save file so I got a special intro (like in Super Mario 64, where you had to tap a star to start the game when you booted it up for the first time). It's not that extreme anymore, but when I traded my Wii for a Wii U I still replayed Galaxy 1 and 2 just because I didn't have a complete save file.
I wasn't happy with the gamepad at the beginning but now at the end of its life I consider the Wii u a brilliant system thanks to Nintendo's first & second party games. The console is extremely well made, it doesn't overheat unlike certain consoles I won't mention. I bought most first and second party games and I didn't get a chance to play most of them yet.
The highlights for me so far have been Starfox zero, Pikmin 3, Mario kart 8 and Mario maker. I own and have yet to play properly, W101, Xenoblade X, Bayonette 2, Smash bros Wii u, Wolly world, Zombie u, Mario 3D world, Nintendo land, DK tropical freeze, NSMBU and I'm buying Captain toad plus we have Zelda u and Colour splash coming soon. I also have Mass effect 3 and COD black opps 2 that I bought for half nothing.
So for me the Wii u is far from dead. History will treat the Wii u as a legendary console with a great library of must have games.
Now playing Terraria where I find the gamepad very useful for close-up action and inventory management.
@HappyMaskedGuy
100% agree
The Wii U and the gamepad is awsome. What would a family man have done without it!
I never bought a wii u because I only had enough for one console and decided to get a 3DS. I planned on buying one later until I heard about the NX. I hope some of these games are ported to the new console, it would be great to try them out.
As a console on it's own? Stupid. It's game library? Incredible. Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros., Tropical Freeze, Splatoon, and Wooly World are some of my favorite games of this generation. I hope more of Nintendo's games in the future have the amount of care put into them as these do.
My biggest disappointment has been not having the time to properly indulge in the outstanding depth of quality on offer.
Part of the reason for that is that the Wii U reignited my interest in gaming, so much so that I bought a 3DS, a PS3 and a shed load of Wii, GameCube and PC games, so my focus is split across 6 platforms. That wouldn't have happened if Mario Kart 8 hadn't been so brilliant, and the gamepad hadn't given me off -tv play.
I've long questioned Nintendo's apparent neglect of key aspects of the Wii U and how strangely it contradicts the library of games they've given us. If they'd have got the first 18 months of the console right I.e. marketing things would surely have been different. It's just too good not to have done.
I have a feeling Horizon Zero Dawn will be my favorite game from this generation, the PS4 has given me a lot more to be happy about than the Wii U has. It's so sad that Nintendo no longer makes innovative games with depth and sight behind them. I really wish I could have a game from them in my top ten each year. TLoZ: BotW seems to be the only game from them lately that's doing everything they SHOULD be doing.
They need to take mechanics that the competition does, improve upon those mechanics and make them work in the world you introduce them to, then add your own new mechanics that increase immersion and add depth (rather than to be gimmicky, which is where Nintendo has started to head and I hate it).
Couldn't agree more, I have loved the Wii-U. That being said, it has been a missed opportunity. I've said it several times on here but just imagine some of the games that could've been made: imagine playing a cricket game with a friend, the fielding team on the gamepad, meaning the batter would have no idea what ball was coming next. All manner of sports games could've been the best versions ever seen. Imagine an L.A Noir style game with the gamepad as your notebook. And obviously developers would've come up with so many more epic ideas had the market been there. A great system, but a bit of a shame too, I think.
@ThomasBW84
You are not alone in your style of replying games, good sir. Believe it or not, I've completed all three checklists in Kirby Air Ride at least twice over since it was released, deleting my saves each time on purpose. That's the best way to enjoy that game, if you don't know anyone else who would play it with you.
@HappyMaskedGuy The lack of 3D hub world, shorter obstacle course level design, and graphical prowess are all your opinion rather than actual flaws. Many have praised the graphics (myself included, they look gorgeous). And while many do enjoy the hub worlds and larger, explorative levels of Mario 64, Sunshine, and the Galaxy games, there's a reason there's so much love for the more classic style of Mario game, and why those games have sold so much more than their 3D brethren. Lots of people love that design. So those aren't flaws, just something that some people will love and others won't.
The Wii U had gems?
