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With NX on the horizon, how will Wii U be remembered?

As someone who was already an adult when the Cube came out, and a hardcore Nintendo fan for both the Cube and the Wii U, I think the comparisons between them are way, way off the mark. The Cube is manifestly superior.

Controller: The Cube's controller is beloved to this day, especially the Wavebird - the first wireless controller for consoles, which was incredible. The Wii U's controller is overly expensive and divisive, had poor battery life, and ultimately part of what sunk the console. Its gimmick was not used enough to justify the cost.

Visuals / Power: Cube games were, in practice, close enough to Xbox and just slightly ahead of PS2 as the cutting edge of the industry. You were playing the biggest and best games the console industry could produce. There were no compromises when you played Metroid Prime - you were blown away.

3rd parties:
As an example, some of the best original 3rd Party Gamecube games:
Res Evil 4; NBA Street Vol 2; Soulcalibur 2; Beyond Good and Evil; Rogue Leader; Viewtiful Joe; Tales of Symphonia; Timesplitters 2; Baten Kaitos; MGS Twin Snakes; REmake; Super Monkey Ball 1/2

Best original Wii U 3rd Party Games: Zombi U; ???????

1st Party Franchises:
Mario: Cube got an experimental but flawed 3D Mario. Wii U got two good Mario games but none in the traditional 3D style.
Mario Kart: Cube got a slow but well liked MK. Wii U got the greatest MK ever.
Zelda: Cube got Wind Waker, the last truly surprising and ambitious Zelda, and 4 Swords Adventures. Wii U got 2 Wii ports & will get NX leftovers.
Metroid: Cube got the phenomenal and revolutionary Metroid Prime 1+2. Wii U: Nintendoland lol.
Donkey Kong: Cube got bongo bongs. Wii U got Tropical Freeze.
F-Zero: Cube got F-Zero GX. Wii U: Nintendoland lol
Wave Race: Cube got Blue Storm. Wii U: lol
Fire Emblem: Cube got Path of Radiance. Wii U: lol
Pokemon: Neither got anything of particular note, if I remember correctly.
2nd parties: Cube got Eternal Darkness; Wii U got W101 and Bayo 2.
New IP: Cube started Animal Crossing and Pikmin. Wii U started Splatoon.

It's not a comprehensive list but overall it appears like an easy win for the cube to me. Which of those Wii U games is truly revolutionary? Which will wind up in the discussions of 'greatest Nintendo game ever?' Cube had the more innovative fare that was also closer to pushing the limits of game design at that time rather than being the 'safe' family gaming of modern Nintendo.

The Cube was almost as good as a console could be back then. It was a legit choice as a first/only console when it launched. Its subsequent failure felt unfair, and was due to Sony's might and superior marketing / 3rd party acumen. But it had all the potential the PS2 / Xbox had. Can we say that for Wii U vs the PS4 and XB1? Of course not.
You forgot Smash Bros. The GameCube got what is considered to still be the best entry in the series, while the Wii U's Smash game fell short (albeit not by much) but still ended up being a great entry with a massive roster.
 
A dud.

Sure, there were some good games, but the giant Fischer-Price controller deflated a large amount of enthusiasm for it, as did 6-month+ delays and no third party games beyond Skylanders and Disney Infinity.

Also, the console in which Nintendo let amateur dev run wild on the eShop to disastrous results.

It ain't no Dreamcast OR GameCube.

(P.S. I FLOVE Super Mario 3D World)
 
As someone who was already an adult when the Cube came out, and a hardcore Nintendo fan for both the Cube and the Wii U, I think the comparisons between them are way, way off the mark. The Cube is manifestly superior.

Controller: The Cube's controller is beloved to this day, especially the Wavebird - the first wireless controller for consoles, which was incredible. The Wii U's controller is overly expensive and divisive, had poor battery life, and ultimately part of what sunk the console. Its gimmick was not used enough to justify the cost.

Visuals / Power: Cube games were, in practice, close enough to Xbox and just slightly ahead of PS2 as the cutting edge of the industry. You were playing the biggest and best games the console industry could produce. There were no compromises when you played Metroid Prime - you were blown away.

