BPX036: When Wii and U Were Kings

[Neon Ignition]

It's been over three years since the first of the BPX threads began and that first thread was a reflective look back at the Nintendo Wii. The system was one of gamings biggest success stories yet it doesn't have the same lasting legacy as some other systems, likely because it was so successful at appealing to none gamers who promptly returned to that state in its wake.

What followed was the well documented fall from grace that Nintendo suffered again, the Nintendo WiiU

Those three years have changed things dramatically, Nintendo moving quickly on from the failed system to its newer and much more successful iteration, the Switch. The WiiU though commands a small but very loyal fanbase to this day despite how aggressively Nintendo has picked its bones clean. Essentially, with hindsight, a prototype for the Switch - the WiiU is a popular choice these days as the system has been cracked wide open allowing users to install Homebrew onto their units and to run WiiU, Wii, Gamecube and Retroarch from the likes of attached USB sticks etc.



The system enjoyed several much loved games despite those titles not receiving much public attention until their later rerelease on the next system. Though underpowered in comparison to its rivals the WiiU was the first real step up in visual capabilities for the company since the Gamecube and it still managed to produce some lovely looking titles.



So low was the systems impact that even these ported gems will likely end up being more remembered for the system they were rereleased on than their original destination. The Gamepad would mostly likely end up being the systems defining feature, a bulky precursor for the system that followed. Nowadays not many WiiU, well remembered, high profile titles remain exclusive to the system and even those may find themselves spreading to Switch in time.




Looking back, what are your thoughts on Nintendo's least successful home console?
Does it stand up on its own merits now that it's been raided by Nintendo or is its value more in being hacked into an all-in-one offering for Nintendo games?

[Dogg Thang]

I can't really find a choice for me here. It definitely wasn't a masterstroke, in my opinion. It obviously underperformed but I think it would be a huge reach to say it was a failure in every way. And I'm not even sure I'd call it all that flawed. The system worked. The system did some really good things. Nintendo had a marketing failure early on that was critical and, very quickly, the third parties dropped off and that kind of set the path for the system. But I don't think I could call the system itself flawed.

I got into the WiiU late and so I knew exactly what I was getting. And I went for it over a PS4 or XBoxOne because, to me, it made a much more sensible family choice. I think it has some brilliant games and the technical performance of the system did everything it needed to for the games I played. I got a lot of enjoyment from my WiiU and, with two kids who were pretty young at the time, I was right that it was a perfect family choice.

So I think it was a good system.

But as I said in the Switch thread, it now feels like a first draft of what became the Switch. I also have no doubt that its first reveal, naming and early marketing did a huge amount of harm because nobody knew what it was. And so the early figures were low. Some third parties were willing to take risks right at the start but, due to those low figures, it didn't pay off. Changing perception of what people bought a Nintendo system for would be a much longer game. For example, if you wanted games that played like ZombiU, the WiiU was not going to be your system of choice. That type of thing was already much better served on pretty much any other system. The Switch seems to have shifted that somewhat with a far wider choice of games performing well on Nintendo's system, especially in the indie space where we see story after story about how much more games are selling on the system compared with other formats. But that wasn't going to be an overnight shift from the Wii to the WiiU.

So it began with an uphill struggle anyway and Nintendo did it no favours with the branding confusion. But it's a good system and the fact that many of its games can now hold their own on the Switch is a testament to what it had to offer.

[Asura]

I can't really find a choice for me here. It definitely wasn't a masterstroke, in my opinion. It obviously underperformed but I think it would be a huge reach to say it was a failure in every way. And I'm not even sure I'd call it all that flawed. The system worked. The system did some really good things. Nintendo had a marketing failure early on that was critical and, very quickly, the third parties dropped off and that kind of set the path for the system. But I don't think I could call the system itself flawed.

Yeah, I agree with your post. One of the main failures of the unit was a branding failure, something Nintendo understood with the Switch. However, I think a bigger issue were the core concept and use-case.

I still believe that this must have been a difficult thing for Nintendo to understand, and I can see why they ended up in that situation. In Japan, "tethered tablet" devices are extremely common. At a Karaoke bar, you use one to browse tracks and order drinks to your booth. At a conveyor sushi place, you use one to order specific food or order more drinks. At the "combeni"-style convenience stores, you use them for reprographics, ordering tickets for events.

