Was the Wii U worth it?

[Dan]

The Wii U wasn't worth it for me. I foolishly purchased the system on launch day, but even so I currently only have five games for the system, one of which is a port anyway. I don't believe I've owned a system this long without building it's library to a mimum of 10 games. The first party titles on offer look great but lets face it, a large majority of them are the same games we've played previous generations but with a new coat of paint. I was hoping to be able to play Zelda U by now but it sadly does seem it's going to over to the NX, which is a punch to the face. In hindsigh I wouldn't have purchased a Wii U.

 

[the8thark]

The fact that Nintendo decided to abandon (seemingly) it's console after just 2 and a half years makes it tough for people to feel like they got their money's worth. After spending $300 on a console you expect to get more than a few games for it. You expect multiple Zeldas, multiple Star Fox games, Mario Karts, etc.

Nintendo didn't abandon the WiiU though. And Nintendo has always focused on quality over quantity. There is quite a few good games on the WiiU, something for everyone. Also new Nintendo consoles are always being developed around the 2-3 year mark after the current one is being released. That's happened for decades now. The only difference is this time Nintendo decided to announce the fact early. Nintendo did this to assure customers that Nintendo is not abandoning us for the mobile arena with the DeNA partnership. That's all.

Buying a PS4 or Xbox One, you know you'll get a good bang for your buck.
WiiU was just a mediocre bang. Now you gotta spend more money to get the newest Nintendo games.

For the PS4 and XB1 you will get a bang for your buck. A very expensive buck though as those consoles are on the more expensive side. All 3 consoles give you great games for your $$ if you buy them. Nintendo just took a little longer to get the better first party games out, that's all.

The first party titles on offer look great but lets face it, a large majority of them are the same games we've played previous generations but with a new coat of paint.

One could argue the same for the PS4 and the XB1. New Gears of War, new Halo new Kingdom Hearts, new Final Fantasy etc etc, all the same games we've played previous generations but with a new coat of paint as you like to define it. All 3 major consoles are going this. Very few games are a totally fresh and new idea. Nintendo has ZombieU, Captain Toad and Splatoon as 3 examples of totally new game ideas. I am sure the PS4 and XB1 ahs a few new game ideas too.

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

Not everyone will like the same games. AAA exclusive titles are not insta-buys. For my PS2, I never actually bought Shadow of the Colossus, or DMC, or God of War. Granted, I loved my PS2, but still.

The fact that Nintendo decided to abandon (seemingly) it's console after just 2 and a half years makes it tough for people to feel like they got their money's worth. After spending $300 on a console you expect to get more than a few games for it. You expect multiple Zeldas, multiple Star Fox games, Mario Karts, etc.

You buy a PS3 and you were treated to 3 Uncharted games, 2 Killzones, etc. Buy an Xbox One and you got 2 Halo games, 3 Gears of War games. Buying a PS4 or Xbox One, you know you'll get a good bang for your buck.

WiiU was just a mediocre bang. Now you gotta spend more money to get the newest Nintendo games.

To each his/her own, then, because to me 3 Uncharted games, 2 Killzones, 2 Halos and 3 Gears of War is hardly "bang for your buck". I mean, if that's what you're using as examples of games that make a console worth it, then you definitely wasted your money on a Wii U. To me, those games are tedious, monotonous and boring (Gears of War was mildly entertaining, but did get tedious and monotonous; I own the trilogy for X360).

Still, if that's your type of game, you should at least give Splatoon a try. Maybe even Bayonetta 2. But hey, like I said, whatevs.

The Wii U wasn't worth it for me. I foolishly purchased the system on launch day, but even so I currently only have five games for the system, one of which is a port anyway. I don't believe I've owned a system this long without building it's library to a mimum of 10 games. The first party titles on offer look great but lets face it, a large majority of them are the same games we've played previous generations but with a new coat of paint. I was hoping to be able to play Zelda U by now but it sadly does seem it's going to over to the NX, which is a punch to the face. In hindsigh I wouldn't have purchased a Wii U.