3rd parties:
As an example, some of the best original 3rd Party Gamecube games:
Res Evil 4; NBA Street Vol 2; Soulcalibur 2; Beyond Good and Evil; Rogue Leader; Viewtiful Joe; Tales of Symphonia; Timesplitters 2; Baten Kaitos; MGS Twin Snakes; REmake; Super Monkey Ball 1/2

Best original Wii U 3rd Party Games: Zombi U; ???????

1st Party Franchises:
Mario: Cube got an experimental but flawed 3D Mario. Wii U got two good Mario games but none in the traditional 3D style.
Mario Kart: Cube got a slow but well liked MK. Wii U got the greatest MK ever.
Zelda: Cube got Wind Waker, the last truly surprising and ambitious Zelda, and 4 Swords Adventures. Wii U got 2 Wii ports & will get NX leftovers.
Metroid: Cube got the phenomenal and revolutionary Metroid Prime 1+2. Wii U: Nintendoland lol.
Donkey Kong: Cube got bongo bongs. Wii U got Tropical Freeze.
F-Zero: Cube got F-Zero GX. Wii U: Nintendoland lol
Wave Race: Cube got Blue Storm. Wii U: lol
Fire Emblem: Cube got Path of Radiance. Wii U: lol
Pokemon: Neither got anything of particular note, if I remember correctly.
2nd parties: Cube got Eternal Darkness; Wii U got W101 and Bayo 2.
New IP: Cube started Animal Crossing and Pikmin. Wii U started Splatoon.

It's not a comprehensive list but overall it appears like an easy win for the cube to me. Which of those Wii U games is truly revolutionary? Which will wind up in the discussions of 'greatest Nintendo game ever?' Cube had the more innovative fare that was also closer to pushing the limits of game design at that time rather than being the 'safe' family gaming of modern Nintendo.

The Cube was almost as good as a console could be back then. It was a legit choice as a first/only console when it launched. Its subsequent failure felt unfair, and was due to Sony's might and superior marketing / 3rd party acumen. But it had all the potential the PS2 / Xbox had. Can we say that for Wii U vs the PS4 and XB1? Of course not.

Agree with all of this.
 
I've mocked the Wii U quite a bit, but I bought one several months ago and it's become my most played console. It's good to just pick up and play a few Mario Kart races, or SMM levels, or Smash or Splatoon battles and then get on with whatever I'm supposed to be doing.

I like the gamepad, I like the bright colorful graphics and having my Nintendo games in proper HD, I like how it has full backwards compatibility so I can play my wii backlog easily.

It's a good system. The price never officially getting any lower than $300 was kind of nuts, but I'm glad I own one.

Collecting for it is expensive as shit though, and getting worse.
 
A lot of people say the Wii U is going to be looked back on more fondly, but I think it will kinda be the opposite. I'm not saying it will be disliked, but rather than opinions on the system will be a lot more tempered as it fade out of the Console Warz. While the Wii U has a good number great games, its library isn't very sizable or varied (pretty much every list of "Wii U hidden gems" lists have the same 15-20 games - a quarter of which are platformer) and a lot of its big titles are sequels to long-running franchises that are likely to get a second wind on the NX.

It is true that the system gets a lot of shit from corporate drones and lapsed fans angry at the lack of Metroid Prime/F-Zero and open-world 3D Mario (there are plenty in this thread, lol), but message boards dwellers are a tiny minority. Most people don't "hate" or even dislike the Wii U, most people simply don't really care, and as a rule of thumb, most of those same people won't really care about obsolescent systems either.. On the other hand, there is a certain contingent of Nintendo fans who are very... flamboyant about their advocacy of the system. (How many times do you see people saying things like "The Wii U is the last bastion of True Fun Games for Real Gamers" when the system is brought up?) and I think both that and the bashing will go away as the system ages.

Of course, if the NX turns out to be a total shitshow, I guess that yes, the Wii U is going to be remembered a lot more fondly.
 
They didn't drop anything..they just caught lightning in a bottle with the Wii, they were just as clueless back then as they are now. Which is why I have little hope for the NX.

One does not simply execute a product like the Wii off of dumb luck. As a product, it was incredibly well-designed and communicated. The launch was worthy of an Apple product and, in fact, reminiscent of the iPod specifically.

eNgSWTN.jpg


They knew where they were going with this. It was a bold move, which could have fallen flat without an appealing product. But the message was clear, and reductionist logic such as yours has no place.
 