Also, 3D World is lacking more than just the traditional collectathon style. It's also, like NSMB, painfully formulaic and lacking in identity. It recycles the same gameplay as 3D Land, still has a generic kingdom setting with a lot of the same level tropes (it does throw in some new ones, but it also recycles a lot of old ones and is still just a collection of bland biomes with no character), and recycles a lot of the same tired conventions we've seen in Mario games for 30 years (a shallow plot involving Bowser kidnapping someone, linear levels that involve reaching the goalposts, a map screen that requires you to go from one level to the next, with a castle or airship at the end of the world, etc.). Even setting aside the differences between linear and collecathon platformers, the older 3D games actually did things to evolve the series and set themselves apart with unique settings and gameplay. NSMB, 3D Land, and 3D World just take the same setting and gameplay and add new levels, which makes them all feel like a continuation of the same game. Definitely a step backwards for the series.
Captain Toad and Lego City Undercover are two of my overall favourites on the console.
The more I hear about the Wii U the more convinced I am about Nintendo's need to abandon hardware. The only good thing about Nintendo is always software, they don't do great hardware, they just don't.
If you wanted a Gamepad I am sure you could make one compatible for PS4 and bundle it with games that need it.
They could focus al their efforts on making great games, instead of inferior consoles with crappy online capabilities, terrible data management, that feel dated.
This sums up my feelings pretty well, too. The Wii U has a lot of flaws and Nintendo has handled and supported it poorly. I became a dual console guy because of my Wii U and many nights I was thankful to have a PS4. However, the Wii U's games are incredible and I have really enjoyed playing them. MK8, SM3DW, SSBU, HW, TP, CTTT, DKTF, Lego games, and Splatoon have brought me hundreds of hours of gaming and I truly enjoyed those games. On most nights, I chose to play my Wii U over my PS4. The PS4 usually won when there weren't new releases (which was always the case). The Wii U will be beat up in the pages of history but beloved by this gamer and a system I will never trade in. In like 15 years, I think the Wii U will be highly collectible and sought after. Having a library of 30 games will be a bragging point then.
Funny how alot of people criticise the Wii U for having no game but I have to say that my 50+ downloaded games tell me otherwise. It is without a doubt one of the most underrated consoles in quite a few years and all I can say is that a decade from now I will be looking back on this system and wonder to myself as to how a system that has so many excellent games could be looked down on in the gaming market as a whole. The Wii U has some true gems that many will never get to play
maybe i should break my hard drive, because i feel the EXACT SAME WAY. i have a massive backlog of games, and i will never speak ill of wii u. unless its about sportsball. that game is an indie disaster.
NSMBU: No major use of the gamepad
SM3DW: Unnecessary use of the gamepad
DKCR Tropical Freeze: No use of the gamepad
MK8: No use of the gamepad
Pikmin 3: Best played with wii remote (no use of the gamepad)
Yoshi's Wooly World: No use of the gamepad
Hyrule Warriors: Unnecessary use of the gamepad
Super Smash Bros. 4: No use of the gamepad
Both Zelda Remakes: Unnecessary use of the gamepad
The more I dive into the Wii U library, the more I wonder if all of those games wouldn't have been better on a PS4, with better graphics, better online options, better everything.
@ThomasBW84
+1 with Super Mario 3D World, I hope that a new Super Mario 3D arrive to NX, well, to wait!, XD
The Wii U was a good console I just kind of wished they had hung on another year to increase the specs to get them closer to PS4 and Xbox One so then all the 3rd party games that the PS4 enjoys could have been ported over then it would have sold really well. The gamepad was a great idea if only their where more 3rd party games as the Wii U had the best first party games by a mile. I just hope Nintendo gets 3rd party developers on board for NX as it will be amazing to have Nintendo and all 3rd party devs on the same platform. Hope Nintendo can turn things around.
@fbnaulin A great library of exclusives, does not necessarily make for a great all-around library. I said this before, but most of the games one can name in favour of the WiiU are Nintendo games, which completely fail to cover a huge swath of gaming experiences and genres.
So no, the WiiU does not have an amazing library, it has a great library of Nintendo games though. For many that may well be enough, for others it isn't, but crucially, it is not the same thing.
Super Mario 3D World is fantastic and I definitely got my money's worth out of it. I've had a great laugh with it....and continue to do so.
EDIT: I really need to take the cellophane off Bayonetta 2 sometime soon....
