About a year and a half ago, the Wii U was released unto the world. In the months since then, Nintendo’s extra-screened chunk of plastic has sat in our living rooms. How’s all that going?
While most of us on staff at Kotaku have our own Wii Us and plenty of stories to tell, we’re also interested in hearing from you, our readers. Some prompts to consider:
- How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far?
- Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
- Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
- Do you use the Pro Controller?
- Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
- Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
- More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
- What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now?
If you think the Wii U is the best console you’ve ever owned, tell us why. If you hate it and can’t believe you bought the dumb thing, tell us why. If there’s something about your experience that you think people should know, share it here.
Basically, if you own an Wii U, you’ve probably got stories to tell. So, tell ’em!
Comments
33 responses to “Share Your Wii U Stories”
I put a dent in the gamepad’s screen the day I bought it. ITS PISSING ME OFF
Although I haven’t played it a lot, my Wii U experience has been a mostly good one. With the exception of that one terrible Avengers game I played that one time, the games I’ve played have been pretty damn good – Super Mario 3D World comes to mind, as does Rayman Legends, which is some of the most fun I’ve had in co-op.
I think I have actually spent more time playing wii games on my wiiU than on the actual wii.
I need Mario Kart 8…. so close!
Yeah, I am a recent convert to Nintendo. I spend more time with the Wiiu than my Ps4. Even lowing Skyward sword. My only complaint is that the wiimotes are still expensive and when I tried to put a screen protector on the gamepad it stopped working and I had to take it off to get the tochscreen towork. Apparently it’s a common issue.
I feel like I’m in a very very small minority of people who think the WiiU is the best next-gen console currently available. That might change as PS4 and XB1 come into their own, but at the moment it’s not even close for me.
This is primarily based on the fact that I have a decent gaming PC, and the only thing the other consoles can ever offer me are arbitrary exclusives. Just like the Wii before it, the WiiU has exclusives that are unique in that they wouldn’t work on other systems. It also has backwards compatibility with some must-play amazing games from last generation.
It also helps that I’ve got kids that are really getting into gaming now, and the WiiU Mario games (2d and 3dWorld) are perfect to play co-op with them.
This guy! I like that Nintendo are doing their own thing, and I like that they are still allowing people to play games at parties with friends over splitscreen rather than over the internet.
I’m pretty much in the same boat. Have a gaming pc – Wii U games are just so much fun. Multiplayer Mario is a blast!
My Wii & WiiU got so much more use than my PS3 that i have skipped on PS4 and/or XBone (for now)
So far it is. Even multitasking and Web browsing is better.
I am in exactly the same boat as you, I have a gaming pc which I got after being bored of the Ps3 xbox360 overly long life cycle and find that the price of games on pc is much more manageable than on xbone or ps4 with no exclusives yet to make me want one. That being said I got a wii u on day one as I still had some wii games I haven’t finished and the Nintendo exclusives were looking great. They took a while but so far they have been incredible! Zelda, Mario 3D World, W101, Pikmin 3 and MH3U made last year for me.
How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far?
Uneventful mainly, but I love miiverse and I’ve had a lot of fun playing wario ware and the HD zelda. As well as finally playing through Earthbound again. Also the new rayman was amazing. Been meaning to pick up the new DK also.
Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
I bought it pre-owned fairly cheap in anticipation of smash brothers and mario kart. If i had bought it new and when it came out I would be fairly unhappy with it as it would be collecting dust. Promises of the new xenoblade also keep me excited to have one.
Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
I love miiverse its super cute. Works better with some games than others, always nice to be close to a community and I love it when games integrate it properly like some of the mario titles have.
Do you use the Pro Controller?
Yeah of course.
Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
I haven’t really needed it much to be perfectly honest but I like having it and the freedom i had to play earthbound upstairs and then continue downstairs while i was making dinner one time was pretty great. Been tempted to bring it to uni sometime to play zelda in one of my large gaps also.
Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
No, its a pretty simple concept I thought. I’d love to see just more games on it thats all.
More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
Nah I always thought it was what it was. I haven’t been surprised by anything.
I wish more games used the actual gamepad more because having a meaty kind of rpg that used it effectively would be amazing. Most games just mirror whats on the screen on the gamepad and its kind of distracting if anything.
What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now?
Fortunately I only bought it recently. And honestly is not being used much right now but I’m expecting to have a bunch of fun with it once mario kart is out. And eventually smash bros
It’s sad that more people don’t know about it, that being said I bought one in January 2013… it’s been a long wait for any games, but when they do come they are amazing!
More than anything I want the ability to transfer NNIDs and games between Wii U consoles, I really want the Zelda Wii U having bought the 8GB basic originally but Nintendo are hell bent on not allowing me to give them more money!
How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far?
– A bland and boring experience of mostly questioning why the hell i wasted so much money at launch.
Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
– sincere regret. I preordered and payed of most of the machine in one fell swoop originally as Rayman was meant to be an exclusive. It then got delayed. and delayed. and delayed. and delayed. and i gave up on it. then i waited a year to get 6 versions of Mario and a Mario re skinned to look like Donkey Kong.
Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
one of the few redeeming features of the console. To bad most of the actual helpful info and tips will get buried in a sea of drawn memes that get up voted.
Do you use the Pro Controller?
No if anything i actually prefer the tablet beast that came with the machine. its remarkably comfortable.
Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
Yes – I use it for the Virtual console. which is what the console is now exclusively used for.
Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
The BACKWARDS friend code system. *Edit* my bad was confused with the 3DS on this one 🙂 (which still sucks)
other than that the console is pretty much bog standard except for the tablet controller which is a cool idea that needs to be used better.
More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
The complete lack of support and flood of pathetic third party titles in the first year have soured the console for me completely. It now sits dusty behind my TV and i occasionally pick up the controller to play an off screen Gameboy title while someone is watching a movie.
What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now?
Pre Launch
– HEWLY SHEIIIIIIT NEW NINTENDO CONSOLE!!!!111! *Pre orders*
Launch night
– AWWWW YEAHHHHH got me a black one with Zombie U. I Can’t wait for all the awesome Nintendo games and cool third party titles like Rayman.
A few months later
– hmm… nothing has been released except shit. At least the virtual console is coming…*soon*
Later
– Whelp VC is out might switch on the console for once and see whats there… oh its shit. at least there’s a discounted one for the next few months.
Now
– heh… why is this brick still using up a perfectly good HDMI spot in my TV.
**EDIT**
This is going to get downvoted to hell by Fanboys. but just remember this is a personal opinion and i am not forcing my views on anyone. I know plenty of people who LOVE what the WiiU has become and will become but it’s all too little too late for me. sorry folks.
Uh, what friend code system? You just do friend requests via the username now don’t you?
(I haven’t done any friend-related stuff in ages, can’t remember exactly how it works. Just that I don’t remember any friend codes at all)
You are correct Sir!
I was confused with the 3DS friend system 🙂 Have edited above.
After your antics the other day I thought you were master-race pure-blood?
haha no 😛 just felt like stirring up some shit the other day 🙂 I’ve got all current Gen (PC , PS4, X-One, WiiU) plus about 20-30 retro consoles hooked up around the house. and 2 Arcade Cabs 🙂 (Time Crisis 1 & Tekken 2) I’m just a gamer.
Bought mine at launch and I like it.
I have 8 disc games and a handful of digital stuff but the console doesn’t get used much at the moment, relegated to dust collecting until the next big title comes out.
A couple of the highlights would be ZombiU and Lego City, both games that make good use of the gamepad. I wish the console would have more games like these.