One does not simply execute a product like the Wii off of dumb luck. As a product, it was incredibly well-designed and communicated. The launch was worthy of an Apple product and, in fact, reminiscent of the iPod specifically.

eNgSWTN.jpg


They knew where they were going with this. It was a bold move, which could have fallen flat without an appealing product. But the message was clear, and reductionist logic such as yours has no place.

This is true. I don't really understand why people discredit the Wii so much. It was a very cool system that was brilliantly designed/marketed.
 
As someone who was already an adult when the Cube came out, and a hardcore Nintendo fan for both the Cube and the Wii U, I think the comparisons between them are way, way off the mark. The Cube is manifestly superior.

Controller: The Cube's controller is beloved to this day, especially the Wavebird - the first wireless controller for consoles, which was incredible. The Wii U's controller is overly expensive and divisive, had poor battery life, and ultimately part of what sunk the console. Its gimmick was not used enough to justify the cost.

Visuals / Power: Cube games were, in practice, close enough to Xbox and just slightly ahead of PS2 as the cutting edge of the industry. You were playing the biggest and best games the console industry could produce. There were no compromises when you played Metroid Prime - you were blown away.

3rd parties:
As an example, some of the best original 3rd Party Gamecube games:
Res Evil 4; NBA Street Vol 2; Soulcalibur 2; Beyond Good and Evil; Rogue Leader; Viewtiful Joe; Tales of Symphonia; Timesplitters 2; Baten Kaitos; MGS Twin Snakes; REmake; Super Monkey Ball 1/2

Best original Wii U 3rd Party Games: Zombi U; ???????

1st Party Franchises:
Mario: Cube got an experimental but flawed 3D Mario. Wii U got two good Mario games but none in the traditional 3D style.
Mario Kart: Cube got a slow but well liked MK. Wii U got the greatest MK ever.
Zelda: Cube got Wind Waker, the last truly surprising and ambitious Zelda, and 4 Swords Adventures. Wii U got 2 Wii ports & will get NX leftovers.
Metroid: Cube got the phenomenal and revolutionary Metroid Prime 1+2. Wii U: Nintendoland lol.
Donkey Kong: Cube got bongo bongs. Wii U got Tropical Freeze.
F-Zero: Cube got F-Zero GX. Wii U: Nintendoland lol
Wave Race: Cube got Blue Storm. Wii U: lol
Fire Emblem: Cube got Path of Radiance. Wii U: lol
Pokemon: Neither got anything of particular note, if I remember correctly.
2nd parties: Cube got Eternal Darkness; Wii U got W101 and Bayo 2.
New IP: Cube started Animal Crossing and Pikmin. Wii U started Splatoon.

It's not a comprehensive list but overall it appears like an easy win for the cube to me. Which of those Wii U games is truly revolutionary? Which will wind up in the discussions of 'greatest Nintendo game ever?' Cube had the more innovative fare that was also closer to pushing the limits of game design at that time rather than being the 'safe' family gaming of modern Nintendo.

The Cube was almost as good as a console could be back then. It was a legit choice as a first/only console when it launched. Its subsequent failure felt unfair, and was due to Sony's might and superior marketing / 3rd party acumen. But it had all the potential the PS2 / Xbox had. Can we say that for Wii U vs the PS4 and XB1? Of course not.

And let's not get started with Dreamcast's enormous library of new IPs, fresh gameplay concepts, definitive versions of 3rd party games and some of the most ambitious games of its time. Like Shenmue inventing open world. Or PSO pushing console online.
Wii U fans are really desperate with these falsely proclaimed equalities.


Wii U is like Virtual Boy dragged through the course of 4 years. A console whose sales for once are pretty accurately reflected by its sales. Some curiosities like Bayonetta 2 might stay in the minds of niche gamers fondly and that's it.
 
hmm i think for there to be'hidden' gems there need be a ton of games to hide them in first, which is not the case here

Hidden to me is games not to many people know about, or not to many people realize are quality games. In that aspect, there are tons of games the majority of gamers have overlooked on Wii U.
 