But for westerners, tethered tablets are unusual. Certainly the interface model exists, but not in anywhere near the same regularity.

To Japanese people, upon seeing the WiiU, I believe it would've made sense to them - "Oh, it's one of those, but you have it in your house, I get it." To Westerners, the question kept being asked of whether it was portable; it just didn't make sense in the same way, and as a result, was probably always going to fight an uphill battle.

There were other problems, too - like the misunderstanding that the tablet was a Wii accessory, and that's just a complete failing on Nintendo's part, but I think this was a related, but distinctly different problem.

It was really clear from the very first video of the Switch that they realised they needed to show people not just the games or some vague ideas about the experience; rather, they needed to show how the machine fit into the customer's life. I think it was also a smarter product too, so that was an easier job.

[Dogg Thang]

Yep. I must admit the first time I realised the range was so short on the gamepad was a bit of a shock. I knew it had limited range, I just didn't quite expect that limited. So my dreams of just wandering off to the toilet with it would have to wait until the Switch.

[cutmymilk]

Even though I have an extensive collection, the GamePad is a major mis-step and I use the pro controller whenever possible.

Having to look at two screens that are not connected like a DS just does not work for me. I just can't use a system like that.

Mario 3D World is one of the best Mario games ever though, so as long as that remains exclusive (it won't) there is a reason to own it. I also have my BOTW file on there with no way to migrate it to the Switch so it's still plugged in to the living room TV.

[Nu-Eclipse]

The Wii U GamePad is easily Nintendo's worst-ever peripheral and it should have been designed to be optional-use/sold separately instead of being forcefully tethered to/bundled with the console.

[Atticus]

I’ve got a real soft spot for the Wii-U. The first time you’re presented with the Miiverse when powering up is amazing. It feels like a happy place to be, even before you start playing a game.

It’s also home to some great games like Mario 3D World and Pikmin 3 ... which guarantee I’ll not be selling mine anytime soon. There are also the Wii games I have on the hd bought through the VC shop. Great place to have them,

The Wii had some great games too, but the hardware felt cold and impersonal. Wii U felt like happy/toy/fun Nintendo again.

[Neon Ignition]

One thing I never bothered with in all my WiiU years, Wii backwards compatibility. Was WiiU better at displaying the games or was it 1:1 with owning a Wii?

[Asura]

Was WiiU better at displaying the games or was it 1:1 with owning a Wii?

It was effectively the same; however, an improvement was that it outputted via HDMI which the Wii didn't, so there was an inherent "clarity" improvement.

However, people had hoped it would up-res some of the games, which it didn't.

[Neon Ignition]

Aah, a shame, I know Dolphin goes above and beyond but GC games and some Wii ones spruce up nicely (it's the Wiimotes that cause the difficulties)

[Asura]

Aah, a shame, I know Dolphin goes above and beyond but GC games and some Wii ones spruce up nicely (it's the Wiimotes that cause the difficulties)

Yeah, the WiiU has other problems which aren't often discussed.

The GamePad's battery life could stand to be longer. Also, if you open the battery, it's clear that the battery was designed to be twice the size, then halved during development - presumably a cost-saving measure.

My bigger problem though is with the WiiMotes. WiiMotes turn on at the slightest knock and stay turned on for ages. I find they always seem to be out of power. Nintendo really needed to make official chargeable ones with a dock.

[Brad]

I’m long sighted so anything that uses the system’s usp was spoilt for me, as
I’m sure I’ve moaned about many times before. I liked ZombiU and mario kart. Dues ex controls I couldn’t get on with and I had issues with the bayonetta port. I also had to disable 5ghz WiFi on my router to get the pad to stay connected so overall it was a bit of a mess for me really.

[DeathAdder]

I had great fun with mine for a few years. Loved Mario Maker, Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, the two Mario & Sonic games, and enjoyed a few others.

Mine is still set up for the Wii backwards compatibility (Wii has long since been packed away). In particular the virtual console on Wii was superb, and I nearly always fire up the Wii U first for a few blasts on Shinobi and Golden Axe before I use the Xbone or PS4.