Wii U: Two Years Later

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The Story so Far

Nintendo's console has been troubled ever since it was first announced. Its name alone was a huge setback, with consumers and even industry veterans mistakenly thinking that the Wii U's gamepad was simply an upgrade to the existing Wii console. With confusion abounding, Nintendo's marketing department pretty much failed to re-educate the masses, and very quickly, any positive messaging to come out of Nintendo's launch was lost.

The console sold very slowly, and ultimately wasn't as successful as Nintendo had expected. Consequently, it didn't get the third party support the machine needed to help it build critical mass and that essentially put Wii U into a tailspin, resulting in general apathy from many gamers - particularly the mass market that had helped the Wii U's predecessor become such a runaway smash hit.

Bob explains, "Despite Nintendo's third-party inclusiveness before the system's launch, the Wii U became exactly what I thought it would: a platform solely for Nintendo games, with a few oddities here and there. But that's exactly why I bought it. Most consumers aren't going to be in my position, though, so I feel like the Wii U is more of a supplementary system than a primary one: You'll definitely want a PS4, Xbox One, or a PC alongside it to have the full range of gaming experiences."

That take on Wii U feeling like a great second system is echoed by Mike. "The Wii U's hard drive is tiny and the GamePad's battery life makes me sad," he bemoans. "It's a good alternate experience from what the PS4 and the Xbox One provide. Nintendo will always support it with good stuff, so you just have to be fine with "The Nintendo Console". I certainly couldn't survive with it as my only console."

Kat enjoys the uniqueness of the system. "I don't play my Wii U nearly as much as I would like," she admits, "but there's some real treasure to be found in the Wii U eShop. Over the past year or so, I've picked up Earthbound, the lovely Shovel Knight, the delightful NES Remix 2, and a handful of GBA games that I never got around to play, including the underrated Wario Land 4. All of them are a perfect fit for the Wii U Gamepad, which gets more usage than my television when I'm playing Wii U games. In many ways, the Wii U isn't much more than a fun novelty, alternately serving as a retro gaming platform and a Nintendo first-party machine. But whenever I turn it on, I find that I can't help smiling. As a console, it's very much a throwback to what some might call the "good old days" of gaming—the 8 and 16-bit eras."

"Wii U's biggest challenge so far has been finding direction" says Jeremy, recognizing Wii U's marketing challenges. "Nintendo came up with a pretty clumsy idea for a console - yes, tablets are popular, but their appeal isn't that they're tied to your computer but rather independent from it - and gave it a not-so-relatable name that completely failed to communicate its nature. Even a name like Super Wii or Wii HD would have been fine! But Wii U? Nintendo really had no idea who its was reaching out to, or what it hoped to accomplish with Wii U (is it for casual Wii fans? Is it for hardcore gamers? It can't be for both! And it's ended up being for neither!).

While it's easy to be down on Nintendo's system, we shouldn't forget the company's great showing at E3 this year, when Nintendo managed to pull several rabbits out of their hat in the form of a really impressive 2014/15 games lineup. All of a sudden, there were things to really take note of: Mario Maker, Bayonetta 2, Captain Toad, Yoshi's Woolly World, Splatoon - and of course Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Whether or not these will precipitate a major turnaround for mass market sales remains to be seen, but for now, with its solid range of upcoming games, Wii U does look like it's turned a corner. And while it might be this generation's perennial runner-up, it has become a great second machine. Even more so if Nintendo can budge a little on the price of a new machine. I think that's the only big thing still holding it back.

Great Games

Exclusive

Mario Kart 8

Super Mario 3D World

Pushmo World

Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

Pikmin 3

NES Remix 2

Shovel Knight (Console exclusive, but also available on PC)

Bayonetta 2

Wonderful 101

Non-Exclusive

Lego Marvel Superheroes

Guacamelee Super Turbo Champion Edition

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Director's Cut)

Wii U is about less is more. Given its two-year head start, the system's range of games is fairly lean, and its third party support is disappointing at best. However, there are some great games on this list, most of which you can't get anywhere else, and Wii U's best games are on a par with anything else out there. There's also a smorgasbord of hot new titles on the way, and 2015 could well be Wii U's best year for software.

Not-So-Great Games

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Shut the Box

Tank! Tank! Tank!

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2

ESPN Sports Connection

Game Party Champions

I've Got to Run!

The Smurfs 2

Gaiabreaker

Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade

Wii U suffers somewhat from the same affliction as its predecessor - and that's shovelware. Nintendo seems to be quite happy to let truly appalling games trundle through its auspices, as this long list of feeble titles attests. Bring back the Seal of Quality and stop the rot!

However, while these losers really let the side down, fortunately there's plenty of winning software that help offset this miserable lot. A general rule of thumb with a Wii U game is, if you've never heard of it, check out reviews before you buy it. And if you can't find a review, that's your best indication to steer well clear. If the manufacturer doesn't send out review copies, that's because it's probably going to stink out the room when you open the box.

System Highlights

After a very difficult 2013, and quiet first half of 2014, Nintendo managed to turn around perceptions with a great showing at E3. After having few games to cheer about, suddenly Nintendo fans were hit with a comparative tsunami, and that helped silence critics by showing that the machine was still alive and well and truly kicking.

Mike talks about his favorites. "Mario Kart 8 and Bayonetta 2. Two sequels that couldn't be more different from one another. Though it flubbed the Battle Mode this time around, Mario Kart 8 is still one of the best games in the series, and DLC means it'll only get better. Bayonetta 2 is a pitch-perfect action game that never lets up and it wouldn't exist if not for Nintendo."