And let's not get started with Dreamcast's enormous library of new IPs, fresh gameplay concepts, definitive versions of 3rd party games and some of the most ambitious games of its time. Like Shenmue inventing open world. Or PSO pushing console online.

Wii U is like Virtual Boy dragged through the course of 4 years. A console whose sales for once are pretty accurately reflected by its sales. Some curiosities like Bayonetta 2 might stay in the minds of niche gamers fondly and that's it.

Yep. I was never a fan of the Dreamcast (It was too 'arcadey' for me, and I don't like arcades or arcade games) but I was aware that it was out there, attempting to lead the pack and push the industry forward with game design and visuals and online and other stuff.

Wii U feels like a puppy trailing 6 years behind its X360 and PS3 brothers. The years-late ports of PS360 games in the first year and a half really, really strongly gave it that impression. That it was a goofy train years late to the station with nothing but a Fisher Price tablet and an appalling launch slate to show for its tardiness.
 
As someone who was already an adult when the Cube came out, and a hardcore Nintendo fan for both the Cube and the Wii U, I think the comparisons between them are way, way off the mark. The Cube is manifestly superior.

Controller: The Cube's controller is beloved to this day, especially the Wavebird - the first wireless controller for consoles, which was incredible. The Wii U's controller is overly expensive and divisive, had poor battery life, and ultimately part of what sunk the console. Its gimmick was not used enough to justify the cost.

Visuals / Power: Cube games were, in practice, close enough to Xbox and just slightly ahead of PS2 as the cutting edge of the industry. You were playing the biggest and best games the console industry could produce. There were no compromises when you played Metroid Prime - you were blown away.

3rd parties:
As an example, some of the best original 3rd Party Gamecube games:
Res Evil 4; NBA Street Vol 2; Soulcalibur 2; Beyond Good and Evil; Rogue Leader; Viewtiful Joe; Tales of Symphonia; Timesplitters 2; Baten Kaitos; MGS Twin Snakes; REmake; Super Monkey Ball 1/2

Best original Wii U 3rd Party Games: Zombi U; ???????

1st Party Franchises:
Mario: Cube got an experimental but flawed 3D Mario. Wii U got two good Mario games but none in the traditional 3D style.
Mario Kart: Cube got a slow but well liked MK. Wii U got the greatest MK ever.
Zelda: Cube got Wind Waker, the last truly surprising and ambitious Zelda, and 4 Swords Adventures. Wii U got 2 Wii ports & will get NX leftovers.
Metroid: Cube got the phenomenal and revolutionary Metroid Prime 1+2. Wii U: Nintendoland lol.
Donkey Kong: Cube got bongo bongs. Wii U got Tropical Freeze.
F-Zero: Cube got F-Zero GX. Wii U: Nintendoland lol
Wave Race: Cube got Blue Storm. Wii U: lol
Fire Emblem: Cube got Path of Radiance. Wii U: lol
Pokemon: Neither got anything of particular note, if I remember correctly.
2nd parties: Cube got Eternal Darkness; Wii U got W101 and Bayo 2.
New IP: Cube started Animal Crossing and Pikmin. Wii U started Splatoon.

It's not a comprehensive list but overall it appears like an easy win for the cube to me. Which of those Wii U games is truly revolutionary? Which will wind up in the discussions of 'greatest Nintendo game ever?' Cube had the more innovative fare that was also closer to pushing the limits of game design at that time rather than being the 'safe' family gaming of modern Nintendo.

The Cube was almost as good as a console could be back then. It was a legit choice as a first/only console when it launched. Its subsequent failure felt unfair, and was due to Sony's might and superior marketing / 3rd party acumen. But it had all the potential the PS2 / Xbox had. Can we say that for Wii U vs the PS4 and XB1? Of course not.

I'd also add to the list:

Smash Bros. : Cube got one contender for best game in the series, Wii U got the other. That said, there's a reason they added Cube controller support to the Wii U for this title.
 
As someone who was already an adult when the Cube came out, and a hardcore Nintendo fan for both the Cube and the Wii U, I think the comparisons between them are way, way off the mark. The Cube is manifestly superior.

Controller: The Cube's controller is beloved to this day, especially the Wavebird - the first wireless controller for consoles, which was incredible. The Wii U's controller is overly expensive and divisive, had poor battery life, and ultimately part of what sunk the console. Its gimmick was not used enough to justify the cost.