I like the Gamepad, it’s comfortable to use but I wish the screen was multi touch like my phone. The Pro Controller is nice too once you adjust to the different layout but the rumble isn’t very strong. I do like the fact that just about all my old Wii controllers work on it so I didn’t have to buy a bunch of new controllers.
I have a PC and a PS4 so I doubt I will ever buy a multiplatform title on the WiiU now (I think Sonic Racing Transformed is the only one I own) unless the Gamepad does something mindblowing with it, so it will be the Nintendo-Exclusive machine just like the last couple of Nintendo consoles.
I love my Wii U. I broke my shoulder last year, and was off work for a few months, so I bit the bullet and got a Wii U in January. I was planning on picking up an X1, but I couldn’t find any games that I actually wanted to play at launch, so I decided on the Wii U. And I love it.
Miiverse is cool. I don’t post all that often, but it’s awesome to see people digging games right there on your home screen. It makes it feel a lot more ‘alive’ than my X360 ever did. Off TV play is also really neat, but I tend to use it more for VC games than fully-fledged Wii U games because the games look better on my TV than the gamepad screen. I use the Pro Controller more often than not though, especially when it comes to racing games. The gamepad is great though, and I was surprised at how quickly I went from thinking it was the biggest mistake Nintendo made with the Wii U, to absolutely loving it.
I haven’t found the system lacking at all in the games department either, which seems to be a complaint that people who don’t actually own a Wii U tend to have. I’m not that into Mario titles, and there’s plenty of games on the Wii U that keep me coming back. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate was my life for a month or two, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is a great port and also kept me really busy for a month. ZombiU is still one of the gems in the Wii U crown. I honestly do not understand the horrid reviews it got from the American gaming press. The UK sites seemed to get it, at least. I’ve not played anything like it before, and if you plan on getting a Wii U, it’s an absolute no-brainer. Especially because you can generally pick it up for $20-$30 bucks now, sometimes even cheaper. I also picked up Sonic & SEGA All Stars Racing Transformed. Again. Just like with the first title, I’ve actually brought this game on every single system I own and that it’s available on. I got it on PC last week, and own it on the Xbox 360 and 3DS too. I don’t know why, but I do.
There’s so many great E-Shop titles there too, and plenty more coming. Which is great for me. I look forward to these kinds of games, as I’m a little burnt out on FPS titles. The 90’s Arcade Racer comes out soon too – it’s one of the main reasons I actually picked up a Wii U in the first place! 🙂
The only real sticking point I have with the system is with Nintendo itself, and the lack of unified accounts across the Wii U and the 3DS. It’s a HUGE missed opportunity, and more than that, it’s just plain inconvenient. If Sony wasn’t doing this already with the PS3 and Vita (and has been for a long time), then I don’t think it would bother me so much. But they are, and it does.
All in all, the Wii U is a brilliant system with a lot of wonderful, unique games that aren’t FPS titles. FPS games bring the bro’s, and the bro’s bring along the third party support, so BOOM!
I’d honestly recommend the system to anyone, and now is the best time to pick one up. I’ve got myself a collection o about 30 games already (a mixture of physical and digital) for not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things.
Target’s got ZombiU for $10 at the moment.
Absolutely no excuse for any Wii U owner not to have it!
Such a good game. I also am stupidly impressed with the graphics. Looking at them closely, it’s easy to spot the flat textures and such, but in motion (and the heat of the moment) they’re just plain effective 🙂
Walking into the Nursery area the first time was quite terrifying. Loved the atmosphere of that game.
Walking into it? Man I just stood there for ages, trying to pick off as many zombies from a distance as I could and delay having to get in there.
Don’t get me started on actually being INSIDE the nursery…
MY experience?
The WiiU has been great. My WiiU sits in our rumpus room dedicated to the kids. I buy all the Nintendo games as a matter of course, but I buy the 3rd party games that my son would like to play on it as well. Things like Spider-Man 2….which was great on the Wii U.