"pound-for-pound, I think I've had more pleasure from the Wii U over the past four years.....than I arguably did with the Wii in the last generation. I'm not sure the best Wii U games are better than the best Wii games - after all, Wii had the likes of Galaxy 1 and 2 and Metroid Prime Trilogy - but I think I've enjoyed more sustained and varied gaming on Wii U"
^^^^ This.
I own all systems, and I can honestly say there are more Wii U games in my top 10 than PS4 games. Or than Xbox One games. Pretty incredible, but there's a reason for that. Nintendo platforms- even Wii U, are comprised of some of the best video games in the industry. Theres a very small library of games on Wii U, but the games it has, they've really, really made em count.
@abbyhitter
IMO, that game was a huge let down. The first game was so much better.... X was just to complicated, and the music was terrible.
@Al_Godoy
Totally disagree.
First, if fewer companies develop hardware for games, there will be less variety of even the same videogames (without forgetting the return of monopolies are not good)
Second, "Graphics Power"=/=Great Game; "Gameplay Power"+Great Desing=Great Game and Nintendo almost always have shown that, with o without power, a well-developed game is a game that works very well and entertains; and repeat, I'm not against graphics, but neither is the priority.
And Finally, about with what you mention, Nintendo 3DS also will be in bad hardware (lower graphics, bad online), and well, I don't think so totally; and Sorry, but Playstation, not far behind with low online; and if you are looking for super-graphics, for the 3 home consoles not really represent the great graphic power that is mentioned.
@SakuraHaruka Well said.
I don't know how anyone can say MK8 was even an ounce good. It was horrible! It's such a chore to play. After how good DD and Wii Mari Kart was I guess it had to go down hill. Unlockable characters for starters are dreadful. The coins take all the fun out of the game; once you are in 1st you are cemented there thanks to those coins. There is almost zero Blue shells to counter this making the game a bore. It's not only a bad MK game it's just not a good game to own period.
Then there is 3D Mario World. It is just a poor 2D mario game set in a 3D world. All the levels are just a straight path just like the un-fun Galaxy games. What happened to 3D Mario games being actual 3D Mario games??
Smash is a mixed bag. Lots of good but lots of terrible. What were they thinking with the unlockables?? I had the game for less than a month and was only playing Vs to not ruin the game by beating it too fast and I already had all the characters!? I'm sorry what? That trash doesn't belong in Smash.
I /do/ like WiiU games however. My Bayonetta 2 has over 100 hours and Hyrule warriors has over 200 hours. I do like Pikmin 3 ((even though they took out a CRUCIAL mechanic of moving the C stick to have the Pikmin attack which is like taking the Jump out of Mario)) and Yoshi. And Super Mario Maker is a good time to be had. And despite the backlash Star Fox's Demo wasn't too bad feeling.
Disclaimer, I love Nintendo and Gamecube is the absolute best console for me so I aint no hater on the big N.
The Wii U is a far better system than the Wii, and it certainly didn't deserve this fate.
But its catalogue is fantastic! One of the reasons I'm not getting the NX at launch is that I have enough games waiting I'm my backlist for the Wii U and the 3DS, and this time, I'm going to play them to my heart's contentment!
@Al_Godoy The use of the Gamepad in Hyrule Warriors was excellent I thought. Playing multiplayer where two players get their own screen is amazing, it simulates playing with two consoles and moves past the problem split screen can cause by cluttering the TV.
@Luna_110 Go you! I'm hoping that the Wii U version of BOTW isn't too inferior to the NX version so I don't have to splurge on an NX right away and can keep playing my Wii U. My back catalogue is massive
I'm with you @ThomasBW84. I'm weird in that I like to start things 'new' in the sense that it's new in game, even though I've done it ten times before. Also I loved Pikmin 3 up until that last level which got ridiculously difficult. That's why I haven't finished it!
@King_Johobo
I think that with BOTW we may have a case similar to TP on the Wii... At the end, the better version was the one developed first. I'll never regret getting TP on the GC!
@TadpoleSHero I can't say that I agree with your observation that 3D World is 'gorgeous'. Im not saying it's terrible, but I doubt anyone ever had that typical 'waw' moment from 3D World which makes other entries in the Mario series memorable.
Best aspect for me was the soundtrack- it was fantastic.
