The Wii U itself is terrific. Great console. But whatever you do, do not buy the 8GB version. This week’s Smash Bros. patch and DLC provided a reminder that its lack of storage space stinks.
This week’s update added new characters Bayonetta and Corrin as well as a new stage, new tracks and other tweaks. (You can see patch notes on SmashBoards.com.)
The problem is that the original basic Wii U, which only has 8GB of storage and which has since been nixed in Japan at least, has difficulty handling the update. This is a problem for those who might not have expected the need for external storage.
Can’t download Wii U Smash patch because memory…
— Meophist (@Meophist) February 4, 2016
“Please free 1600MB to install update” so it’s become impossible to keep even just SSB’s patches on this wiiu’s ssd pic.twitter.com/F963dyjSbj
— Melissa ␇ ⭐️ (@0xabad1dea) February 4, 2016
Unhappy that the final #SmashBros update for Wii U sucked up my harddrive space dry. So had to put all memory on an external harddrive.
— Chris M (@CoolHandChris55) February 4, 2016
@birdtroid yeah but even so when ur wiiu is getting low on memory it should tell you because you can spend money externaly (3ds, ecard, etc)
— NickB (@anotherfilmfan) February 4, 2016
Mfw my Wii U doesn’t have enough memory for the smash update pic.twitter.com/LwTE5NeFTt
— Memeing Mastermind (@Fightrox) February 4, 2016
odfjtl;kdfjklg;sjf;ldgfskl;gjds wow, my garbage 8GB Wii U doesn’t have enough space on the system for the patch. Smash is the only save file
— Maxabillion Lions (@juiceDoom) February 4, 2016
Smash Wii U DLC maxed out my Wii U’s built-in memory. NX better comes with a freakin’ terabyte <– take note @NintendoAmerica
— Laxe Kisecel (@AlexCeleski) February 4, 2016
i’m so annoyed it keeps saying i don’t have enough space on my wii u?? Help
— iCloud (@OliviaAmiibo) February 4, 2016
it’s so frustrating bc i have the first wii u model and the memory is SHIT
i literally only have splatoon & sm4sh dl and only have 826 mb
— top notch (@miscellmaniac) February 4, 2016
I don’t have enough space in my Wii U to download the new Smash Bros Update, this basic 8gb Wii U is pointless lol
— Fear (@Fear_KV) February 4, 2016
Hey, did I ever tell you that the Wii U’s internal memory storage is absolute TRASH?
— Justin Durden. (@JMDurden) February 4, 2016
It’s stuff like this that show how external memory for the basic Wii U isn’t optional, but indispensable. Now, it’s hard to believe that an 8GB version was ever released.
Comments
40 responses to “Reminder: The Basic Wii U Sucks”
But storage is so cheap now. I have a 1TB hhd attached to my WiiU basic and its great.
im with you, same here, i dont get what all these tech kid whingers are on about.
This is a question for Wii U owners;
Does the Wii U have any SMB/CIFS network protocols, or are you simply stuck with using an USB device?
USB device, preferably a powered one (because non-powered don’t work).
i have a USB powered 1TB drive. works fine.
Non-powered works, you just need to use 2 ports. I have a powered 1TB to mine, works very nicely.
The fact the USB ports are on the front and back is very hand. I need a 1 TB for my PS4, but the no USB ports on the back of it is a giant pain in the arse.
USB by default. To use others it most likely needs modification.
Yay to articles full of twitter quotes!!
More!!
Maybe the WHOLE article can be twitter quotes next time? I mean, this one still has 3 paragraphs of text
Agreed have noticed an increase this on Kotaku.
They must have been hiring from news.com.au
I’d argue the Wii U Basic is the best one because you’re not paying $100 extra for 24GB… Put any old usb stick in the console and you’re set.
This…and…I bought the Mario Kart Bundle (with Nintentdoland and 1 free D/L Game) for 179 on super special. Had an old 250 GB external drive that requires both USB ports in the back to power…and…so what. It’s been great.
