Wii U - Timeline
TodaySun, 18th Apr 2021
News Mario Kart 8 Becomes The "Best-Selling" Racing Game In US History
Combined sales overtake the Wii entry
The eighth entry in the Mario Kart series has finally surpassed the sales of Mario Kart Wii in the US to be crowned the "best-selling" racing game in this country. This information comes from NPD Group's Mat Piscatella. According to IGN, this includes the "combined" sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the original...
Saturday27th Mar 2021
News Nintendo Appears To Have Already Terminated Super Mario Maker's Bookmark Website
Update - it's back! Well, for a few days
Update: The website now appears to be restored, but obviously not for long... Original Story: When Mario's 35th anniversary comes to a close next week, the online services for Super Mario Maker on the Wii U also end - meaning players will no longer be able to upload their own courses. As you might recall,...
Tuesday16th Mar 2021
Random Did You Know You Can 'Steal' Your Friends' Clones In Super Mario 3D World?
Naughty, but effective
The original Super Mario 3D World on Wii U introduced the Double Cherry, a brand new power-up that creates a clone of your character, essentially allowing players to control two or more versions of themselves at the same time. Naturally, the item is present once again in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury on Switch...
Wednesday10th Mar 2021
The end of an era
With Super Mario Maker's servers being completely shut down on 31st March (the original Wii U game, that is, not Super Mario Maker 2 on Switch), one indie developer has decided to give it a mighty send-off. That send-off arrives in the form of a 36-course feast courtesy of Ultra Dolphin Revolution, a developer which has been...
Tuesday2nd Mar 2021
News Wii U Receives Its First System Firmware Update Since 2018
You can probably guess what's been improved
Well, here we are in 2021 - production of the 3DS has been discontinued and the focus is now entirely on the Switch, which is almost four years old. Despite everything happening with Nintendo's hybrid platform, it seems the video game giant has still got enough time in its busy schedule to update older...
Tuesday2nd Feb 2021
Video 10 Times Nintendo Characters Appeared In Third-Party Games
Peach Panda will never be forgotten
Nintendo has historically been rather careful with whom they lend out their characters and properties, which is why the likes of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda are such a recent breath of fresh air. That's not to say there were...
Saturday30th Jan 2021
News Reggie Admits Switch Was A "Make Or Break Product" For Nintendo After Poor Performance Of Wii U
"luckily it was a hit"
Nintendo of America's former president, Reggie Fils-Aimé, recently appeared on a New York Gaming Awards Twitch stream earlier this week alongside industry counterparts Jack Tretton (Sony) and Robbie Bach (Microsoft). Reggie was asked what his defining achievement was during his time at Nintendo and touched on the company's...
Thursday28th Jan 2021
News New Christmas Game Appears On The eShop - But Only On Wii U, And In January
Launching "super early for 2021 holidays"
Launching almost as far away from the upcoming holiday season as is possible, a brand new Christmas-themed game has appeared on the Nintendo eShop today. If that wasn't bizarre enough, it's also skipping the Switch, favouring a release on the discontinued Wii U. That's right, Seasonal Assistant, a title...
Wednesday13th Jan 2021
News 3DS And Wii U Software Discounts Have Been Removed From My Nintendo
Can we get some Switch ones now?
It seems 3DS and Wii U software discounts on My Nintendo are no longer a thing, at least in certain parts of the world. My Nintendo users located in North America have noticed the removal of this icon from the store - meaning you'll no longer be able to get discounts for games associated with these systems. It...
Wednesday6th Jan 2021
News LEGO City: Undercover Games Removed From Wii U And 3DS eShops
In what's becoming a worryingly common trend
Just days after it was discovered that a number of DSiWare games had vanished from the eShop, and following the confirmation that Netflix will soon be discontinued across Wii U and 3DS, it's now come to our attention that two LEGO City: Undercover games have also been entirely removed from Nintendo's...
