@electrolite77 You are correct. However, if you are focused on gaming as a Family, Nintendo does offer more content then either of the competitors. I own an Xbox One so I can play the games that I want to play, but I still fully support the Wii U as the best all around console with family together as the primary focus.
Thank Andy, and great read. I agree with almost everything that you say and I completely love my Wii U. Nintendo does the one thing that has stood the test of time, they continue to make games that are fun to play! There is something to be said for a game like Dark Souls or Skyrim or Assassin's Creed, but those are games that you play for the challenge or for the experience. For me, what makes Nintendo stand out, is that I rarely play a game they make without a smile on my face. And this speaks to why I love using this as my primary system for family play. Games like Nintendoland, Super Mario 3D World, and Mario Kart 8 are games that our family have spent hours on cheering and shouting and smiling the whole time. And then, there are single player experiences like Splatoon and Toad's Treasure Tracker that I love for my kids to play solo because I know it's safe and super fun. And the one thing that is commonly overlooked is the Virtual Console. I have been able to introduce my kids to games like Super Mario Bros. 3 and Excitebike and Punch Out and it all gets sorted on my dashboard next to Smash Bros. I love being able to share that history with the kids. Anyone who asks me what console to buy, when the family is involved, I always say Wii U without hesitation.
One small bit of concern though is the the focus on the Gamepad and the lack of 3rd party. The Gamepad is a novel idea and at the beginning it's super fun, but outside of a few good games (Nintendoland and Super Mario Maker are obvious) there is little to no reason to have it. However, the cost of the console is high simple because of including it. It would have been smarter for Nintendo to push a console for $200 will an option to buy the GamePad at $100. And trust me, releasing Super Mario Maker in a bundle with the GamePad would easily have sold for $150! With the higher barrier to entry, I think it causes pause for families.
The other glaring issue is what that Nintendo has had since the N64 (the Wii being an exception). There is no good 3rd party support. Sure, you get the big family games like the LEGO games and Skylanders, but there is little else to offer more adult gamers of the family. If a parent is buying this to play Mario Kart with their kids, but then would like to play Call of Duty once they are in bed....sorry. You will have to buy a whole other console for that experience. Sure, it's nitpicking, but if you are looking for a one stop shop for the family as a total, it is a worthwhile concern.
In the end, I love my Wii U and would recommend it as a purchase to anyone, I would just caution that you are sure you know what you are getting into. If you want something to bridge the gap between playing with your kids and then enjoying more mature stuff when you are alone, you may want to kick a few more tires!
Comments 2
Re: Parent Trap: Does The Wii U Still Make Sense For Families?
@electrolite77 You are correct. However, if you are focused on gaming as a Family, Nintendo does offer more content then either of the competitors. I own an Xbox One so I can play the games that I want to play, but I still fully support the Wii U as the best all around console with family together as the primary focus.
Re: Parent Trap: Does The Wii U Still Make Sense For Families?
Thank Andy, and great read. I agree with almost everything that you say and I completely love my Wii U. Nintendo does the one thing that has stood the test of time, they continue to make games that are fun to play! There is something to be said for a game like Dark Souls or Skyrim or Assassin's Creed, but those are games that you play for the challenge or for the experience. For me, what makes Nintendo stand out, is that I rarely play a game they make without a smile on my face. And this speaks to why I love using this as my primary system for family play. Games like Nintendoland, Super Mario 3D World, and Mario Kart 8 are games that our family have spent hours on cheering and shouting and smiling the whole time. And then, there are single player experiences like Splatoon and Toad's Treasure Tracker that I love for my kids to play solo because I know it's safe and super fun. And the one thing that is commonly overlooked is the Virtual Console. I have been able to introduce my kids to games like Super Mario Bros. 3 and Excitebike and Punch Out and it all gets sorted on my dashboard next to Smash Bros. I love being able to share that history with the kids. Anyone who asks me what console to buy, when the family is involved, I always say Wii U without hesitation.
One small bit of concern though is the the focus on the Gamepad and the lack of 3rd party. The Gamepad is a novel idea and at the beginning it's super fun, but outside of a few good games (Nintendoland and Super Mario Maker are obvious) there is little to no reason to have it. However, the cost of the console is high simple because of including it. It would have been smarter for Nintendo to push a console for $200 will an option to buy the GamePad at $100. And trust me, releasing Super Mario Maker in a bundle with the GamePad would easily have sold for $150! With the higher barrier to entry, I think it causes pause for families.
The other glaring issue is what that Nintendo has had since the N64 (the Wii being an exception). There is no good 3rd party support. Sure, you get the big family games like the LEGO games and Skylanders, but there is little else to offer more adult gamers of the family. If a parent is buying this to play Mario Kart with their kids, but then would like to play Call of Duty once they are in bed....sorry. You will have to buy a whole other console for that experience. Sure, it's nitpicking, but if you are looking for a one stop shop for the family as a total, it is a worthwhile concern.
In the end, I love my Wii U and would recommend it as a purchase to anyone, I would just caution that you are sure you know what you are getting into. If you want something to bridge the gap between playing with your kids and then enjoying more mature stuff when you are alone, you may want to kick a few more tires!