Is the Wii U the Worst Console?

The Wii U. Is it as bad as people such as StonefoxMedia and other such reviewers lead you to believe?

Over the past year I’ve constantly seen flame wars start over the Wii U whenever I try to find out new information on games such as Xenoblade Chronicles X and The Legend of Zelda. You have the Sony, XBox, and PC fanboys saying the Wii U is a failure and Nintendo fanboys saying it’s the best console of this generation. Who’s Right?

Well, neither of them. While is does have extremely poor sales, it’s not a failure. Nintendo has been bringing the goods and has brought/promising a steady supply of games. The Wind Waker HD, DKC Tropical Freeze, Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros., Mario Maker, Splatoon, Devil’s Third, Mario Party 10, Dragon Quest X, Yoshi’s Wooly World, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Xenoblade Chronicles X, etc. This console packs a punch. (Yes I realize there is no third party support but a PC delivers that experience.)

But, it’s not the best console either. (And all the fanboy hearts sink.) Though I love/owe Nintendo, (their Wii is only reason why I’m able to write this six years later) I have to admit that the Wii U is dwarfed by the power of it’s two competitors the PS4 and XB1. When it comes to third party those two dominate the market and the Wii U will never be able to touch them. So no, it’s not the best console either.

At this point you might be thinking, “Well gee, if it’s not the worst console or best console what are you trying to say?” What I’m trying to say is is this: None of these consoles are the best; it’s all preference.

About a year ago StonefoxMedia did a rant about how the Wii U “sucks so bad.” While ranting he talks about how Call of Duty was gimped and now could only hold six players instead of the standard eight, had terrible graphics, and had a horrible voice chat feature. But here’s the problem with these criticisms. No one, absolutely no one, ever buys a Wii U for Call of Duty. Did I buy my Wii U to get Call of Duty? No. Did I buy my Wii U to get an Assassin Creed game? No. I bought my Wii U to get the Wind Waker HD, Nintendo Land, and Mario Kart 8.

Since StonefoxMedia wanted Call of Duty, he should have gotten the previous gen version or waited for the PS4 and XB1. Since I wanted the Wind Waker HD, I got a Wii U.

Let me be clear. I don’t like standard first person shooters. I think they’re boring, bland, and lack much character. Does it mean I’ll hate you if you like them? No. They’re just not my thing. I like the zany, colorful, and out-of-this-world type of games. And where can I always get that experience? In a Nintendo console. It’s all a matter of taste.

So, is the Wii U the worst console? No. Is it the best console? No. Are all three consoles of this generation (PS4, XB1, Wii U) the best in their own way? Yes, I think so.

https://www.youtube.com/user/StonefoxMedia

i dont watch stonefoxmedia...

i dont watch any channel that gets off on bashing nintendo.

that includes...hip hop gamer, reviewtechusa,blackbond,brokengamezhd and zaire(nxtgen720)

Never even heard of any of the YouTubers you guys mentioned lol. Wii U is making a profit for Nintendo, just not as much as they had hoped, its another Gamecube situation which is fine, if you have a Wii U, your going to have pretty much the best games of the generation lol.

The Wii U is the best supplementary console, if you're primary is either PC, PS4, or XBO. Honestly anyone who owns any of the others owes themselves a Wii U purchase to "complete the circle".

I don't know who Foxwhat Media is nor why I should care. This thread is best served in the Console Wars forum than here where we already know the glories of Wii U ownership.

Looking at my current gen library, it's easy to see the Wii U is the best console in my house.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

"Kids on YouTube say the Wii U is bad, make me feel self conscious about my genitals, need affirmation quick!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

1. Yes, the Wii U is a failure. It was supposed to be the console that would get the big blockbuster 3rd party games. Reggie makes it clear in an interview leading up to the console's release where he states that they need Batman and Mass Effect. It lost most support shortly after launch and was even a cash burn for Nintendo for some time. At this point, I doubt the Wii U is going to crack Gamecube numbers by the end of this cycle. The supply of games isn't steady at all. The list of games for "Everything but Wii U" only continues to get larger.
2. That mentality needs to go away. It's serious problem that players have to feel compelled to buy another platform just for multiplatform games. Those experiences should be on Wii U and the choice between consoles should come down to exclusive properties. What we have right now is a mountain of content exclusively not for Wii U, and it's Nintendo's fault.
3. Yes, it is all preference. If you like Nintendo published content, the Wii U is a good buy.
4. Youtube personalities don't matter.
5. Call of Duty should have been on Wii U. Nintendo has failed miserably on the 3rd party front.