I wasn't aware that flaws were exempt from opinion, but there you go.
People who complain about the Wii U having no "good" games aren't even trying; the console has one of the best libraries that I've ever experienced.
@Tyranexx In terms of sheer percentage of games which score critically highly, I reckon the Wii U is probably a record breaker.
There might not be millions of games, but the Wii U library is truly a case of quality over quantity.
@BlatantlyHeroic I'm not sure if Sunshine is really a loved game. From what i have seen a lot of people hate the game.
I feel very much the same. Many of my friends give me a hard time because I even own one, let alone still play it on the reg.
I agree it has failed at being a successful system. Nintendo made quite a few missteps from the confusion around what the system was or wasn't (is it just an HD Wii?), to a poorly chosen name and a bumpy start to uses of the admittedly clunky though not without it's charms controller.
That being said, some fantastic games both big and small have graced the platform.
Splatoon was a breath of fresh air.
Pikmin 3 a worthy follow up to one of my favorite series born from the Gamecube era.
Bayonetta 2 is one of the most polished action games I've played in recent memory.
Mario Kart 8 may be my favorite since my beloved Mario Kart 64. And the added DLC only made the game better!
Same goes for Smash Bros.
I loved Yoshi's Woolly World and the two excellent HD remakes of two of my favorite Zelda games in Twilight Princess and Wind Waker.
And I am with you completely on my love of Super Mario 3D World. Sure, I want Mario Galaxy 3. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the heck out of 3D World.
There are series that didn't fare as well. Mario Party continues to find it's way back to what made the N64, Gamecube and Wii games so much fun.
I adore Star Fox. But try as I may, I can't get past what feels like a failed effort to justify the Control Pad by forcing it's functionality onto a game that it really just doesn't fit well with. Star Fox always felt smooth and fluid. SF0 feels clunky, unwieldy and takes the joy out of flying.
And Metroid was no where to be seen.
But the games that landed are set in my mind as classics. If the NX lacks backwards compatibility with Wii U games, and I suspect that will be the case, then my Wii U will akways have a place in my library.
@Royalblues Wonderful 101. It has some control quirks that interfere with the fun at times but is still a unique and enjoyable game.
@HappyMaskedGuy I "met" one of my best friends, though we live in different countries, thru Miiverse. So yeah, that will always have a special place in my heart.
@BlatantlyHeroic
Yup. I agree with your opinion about Super Mario 3D World. Well, not so memorable 3D Mario games.
Indeed, the graphic looks wonderful but not so fantastic as Super Mario Galaxy. Also, The time limit on 3D World force you to go to Finish Line as quick as possible, so missed opportunity to explore the whole beauty of 3D World. Super Mario Galaxy has NO time limit so you can wandering around to explore the 3D World without worrying about Time Limit. If only Nintendo can upgrade the Camera Angle into full 360 degree , it would be a wonderful experience to enjoy Open World style gameplay.
I love how a lot of the commenters here can't mention their love for the console without bashing Playstation and Microsoft in some pathetic attempt to validate their choice of console.
While the Wii-U is a great system in my opinion, I won't go as far as to state that PS4 and Xbone have little to no games to play. There is a reason why those systems are selling more than the Wii-U (which is a fact, before some Nintendrone decides to attack me for my "opinion").
Love and play whichever console you want to play, but please refrain from being a mindless drone under the control of a company, that probably isn't even aware of your existence...
Wasn't an awful console, just not as good as the Wii.
Yeah I said it, I enjoyed the Wii (first gen) more than the Wii U.
Which happens to be backwards compatible with the Wii, so that's a major thumbs up for it.
Still, the time I spent playing Wii games was far greater than the time spent on Wii U. Granted most of that can be contributed to less time to play games, and also being financially capable of owning more than one console that isn't Nintendo and having a gaming PC, but also because of interest level.
Since you mentioned the Wii U hdd crash you experienced, how about an article on options and best practices for backing up both the Wii U and 3DS? I'm sure plenty of people would appreciate that so they don't run into the same issue you did. Thanks.
Nice editorial.
Personally, best home console ever!!!
With that said, anyone for Mario Kart 8?! I race daily
@J-Manix98 That's the opposite for me. I enjoyed XCX much more because of the exploration, battle mechanics, and soundtrack. The world of XCX completely craps on the world of XC.