Visuals / Power: Cube games were, in practice, close enough to Xbox and just slightly ahead of PS2 as the cutting edge of the industry. You were playing the biggest and best games the console industry could produce. There were no compromises when you played Metroid Prime - you were blown away.

3rd parties:
As an example, some of the best original 3rd Party Gamecube games:
Res Evil 4; NBA Street Vol 2; Soulcalibur 2; Beyond Good and Evil; Rogue Leader; Viewtiful Joe; Tales of Symphonia; Timesplitters 2; Baten Kaitos; MGS Twin Snakes; REmake; Super Monkey Ball 1/2

Best original Wii U 3rd Party Games: Zombi U; ???????

1st Party Franchises:
Mario: Cube got an experimental but flawed 3D Mario. Wii U got two good Mario games but none in the traditional 3D style.
Mario Kart: Cube got a slow but well liked MK. Wii U got the greatest MK ever.
Zelda: Cube got Wind Waker, the last truly surprising and ambitious Zelda, and 4 Swords Adventures. Wii U got 2 Wii ports & will get NX leftovers.
Metroid: Cube got the phenomenal and revolutionary Metroid Prime 1+2. Wii U: Nintendoland lol.
Donkey Kong: Cube got bongo bongs. Wii U got Tropical Freeze.
F-Zero: Cube got F-Zero GX. Wii U: Nintendoland lol
Wave Race: Cube got Blue Storm. Wii U: lol
Fire Emblem: Cube got Path of Radiance. Wii U: lol
Pokemon: Neither got anything of particular note, if I remember correctly.
2nd parties: Cube got Eternal Darkness; Wii U got W101 and Bayo 2.
New IP: Cube started Animal Crossing and Pikmin. Wii U started Splatoon.

It's not a comprehensive list but overall it appears like an easy win for the cube to me. Which of those Wii U games is truly revolutionary? Which will wind up in the discussions of 'greatest Nintendo game ever?' Cube had the more innovative fare that was also closer to pushing the limits of game design at that time rather than being the 'safe' family gaming of modern Nintendo.

The Cube was almost as good as a console could be back then. It was a legit choice as a first/only console when it launched. Its subsequent failure felt unfair, and was due to Sony's might and superior marketing / 3rd party acumen. But it had all the potential the PS2 / Xbox had. Can we say that for Wii U vs the PS4 and XB1? Of course not.

A well thought out analysis and I agree. Though few consoles, depending on taste of course, compare to the Gamecube, I do feel like both consoles overall deserve more sales. Gamecube for being the powerhouse that it was with (overlooked) software, and Wiiu for really offering something different in terms of genres/games lin-up compared to the competition (though that is mostly due to the fact 3rd party's and developers have dramatically shrunken their output inetc. genres like platformers/adventures/rpg etc).
 
Some of the Wii U's best games, namely Zelda U & Smash 4, will get ported. Though it's entirely likely that Nintendo could just move forward with Mario Kart & Splatoon sequels rather than re-releasing their Wii U entries.

I think anything is fair game port wise. None of Wii U's games were cheap to make, and even in the case of its best-selling titles, didn't reach the audiences they could have, either.

If NX enjoys a better install base than Wii U did (which statistically speaking is going to be incredibly likely), then I'd expect to see Bayonetta 2, Wonderful 101, Xenoblade X and the like all given another shot. If NX surprises us all and becomes a huge success, then I'd say it's certain.
 
I think anything is fair game port wise. None of Wii U's games were cheap to make, and even in the case of its best-selling titles, didn't reach the audiences they could have, either.

If NX enjoys a better install base than Wii U did (which statistically speaking is going to be incredibly likely), then I'd expect to see Bayonetta 2, Wonderful 101, Xenoblade X and the like all given another shot. If NX surprises us all and becomes a huge success, then I'd say it's certain.
I'd agree for those 3 games in particular. But given that it didn't take long for Splatoon to be made & that Mario Kart 8 ended DLC support early last year, it would be better for Nintendo to just go for sequels for those games instead of re-releasing the older Wii U entries of those games. The only reason I'm supporting a Smash 4 re-release (with all of the DLC included) is because of the fact that we probably won't get another Smash game for a long time if Nintendo opts to wait for Sakurai.
 
