Looks Like Nintendo Has A Sense Of Humour About The Wii U's Failure

Well, it is true for the Nintendo 64 and it is true for the GameCube...
... no so much for the Virtual Boy.

was the virtual boy great art

All hail the Wii U!

Love these little touches, and a little bit of humour is something you don't see quite often from a developer. I hope that the Switch will be more appreciated!

It will be interesting to see in years to come if Wii U is remembered as fondly as the Gamecube or Dreamcast. Super Mario Maker is its best game and it makes the best use of the gamepad. I think we'll have quiet a number of ports from Wii U to Switch. There were 8 ports I think from Gamecube to Wii. Potential games to make the leap are MK8, SSB, SMM, Splatoon, Hyrule Warriors, SM3DW, YWW, Bayonetta 1&2, Pikmin 3, DKC:TF and Zelda: BOTW obviously. Might even see Wind Waker again too.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE they'll probably end up porting the whole library! Lol. Jk though, the Wii U has great games.

I think of the Wii U fondly already. It's the best console ever made IMO.

I seriously doubt the Wii U will be rendered fondly years from now, especially if the Switch does much better. In which case, people will just see the Switch as what the Wii U should have been.

The WiiU will go down as the most under appreciated console in history, if there is a metric for that sort of thing.

But when everyone else was using gouache, Picasso didn't use felt tip pens...

@Alshain01 O ya, the best! Unless you're into RPGs, sports games, 3d platformers, adventure games... Essentially anything other than 2d platformers. In reality though, it is a strong 3rd place for 2d platformers behind SNES and NES.

"Nintendo is cold?" Or gold?

Plus, the Wii U item lets you experience the only good part of amiibo Festival!!!

@LegendOfPokemon There's a good part in Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival?

The little capable chugger will go down as a classic primarily because it seems no games in the foreseeable future will be designed from the ground up for dual screen gaming. (RIP dedicated dual screen gaming, xx). Sure dual screen gaming with connected mobiles etc may exist but these will be optional and superfluous to the gameplay experience. Personally I'd love a switch compatible 4DS to be annouced

@SLIGEACH_EIRE With the Wii U item, you can play the Desert Island Escape minigame from amiibo Festival; personally, I haven't played it, but every review I've seen (including NLife's) praises Desert Island Escape.

Too soon! ;(

@yomanation I would say that the 3rd party support of the gamecube was mediocre, considering that many PS2-XBOX game of the time were not released for the system, or others were released late for some reasons

@SLIGEACH_EIRE If a glorified level editor: the game is one of the best games on the system then I doubt anyone will remember fondly Wii U in the future. If any, more like a curiousity.
Dreamcast to this day have online games, supported by private servers done by fans, much much bigger game library with new commercial/free indie games still being released on the system and... it sold way better in shorter time than Wii U. Just saying :Y

Every time someone lists the brilliant games on WiiU without mentioning Pikmin 3, an angel loses it's wings.

Wii U 'til I die!

This isn't Nintendo poking fun at itself. It's just a subtle nod that the Wii U wasn't as popular as the company thinks it deserves to be.

It deserves to be remembered as the first Nintendo console to give us Nintendo franchises in High Definition - Mario Kart 8, SmashU, SM3DW, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Splatoon, Yoshi's Woolly World, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, DKC:TF and Pikmin 3 are the obvious testaments to the glory of that.

Plus it was the first to give us a seamless (if limited by distance) off-screen play experience. Without it I wouldn't have played 80% of the hours I have, and wouldn't have bought the thing in the first place.

Wii U 'til I die.

wii u is still the best console

I want that Wii U for ACNL Welcome Amiibo.

There's been great systems that have sold well, and great systems that didn't. Wii U will never win the number/profit race... that's in the books now. But "for what the Wii U was", it succeeded, and those of us that saw that, had some good fun with this system. I have no regrets.

Don't worry, Nintendo. Maybe some people never care or knew about Wii U but Wii U still in my heart.

...then maybe they should have cut off an ear first, before quiting the Wii U...just sayin, they could have tried harder..

@Tsurii Exactly. Although in Germany, they didn't even advertise anything with Mario in it. Nintendo advertising/marketing is non-existent here. Meanwhile, you see PS4 and XB1 ads in places where you wouldn't expect them. Still, the MS sold less XB1 than Nintendo sold Wii U's here (and in France, too). ^^
I still got such a huge backlog to play on my Wii U, I could be busy with those games for years. I just hope they don't shut down the servers in the near future...

There are quite a few very fun games on the Wii U but only a few that will fondly remembered as special. It has the best version of Mario Kart introduced us to Mario maker and Splatoon.

@SH007ME I agree that they could have tried harder. My only reasoning for why they didn't is because they realised the Wii U was too late to market in terms of HD and 'tablet' gaming.

Lol: Its good that they take it with a bit of humor. And hopefully they get back with the Switch, all guns blazing!!