In a nutshell, I find that at night when I’m wondering what to do with myself, should I play a game? Should I do something constructive? I find myself firing up the Wii U far more often than the ps4. DK cops a pizzling as its suc a great game.
Though Wolfenstein has seen me play the ps4 a lot this week.
How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far?
Rocky, seems like I use the Wii U Pad more as a remote control than a gamepad it has many redeeming factors though.
Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
Glad, I’m always been a sucker for exclusives settling for one console has never been my thing.
Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
I’ve done like 3-4 posts in like a year and a half, so no I use it very infrequently.
Do you use the Pro Controller?
I own one, haven’t used it yet.
Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
So far I’ve done that with most VC games, strangely increases the immersion I feel or maybe I’m confusing that with nostalgia.
Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
Spotpass for the Wii U – what’s the point of giving me updates for a game when you need a CD to initiate the installation all it succeeds in doing is pooling up a large amount of updates on my download lobby.
More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
Probably one or more of each lol, Wii U at times definitely feels like a Ebb and Flow console.
What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now? Inconsistent, considering its easy for months to pass without me turning it on is evidence of that I think most 3rd Party Developers turning their pack on the system will only further add to this lacklustre timeline in the future, it’s truly sad.
The items in your install queue are already installed. You may delete them with no problem. It used to bother me too until I figured this out!
Love my wii u been playing alot of wii games just picked up mario party 8 for the weekend lan 😀 and now hope they make a really good one for the wii u i think ive been playing my wii u more than the PS4 lol
November 28th, 2012, Day 1. One of my favourite consoles I’ve ever owned, if not the favourite. My Wii U is the center of my gaming at the moment and with Mario Kart 8 coming out soon…. I will not see the sun for a very, very long time. I regret nothing. It’s a great system, if you can look past the hoopla and petty intolerance of the “weak” hardware. Coming from the Wii – Wii U is a greater hardware leap from PS3 – PS4. It’s next gen.
Wii U ownership’s been great for me so far, I love it. Bought right on launch, taking a brief break from assignmenting to head to a 24hr Kmart and grab one at midnight before getting back to it. No regrets.
Miiverse was pretty cool, though I haven’t really used it much since the first half of last year. Mainly because I just kind of stopped gaming for the most part, and once I did fire it up again for DK I sort of couldn’t be bothered with it, I was too busy playing the game.
I have got a Pro controller, picked it up shortly after launch because Dick Smith had it cheap. It’s still in its box, unopened – haven’t had any reason to use it yet at all. Or, haven’t had any reason not to use the gamepad.
Off-screen play is fantastic and the best most underappreciated feature of the Wii U. Practically every single person I know with a Wii U has said that they had no idea that they needed it until they got it, and now they can’t live without it. Most others above have talked about using it for VC games, but I don’t have any need for those and still use it a lot, makes it really easy to game while doing other things and not have to completely take time out from everything else to play something.
My timeline looks like the Lego Movie: everything is awesome. With particularly awesome points in ZombiU, Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, and DK: Tropical Freeze. Shamefully I still need to crack open Rayman and 3D World though 😛
Gaming on Wii U feels like utopia. Miiverse is full of creative contributions. The gamepad untethers me from the couch and pulls HUD elements from the main screen to a touch screen interface where they feel at home. Of course, Nintendo games are the heart of the experience, and right now they are at full song making games that matter to me. I feel it’s appropriate for this utopia that not everyone can be allowed in.
So far out of the XBOX One, PS4 and Wii U I’ve enjoyed playing the Wii U the most but I’ve spent more time on the XBOX One. Although in fairness with all three at my fingertips I still play the XBOX 360 the most. It’s also worth noting that while I don’t get incredibly nostalgic and the game is fantastic Wind Waker HD is amongst the Wii U games I’ve been enjoying. Yes, it’s a remaster, but I think the game still stands on it’s own.