@abbyhitter It also helps that it's basically a Japanese Mecha simulator. That's something I've always wanted. The cinematic moments were also done great!
I've only had my Wii U for a little over a year. Even then, my PS3 has dominated TV time (mainly due to Bethesda games). All the same, this article made me want to play some games on my neglected Wii U (most of the games we've been playing lately on it are older Wii games).
@iGen
Never played it. But of course a sequel to that would have been most welcome in fact they could have done soooo muuuuch more if they had planned it better. I mean its a mystery to me why a company is wasting its developers potential on games like amiibo festival or hh designer or federation force ir brings out a lacklaster mario tennis game.
@Luna_110 I hope you're right! That'd be awesome!
Mario Kart 8 is good. But it's too soon to "rediscover" it. The game came out in 2014, and the DLC came out in 2014 and 2015.
Rayman Legends is better on PS4, or basically any other system that is not Wii U or PS Vita.
There really is very little to even "rediscover" on Wii U.
@fbnaulin Totally agree, the wiiu is a brilliant console and one for me at least with hundreds of hours of games yet to play and experience. The library is chock full of awesome titles, i think ive got five sealed i have yet to play and tons on the eshop. I will obviously get an nX at some point but im in absolutely no rush. Metroid might hurry that decision up though
Nice article with the main message being one that I too agree with 100%
Wii U is a failure on any given video gaming standards.
However it has a library of games that are simply astonishing. It has masterpieces like MK8, Pikmin 3, Bayonetta 2, SSB4, Xenoblade Chronicles X (Which is my favourite modern JRPG's hands down) etc.
But it also has some amazing underrated titles like W101, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker and great Indie titles like Runbow.
All in all it's a machine that has brought me just the right amount of gaming joy and possibilities with my limited time for this hobby due to things mentioned in the article ie. being a grown up with job, kids, upcoming elections and all sorts of other real life awesomeness.
It's a machine that will proudly take it's place along with my other consoles in the shelf of "Take out when feeling nostalgic". There it will rest with NES, SNES, GC, PS1, PS2, XBox and in the future hopefully N64 and some others as well.
You did good Wii U. You did good.
I truly don't understand people who think the console is great, i.e. "best since snes!" or "favorite console ever!".
Of course everyone has their own opinions but it seems so clear to me that the Wii U lacked games that felt monumental, legendary, industry-changing, etc.
In fact, none of the home consoles seem to have games with those kinds of feelings to them.
The 3D Mario entry is a very important factor in this every gen, and this is the only entry in that series that failed to live up to the seriea' high bar for me. And, I mean, DRASTICALLY. It felt like a 2d game masquerading as. 3d experience.
Speaking of 2d games, some of the console's top games bei g 2d, a style largely moved on from 20 years ago, contributed to this lack of a feeling of innovation I am referencing.
I thought Rayman Legends was the best 2d platformer I had ever played, and it still gelt like retreading old ground that i moved on from since I was a kid.
I have heard that DKC TF is even better and that Yoshis WW is tremendous, too (and hard, which is really attractive to me) but I still struggle to find motivation to buy either.
The 3d zelda entry is another mJor contributor to how legendary a nintenso console gen feels and we havent gotten that yet. And the fact that its releasing on NX also hurts the Wii U even more from this standpoint. Because while this happened with Twilight Princess, too, the HUGE difference is that we had already received the monumental Windwaker for that gen.
The combination of no exciting 3d mario, no exciting exclusive Zelda, a good portion of the systems great games being of a style largely moved on from, and this being the worst console yet for 3rd party support really combined to make this generation feel flat for me.
Other factors like Splatoon just not being of interest to me and thus just happening to be the gen where Mario Kart went from "cant get enough" to "sick of the formula no matter how good the game is" really gurt thia gen for me, too.
This gen just really did NOT do it for me as im sure you can tell but i am super excited for the possibilities of the NX and believe Zelda BOTW is the PERFECT NX launch title.
It does feel kind of pathetic to be talking about ''rediscovering the gems'' of a game system that hasn't even been out four years yet... sigh Nintendo needs to do very well with the NX indeed : /
It's certainly a shame the Wii U didn't work out, but I bought it in 2015 knowing it was in its twilight and I don't have any regrets. I don't have the time to play all my games through, which means I still have to really discover almost all of them, bought and collecting dust, and in some cases even still sealed.