@Oscarzxn

Other than missing out on Grand Theft Auto, some Final Fantasy games and stuff like that, the GameCube had excellent third-party support. It was the last Nintendo home console I owned where I felt I wasn't really missing out on a ton of other games.

i swear if they make ported games of wii u to switch they better give us wii u owners at least some discount because i am not gonna spend $60 for a definitive version of a game that i already played with slight extra content, the only exception is the mario kart and splatoon cuz those look like an entire new game but with the same graphics and engine

They were expecting 100 million units sold for the system :s

The wii u would've sold well If people bought it in threes fours fives like the 3ds

@SLIGEACH_EIRE yes

@LetsGoRetro The Legend of Zelda is not a 2d platformer. Pikmin, Splatoon, Mario Kart, Bayonetta, all the best games for the Wii U are not 2d platformers. Do you even own a Wii U? Because by that comment it sounds like you don't. In fact I would say 2d platformers are probably where the Wii U doesn't shine, because you don't need a second screen for that. Most other genres are where it gets strong.

I agree with them. While not perfect the WiiU is an amazing console.

The only people that would remember it is the hardcore Nintendo fans with the Nintendo glasses on

In the uk not much people know about it where as PlayStation brand is massive. They advertise it everywhere. On tv. Online. On buses. On wine.

Even the price is better for the casual gamer as its more for your money.

@Tsurii Oh, you're from Germany too, didn't know.
Yeah they are represented in Saturn and other electronics stores, but usually the other systems got more space for their stuff. Still, those stores are full of Wii, Wii U and 3DS games + amiibos and I'd argue Mediamarkt, Saturn etc are the places where Nintendo is visible the most.

Maybe it's because I rarely or never watch German TV, but I've also never seen any ads in other places. For example, on the streets, I didn't see any Nintendo ads on billboards anywhere. And whenever I watch football, MS and Sony are often represented there. Or on gaming websites. Or basically on any website. Or when I watch a video (not on youtube) where you have to watch ads first. They are often MS and Sony ads but never Nintendo. Despite the facts that personalised ads exist and they can see in my browser history/bookmarks that I'm interested in Nintendo products. Still, they show me PS4 and XB1 ads. Why? ^^

I think I did see a Mario Kart ad once on TV and maybe a Mario Maker ad too. But that's it. ^^
But who watches TV anymore? I think teenagers and young adults or adults that stayed young in their heart (= the target audience) are more active on digital media and I've rarely seen any Nintendo ads there too... maybe they should kill all the TV ads and spend their ad budget more wisely?

i wonder will shops offer trade-ins for those switching to NS

@gcunit ...true, while tablet gaming has distracted the casual gamer..Nintendo should have advertised more and used their IPs better (Zelda should have been released earlier, a new Metriod, or F-Zero...or a better Mario Tennis, ect..)
..just a lot of missed opportunities to grab gamer's attention, I guess ...(NeXt time..)

It's my favorite console I've ever had and I enjoy it a hell of a lot more than my PS3 and PS4. If Bethesda and From Software(lesser extent 2k for Red Dead) stick with Nintendo with the switch and beyond there's no reason to even get a ps5.

Unless Bloodborne 2 comes out on PS5. I would get one for Bloodborne 2.

Anyway I do all my browsing, illegal and legal watching of shows on my Wii U, the only time I use my PC is when I have to upload or download something. As long as it doesn't die I can see my Wii U being hooked up at least another 5 years.

I love my Wii U, but it won't be remembered as fondly as the Dreamcast. I owned a Dreamcast and it had a much more expansive and eclectic library of games than the Wii U, all with only 3 years of official support. The DC, for the most part, made good on it's potential. You can't say that about the Wii U.

I owned the GCN (with Metroid Prime and a few other games) for about a month before I went over to my friend's house and played Halo. I sold it and bought an Xbox. I still don't regret it. Before that, I hadn't owned a Nintendo home console since the NES, but got my fix a friend's houses.

The Wii U has some great games (like Pikmin 3, MK8 and SM3DW) and has let me reconnect to past Nintendo games I didn't get a chance to truly experience. I never played Wind Waker. I played Wind Waker HD and loved it. I never played TP, but can't wait to play TPHD. I have it, I just haven't had the time.

The VC lets me play games like Metroid Prime Trilogy, Pikmin 1 and LttP. The Wii U having a Wii inside also lets me experience all the Wii games I didn't get to play. In that respect, I think the Wii U was appropriately named.

Nintendo just never seemed 100% behind the Wii U or interested in fully realizing it's potential, like at all. It seems like they knew what was in store for it before any of us did. It's a shame.

That said, I think the Wii U is a perfect point for Nintendo the turn the page and stop living in the past. They need to "Switch" to being a more forward thinking company that creates new, unique game experiences. Nostalgia is nice and has a place for Nintendo, but they need to focus on the present and future.