"At this point, though, the company's perseverance has begun to pay off," says Jeremy. "They continue letting out a slow, steady drip of top-notch games, and fans are starting to come around. At the moment, Wii U stands as strong as either of its competitors - actually, thanks to being the only horse in the race with backward compatibility, it has by far the strongest library of any current-gen console. Even if you take that crutch away, though, Wii U is still a serious contender."

Bob's a big fan of the GamePad. "It's a Godsend," he enthuses. "I typically play portable games while catching up with TV or YouTube, and now that I can do the same with a console, my multitasking knows no bounds. And, like I said above, the Wii U has an incredibly strong library if you're into the Nintendo experience. In two short years, we've already seen Pikmin 3, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros., Super Mario 3D World, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Wind Waker HD, and some of the company's greatest games from the past three decades thanks to the Virtual Console service.

System Lowlights:

Many complaints about Wii U cite its outdated-feeling technology. Mike explains, "The system itself seems to be stuck in a previous generation. The hard drive is small and the network infrastructure is getting better, but it still takes forever to download anything. I'm just hoping Nintendo is prepared next time."

I agree. I think Nintendo made a mistake with the gamepad, thinking it was technology that would provide the same kind of cool factor this time around that Wii's revolutionary controllers did the last time. However, many consumers were nonplussed, and simply saw the gamepad as technology they didn't need, because they didn't understand that the GamePad isn't a tablet - it's a controller.

For Bob, the frequency of games are an issue. "I'm disappointed, but not at all surprised that Nintendo has stuck to their slow-drip release schedule for classic games-and it's even more agonizing this time around because they're mostly re-releasing titles already made available one the Wii's Virtual Console years ago. Sure, having EarthBound available is fantastic, and the inclusion of Game Boy Advance games has given me the chance to revisit some recent classics, but there could be so much more. And I'm pretty sure they released the GBA version of Yoshi's Island (instead of the superior SNES version) to offend me personally."

In the end, it's hard not to have some feelings of frustration over Wii U. It seems to have lost a great deal of third-party support, and its own release schedule, while packed with impressive games, seems very spaced out. Sure, there are some great ones, but we'll have some long waits between them.

Kat has similar feelings. "The lack of third-party support is always going to be an issue for Nintendo platforms, seemingly dooming them to also-ran status in the console market barring a mainstream breakout hit like Wii Fit. I hate to trot out an old cliche, but most people seem to buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games these days. Either that, or they get one for their kids (though the iPad is slowly overtaking Nintendo's platforms in the role of My First Videogame Platform). I suppose you can look at it as Nintendo always have a niche—you're certainly never going to find Nintendo games anywhere else. But if Nintendo really wants the Wii U (or another console) to break out, they might be wise to ape Sony and invest even more heavily in exclusive indie content and other quirky titles that can fill out the Wii U's somewhat thin library."

Outlook:

In terms of Wii U's future, Jeremy offers this insightful take, "The real question is where it'll be a year from now... and frankly, there's not that much on the horizon besides Nintendo's first-party content. New games with last-gen support (Destiny and Alien: Isolation, for example) don't have a presence on Wii U. New games created explicitly for last-gen (Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Assassin's Creed: Rogue) don't, either, and that's the real kick in the pants. Basically, Wii U is the machine to own to be able to play a handful of greats that won't appear on the competition's systems, while you'll need to own the other consoles to play... everything else."

However, Jeremy also offers this counterpoint, "On the other hand, I do find Xbox One and PS4 largely indistinguishable from one another (PS4 getting a slight performance edge), whereas Wii U actually has a personality. I suppose that's something."

Kat is generally positive. "I think the Wii has settled in nicely since its rough launch. This year has been particularly strong thanks to Mario Kart 8 and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which are really good even for Nintendo first-party games, as well as Platinum's Bayonetta 2."

However, pricing is an issue for her. "It would be nice if Wii U got a price drop, since even $300 is really way too much for it ($250 or so is a better target), but even more casual Nintendo fans would do well to give the Wii U a hard look as a second console alongside the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. The third-party situation isn't likely to get any better, but Nintendo is absolutely killing it with their first-party lineup right now, which is tough to ignore. The Wii U may ultimately only have another year or two left in it; but when all is said and done, it will stand as a creative success, if not necessarily a monetary one."

Mike has a similar, but slightly more bleak outlook, and believes Wii U's future hinges on one critical upcoming game. "Unless Smash gives the system legs, I think we've seen its best days. It'll continue to entertain a small, but fervent fanbase until Nintendo's next system touches down."

Even big Nintendo fan Bob admits, "I'd give it a few more years, though I'd honestly be surprised if Nintendo hasn't moved on after 2016. We'll at least see a new Zelda game, and possibly a new Mario, but Nintendo's already delivered sequels to most of their reliable franchises thus far. Unless they go whole hog with some new IP - which isn't really their style - I assume the Wii U's final years will be just like the Wii's: quiet, but with a few notable surprises."

That's a rather depressing take on a system that's only just two years old, but while there's no doubt that there's some great games coming up, it's still difficult to see Wii U picking up any kind of steam without a major relaunch and a lower price point.

The question is - can Nintendo afford to take that price hit to make its machine a contender, or is it prepared to run very lean this generation, and regroup for the next time around?