My two major concerns, lack of HD and Wii Remote control schemes, have been eliminated with the Wii U so I’m back to the old GameCube stance of ‘well, not every game gets a Wii U release, and if it’s multiplatform it’s probably better on another console, but I don’t get these sorts of exclusives on other platforms’.
Personally I’m happy with it because, like I keep saying everywhere, I’ve hit a point where I think I’ve got my moneys worth out of it. Even as recently as Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze I felt like the game had justify the cost of the console. Mario Kart 8 just has to be worth the sticker price. Considering it comes with a free game that shouldn’t be hard. It’s an expensive console with a small library of games so it takes a while to get there, but once you reach that point it’s fantastic.
If you can only afford one console the Wii U probably isn’t it. If you can afford two the Wii U compliments another console better than the PS4 or XBOX One which have basically the same games (even their exclusives tend to be attacking the same genre as the rival console).
Going to run with the copy/paste list. Because *reasons*
How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far? Pretty damn good. It’s a great little system, even if it’s just “more of the same Nintendo”
Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why? Glad. Definitely glad. Largely because I’ve been largely a Nintendo person since getting a NES 20+ years ago and have owned all of their systems since (even a Virtualboy..). Even if most of the games are the usual franchises, they’re all still highly entertaining to play.
Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would? I’ve barely touched it. Living in MBB quotaless “hell” means that most of the internet-based content is walled off to me. That said, the Miiverse content in Zelda: WW was pretty cool and snapping Selfies never got old.
Do you use the Pro Controller? Yes. Use it almost exclusively where I can.
Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it? Only to play VC titles. Find that full games like Zelda or Mario (either Mario-U or 3D world) don’t feel quite right when I’ve played them in off-TV mode.
Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you? The control pad and why there hasn’t been more emphasis on making cool experiences that take advantage of it (and I don’t mean “here’s a map, lol”). Also, Nintendo’s online store policy baffles me to no end (but that’s been waxed about elsewhere by people who were far more eloquent than I).
More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console? Nothing to be honest. It’s been an awesome little system and I’ve enjoyed playing the games that we’ve gotten so far. That’s kinda passive of a response
What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now? Dick Smith fire sale last year. $200 Pro pack was too hard to pass up. Been grabbing random things since then, although the majority have been VC games (Super Metroid, older Marios etc). It’s been boxed up for the last 6 weeks though while we move house 🙁
Virtual Boy club! \o/
*fist bump*
Brilliant, love it
– Picked it up for 50% off for $214 elite bundle. Good price, would never pay $400 for it, ever.
– Picked up a wiimote and pro controller for $10ea, and rest + NSMBU got 50% off, so a good deal.
– Nintendo games are pretty awesome. I have a bunch of them, am loving them.
– Gamepad sucks balls. You can’t even turn it off, so it drains battery no matter what. It’s treated as an optional accessory but it isn’t. Sort that shit out ffs.
– Pro controller is rad. Battery life is awesome. Loving it to play Wind Waker.
– Miiverse is pretty lol. Friend and I check it out for artwork. I really like how it inserts bits of it into the various games, good idea.
– I like how it’s back-compat. Yay for having Wii stuff go via home theatre system easily!
– Off-tv play works better than Vita remote play. Good stuff. Used it once maybe.
– Overall, I’m happy that I can pick up the odd exclusive game for a console I paid $200 ish for. Worth the money.
How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far?
Bit of a rollercoaster, had its ups and downs.
Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
This answer has changed over time. Got it on hardly normal sale for ~340 for the monster hunter bundle, since I already had a 3DS w/ MH3U. Liked the cross play multi and save sync. Made it my primary YouTube / streaming machine since I could put it on the gamepad while using other systems on the TV.
Then the browser stopped working for that (and the app is shit). Then Nintendo announced zero chance of more cross play titles because it was too hard. Definitely regretted buying one then.
Now my missus has started playing Monster Hunter and it’s worth every cent.
Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
Nah.
Do you use the Pro Controller?
All the time for Monster Hunter.
Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
Not really, since any time I’d do that, the Vita and 3DS can offer more games and a better battery life.
Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
Why the account system is so terrible, and why it shares no design standards with the 3DS. Hell, there’s a larger wide screen display up there, smaller touchscreen down there. Similar OS. It is flabbergasting that they share nothing on a basic level.
More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
Seriously, the lack of cross pollination between the system and its ‘companion’ handheld (could have sworn it was even advertised this way) still shocks me.
What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now?
A little bit of Monster Hunter, lots of YouTube, a few other titles – the first few months. Then after Wind Waker, meh. Stopped using it. Sat idle for months.
Ironically (considering my above points) getting back into Monster Hunter on 3DS has me using the Wii U nearly every weekend now.
LOVE my Wii U. Got it at launch and I have 30+ games, plus I don’t even know how many eshop and virtual console titles, and I DON’T have Pikmin 3, W101, either CoD game, Splinter Cell or Rayman (off the top of my head)… So anyone that says the damn thing has no games is likely a troll, misinformed, ignorant or just full of shit. IMO 🙂
I think the gamepad is extremely comfortable and the battery life is good unless you are going to play for 4+ hours straight then u either need to plug in the huge cord OR purchase the larger battery ($30) that greatly increases the battery life. I bought one and I don’t think I’ve seen it drop a single bar yet.
As someone said above, I thought I’d never use off-screen play but it’s actually turned out to be how I do most of my gaming now.
The thing that disappoints me the most is that no one gives it it’s due… it’s a great console and doesn’t deserve the shit reputation it has.
◾ Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
Never looked back –
◾ Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
I’m an anti-social bastard, so no.. don’t care for it much (besides only friends either have no consoles or PlayStation fan boy)
◾ Do you use the Pro Controller?
want on havn’t needed it yet
◾ Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
Yes and Yes for virtual console to batman, ACIV, and Rayman (basically when I can’t use the television)
◾ Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
no
◾ More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
Rayman – if you didn’t paly it on the wii u you missed out (I just hope Nintendo haven’t pissed permanently ubi off for this gen)
◾ What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now?
I bought it on release, I work, so time is not always available. I have always had something to play. Just like the game cube not stupid quantities of games, but a lot of quality In there.
Bought my Wii U day one and play on it every day almost. I have kids now so off TV gets used a lot and is the single best feature of the system. The Internet browser is good, Miiverse is incredible, VC has been slow but filled with quality titles, exclusives have been great so far with MH3U about to take the crown for my most hours played on one game from FFVII and Dark Souls. All in all I have made some good friends, played some quality titles and the fact it is backwards compatible with wii controllers and games made it a bit cheaper getting local Multiplayer up and running. I love the pro controller, the battery lasts forever and the updates Nintendo have made to the speed of the os as well as off tv on the gamepad show they have been listening to the community. My gaming pc still gets plenty of game time and I wish there was more support from 3rd parties but understand why there isn’t right now. Off to play Scram Kitty while waiting for mario kart 8!
I’m happy to report that out of all the ‘next gen’ consoles the Wii U is my favourite. I must have played my Day 1 Xbone for about 5 hours total, admittedly my PS4 takes a fair bashing though.
Getting down to things, I truly believe the Wii U has the superior game library at this point in time. I love that it doesn’t force feed partner services down my throat (ala advertisement on home screens), and the Wii U community just feels more comfortable to me. It never ceases to amaze me seeing super artworks pop up on miiverse, truly awesome.
Not to mention the games! Sure my list includes remakes and iterations, but come on. I for one am devastated if any major Nintendo IP misses a generation. I really dug Windwaker HD, Mario Bros. U (multiplayer!), Mario 3D World, 101 (surprisingly awesome!), CODBOPsII (don’t shoot), DK, MH3, Trine, Earthbound… Pikmin was OK. Virtual console is getting beefier by the day too.
