Skyler Orton
The Wii U is one of Nintendo’s most ignored consoles. Its launch was a flop due to poor marketing and an admittedly mediocre launch lineup. This is a struggle the Switch 2 is having now but it’s nowhere near the dreadful level that the Wii U was at back in 2012 and early 2013. However, the years have been kind to the black sheep of the Nintendo family and I would argue that the Wii U is severely underrated.
Sequels that eventually became classics
While the launch library for the Wii U was basic, Nintendo fleshed it out with a library of incredible sequels. It started in 2016 with Pikmin 3 which brought the GameCube classic into a whole new generation. It continued with classics like Super Mario 3D World, Bayonetta 2, Super Smash Bros for Wii U, Mario Party 10 (fight me), and Xenoblade Chronicles X. Many of these games went on to be ported to the Switch so that many casual fans didn’t know they were originally for the system. Regardless, the Wii U library gained popularity over the years, and now it can be considered a classic. Besides who can forget Mario Kart 8 and Breath of the Wild (yeah this one was a Wii U game) which eventually turned the Switch into the huge success story it is today.
Unique new IPs and spinoffs
The Wii U launched an impressive number of spin-offs and whole new games that are enjoyed today. Pokken Tournament launched in 2016 and gave Pokemon a flashy new fighting game. It combined classic 2D fighting with a 3D perspective as well. The game was successful enough to be ported to the Switch where it was fully appreciated. Super Mario Maker also originated on the system and saw massive success. Giving countless fans opportunities to create their own Mario level was a dream come true for many players and the touch screen made it intuitive and successful.
By far the biggest success story to come out of the Wii U is Splatoon. The original game was popular at the time for being a family friendly third-person shooter, which rarely happens. The game’s colorful characters and unique movement are incredible and held up enough that the game earned two sequels on the Switch with an upcoming spinoff, Splatoon Raiders coming next year. While the sequels are great, the original holds up and in my opinion still has the greatest online maps and story mode.
The GamePad is a great mechanic
The GamePad is one of the most controversial aspects of the console. However, I think it goes beyond just being gimmicky and is incredibly useful in countless games. In most games the GamePad is used as an always open map and having that on hand is a game changer for all games. I love being able to direct Pikmin from a distance with a few taps of my stylus or being able to jump and support a teammate in Splatoon with the push of a button. Whenever I play the Switch ports and sequels of these games I always feel like I am missing out on the convenience of having these countless features on-hand.
While it is usually subtly implemented, the games that make the most of it are wildly fun. Pack-in game Nintendo Land is the greatest example of this. Combining the GamePad with classic Wii remotes makes for 12 incredibly interesting mini games. There’s a shocking amount of content and honestly this game alone makes the console worth owning.
Other games use it creatively too. Affordable Space Adventures gives the pilot’s controls of a spaceship to the GamePad who must keep switching between screens to pilot the ship. ZombiU is a first-person survival horror game where the player uses the GamePad not just to manage items and the map but also more intense gameplay. For example, you can use the controller’s gyroscope to find items and import your face to be a zombie in the game after death.
A fantastic library of old games
One of the Wii U’s biggest features was the Virtual Console. Developers were able to put their old games up for sale on the eShop with a basic emulator. This made the console a brilliant all-in-one box for every Nintendo system’s greatest hits. Almost every major game from Nintendo’s history (with some notable exceptions like Pokemon) were available to purchase which was integral for the system’s success. The fact that many Nintendo fans have been begging for the feature to return is a great endorsement of quality.
Not only are the Virtual Console games great value, there were also many remasters of older games in that period. The most notable examples of this are the Zelda HD ports. Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD are fantastic remasters of great games. They take the classics and modernize them for a whole new generation of players. While it is a shame these versions are locked to an outdated console they are still worth checking out here especially with the GamePad’s added features.
Charming design
The Switch is definitively one of Nintendo’s best consoles but it’s lacking the charm and fun of its predecessors. The Wii U’s Home Screen takes the best part of the Wii’s overall vibe and music but expands on it. It also heavily used the unfortunately decrepit Miiverse service. For those who don’t know, Miiverse was a social media service that worked through the 3DS and the Wii U. Users would be able to share drawings within game specific communities. These drawings showed up on one screen of the home menu in Mii filled clusters separated by game. This was a lot of fun and it was always good to see what your fellow players were up to every time you opened the console. It also simply gave the system a unique charm that no other console since has replicated.
Overall, the Wii U’s unique features and killer library of games evolved into a console worth owning. Everything from the games to the UI had the GamePad in mind which only elevated the playing experience. For anyone looking to take the plunge I would highly recommend buying into one. While some of these features were discontinued it is still a strong system without them. Besides, there are always ways around that. But, that’s just my opinion. What did you think of the console? Let us know in the comments below.
