Hot Take: The Wii U Was an Amazing Console

I know what you're thinking. The Wii U? The console that flopped so hard Nintendo had to rush the Switch out the door? That Wii U?

Yes. That Wii U. And I'm going to tell you why it was actually amazing.

🔄 THE PATTERN OF UNDERAPPRECIATION

This happens to a lot of game consoles and even individual games — they get panned during their lifespan, and then ten years later people start to appreciate what they actually were. Take Pokémon Black and White, for example. Those games were scrutinised at launch for their bold decision to only feature Generation 5 Pokémon before the Elite Four, and for their more dramatic storyline and experimental visual style. People pushed back hard at the time.

Fast forward to today, and it's common to hear Black and White praised as the pinnacle of the Pokémon series — a captivating story with graphics that have aged beautifully. The same re-evaluation is happening with the Wii U.

🏠 BOOT ONE UP TODAY

The Wii U was clearly overshadowed by the Switch, which became one of Nintendo's biggest successes ever. But when you boot up a Wii U today, I think you can see exactly what Nintendo was striving for.

When Nintendo has a console that isn't financially successful, they have to find other ways to win people over — and charm their consumers through sheer quality. With the Wii U, they did that through the virtual console library. It was incredible for its time. You could play games from pretty much every Nintendo console except the GameCube — NES, SNES, N64, GBA, DS — all on your TV or on the GamePad. I fondly remember spending ages just browsing the eShop virtual console catalogue, discovering classics I'd never played before.

🎮 THE GAMES WERE GREAT

• Splatoon — An entirely new IP that became a phenomenon. The original still holds up.
• Super Mario 3D World — Pure multiplayer joy. One of the best co-op Mario experiences ever made.
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze — A masterclass in platformer design. Stunning visuals, incredible soundtrack.
• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD — The definitive way to play one of the most beloved Zelda games.
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD — Dark, epic, and gorgeous in HD.
• Super Smash Bros. for Wii U — Smash in HD for the first time. Need I say more?
• Mario Kart 8 — So good they re-released it on Switch and it became the best-selling game on the platform.

I'm glad the Switch came along — it's an awesome console. But the Wii U definitely holds a special place in my gaming story. And with easy access to modification nowadays, it's actually become my go-to console for anything Wii U and before. The backwards compatibility with Wii games is a nice bonus too.

📣 COMING TO RETROREVIVE

If you haven't played on a Wii U, you're missing out — and the good news is we'll be stocking them soon. Keep an eye on the store and the newsletter for when they drop. I genuinely think people who pick one up are going to be pleasantly surprised.