Need I even mention it, I am sure everyone knows by now. Mario Kart in a week and smash brothers later this year? OMG. And a Zelda announcement at E3? Sweet Jervis it’s a good time to be a gamer and a great time to own a Wii U! Plus Hyrule warriors? OK.
There is always the underpowered thing, but surely after seeing MK8 in action people can understand that beautiful things can be done on the hardware. 1080p and 60fps, even 2 player? More than i can say for ‘current gen’ so far for the most part.
I do want more 3rd party games, like every other owner I’m sure, and if games are being released on ps3/360 they can surely be released on Wii U.
That being said, I love my WiiPad and eco-friendly black box.
The wife bought one for the family for Xmas 2012. I played it with the family a few times, but the closest I got to using it was switching it off properly when I’d constantly tell my son to turn it off and play something else. Then he got Super Mario 3D World for Xmas 2013. I played it for a little while, got bored, and again found myself replacing the games in their cases when telling him to turn it off and do his homework. In the 1.5 years we’ve owned it, I’ve spent more time dusting it than playing it. As a long-time Ninty fan who lived and breathed SNES during the nineties, this breaks my heart.
*How’s Wii U ownership been for you, so far?
I’m content. I’m a Nintendo fan and the Wii U delivers exactly what I want and expect from Nintendo. I’m not wowed, but I don’t think there’s a console that will wow me anymore in these cynic adult years. Not even the oculus rift.
*Are you glad you own one? Or do you regret it? Why?
I’m quite glad. SM3DW was loads of fun and I can’t wait for MK8.
*Do you post to the Miiverse regularly? Do you like it? Has anything about it caused you to like/dislike it more than you thought you would?
I feel I’m too old to get into this game-based social networking. I’m in a serious relationship, with a good group of friends, so I’m really not looking to connect to strangers just to say how awesome a game is. I so would have loved something like that in my super nintendo days! I do become amazed by some of the artwork from time to time.
*Do you use the Pro Controller?
Nah, the screen tablet is where it’s at. I really hope they start exploiting it more.
*Do you use off-TV play often? How do you like it?
I think it’s great but I don’t use it much, really. The only times I would want to use the feature is while having a lazy day and staying in bed, but the wall separating the bedroom from the living room is super thick and the signal won’t go through.
*Are there any things about the Wii U that you still don’t quite understand, or don’t make sense to you?
As said before, I haven’t really tried to get into the Miiverse. I feel is entirely superfluous to my experience, but I see how it would enrich other people’s.
*More broadly: Have you had any experiences that were so cool, so annoying, or so surprising, or so disappointing that they have changed how you view the console?
There was a bit of annoyance through the first year while games relevant to my interests failed to be released. Then again, there was a similar wait back with the Wii, so it is perhaps now to be expected (or, hopefully, they realised it’s not helpful and will correct it for the next console. Seriously, a “next gen” Zelda should be a launch title.
*What does the timeline of your experience look like, from when you first bought it to now?
I’ve been using it a lot, since it literally replaced my Wii, and I still play many Wii games. With time, I’ve been also playing more Wii U games and I have now bought my first VC game. I expect a similar curve of use to expan into the future.
The WiiU is awesome! Got mine at launch & haven’t regretted it for a second! For months, it was gaming parties round at my place with Nintendoland. There is so much scope for insanely fun multiplayer on that disc. The only crime is that there wasn’t any DLC to extend the experience. A few new arenas of Mario Chase would have done wonders.
Both Mario games have been safe, but wonderful. Pikmin was beautifully addictive.
Sure, the library size isn’t huge yet, but there’s a crapload more worthwhile games than there are on the PS4 right now… If I wasn’t playing FFXIV daily my PS4 would be gathering dust.
Ask WiiU owners what they think, & most of them love the thing. It’s just not considered “the cool thing” to do right now,