Sorry, I had to break it down to the points I wanted to address.

It's the mother fucking best console!

I think Nintendo are doing better software-wise than they were doing for the Wii at the same period of time. If someone can be bothered, they should put a a list of "first 2 years" to compare.

Of 8th gen for sure, though it's not even a contest :p

Still has a long way to go to top the gamecube though

Well, it's not the best.

To be fair, it's not done yet either.

Looking at it purely from the point-of-view as someone who has played musical chairs with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo for a few years now, and who has a long history with Nintendo...

I think the reason why the Wii-U is in the place it's in, is because a lot of fans expect so much more from Nintendo. They expect a more powerful console, they expect more original ideas, and they expect sequels to beloved Nintendo games that take things up to the next level, whatever that may be. But Nintendo likes to limit themselves and try to do the best they can with older tech, rather than becoming overwhelmed by current tech.

Frankly, there is a lot I do love about Nintendo. They have made games that have a 'soul', and feel like what every game genuinely should be. And in a way, maybe the company is doing worse because of technological advancements. I have given thought to buying a Wii-U before, but I can't really ever justify it. The whole idea of the Wii-U, the whole concept... I look at it, and i just think, "I could have designed something 100 million times better, as someone who has played console games for years."

And I may never own a Wii-U, simply because Nintendo's idea for their next console sounds so much better - a console/handheld hybrid - they finally want to do away with the separation between console and handheld development. I may never even own this so-called system, given that I'm getting older and want to start doing other things with my life, but it's just a shame to me that Nintendo didn't think to do something like that sooner.

Maybe the thing that makes Nintendo consoles so great, is the way they give you hope. Nintendo consoles and handhelds always gave me hope for the future of games, for what a game system could one day do.

PS4 and XB1 have no games, the end.

Is the Wii U the worst console? No if you look into the history of Videogame consoles, Wii U is by no means the worst console. But out of the three 8th generation consoles The current sales are something like this. PS4 14.1 million, Xbox one 9.2 million and Wii U 7.9 million sold thus far. These are VGchartz sales numbers. But since this is the Black Friday-Christmas-Boxing Day sales time. These numbers will change.

So the 8th Gen is just over 1 year old. So at this time the Wii U is the worst of the 8th Generation consoles considering that it had a 1 year head start on the other 2 consoles.

Is the Wii U a failure for Nintendo? That has yet to be decided, even though at this point it is not doing well sales wise. Nintendo may make a tiny profit off the Wii U when all is said and done. The jury is out until the 8th gen is over.

The Wii U is not even Nintendo's worst console since that goes to the Virtual boy which sold only 700,000 ish duing 10th months of lifespan. But currently at this point Wii U is the worst 8th Gen entry.

Your taste in games is revolting, the end

Beginning of 2014, Wii U's well being seemed grim at best. It has improved so much in lineup and sales since then.

Nintendo has a mountain of problems internally as a company, the output of their big software releases, their continued fear of online connected hardware, and their strained relationship with third party companies.

That beings said the Wii U has served the Nintendo faithful well at the end of this year.

They do not know how to satisfy gamers who are not deeply invested in Nintendo franchises.

I think they've done a pathetic job for people who like Nintendo games too.

How many big releases this year? 5?

That's great if you're Amish

The Wii U is the worst console as far Nintendo systems go. Even Gamecube managed to have good third party support the first two years of its lifespan whereas the Wii U launched and then crashed right away. The Wii U is at the beginning of its third year and has only sold a little over eight million units. Games like Mario Kart, Mario Bros, Smash Bros, Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3, Bayonetta 2, Donkey Kong Country, and Hyrule Warriors did not help sales that much. Nintendo thought that the casual market would stick around, but they did not. The only people who bought a Wii U are fans who are already familiar with Nintendo's franchises. Nintendo has not shown how the gamepad brings innovation as far as gameplay is concerned. It is a cool feature to have when two people are arguing over the TV, but it is nothing special. There are quite a few titles coming out in 2015, but there will be another drought once the first party games come out.

On the other hand PS4 has had a pretty good first year with several games coming out in 2015. The share button is a great thing to have. It is very simple to use. It might not be something unique, but it is something people can grasp easily. Every week there is some new announcement about games coming to PS4.

Nintendo might only have a few games that come out every year, but at least every game is high quality.