Not sure it really matters what the consensus is about Wii U's cultural relevance if you personally enjoyed the experience of playing games on it. And vice versa - my ignorance of the Dreamcast doesn't negate its cultural relevance. It's not a quantifiable argument.

@WilliamCalley It also didn't have MGS2, the Silent Hill games, almost every Koei, Rockstar, Tecmo or SNK game, Bournout 3 , Battlefield, Mortal Kombat Shaolin monks, Marvel VS Capcom 2, Outrun 2006 and maaany other games that were available on PS2 and Xbox.
I still like the Gamecube, but for me that's not good 3rd party support at all and the worst part is that it didn't have huge technical issues like the N64, the Wii or the Wii U.

I love my Wii U. Easily the best Nintendo home console I've owned, especially considering the backwards compatibility within. I've never boughten so many games for a home console before and enjoyed them all pretty throughly. It's definitely a quality over quantity type of system with games like Super Mario Maker, Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, New Super Mario Bros U, Pikmin 3, Splatoon, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Yoshi's Wooly World, Hyrule Warriors, Wind Waker and Twlight Princess HD, Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros Wii U, and so much more.

I loved being able to play my games away from the constraints of the TV. I loved seeing Nintendo games in HD for the first time. I loved many hours I put into games like Super Mario Maker, Splatoon, Mario Kart 8, Xenoblade Chronicles X and Smash Bros. I love how I can still enjoy the games I've listed above and more, even after playing them many times over. I can't really say that about other games on PC, PS4 or Xbox One. I loved Miiverse and the community that grew from it.

The Nintendo Wii U is probably my second favourite console, right behind the Nintendo 3DS, and I've owned a SNES, N64, GameCube, Wii and all the handhelds Nintendo produced. I've played games for over 20 years now and I will fondly remember the Wii U, despite its struggles and flaws.

@Oscarzxn I disagree. We still had a great support from Capcom, SEGA, Konami (exclusive MGS remake), Activision, EA, Eidos. And that's already twice as much support than what the Wii U ever had.

PS2 had many exclusives at the time and the XBox actually lacked decent games outside Microsoft's first parties. GC was the 2nd best from that generation in my opinion.

I think the Wii U will be remembered similarly to the Dreamcast. A commercial failure that didn't get much support, but I'll be damned if it didn't have some great games on it.

@Tsurii I really don't see any Nintendo advertising in the US. It's almost 100% Sony and their dumb "Greatness Awaits" tagline (Yep, we're still waiting).

I REALLY want an upgrade program for owners of the Wii U versions of Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart 8, Splatoon, Pokkén Tournament and Super Mario Maker. Add DLC like characters, stages, courses, options, updated graphics and i'm in, for 20 euros/dollars.

All the other Wii U games need to be available through the Switch eShop under the 'Wii U Classic' label, for all those who missed them the first time.

Regardless Wii u was a good system.and a host to some of the best games.

You know why it failed? Apparently, the people that misunderstood it were Nintendo. They didn't make games that could make it shine, so I guess that little joke is self-deprecating isn't it?

@Oscarzxn

Nobody would argue gamecube had best third party support, but entire genres weren't missed and their were some great exclusives.

No battlefield, but yes to Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Timesplitters, Bond. It had Burnout 1 +2 and the Need for Speed series. It had Soul Calibur 2 and Capcom vs. SNK 2. It had exclusive REmake and RE0 instead of silent hill.

Lots of exclusives from Star Wars, Tales series, Metal Gear as well as timed exclusives like Resident Evil 4 (Capcom 4), to Super Monkey Ball.

It's also a system where Nintendo seemed to up their game on original content. Pikmin, Metroid Prime, Luigi's Mansion, Battillion Wars, etc.

@HeroponRiki

I don't get the Dreamcast comparison. The Dreamcast was well supported. It had 638 retail games. The Wii U had less than 200 despite being "officially" supported twice as long. I get that we all love Nintendo here, but I think Wii U is only loved by Nintendo fans. It had a few great sequels and not much else.

@cleveland124 Why, oh why, wasn't there Battalion Wars U?

WHY DO YOU HATE MONEY< NINTENDO?!?!?!?!?/?!1/1

That name, though... Still SMDH.

@Oscarzxn The Gamecube is an interesting piece of hardware in that it was technically probably the most powerful (in actual production not theoretical) but suffered as being a "Kiddie" console by the media of the time. And while there were a lot of third party games that skipped it in later years, it did get a lot developed for it. It was the last console of Nintendo that received a majority of the EA, Activision, Ubisoft titles.

The Wii U will probably be remembered well because what little there was generally was of a high quality. It is just unfortunate that Nintendo never seemed to commit to keeping a steady flow of software to it. They didn't even make intellegent use of the eShop or Virtual Console to keep smaller titles or desired titles on the system. Instead, all the risks and innovation was pushed to the 3DS.