News Netflix Is Winding Down Its Services On Wii U And 3DS
Will be discontinued as of 30th June
Nintendo has now removed Netflix's video application designed for the Wii U and 3DS from both eShops. As of 31st December 2020, it can no longer be downloaded by new users. It is, however, still possible for existing users to re-download the applications at this point in time. The service for Wii U and 3DS will...
Wednesday30th Dec 2020
Random Dust Off Your Wii U, It's Time For Some Banjo-Kazooie And Blast Corps
Update: Maybe not...
Update [Wed 30th Dec, 2020 10:00 GMT]: Nintendo has updated the release schedule on its Japanese website and sure enough it was a mistake. Sorry folks! "Banjo-Kazooie's Adventure" and "Blast Dozer" have been posted as Wii U software delivered on December 30, 2020, but they will not be delivered. We apologize for the...
Monday28th Dec 2020
News This "Impossible" Glitch Could Change The Way You Play Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Forever
Want to keep the Bow of Light? Now you can
Zelda: Breath of the Wild has remained one of the Switch's most popular games despite being released right at the start of the console's life back in 2017. Since its release, fans have spent countless hours trying to unearth all of its secrets and master the strategies that will allow them to speed-run it...
Thursday24th Dec 2020
News The Wii U's Getting A New Game Today, Just In Time For Christmas
Although it's not exactly 'new'
Loading up the Wii U eShop doesn't tend to result in many new games or exciting updates these days, but thanks to a release arriving on the system's digital shelves today, owners of Nintendo's discontinued system can finally get stuck into something new. Well, we say new, but the game in question is Commander Keen in...
Wednesday23rd Dec 2020
Video Are People Still Playing Wii U Games Online? Let's Find Out
Can you still get games on Smash, Splatoon and more?
It's December 2020, almost four whole years since the Wii U was discontinued due to poor global sales and the incoming Nintendo Switch, but we have one burning question on our minds: are people still playing this thing online? Yes, our newest lovely YouTube star Jon has taken the Wii U and its...
Sunday20th Dec 2020
Random Nintendo Extracts Customer's Missing Wedding Ring From Their Wii U
My precious
A Twitter user has shared a story about Nintendo repairing a Wii U that had a missing wedding ring lodged in it. User @sam_nama explains how their daughter put the ring in it - treating the system as if it was a piggy bank. Obviously, it didn't work out and the console had to be sent to Nintendo for repair. Upon return, it was...
Monday14th Dec 2020
Random Holiday-Themed Game Seasonal Assistant Coming To The Wii U eShop Early On In 2021
It's a Christmas miracle
Did you know games are still being released on the Wii U? In fact, early next year, there'll be a special holiday-themed game launching on the system's eShop for $3.99 / € 3.59. It's called Seasonal Assistant and is a spin-off of Ultra Dolphin Revolution's arcade action Wii U eShop title, Spellcaster's Assistant. Here's...
Thursday3rd Dec 2020
Random Mario Maker Player Still Trying To Complete Course After 3,353 Hours
Ideally before the game's services are discontinued
Last week, Nintendo revealed it would be pulling the plug on the online services in the original Super Mario Maker for Wii U. After 31st March 2021, it will no longer be possible to upload courses but it will still be possible to play courses that were uploaded before the service discontinuation...
Wednesday25th Nov 2020
News Super Mario Maker Online Services To Be Terminated, Will Soon Be Removed From Sale
Goodbye, old friend
Nintendo has announced a discontinuation of online services for the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U, meaning players will no longer be able to upload their own courses. The discontinuation comes into effect on 31st March 2021; from that date, it will "no longer be possible to upload courses" and on that same day, the Super...
Wednesday18th Nov 2020
News The Wii U First Launched Eight Years Ago Today
Oh you poor, poor thing
Eight years ago today on the 18th November 2012, Nintendo's Wii U hit the market in North America. Coming off the back of the Wii, Nintendo's most successful home console of all time, hopes were no doubt high for this latest system, but we all know how the story goes from there. With its blocky GamePad controller and HD...