I'd agree for those 3 games in particular. But given that it didn't take long for Splatoon to be made & that Mario Kart 8 ended DLC support early last year, it would be better for Nintendo to just go for sequels for those games instead of re-releasing the older Wii U entries of those games. The only reason I'm supporting a Smash 4 re-release (with all of the DLC included) is because of the fact that we probably won't get another Smash game for a long time if Nintendo opts to wait for Sakurai.

I honestly don't see Sakurai moving forward with Smash. He's done all that can be done with that series, creating a masterpiece that can live on through stage and roster updates. It's time to find a custodian to keep it going and have Sakurai either move on to build up Kid Icarus or take on a whole new project.
 
Some of the Wii U's best games, namely Zelda U & Smash 4, will get ported. Though it's entirely likely that Nintendo could just move forward with Mario Kart & Splatoon sequels rather than re-releasing their Wii U entries.

I doubt we'll get many ports at all. Maybe one or two and that's it.
 
As someone who was already an adult when the Cube came out, and a hardcore Nintendo fan for both the Cube and the Wii U, I think the comparisons between them are way, way off the mark. The Cube is manifestly superior.

Controller: The Cube's controller is beloved to this day, especially the Wavebird - the first wireless controller for consoles, which was incredible. The Wii U's controller is overly expensive and divisive, had poor battery life, and ultimately part of what sunk the console. Its gimmick was not used enough to justify the cost.

Visuals / Power: Cube games were, in practice, close enough to Xbox and just slightly ahead of PS2 as the cutting edge of the industry. You were playing the biggest and best games the console industry could produce. There were no compromises when you played Metroid Prime - you were blown away.

3rd parties:
As an example, some of the best original 3rd Party Gamecube games:
Res Evil 4; NBA Street Vol 2; Soulcalibur 2; Beyond Good and Evil; Rogue Leader; Viewtiful Joe; Tales of Symphonia; Timesplitters 2; Baten Kaitos; MGS Twin Snakes; REmake; Super Monkey Ball 1/2

Best original Wii U 3rd Party Games: Zombi U; ???????

1st Party Franchises:
Mario: Cube got an experimental but flawed 3D Mario. Wii U got two good Mario games but none in the traditional 3D style.
Mario Kart: Cube got a slow but well liked MK. Wii U got the greatest MK ever.
Zelda: Cube got Wind Waker, the last truly surprising and ambitious Zelda, and 4 Swords Adventures. Wii U got 2 Wii ports & will get NX leftovers.
Metroid: Cube got the phenomenal and revolutionary Metroid Prime 1+2. Wii U: Nintendoland lol.
Donkey Kong: Cube got bongo bongs. Wii U got Tropical Freeze.
F-Zero: Cube got F-Zero GX. Wii U: Nintendoland lol
Wave Race: Cube got Blue Storm. Wii U: lol
Fire Emblem: Cube got Path of Radiance. Wii U: lol
Pokemon: Neither got anything of particular note, if I remember correctly.
2nd parties: Cube got Eternal Darkness; Wii U got W101 and Bayo 2.
New IP: Cube started Animal Crossing and Pikmin. Wii U started Splatoon.

It's not a comprehensive list but overall it appears like an easy win for the cube to me. Which of those Wii U games is truly revolutionary? Which will wind up in the discussions of 'greatest Nintendo game ever?' Cube had the more innovative fare that was also closer to pushing the limits of game design at that time rather than being the 'safe' family gaming of modern Nintendo.

The Cube was almost as good as a console could be back then. It was a legit choice as a first/only console when it launched. Its subsequent failure felt unfair, and was due to Sony's might and superior marketing / 3rd party acumen. But it had all the potential the PS2 / Xbox had. Can we say that for Wii U vs the PS4 and XB1? Of course not.

Agree about the controller. I kept mine when I got the Wii. Greatest thing I never threw away or sold.

And to the bolded...yea this can spawn another topic its self ...but I agree here too. And the Gamecube had an actual Metal Gear game? That may be considered the best version of that game?
 
I think in the long run, it will get a cult following. Sort of like the Dreamcast. A fun system that offered games and gameplay not available anywhere else at the time but didn't get much support from third party developers.
 