True, the Wii U lacks some of the "industry changing" third party games, but it has some gems in this department too. And I look at the Wii U section of my video game shelves, see the 20-something games I own, and what I see is the fun I will have with them. That's enough for me.
So although life will continue without the Wii U and other consoles will be bought, I'll still use it and enjoy it, the same way I still use and enjoy previously discontinued systems from the 80s, 90s and 2000s, and as long as a system has a Mario Kart in its library I will buy it and never regret acquiring it.
I think I've probably had a better experience with Wii U than with WIi or Gamecube. I only got mine in 2014 and there's been more than enough top quality titles for me. Pikmin 3, Mario 3D, Wonderful 101, MK8 + DLC, Splatoon, Bayonetta 1&2, XCX. Plus a stream of excellent eshop games, Affordable Space Adventures, Child of Light, Fast Racing neo, Stealth Inc 2. And then VC games too. And still things to look forward too even though Wii U is "dead", BOTW, Yooka Laylee. AND games on my catch-up list like Lego City Undercover, Tropical Freeze...
I'm enjoying this console a lot, to be honest! Ok, it doesn't have plenty of games to play, and I'm seriously missing a Metroid, or its own Zelda, among others... But hey, there are so many cool games here! Still have to play Lego City, Yoshi, Kirby, and Captain Toad, although I plan to do it in a short time, appart from some indies like Affordable Space Adventures, and of course those Paper Mario, Yooka Laylee and Zelda that are on my list. So I still have a lot to play until I change to the NeXt generation (which I don't plan to do any time soon). So far I've enjoyed a lot, specially for the multiplayer (Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Super Marios, Splatoon, Nintendoland, Runbow... it's awesome in this aspect), but also for some really cool solo experiences like Xenoblade X, Bayonetta 2 or Pikmin 3. It could've been an outstanding console, if not for Nintendo, that hasn't advertised it at all, giving the impression that not even they cared much about their creation... A pity, but let's hope they don't repeat the same mistakes with the next one, because the games they make, as always, are fantastic.
By the way, I bought it for 200 euros with two games, more than 3 years ago... I don't know what they're waiting for to low the price... It's still oficially 300 with one game! Come on Nintendo, wake up!
@ThomasBW84
Well, I've restarted it Twice and am on my third run because I missed stuff for 100% both of those times. So yeah... I have about 300 hours logged in.
And what about Windwaker HD?
@MarioPhD
I feel the exact opposite. What franchise received it's best iteration on this console? I dont think anybody would dare argue 3D or 2D Mario did. Zelda didnt receive an exclusive. Everybody hated Star Fox. Yoshis Wooly World was good but i havent heard anyone claim it better than SNES yoshis island. An argument could possibly be made for DKC but most would feel that the SNES iterations were superior and defining, i feel. Maybe MK8 but most would agree Double Dash was the series' pinnacle.
Zero franchises received their "defining" entry. At best, they got "good" entries.
Great article, I still play most of the above.
Super Mario 3D World is still a hit in our household and Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is one of Nintendo's best puzzle games in my opinion.
I am quietly hoping for squeals to both games!
@LetsGoRetro Smash Brothers? Mario Kart? Pikmin? Also, regardless of exclusivity, Breath of the Wild looks poised to be amazing, Super Mario Maker, Splatoon, HD renditions of two great Zelda titles, a host of indies that trounce anything on WiiWare... Not to mention being one of those folks who actually really enjoyed Star Fox Zero.... On an incredibly subjective level (obviously) I think there's a lot to love about the Wii U.
I feel like most other Nintendo systems in the past were, for me, a couple good games, and that was it. I have found tons that I've played for dozens of hours. For me personally, the Wii, GameCube, and N64, despite having a few incredibly good games that hold up, never had a consistent level of appeal and quality for me. The Wii U has been a consistently great console for my taste and actually got me to care about franchises like Smash and Mario Kart.
But, to each their own, and I'm an anomaly.
There's tons of games that I either have or need to get for the Wii U that want to play. If I had all the time in the world and finished all of them, then yes I probably would be unhappy right now with the lack of software. But there's so many great games for this system, I can't really complain. Which is why I'm not to worried about not getting the NX until late next year because I have so many old games to play.