@thearchiwarrior: The Wii U is a good system. they all are but depends what you want. Have you played any of the Nintendo titles and liked them? The software (games) that are out and what are coming out by the end of 2015 is very impressive. The console itself is technically weaker but that doesn't mean the games look worse as a result (in fact many Wii U games look on par with PS4). The Gamepad is pretty sweet..can always play even if someone else is using the T.V and it works great as a dynamic gps/map. Also people are nicer online. Seriously, Ive never had to deal with rude/offensive msg's or images. In Zelda Wind Waker, all the bottles you collect from other places. They are all positive and sets a nice vibe ^_^ Even get random people liking your little post if you have an interesting to say :)) That's with MiiiVerse and each game has a dedicated page where you can chat and share screenshots with each other. great way to connect with fellow gamers who like the same types of games you do

Wii U Exclusives - Nintendo Land, Wii Fit U, Super Smash Bros, New Super Mario Bros U, Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, Yoshi's Wooley World, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, Zelda 2015, Hyrule Warriors, New Kirby, New Star Fox, Bayonetta 2, Splatoon, Sonic Lost World, Sonic Boom, Lego City, Pikmin 3, Xenoblade X...

I think that list just speaks for itself.

I've been a Playstation guy for 3 gen and always had a Nintendo system but this time around I'm fed up with Sony or Xbox that i find very unispiring and way too much into graphics, nothing changes only the paint coat wich I find a lot more disapointing. In my history with Nintendo has been NES, SNES, i didn't have a N64 then I got the Cube, didn't buy the Wii and got a Wii U and seriously in the first few minutes of playing Super Mario 3d World, I was hooked. The game is fun, it makes me smile and I still play it because it is fun. Every sony game that I played last gen, I finish it and was like ... whatever and never played it again because there is no reason to do it, no unlockable no fun, but it is beautiful and it is pretty much only that.

Really odd, but I keep posting in this thread and it deletes it....

I think this is true.

I've been with Nintendo since the early eighties, and I've noticed a definite change in the company since around the mid '00s. Technologically I'm not too upset about their chosen direction (though would absolutely prefer them to take part in the race although I think they've put themselves into a position where they can no longer afford to do so), but overall there's been an incredible sense of complacency and lack of ambition that seems to permeate everything they do. This isn't nostalgia speaking: I can easily recall a time when Nintendo was a real contender. A time when the unexpected was expected and could be counted upon. Nowadays, it seems to take forever for them to move on anything and try something new. They've become incredibly conservative almost to the point of being bullied. I await the day they grow some balls again.

You're living in the dark ages if you believe that.

They have multiplats, that's it. I already have a pc much better than those consoles, hence they have no games.

There is 0 reason to buy a XB1/PS4.

Wii U has first party games that aren't on pc.

@JigglyWiggly_: I wouldn't go that far. They have some really good games on there that make each a wonderful experience. While I don't own one myself, I have been temped multiple times to buy a PS4 or XB1.

@YearoftheSnake5: You bring up some good points. I mostly wrote this article because I was getting tired of everyone talking about the "Console Wars" and how the console they play is the best. Also, to address your fourth point, I know that youtube personalities don't matter. I was just using him as an example. (Though I do worry I brought his name up one to many times.) When I upload my next post (whenever that may be) I'll try to keep your comment in mind.

Also I admit the Wii U should have more third party games. I just don't think that they need to be the most important thing in a console. But they are up there on the priority list.

@thearchiwarrior:

People tend to say something is the best console just because it's their choice, their preference. Don't mind them. Personally, I have a Wii U and a gaming PC this gen. Neither of the competing consoles have something thing that I can't live without. If I didn't have my PC, I would likely be tempted to buy another console. If the Wii U got all, or most of the 3rd party games, Nintendo would have a go-to system for both exclusives and other content.

I agree, 3rd party shouldn't be the most important thing. Some games just won't come to a platform for one reason or another. One example I can give is Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, which came to Xbox, GC, and PC, but not PS2. This shouldn't, however, be a regular thing for a particular platform, which is what the Wii U is enduring. The system needs to be attractive for most, but you can't please everyone.

It is really far from. Actually I'd say one of the best

It's a lot stronger than both PS4 and Xbox One in terms of software and it's not even close at this point in my opinion. I own a PS4, but it's going to take quite some time for its library to be on par with Wii U.

As a person who far prefers Nintendo's first party to all third party companies games combined, and finds the quality gap this gen to be even larger than usual- Wii U is definitely my favourite system.

This is necroing. I'm gonna lock this thread. If someone feels like a new thread that is fine though.