Like the Virtual Boy, not.
Unlike the Virtual Boy, the Wii U had its fair share of great memorable exclusives. Not to mention that it helped jump-start Splatoon, which will likely go on to be one of Nintendo's mainstay franchises. It was also home to the best Mario Kart game & the 2nd best Smash game.
 
A lame horse that stumbled out of the gates and fell during the race, resulting in it living the remainder of its life in a back paddock giving rides to children. The owner knew it would make the local children sad if he put the horse down right after the accident so he kept the horse around, there were a half dozen instances these rides even made a profit. Unfortunately, these profits did not meet the sum needed for the horse's expenses, so the owner abandoned it and invested in a new horse, even giving it the old horse's favorite ribbon that was once used to lure the whippersnappers from far and wide.

Joking aside (or am I?), comparing it to the Gamecube I don't feel it is quite there, the Wii U has a nice list of gems but just a few classics imo. I would place my overall experience with the Gamecube above the Wii U for now. My perspective was formed with these titles in mind:


  • Bayonetta 2
  • Smash Wii U
  • Super Mario 3D World
  • Splatoon
  • Pikmin 3
  • Mario Kart 8
  • Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X
  • Super Mario Maker
  • Zelda Wii U
  • Star Fox Zero

Vs

  • Paper Mario TTYD
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee
  • WindWaker
  • Super Mario Sunshine
  • Metroid Prime
  • Metroid Prime 2
  • Resident Evil 4 (the version that mattered)
  • Twilight Princess
  • Luigi's Mansion
  • Double Dash
  • Eternal Drakness
  • Tales of Symphonia
  • Animal Crossing
  • Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2
  • Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2
  • F Zero GX
  • Pikmin 1 & 2
  • Rogue Leader
  • Fire Emblem PR
  • Skies of Arcadia Legends
 
Unlike the Virtual Boy, the Wii U had its fair share of great memorable exclusives. Not to mention that it helped jump-start Splatoon, which will likely go on to be one of Nintendo's mainstay franchises. It was also home to the best Mario Kart game & the 2nd best Smash game.

real talk

Smash for Wii U > Melee
 
Don't know why people are calling the Wii U an utter failure, we're not looking at Ouyas and PSVita TVs here, folks. For a system selling 12 million+ units with exclusives that are very successful, it's hard to really call it a failure (and I know the Wii sold 100+ million units).

screenshot02-02-16at089kr0.png


^^ Now an idea?
 
A lame horse that stumbled out of the gates and fell during the race, resulting in it living the remainder of its life in a back paddock giving rides to children. The owner knew it would make the local children sad if he put the horse down right after the accident so he kept the horse around, there were a half dozen instances these rides even made a profit. Unfortunately, these profits did not meet the sum needed for the horse's expenses, so the owner abandoned it and invested in a new horse, even giving it the old horse's favorite ribbon that was once used to lure the whippersnappers from far and wide.

Joking aside (or am I?), comparing it to the Gamecube I don't feel it is quite there, the Wii U has a nice list of gems but just a few classics imo. I would place my overall experience with the Gamecube above the Wii U for now. My perspective was formed with these titles in mind:


  • Bayonetta 2
  • Smash Wii U
  • Super Mario 3D World
  • Splatoon
  • Pikmin 3
  • Mario Kart 8
  • Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X
  • Super Mario Maker
  • Zelda Wii U
  • Star Fox Zero
  • The Wonderful 101
  • Yoshi's Woolly World
  • Hyrule Warriors
  • Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
  • Nintendo Land
  • Lego City Undercover
  • Paper Mario U (supposedly leaked)

Vs

  • Paper Mario TTYD
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee
  • WindWaker
  • Super Mario Sunshine
  • Metroid Prime
  • Metroid Prime 2
  • Resident Evil 4 (the version that mattered)
  • Twilight Princess
  • Luigi's Mansion
  • Double Dash
  • Eternal Drakness
  • Tales of Symphonia
  • Animal Crossing
  • Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2
  • Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2
  • F Zero GX
  • Pikmin 1 & 2
  • Rogue Leader
  • Fire Emblem PR
  • Skies of Arcadia Legends
You missed a few spots.
 