A failed console it may be but it still has a list of exclusives that Sony and Microsoft will never beat.
It was and still is an amazing console in my mind. Nintendo's first foray into HD, the gamepad is one of the most comfortable and dynamic controllers I've ever used and the games, oh the games, were solid.
It is a shame that people in general seem to hate it so much. It certainly deserved much more appreciation by the general gaming public.
No Meme Runner? Shame on you, Nintendolife. How do you sleep at night?
Although the Wii U has flaws such as its lacking 3rd party support, I think it'll be remembered as a gem through its wonderful 1st party titles.
I still attribute the 2 biggest factors to the Wii U's failure being the name itself and the fact that compared to PS4 and Xbox One, I never remember seeing many commercials for it.
I can definitely say that I know plenty of "video game savvy" people and many of them either thought the Wii U was just an add-on to the original Wii, or hadn't even heard of the Wii U in general. And this was 2-3 years into the console's lifespan. There's your problem. Marketing and awareness for your product and it's specific features.
Wow....I'm amazed at the level of some of the hate in here. I could smell it from my garden! Over such a small insignificant plastic box that plays games as well...
@MarioPhD "I feel like most other Nintendo systems in the past were, for me, a couple good games, and that was it. I have found tons that I've played for dozens of hours. For me personally, the Wii, GameCube, and N64, despite having a few incredibly good games that hold up, never had a consistent level of appeal and quality for me. The Wii U has been a consistently great console for my taste and actually got me to care about franchises like Smash and Mario Kart."
I never bothered with the Wii. The Gamecube I liked, but I felt Double Dash and Sunshine were just not doing it for me at all. The 64 was disappointing for me, Mario Kart 64 was my standout on there - I literally put it in a box after a year tops. The SNES and the Wii U are my two favourite Nintendo machines with the Gamecube third.
Up until Mario Kart 8 though I still thought the SNES version was the best, believe it or not.
@WiltonRoots Honestly, my disappointment with the Gamecube is why I gave up on gaming and took a hiatus from roughly 2004-2010. I got a Wii from my wife for my birthday back in 2010, I think it was, since I really wanted to play Twilight Princess and was excited about the forthcoming Skyward Sword. Despite its zealots, I never clicked with Wind Waker, didn't like Sunshine, didn't like Pikmin, didn't care about Mario Kart or Smash since I'm usually a single player kinda guy..... there was really nothing for me there, try as I did. For me personally the Gamecube era of Nintendo just wasn't very good at all. The Wii had a very small number of games I actually played and wanted. If I didn't have my PC back then, I would have probably been bored of gaming again and gone on another lengthy hiatus. Aside of a bit with the slow start for the Wii U, it didn't take long to have a MASSIVE back catalog of games I don't think I could finish within the next year, honestly. When I had a Wii I needed to actively hunt for things I actually wanted to buy. Now, there's more to get than I can afford, and for what I have, it's already too much. I can see where, obviously, depending on one's taste, the Wii U could still be seen as a dud, but for me, it's been their best system in a VERY long time. Maybe not as many legendary games, no definitive Mario 64- or Ocarina Of Time-level of redefinition of gaming and/or genres, but a lot of truly great titles that will be reflected on fondly once its sales failure isn't directly shaping how people feel about it.
For me, I think I'd have to go: SNES, NES, Wii U, N64, Wii, Gamecube. But that obviously includes a whole mess of bias and nostalgia. I'd probably rate the N64 lower if I didn't get mine before Christmas came and play the heck out of it with all my friends jealous that I got mine before they did, getting 100% in Mario 64, and having my mind blown by Ocarina of Time.... but I can't pretend that wasn't all part of it for me.
@MarioPhD my hiatus was pretty much from the end of the Cube up until the end of 2014. I played nothing. I had my music, my art, my career, my travels, all that good stuff, I did look at the Gen 7 machines but NOTHING on all 3 systems was grabbing me or making me want to lay down money. I tried Mario Kart on my friend's Wii briefly but it felt wrong. I think it was someone's review on Youtube (Adam Koralik?) of all 3 systems that made me pick up an 8GB white model (£139) and a copy of Mario Kart. It certainly reignited my enthusiasm.
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