Could you imagine having Wii U Free-to-Play titles like Pokemon Rumble World, Pokemon Shuffle, and Steel Diver: Sub Wars on the console? Or if they had ported (as they did so often the other way) Codename S.T.E.A.M., Pokemon Picross, Toyko Crash Mobs, Pilotwings: Resort, Crosswords Plus, Nintendogs, Rhythm Heaven, Chibi-Robo, and Dillon's Rolling Western to a system desperate for titles?

@cleveland124 Does the fact that a game is a sequel automatically make it less valuable than a brand-new IP? Also, please remember that back in the days of the Dreamcast, there was no such thing as downloadable software. The Wii U was definitely lacking in retail releases, but eshop titles should be added to that number, considering that games can be released digitally now, as well.

@rushiosan The Konami support was awful, aside from Twin Snakes, they just released games rated E on the system and Eidos didn't release Legacy of Kain or Hitman 3 and 4.
Aside from that, the Xbox just having poor games aside from Microsoft games is false, it had some like Morrowind, Ninja Gaiden, Panser Dragon orta, Doom 3, Half Life 2, Silent Hill, Fatal Frame and most of the third party games available on the gamecube.

Yes so Nintendo is blaming me?, maybe they should have thought of doing something different besides for putting a freaking second screen on a controller...

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I don't think it will be looked upon fondly at all it's specially like you say if they poured over all the good games

@RupeeClock
I got that one too, apparently 51 is a white Wii U and 52 is the black one. I was trying to remember what the fortune was, thanks for sharing that.

@cleveland124 yep people do not realize how hard the Wii U failed. It is very very very bad fail... if switch does not sell well Nintendo will be done with making consoles.

@Oscarzxn True it did have a more third party support, but a lot of it have not aged as well as the offerings from the Cube. Granted the SEGA support for the OG Xbox does make it great for those craving sequels to those Dreamcast/Saturn gems. However as far as sales go the Xbox and Gamecube were neck in neck with the Xbox only outselling the Gamecube by a couple million.

In this case I feel it's really only the artist that is to blame for the most part. Pretty cool canvas with great scope for creation; not a lot of creations that genuinely show off the full potential of such a toolset. Now, if there'd been twenty games that were as great showpieces of what Wii U was truly all about as Super Mario Maker . . .

@thesilverbrick

To clarify, I think my best gaming experiences have been with unique experiences. So I would classify Metroid Prime as a unique experience though not a new IP.

I do discount eshop games to an extent. These games are everywhere (steam/xbox/ps) and usually the Wii U suffers in comparison since it's less powered. I just don't see how those games are going to be the ones that people will look back and say man I wish I had a Wii U to play say 1001 Spikes (a game I enjoyed much). I mean if said person had another console or PC they could just go play the game now.

I currently enjoy my WU console. It finds use by my family(Netflix), gaming by me, & social interaction from me. I think in time(read: eventually), people(the gaming hobbyists) will find, & make great use of the system's potential/high points.

Some amazing games on the Wii U. Sadly the execution of the hardware wasn't up to snuff.

@Oscarzxn

GameCube had several MK games, Burnouts, and a MGS game. Along with other major games like Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, and various EA sports titles released annually. And all the Resident Evil games.

I bought a GameCube the day it came out and probably owned 25-30 games during its lifespan.

You can nitpick and say 'it didn't get this game!' (You can do that to every system) but overall it had excellent third party offerings, and was the last Nintendo home console to do so. And to be honest, the only game it didn't get which I wished it did was GTA3.

For me it will just be the only Nintendo console I didn't buy since it's new Zelda game is going to be on it's successor as well.
A few other games are decent too but that's always been the system seller for me.
Bring on the Switch and Breath of the Wild!

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I firmly believe that 20 years from now there will be an active community for Mario Maker and a lot of fondness for the Wii U.

I wonder how it would have done for sales next year without the switch with BOTW and if the new mario game was released on it (presuming it's a successor to galaxy)

@Tsurii Petty trolls? In Nintendolife comment sections?? Never... Wannabe trolls that are overly obvious? Oh yeah...

Regardless of its failure I'm still having a great time with mine, the quality of the games I've picked up has been fantastic and there's still a few more I have my eye on before the Switch surfaces. I appreciate good gameplay and I've had plenty out of it.

I still think their main problem was advertising. At least everyone knows Switch is not a Wii add-on

Wii U will be a system that people keep forever because of like 5 games they never trade in (unlike other consoles where you recycle them every year).

For me those are: NES Remix, Mario Maker, DKC:TF, Mario Kart 8, Super Luigi U

@BiasedSonyFan

No one is saying the GameCube wasn't a commercial failure. We were only stating that it had better than average third party support (at least for a Nintendo console that was not the NES or SNES).

And thanks for clearing up the fact that the disc-based GC wasn't compatible with N64 cartridges.