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^^ Now an idea?

It hasnt hit 15 million yet?

....wow....

But yea thats why some call it a failure. This trend doesnt look too good for Nintendo. And thats the wild part...its like the Wii never happened looking at this chart. How in the world....

The NX needs to be a grand slam.
 
It has the best smash bros. Nothing more unfortunately, splatoon is great but that system needed to perform better to be remembered properly.
 
I'll remember it as the console with the most exclusives this generation that are actually worth owning the console for (Bayonetta 2, Zelda obviously, Mario 3D World, Splatoon, Xenoblade X, Mario Maker, Hyrule Warriors, Wonderful 101, etc.) as opposed to Xbox One (Sunset Overdrive and...that's it, everything else is also on PC and/or PS4) and PS4 (though it's close here, with Bloodborne, The Order, Street Fighter 5 (also on PC, I know) and a few more I can't think of right now).

All in all it's up there with the GameCube and SNES as one of my favorite Nintendo consoles ever.
 
It hasnt hit 15 million yet?

....wow....

But yea thats why some call it a failure. This trend doesnt look too good for Nintendo. The NX needs to be a grand slam.
If anything, I could see Nintendo leaning more on the handheld side of things to ensure success for the NX Platform.
 
I know what you mean. But I think we need to come up with some better terminology to describe these games. Mario 64 & Galaxy are 3D with exploration and worlds, Mario 3D Land & World are also 3D games, but they're far more linear and they have levels with a specific goal as opposed to more goals in one area.

Mario 64/Sunshine/Galaxy is a 3D adventure game.
Mario 3D Land/Word is basically just Super Mario Bros. but in 3D (that's simplified, but essentially that's what it is).

This pretty much. The controls were tight as they always are for their intended purpose in a mario game, but it was not the same style of gameplay as the previous 3D adventure games.
 
Not a vast library but unmatched quality. Many of Nintendo's best games in years have been released on WiiU.

Pikmin 3 is the best in the series and a modern classic.
Mario 3D World is one of the best Mario games ever made.
Wonderful 101 is a very misunderstood gem, a bit rough around the edges but very memorable and unique.
Game & Wario is a great couch mp game and as a piece of interactive comedy it's pretty fun. Some minigames blow though.
Lego City Undercover is the best Lego game to date and a damn shame a sequel hasn't been announced (NX please)
MK8 is the best in the series
Smash 4 is the best in the series
Captain Toad is a charming little puzzler. Maybe not quite must-own buy damn solid
Yoshi's Woolly World is the best Yoshi platformer since Yoshi's Island.
Xenoblade is better than its predecessor and one of the most impressively vast open world ever crafted.
Hyrule Warriors is pure addiction in disc form, very fun
Splatoon is a fresh take on the online shooter, also great stuff.
Bayonetta 2 is grade A action
Mario Maker is just genius
Nintendoland is another underappreciated minigame collection, the best there ever was in fact. The only thing they didn't nail was the actual theme park, the hub was just shit.
DKTF is another great platformer.
NSMBU has the best level-design in 2D Mario yet evn in it uses the now boring and bland as hell NSMB look, the gameplay is solid as ever.

I dunno, this is a pretty damn good line-up, and that's just the exclusives, with a few potential classics still in the pipeline.

Great fucking system.
 
As the machine for Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. 4 and Splatoon.

I can't think of a single memorable game apart from these 3.
  • Bayonetta 2
  • The Wonderful 101
  • Hyrule Warriors
  • Super Mario Maker
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X
  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
  • New Super Mario Bros. U
  • Super Mario 3D World
  • Pikmin 3
And those are just off the top of my head.
 
You missed a few spots.

It says so much about the lineup of the Wii U that you are including a Wii port, a rumored game and a kids game in the list.

Why are people doing this? Defending the Wii U will result in the same mistake for the NX again.

I can't understand that.
 
I'll remember Wii U as a console that gave me some really good exclusives and many hours of fun. Oh, and Off-TV play is pure magic.
 
The console where people on message boards immediately say 'but it has these awesome ten games'

It does have gems but in my eyes the breadth and depth of its gems fail to match something like the Dreamcast and (as some as already stated) Sega did so much right with the DC whereas Nintendo fucked up so much with Wii U.
 
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