No offense, but that's pretty stupid. What do you think Halo 7 is? Call of Duty 15? Assassin's Creed 11? GTA? Hell, Titanfall, Destiny, all of those games are the EXACT SAME GAME that we've been playing since the GCN/PS2/XB with a new coat of paint. There have been very little improvements or advances in gameplay from two generations ago until now. Few developers have used increased console power to actually do new things with gameplay.

That's a weak argument for anyone to use to say that no system has been worth it. Nintendo is hardly the only one that does it, and they're far from the worst culprit.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

No offense, but that's pretty stupid. What do you think Halo 7 is? Call of Duty 15? Assassin's Creed 11? GTA? Hell, Titanfall, Destiny, all of those games are the EXACT SAME GAME that we've been playing since the GCN/PS2/XB with a new coat of paint. There have been very little improvements or advances in gameplay from two generations ago until now. Few developers have used increased console power to actually do new things with gameplay.

That's a weak argument for anyone to use to say that no system has been worth it. Nintendo is hardly the only one that does it, and they're far from the worst culprit.

difference here is those aren't the ONLY games that are available for the other platforms,let alone the only good games
w/ the wii u,you're pretty much stuck w/ the same first party nintendo games w/ very few supporting games

also 3 of those franchises you mention didn't even exist in the 6th generation...

 

[the8thark]

w/ the wii u,you're pretty much stuck w/ the same first party nintendo games w/ very few supporting games

Those 1st party games are damn good though. And there's a lot more supporting games then you think. The eShop is full of them.

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

difference here is those aren't the ONLY games that are available for the other platforms,let alone the only good games
w/ the wii u,you're pretty much stuck w/ the same first party nintendo games w/ very few supporting games

also 3 of those franchises you mention didn't even exist in the 6th generation...

That's more to my point than anything. The fact that Titanfall and Destiny were "new" franchises that looked and felt exactly like everything before them goes to show that my point is valid. And even the "support" games that you're speaking about ... how many of them aren't the same thing with a new coat of paint?

The fact is there is nothing original on PS4 or XBO. No more than what's on Wii U, though one can argue that Splatoon is the most unique and "new" game of the generation.

If you're into the same exact game with better graphics, then I see no problems with the PS4 or the XBO. I also like the same types of games, but the games I prefer are games like Mario Kart and Zelda, so even if they are the same game with new paint, that's cool. And if you like Halo and CoD, then that's cool too, because that's exactly the same issue as Nintendo.

 

[Lozjam]

That's more to my point than anything. The fact that Titanfall and Destiny were "new" franchises that looked and felt exactly like everything before them goes to show that my point is valid. And even the "support" games that you're speaking about ... how many of them aren't the same thing with a new coat of paint?

The fact is there is nothing original on PS4 or XBO. No more than what's on Wii U, though one can argue that Splatoon is the most unique and "new" game of the generation.

If you're into the same exact game with better graphics, then I see no problems with the PS4 or the XBO. I also like the same types of games, but the games I prefer are games like Mario Kart and Zelda, so even if they are the same game with new paint, that's cool. And if you like Halo and CoD, then that's cool too, because that's exactly the same issue as Nintendo.

The Wii U still has some really unique games though.
For example, Captain Toad is 100% Unique and innovative. Wonderful 101 was also extremely unique. There are other games that aren't over flooded(In their specific genre) as well, that just got sequels, such as Pikmin 3. Pikmin 3 isn't a new IP, but it is still innovative for what it does, as it plays differently than pretty much anything. The Wii U will also be getting a pretty unique fighting game as well in the form of Pokken. Wii U will also get Rodea the Sky Soldier, a unique 3D platformer as well. Xenoblade also is stilla "Fresh" series that continues to innovate as well, from its world building and combat system alone.

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

The Wii U still has some really unique games though.
For example, Captain Toad is 100% Unique and innovative. Wonderful 101 was also extremely unique. There are other games that aren't over flooded(In their specific genre) as well, that just got sequels, such as Pikmin 3. Pikmin 3 isn't a new IP, but it is still innovative for what it does, as it plays differently than pretty much anything. The Wii U will also be getting a pretty unique fighting game as well in the form of Pokken. Wii U will also get Rodea the Sky Soldier, a unique 3D platformer as well. Xenoblade also is stilla "Fresh" series that continues to innovate as well, from its world building and combat system alone.