@Muddy_4_Ever

I believe in 20 years most gamepads will be broken or unusable, thus rendering the Wii-U useless

No regrets. I love my Wii U and hope it keeps chugging along for decades to come. For me, Pikmin 3 alone was worth it. Plus Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission on the big screen?? Heck yeah!

Love our Wii U.

Still play Nintendo Land with my family from time to time. Amazing replayability in that one. Just bad/weird presentation overall. It was a point of disdain at the launch sadly, but a nice hidden treasure for those who find it and want to play with friends.

I can say that about a few games. Star Fox I also found to be a great experience while it was just the wrong thing at the wrong time for most and I recognize how it frustrates many.

(Metroid Prime Federation Force, my son loves the demo and wants to play the full game and it even ignites his imagination about the Metroid universe and how it relates to the Prime games and Other M.)

You strip away the internet echo chambers of complaint often perpetuated by people (many of which don't own a Wii U) and you are left with some great games and experiences.

Or at least my family and I are left with some great experiences. They don't listen to that junk and just see the games at face value all the time. My son went nuts for Star Fox having never heard of it before and we played cooperatively through the secrets gleefully.

Just because Mario Maker and Affordable Space Adventures and Nintendo Land and Wind Waker utilize the Gamepad the best doesn't make them them the best representative games on the platform.

Even though Mario Kart 8 barely makes use of the GamePad, its refinement and great value shouldn't discount it from being a key Wii U title in the library.

Pikmin 3 makes sad under-baked use of the GamePad, in my opinion, but it's a fantastic game you should play with a Wii remote and nunchuck. (not my opinion the first time through, incidentally). That's not a problem with the Wii U, its ability to support all the Wii controllers is a feature.

Some of my favorite experiences on Wii U have been playing the old GBA games up on the big screen with my kids involved. Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission are great games that deserved to live on a big screen and Wii U made it happen without the hassle of emulators and mismatched controllers. Finally got to play through Zelda Minish Cap as well and what a gem I was missing there. Slow awkward start but might be my favorite top-down Zelda now.

Because of the flexibility of the console we can also play the Metroid Prime trilogy and Other M on it.

Then there's Splatoon as a sweet little brand new exclusive IP that is wonderfully inventive and fun and covered a whole summer of drought for many.

I also finally discovered how much better those Dynasty Warriors games are than they look thanks to Hyrule Warriors. An often overlooked highlight for the platform.

4-player Mario platforming finally works great without complete havoc thanks to Super Mario 3D World.

Lego City Undercover almost puts all other LEGO games to shame if it had just included a cooperative mode.

Maybe it's my situation, my kids at the right age, my recognition of the strength of the dual screen gaming from the start (I wanted more screens though. ), but this console has been pretty much perfect.

@BiasedSonyFan

I don't know what you are talking about. Maybe you replied to the wrong person?

We were responding to a guy who said GameCube didn't have third party support.

None of the people (myself included) you were replying to made any claims that the GameCube was a financial or commercial success. It wasn't.

Yet you keep writing posts explaining how it sucked sales wise, which I and many other people will readily admit. No one is arguing against that.

The Wii U's legacy won't be exactly like any other system, but I think it will be most like the Saturn. The Saturn was a failure of marketing in many ways and had rough third-party support in the west. Many Saturn owners loved it, but there weren't enough. Like the Saturn, the Wii U had strong first-party games. I think the Wii U will be viewed more favorably in the future, when people pick them up used and videos get uploaded highlighting its best games, many of which do look great to me. But that won't erase the shortcomings of the system's concept, specs, marketing, etc.

So many of you talking about Wii U in the past tense. I play mine loads and will continue to do so. No more new games but hey, I'll never have time to finish all the games I already have. Some like MK8, Call of Duty, Smash, FIFA, Tekken, Need for Speed etc are infinitely replayable.

You don't have to stop using it just because a newer console is released.

I'm happy to carry on playing while the wife watches some rubbish on TV and as others have said, Off TV play enables me to play so much more.

To date, best and most used console I've had and I have no desire to buy another console yet.

@BiasedSonyFan

Nobody said the Gamecube had a better library than the PS2. You are wrong about most games running better on PS2. Only really poor Gamecube ports ran better on PS2.

The original question was will Wii U become a cult favorite like the Gamecube. Our answer was no, because the Gamecube library was overall more diverse. You can dissagree that the Gamecube has become a cult favorite but that really doesn't have anything to do with how successful the Gamecube was or how the PS2 library compared.

Can you buy refurbished gamepads from Nintendo not as I replacement but just order them? I might get one or two and maybe another charger cable.

@Oubie It would be great,I'm not sure Nintendo will do it though.

I like the bit where they say "in their own time". It's like Nintendo know the appreciation Wii u will get in the future. Wii u's will be gold dust and I have one......evil laugh.

I have to comment on the last sentence of the article. There is nothing brave about buying a console. The 13 million people who bought a Wii u were lucky enough to have the brains to know Nintendo are the greatest games company and nothing beats a Nintendo console.