Exactly, spend $70 on a 1TB external drive and never have any worries again.
You know what, since getting an xbone I have a new appreciation for how little storage is required for the wii u.
No stupidly huge updates, no half hour installs, and I’m not maxing out my 500gb external drive with only 10 games!
If storage is an issue, just cram a usb stick in the back. They’re virtually free these days, getting pretty quick (read speed is what matters), and will hold tonnes of these respectfully optimised games.
Do we even have the basic here? There was that deluxe model with splatoon for 280 at big w, I can’t recall the last time I saw a basic…
It got discontinued forever ago didn’t it? But then I think still kicked on a bit in those Skylanders bundles, though fairly sure they went and disappeared too.
Is 24GB worth $100? Absolutely not.
I bought an 8GB console in the January 2014 sales for $199 including Nintendoland and Skylanders Swap Force. A 32Gb SD card set me back an additional $20.
For the informed consumer, the 8GB console represents fantastic value for money, comparatively speaking.
Reminder: Don’t click on Bashcroft articles because they suck.
Facepalm.gif
An 8GB stick is $2.73 at officeworks. Problem solved.
The fact that memory is so cheap makes it even more terrible that even the “Premium” Wii U only has 32GB, what is that like 6 bucks worth of memory?
This was fine until I bought Xenoblade Chronicles X
Just FYI Nintendo recommend not using USB sticks to expand memory because the constant rewriting might make you lose data.
So spring for a proper hard drive
Is the Wii U’s usb enough to run an external drive without additional power?
My old Wii can’t handle one, I had to resort to using a usb stick
Yes it is
“Reminder: People Who Bought The Basic Wii U, Then Took To Twitter To Complain About It Suck”
Fixd
Yup just gotta use a Y cable to get enough power.
Or get a hard drive with a separate power adapter of its own.
Use it for DLC data and not for save data. That would be my recommendation if you have to use on.
Aren’t the basic models discontinued?
Honestly 32GB still isn’t great either. But considering there’s no big game disc installs and 5GB day one patches, it kinda works out. I only just filled mine up after having it for two and a half years.
It doesn’t look great on paper but as you said, the Wii U doesn’t have large game installs and huge multi-gigabyte day 1 patches or anything of the sort, so you can argue it’s not really needed to have more than 32. If you’re gonna be downloading lots of VC and eshop titles though then yeah you might have a problem, so get a USB hard drive.
Yeah, that’s what I plan on doing. I bought the Metroid Prime Trilogy but I don’t have any room for it…
Assuming you play from disc. All it took to clog my 32GB model up was two digital titles. I can still play but it always needs memory management. I could get an external drive but I’ve already got way too much junk behind my TVs.
I got the basic version from Target a couple of years ago when they were having a crazy sale on Nintendo stock. Ended up with a basic Skylanders bundle for around $170, and sprung for a 1TB external HDD. Still ended up being a lot cheaper than picking up the 32GB model alone. I regret nothing!
My basic has been fine. Was stupid cheap in a skylanders run out deal and i just put a cheap 64gb usb i got from kogan for 20 bucks in it and have never had space issues. Way cheaper than the other bundle.
With External HDD’s and SD cards being easy and cheap enough it’s not that bad.
Compared to the fact that you know you need a 2TB HDD for your XB1 and a replacement Drive for the PS4 because every game needs to be installed.
I only recently had to get an external drive for my wii u premium.
Why the hell did they ever release an 8GB version when storage space is so cheap? Hell even my 6yr old phone has 32GB of storage space…
You all laugh at Ashcraft now, but this the accepted thinking at release and everybody was just as stroppy as those tweets.
The next console, whatever shape or form it takes, will have some technical quirk seen as a bottleneck or whatever that’ll be latched on to straight away, just you watch.
Who knows, maybe it’ll need petrol to run or something but it’ll only take diesel.
Vroom vroom.
I prefer the white over black.