Thursday5th Nov 2020
News The Top Ten Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And DS (As Of September 2020)
Mario Kart still reigns supreme
Earlier today, we shared an updated list of the top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch games of all time, but how are the likes of the Wii U and 3DS doing, and even the Wii and DS before those? Well, it just so happens that Nintendo has also provided up-to-date figures for its best-selling games on those platforms. As...
Monday2nd Nov 2020
News Pikmin 3 Opening Week Physical Sales Were Lower On Switch Than Wii U (UK)
Not what Nintendo was hoping for
Last Friday saw the launch of Pikmin 3 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch, a new and improved port of Pikmin 3 which originally released on Wii U. In an unusual turn of events, the Switch version hasn't managed to outperform the original game in its opening week sales – in the UK, at least. Thanks to the Switch's...
Wednesday21st Oct 2020
News Rodea The Sky Soldier Is Being Removed From The Wii U And 3DS eShops In Japan
Following its removal in Europe and NA
Rodea the Sky Soldier, an action-adventure title produced by Sonic lead programmer Yuji Naka, will be removed from the Wii U and 3DS eShops in Japan next month. The game's delisting follows similar removals in Europe and North America earlier this year, meaning the title will soon be unavailable digitally...
Friday9th Oct 2020
News Kemco Discounts Six RPGs Across Switch, Wii U And 3DS For A Limited Time
With up to 50% off
Kemco has kickstarted an October sale across Nintendo Switch, 3DS and Wii U, slashing the price of six of its RPGs for a limited time. We have a full list of the games included for you below. Discounts range from 40-50% off, with each Nintendo system being treated to two deals each. Have a look through and make sure to jump on...
Thursday10th Sep 2020
Anniversary Super Mario Maker Turns 5 Years Old Today
Mamma mia!
The original Super Mario Maker is celebrating its fifth anniversary today, after originally launching for the Wii U in Japan on 10th September, 2015. Also appearing in Europe and North America on the following day, Super Mario Maker flipped the Mario platforming franchise on its head by giving players access to a full suite of level...
Sunday6th Sep 2020
Feature Potential Switch Port Round-Up - The Wii U Games That Haven't Come To Switch
Want that one
Back in January we asked you in a poll which games you'd most like to see return from Nintendo's previous console generation for an encore on Switch. Since then, we've seen another handful of games from that selection make the generation jump, including The Wonderful 101: Remastered. It's easy to believe that Switch has already picked...
Friday4th Sep 2020
News Nintendo Reinstates Pikmin 3 On The Wii U eShop Ahead Of The Switch Release
Update: And it's back
Update: The game has apparently now reappeared for digital purchase on the Wii U eShop. So, if you haven't played Pikmin 3 before, this means you still have the option to buy and experience the game in its non-Deluxe, vanilla (and much cheaper) form on the hardware it was originally designed for. Here at Nintendo Life, that's...
Tuesday25th Aug 2020
Random Nintendo Changed The Name Of Pikmin 3's Scaly Custard In The West, Thank Goodness
It has a very different flavour in Japan
The announcement of Pikmin 3 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch may well have whetted our collective appetites for another round of this juicy, adorable real-time strategy game, but did you know about this curious translation from the original on Wii U? One of the many pieces of fruit that you can find in the game...
Sunday16th Aug 2020
News Shakedown: Hawaii For Wii U Arrives Next Week
No, seriously!
Vblank Entertainment has finally locked in a release date for Shakedown: Hawaii on the Wii U. It'll be made available on 20th August on the Vblank store and the North American Wii U eShop. The standard editio
Monday10th Aug 2020
News Nintendo Details Switch, Wii U And 3DS Network Maintenance Across August And September
Some times for your eShop browsing diary
Nintendo has updated its network maintenance schedule with details of upcoming work that will affect its services across Switch, Wii U and 3DS. Several maintenance sessions are planned between now and mid-September, all of which have the potential to - or will definitely - impact Nintendo's network...