I think it's unfortunate that you can sell 13 million of something and it still can be considered a failure.

@BiasedSonyFan

Not one of us said the GameCube had a better third-party library than the PS2, because it didn't. I said it was the last Nintendo home console with better than average third-party support.

You can't read very well.

@BiasedSonyFan
Do you know what game didn't play well on PS2? F Zero GX or any Nintendo games for that matter. GameCube's best games were better than ps2's best games.

Resident evil 4 played better and looked better on GameCube due to the GameCube's superior architecture.

Why are you even talking about the PS2?

@Turbo857
Well said. I would mind that kind of a failure with a product I made. 😆

@BiasedSonyFan

The Gamecube library being 3rd party mediocre is better than any Nintendo third party since the Super Nintendo since it was the last system that was generally the lead system for third parties.

If you think the PS2 was so great good for you. I lived in that era and bought lots of games. Almost all games that came out for both were better on the Gamecube or the Gamecube version was broken. Then when the PS2 took off fewer Gamecube ports were made.

I think the Gamecube library is superior. I wouldn't say diverse mattered if I didn't believe the quality of the games within that mix was better. That's obviously subjective. I guess we'lk just have to see if the Wii U becomes beloved after its death like the Gamecube has.

People don't buy a system years after release for backward compatibility. But if they did, the Gameboy player on the Gamecube adds over 2,500 games for that system.

@cleveland124

I don't get the Dreamcast comparison. The Dreamcast was well supported. It had 638 retail games. The Wii U had less than 200 despite being "officially" supported twice as long. I get that we all love Nintendo here, but I think Wii U is only loved by Nintendo fans. It had a few great sequels and not much else.

Best comment I read today

I think Nintendo left something out of their description

Keep the games exclusive and let the haters know what they're missing!!
PS do I need NFC reader and amiibo to get these animal crossing update features or are they in a new update?

When SWITCH sells 50 million consoles - there will be an entire new and huge audience that was never reached by Wii U games - It will be very easy for Nintendo to port wii U games over to SWITCH.

@Muddy_4_Ever

Love Mario Maker, but I don't think it'll drive people to the Wii U for 2 reasons. 1. Nintendo is going to axe network support in the next year or two as they transition to the Switch just like they did with the Wii when the Wii U came out. This is going to make it much more difficult to share/find which is a big reason why the game is so popular now. 2. We all know the Switch has a touch screen and will have a Mario Maker port. Most of the time sequels don't make the previous entry obsolete but it basically will in this case. Nintendo will start with the Wii U version and add items, layout, customization. So literally you can do everything the Wii U version can do, but also more.

@Kroko Cold.

@BiasedSonyFan

"made a claim (the GameCube's third party video game library was mediocre), and you attempted to rebut the claim. I am not convinced of your rebuttal."

Look at the Wikipedia listing of third-party games (especially major franchises from EA, Activision, Ubisoft, etc) released on the GameCube in comparison to those available on the Wii and Wii U. The GameCube had a better overall library of third-party titles than either of those systems.

I made the point that the GameCube had 'better than mediocre' third-party support, and that it was the last Nintendo home console to do so.

You for some reason spun that into me believing that the GameCube sold well (it didnt and I never said it did) and then stating the PS2 had better third-party support (I never argued that it didn't, because it did, nor did I bring up the PS2).

It's not a 'petty insult' when I said you can't read, because all the things you were arguing with me about were things I didn't even say.

If you want to rebut my argument, explain to me how the Wii and Wii U had better 3rd party support than the GameCube. Because that's the only thing I stated.

In their own time? Try never.

I so wish I'd picked up a Dreamcast back in the day. They were almost giving away those things by the end. 😢

@KTT
Anyone who thinks Super Mario Maker is just a glorified level editor, is either too ignorant to know any better... or not being honest with themselves.

There is nowhere left for Nintendo to go with the Wii U other than to joke about it.

@Bolt_Strike

Pretty much.

People aren't going to look back and decide the Wii U was actually great.

I love the Wii U, but Nintendo didn't seem to. Good indie game selection, though.

Uhhhh, Hello! Your'e Knowledge Here?! The Wii U Is Awesome! And It Has Some Of The Best Games Ever!

I love nintendo. I bought wii u on the promise of zelda 2014 with an inventory on my gamepad but it never happened and i had to play a 2d remake of super mario 3 on nes. They then failed to release any good games in my opinion until yoshis woolly world. Mk8 vertical split screen is terrible, tou cant see the track ahead, how so few other people notice this shows how little it actually sold. And smash bros...what a hollow game. The n64 version was on par, there was absolutely 0 innovation, simply a hd remake. I never got an rpg on wii u either. It will be remembered as the screaming pile of ... that it is. The most use ours gets is for netflix streaming for my 3 yr old.

Wii U is alright system. I mostly played Smash and Bayonetta on there, but most of my Nintendo fix went towards the 3DS.