I didn't play W101, but from what I've seen, I wouldn't call it unique in terms of gameplay, though I can see where you're coming from. I also haven't seen anything about Rodea, but as far as Xenoblade ... I don't think it's fresh at all.

But that's the thing, there's nothing "wrong" with that. There's nothing wrong with taking a tried-and-true formula for gameplay and applying it to a new set of games. The fact is, X is going to be a lot like Xenoblade, but with a bigger world, prettier graphics, etc.. And that's fine! There is no rule that states that a game must be unique or innovative to be fun. In fact many games that tried to be unique or innovative to an extreme ended up sucking (see: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword).

My issue is with people saying Nintendo is rehashing old games with new graphics, and that this is the reason why the Wii U/Nintendo sucks. As if no one else does this, or as if Nintendo were the worst offenders. There's nothing inherently wrong with using a formula that has worked. But games like CoD and Halo REALLY abuse that. In some of those games, there isn't even the attempt to be innovative in the least.

So I say, that's ok. Mario Kart 8 is the best MK game (in my opinion), but it isn't unique or innovative. It's just the old formula perfected. That's just my opinion though.

I also can't speak about Captain Toad since I didn't play that either.

 

[Lozjam]

I didn't play W101, but from what I've seen, I wouldn't call it unique in terms of gameplay, though I can see where you're coming from. I also haven't seen anything about Rodea, but as far as Xenoblade ... I don't think it's fresh at all.

But that's the thing, there's nothing "wrong" with that. There's nothing wrong with taking a tried-and-true formula for gameplay and applying it to a new set of games. The fact is, X is going to be a lot like Xenoblade, but with a bigger world, prettier graphics, etc.. And that's fine! There is no rule that states that a game must be unique or innovative to be fun. In fact many games that tried to be unique or innovative to an extreme ended up sucking (see: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword).

My issue is with people saying Nintendo is rehashing old games with new graphics, and that this is the reason why the Wii U/Nintendo sucks. As if no one else does this, or as if Nintendo were the worst offenders. There's nothing inherently wrong with using a formula that has worked. But games like CoD and Halo REALLY abuse that. In some of those games, there isn't even the attempt to be innovative in the least.

So I say, that's ok. Mario Kart 8 is the best MK game (in my opinion), but it isn't unique or innovative. It's just the old formula perfected. That's just my opinion though.

I also can't speak about Captain Toad since I didn't play that either.

Yeah, I agree totally.
I have a real hard time thinking of an actually unique PS4 game.... Bloodborne is basically Dark Souls... Shadows of Mordor is basically a more polished version of Assassin's Creed. FFXV will eerily be like KH3.... Then there are of course CoD, Halo, sports game, ect. Which, like I said, is ok. It's just the fact.

Rodea the Sky Soldier is really cool, I would give it a look if you have the time.

Xenoblade X however, is extremely innovative in the same way that Mario 3, Pokemon Crystal, or Final Fantasy 4 were innovative. It takes this extremely unique formula(Xenoblade Chronicles for the Wii was extremely innovative as well) and improves and adds to it in (nearly every way) while adding unique gameplay mechanics. Sure, it has similar gameplay, but that gameplay is very much changed for the better. It is nowhere near close to a rehash. Xenoblade X uses a completely different battle system(Even though the game still uses an arts system, it changes it so significantly it is it's own beast in itself). Not only that, but the size of Xenoblade X's world serves itself in it's own right. Xenoblade X's world itself is way bigger than almost any other world seen on a console. To give a hint with that, Xenoblade X's world is approximately 10 times the size of Skyrim's. This isn't even going into the Doll mechanics of the game.

After that little tangent... I completely agree with you though. MK8 is my favorite Mario Kart...
Though I think that if people were to target Nintendo for "rehashes and remakes", the 3DS would be more a prime target... Just sayin'

 

[Kylo Ken]

It was worth it for me. I sold my 360 for a WiiU, and I really think it's a underrated console. I only wish I can get MGSV on it. That's literally the only game coming out right now that I want(maybe For Honor?). 3rd party titles are important, but I'm just a huge fan of Nintendo's games. Plus, I got Metroid Prime 1,2,and 3 for 10 bucks total! That's an amazing deal for me.