The Wii U was my favorite 8th gen system. It had the best games, free online, backwards compatibility, the GamePad that offered offscreen play and improved maps/inventory.

It is a shame that it wasn't adopted/appreciated by more people, but that really was Nintendos fault because of their terrible marketing and failure to get a system selling ip out at launch. They look like they will do better with the Switch though and if they port over Wii U games then maybe more people will get to play all the great games that they missed out on.

I really like the Wii U but the 3DS leaves it for dead.

@Jimmy_G_Buckets

No, no it won't.

Looking at that clean, slick, white Gamepad gives me memories of first opening my Wii U. Back when I thought the Wii U was actually gonna be a great success for Nintendo. First game I got was Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed. Spent like the whole night playing. Good times. Ahh... But here we are now. It never took off and was quickly abandoned by third parties. So much wasted potential.

Just discovered that today lol I agree but I believe pricing was the reason for its failure

@cleveland124 It was a different era. Much more retail games were released back then because you could make one with a team of 30 people. The PS4 is also getting less retail games than the PS2. Lot of people are still in denial about the fact the japanese industry is collapsing. Mostly because they are losing their godfather Nintendo who was the larger provider of money and workforce for this industry. When you kill Nintendo you kill a source for them.

I know the feeling !!

@kamikazilucas it hurt the eyes of al ot of people and is rare. that makes it limited edition experimental art.

@JaxonH It's amazing how people can easy get butthurt if someone have a different opinion. Ignorant? Not honest with themselves? Really?

It's a game creating tool, with Mario themed 2D platformer editor. Regardless of how good the controls are, and how well the gamepad was used in this title, it is still a level creator with an option to play other people's levels.
The Wii U online sharing is what makes it shine now, because playing a Mario level created by others is the gameplay in this title. All the rest is creating your own content, which, as fun as it sounds, I cannot classify as a gameplay per se.

If you like the software then fine, geez. But don't be suprised that many aren't interested in that kind of interactive entertainment.

And as far as I like fiddling around editors in games, I would much rather play Little Big Planet or Spore than Mario Maker. Thank you.

@KTT
Who's butt hurt? Certainly not me. You on the other hand...

Mario Maker is far from ordinary, simply by virtue of being Mario, one of the most beloved and well refined and fun platformers ever conceived.

I feel like the Wii U will become a cult favorite system years from now like the GameCube. It has some great features but the games are what made me buy the system.

@KTT
Well to clarify I wasn't trying to offend you or call names, just giving my honest feedback.

I play games on all consoles. Own PS4 Pro, PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS and Vita. I own platformers from all corners of the gaming industry. I own LBP. And while I love many Sony games... LBP is not even remotely one of them.

A level editor is basically as good as the game built around it. And because Mario is arguably the greatest platformer ever conceived, it's level editor is also. LBP has tons of options and that's great, but it's built on a mediocre foundation.

But enjoy, I'm not judging you or anything. But I did feel the need to say that Mario is a great platformer, and that's exactly why it's level editor is great as well because it's built around great platforming.

I've had a lot of laughs from PlayStation's abuse of remastering their ps3 library... However, Switch will be a "new way to play" so I would buy some remasters. Disappointed with Tokyo Mirage not having off-tv play, so I'd get that for a start.

@bitleman

It is true that digital only releases are becoming more and more prominant. However, the question of the article is whether Wii U will eventually get a cult following. When we look at it from that perspective, 5-10-15-20 years down the line will you still be able to access eshop games on the Wii U? Probably 5 years from now you can, but I have doubts 10 years from now you'll be able to and certainly at some point it will end. So if you are looking at the Wii U further out in the future from a popularity perspective you almost have to ignore download games. If someone is buying in 20 years download games are not likely to be an option.

On the option of "killing" Nintendo, I'm a fan of Nintendo and want them to do well. But I think you can blame their market struggles solely on them and many questionable decisions they've made over the year. So no, I don't want Nintendo to go away, but I don't feel people should feel compelled to blindly support a company that has at times been anti consumer.

@KTT
Well, that's the thing. I would say Mario Maker is among the best of any Nintendo game ever made, and of any game on any system. Not just "when compared to the Wii U library". A lot of ppl say certain things "aren't a game" like this dude the other day arguing The Last of Us wasn't a game. It is, as is Mario Maker. You're playing it and having fun, that's a game. It's a different type of game but a game nonetheless. And I do think it has appeal far beyond just Nintendo fans. Everyone loves Mario, it's the most widely appealing games there is. Who wouldn't be interested in making their own Mario levels and playing crazy levels made by others. That's something anyone can have fun doing

This isn't the first instance of this. I can't recall it, but I swear they poked fun about the Wii U, or the state of Nintendo, in another one of their games.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I feel like there were more GC to Wii ports, but eh..
1) I dunno if TP counts because they were simultaneous released.
2) I dunno if Metroid Prime Trilogy counts because it includes 3.
3) that would leave all of the New Play Control games (6 I believe) 4) and Resident Evil 4 ( which will continue to be ported till the end of time), hmmm I cant think of any others at the moment.

What I really want and have always wanted is for Nintendo to port (upgrade etc..) it's GC games, I know it's unlikely, but the possibility of analog shoulder pads in the NX gives me hope for at least VC GC if not full on HD ports, but there is such a wealth of games on that console, it would be unfortunate for them not to bring some back.

@BiasedSonyFan

Yes, when a company fails I don't think it's the consumer fault and certainly Sony/Microsoft have made mistakes that have hurt them too.

The Wii U was garbage. It will always have apologists (just look at NL here pointing at bad games to justify the system!), but video game history will barely remember Wii U, and even then, only as a massive failure. It will be a joke of the future, like the Virtual Boy.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE You forgot ZombiU. That is definitely up there.

@polivar4 That's up to Ubisoft though. Plus that needed 2 screens while the other games are possible with just one. The Switch as far as we know only operates with one screen on at any given time.

@cleveland124 The fact you're a fan or not doesn't change anything. There is a trend of the middle budget games being crushed by the AAA market and disappearing. And since this is the market Nintendo targets, they will die.

Every company has a 'flop' or what some people would call 'a disgrace'. Sony had the PSP Go and Playstation TV...Microsoft has had much, even with the XBONE being a disappointment for them in the beginning...Sega, EA and other companies too and other manufacturers. To me, if nintendo can joke about it, then that shows that they have a good common sense and a good attitude while looking forward into their futures! I think it's a good thing that they can joke about it!

@Mahe Virtual Boy I agree on...I can find it in a pawn store, bundled with 4 games and only selling for $20...and he has 3 of them to offer. However, Gamecube, Dreamcast and even TurboGrafx 16's were flops (as well as a few others), and they eventually become the systems that collectors end up wanting to add. I think, probably in another 20 years, the Wii U will be a high-priced console that collectors will want...I still see people willing to pay $60 or more for Gamecube games, and many other console games are expensive to buy (look at Conker's Bad Fur Day for N64). It's a flop, yes, but people will still end up wanting it in the near future.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE yeah but it made a decent use of the Gamepad and was legit scary. Everything you could want in a Zombie Apocalypse type setting. I'm thinking of buying a Wii U again to get that game and Pokken Tournament.

@Mahe I doubt it, as the WiiU has had many more gsmes made for it, and more fans then the Virtual Boy did.
Obviously, you're just a "hater" if you think Bayonetta, Splatoon, ect. are "bad games." Just 'cause we actually enjoy the system & it's games doesn't mean we're "apologists," which is a ridiculous assumption.

Also, many so-called "failed" consoles are actually pretty fondly remembered. Just look at the Turbo Graf-x, Sega CD, Dreamcast, and even the GameCube. So they weren't complete failures like some assume as they still proved profitable, and have achieved cult status.
Not to mention, just 'cause something doesn't sell well doesn't make it "bad."

Super Mario Maker, Xenoblade Chronicles and Splatoon are the best Wii U games, and I'm afraid Switch doesn't have the capability to create the same quality experience because of the missing second screen.

At the moment Switch looks to be a step backwards.

Maybe the Switch 2 is going to be what the Switch is supposed to be. xD

Maybe it's possible to combine 2 Switch consoles so that I can recreate the exclusive, ingenious Wii U experience. It will be expensive but it'll be worth it.

Even though I get Switch day 1, I'm afraid the times of Mario Maker, XenoX and Splatoon are over. This makes the Wii U even more valuable to me.

I had high hopes for Zelda Breath of the Wild, but I want the full version, and not a crippled Switch port, so I'm probably getting it for Wii U.

The Switch will be perfect for having PS4 and Xbox One games on the go, though.

Also, Nintendo really hit the nail with that Animal Crossing reference. Still, they should have released a real Animal Crossing on Wii U though and not just a lobby app and a party game.

@Beau_Skunk Wii U is bad because the system is badly designed and most of the games are bad. It was a complete failure from Nintendo.

@Mahe I disagree, as I, and many others I know enjoy it, and feel it has a nice game library. I'm going to go play it right now, and love it, just to spite you.

@Beau_Skunk And now the sales figures disagree with that claim of "many others!" Even the existing Wii U owners don't like the games that have been released on the system, especially lately. It's been flop after flop. FE Mirage Sessions, Paper Mario, Wonderful 101, Bayonetta, Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival, Star Fox Zero... flops, flops, flops! Wii U is Nintendo's worst selling home console, and even those owners didn't want to buy those games! Bad console, bad games, owners that don't even give a damn anymore. It's a complete failure!

@Mahe I suppose you believe "Excitebots" is a huge hit?

@Beau_Skunk No. Nintendo killed that title through their own incompetence.