What First Party Wii U Games Won't be Ported to Switch?

[A Link In Time]

I was browsing the last few pages of the General Gaming section and saw Spirit's thread about the Wii U being retroactively barren with all the rumored Switch ports. So what games do you think will actually stay on the Wii U?

Here are my thoughts about what Wii U games won't make the jump to Switch or haven't been ported to 3DS already:

Super Mario 3D World - The Switch is most certainly getting the 3D Mario shown in its reveal trailer in 2017, if not at launch and Nintendo doesn't want to cannibalize 3D Mario sales.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - This is a spin-off of the Captain Toad levels in 3D World and with that game being an unlikely port this one is too.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse - This game would make sense on the Switch tablet since it required constant looking at the TV instead of the GamePad but it sold so poorly that a port is unlikely.

Pikmin 3 - Miyamoto himself said Pikmin 4 is nearing the end of development in an interview earlier this year. This is another case of not wanting to cannibalize sales.

Star Fox Zero/Star Fox Guard - Star Fox 64 3D is the first and only remake in the franchise's history, and only because 64 sold very well and had critical acclaim. Zero, on the other hand, is critically panned and low selling.

Paper Mario Color Splash - This was a last minute title to fill the Wii U's holiday season, and its sales have been lower than expected. It's possible Nintendo might go back to the drawing board for Paper Mario and skip a generation. A remake of either the original Paper Mario or The Thousand Year Door is likely if that happens.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD - Nintendo isn't the type of company that ports remakes.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD - Same as above, plus this was a bone to tide over Wii U owners after the first Breath of the Wild delay.

New Super Mario Bros. U/New Super Luigi U - Nintendo has yet to port a single NSMB game, and I don't think they'll do so yet. A collection of all the NSMB for the DS game's 20th Anniversary in 2026 seems more likely. Plus, the company is much more focused on pushing Super Mario Maker as far as 2D Mario goes recently.

Nintendo Land - If anything, we'll just get a sequel instead. This was a fun mini game collection but not exactly a top tier Wii U game Nintendo would think of porting.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE - Another very niche release that isn't worth the time or effort to port over to the Switch, especially after its prolonged development.

Are there any games you would add to this list?

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

I don't think this is to say some of those games will never get ported, maybe a digital re-release? especially the zelda remasters, I doubt they'd want those to go to waste

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

As far as straight-forward Wii U games ported to the Switch, I don't think any of them actually are. From what we've seen, even Splatoon and MK8 appear to be some form of enhanced editions of those games, not straight ports to a better system.

But those are both online multiplayer games, and so they benefit from getting a reboot with new content. None of these other games benefit. Like what could Captain Toad benefit from the Switch? It isn't even that most of those games didn't sell very well (I'm not saying they were bad games, I'm saying they weren't necessarily commercial successes), it's that I don't think they could get better on the Switch.

 

[the8thark]

Some of the games on your list are not firat party. So I will also talk about games that are not first party. Good games only of cause.

I was browsing the last few pages of the General Gaming section and saw Spirit's thread about the Wii U being retroactively barren with all the rumored Switch ports. So what games do you think will actually stay on the Wii U?

Here is my opinion of your list. My opinions are slightly different to yours as to why they will not be ported to the Switch.

Super Mario 3D World - So far no main console Mario game has been ramade for a later console. Sure Galaxy was ported to the WiiU but that's only because the WiiU can natively play Wii games. It really was just dumping the digital version (of SMG) on the VC store, no changes at all to the original game. Since the Switch can't do this, no SM3DW on Switch.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - Requires to use the gamepad and TV screen at the same time therefore can't be ported to the Switch without major modifications.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse - Strange game where both screens were active but the player spent 95% of the time looking at the gamepad. The game fundamentally can't work without 2 screens in use at once (even though the user look at the TV much).

Pikmin 3 - This game is getting the sequel treatment so therefore it shouldn't be on this list at all. Just like Splatoon that will likely get a Switch sequel.

Star Fox Zero/Star Fox Guard - Both games require the player to look at both screens at almost the same time and use both at near the same time. Impossible to do on the Switch.

Paper Mario Color Splash - Could be remade to not require the 2nd screen. But why bother as there is already a Mario RPG game rumoured. That's basically the next Mario RPG so really the Mario RPG (as a concept) is getting the Switch treatment and therefore Color Splash should not be on this list.

The Wind Waker HD - As was said above, remakes are not ported.

Twilight Princess HD - As was said above, remakes are not ported.

New Super Mario Bros U/New Super Luigi U - This instead of a proper Mario game at the WiiU launch helped to kill the WiiU for it's first 2 years of life. Nintendo will not repeat the same mistake.

Nintendo Land - Should not be on the list. This game is the same as Wii Sports. A tech demo showing the capabilities of the console. I do think the Switch will have it's own tech demo bondled in with the console advertising the features of the Switch. So in a unusual say Nintendo Land is the Wii Sports sequel. Using this line of thinking Nintendo will get s sequel on the Switch (I think). Not idea what form it will take though.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions - Would need a serious remake to make the game playable of the Switch due to the game using both WiiU screens heavily. Not impossible as Xenoblade Chronicles X used both screens heavily but is getting a remake. Not enough demand in the game outside Japan for that to ever happen.

Are there any games you would add to this list?

Art Academy Atlier - If the Switch is a capacative touch screen that would make standard styluses useless with it. You'd need a specalised one (like the Apple Pencil). I can't see Nintendo wanting to do that.

Anything digital on the eShop (not VC content) - Most of the games on the WiiU eShop will not be ported to the Switch. Pick any of your favourite digital titles and more likely than not, they will not be moved to the Switch. Same deal as a lot of the Wii eShop content didn't move to the WiiU. Would the developers want to port their old WiiU eShop games for the Switch? I think not. Some of the games like Affordable Space Adventures (and others) need both screens at the same time, impossible on the Switch.

Monster Hunter 3 U - There seems to be no Switch love within the Monster Hunter series. They want to make the cutsey 3DS games instead. THis would actually sell on the Switch. A sequel that is. I doubt this will ever happen though.

I don't think this is to say some of those games will never get ported, maybe a digital re-release? especially the zelda remasters, I doubt they'd want those to go to waste

Is the Switch powerful enough to virtualise WiiU games? Honestly I don't know. I am very sure the Switch can virtualise Gamecube games well (based on what Dolphin needs). The Switch might be able to virtualise Wii games. The Switch might have enough power for that. Hard to tell. Virtualising WiiU games? I don't think the Switch has enough grunt to do that. I'd like this it happen but I just don't know if the Switch can do it.

Before anyone says "what about the WiiU playing Wii games . . . The WiiU was playing the Wii games natively in Wii mode. Even the cpu was underclocked to match the Wii speeds in WIi mode on the WiiU. The WiiU can not virtualise Wii games, it's not powerful enough.

it's that I don't think they could get better on the Switch.

Firstly I will say Xenoblade Chronicles X. That is rumoured to be getting a Switch port. How can that be improved apart from new content? It can't . . . well apart from better framerates and less pop in and an overall better gameplay experience. That's the main reason for the port though. It's enough to make people want the game on the Switch.

Could any of the games in the OP's list belefit from this kind of improvement? No. Well Tokyo Mirage Sessons could but it's not that much of an issue. I totally get your point and I agree. If you are going to port a WiiU game to the Switch, you need to ask yourself why port it? Because you can is not enough of a reason. How can the game be improved for the Switch. All of the OP's lsited games would not benefit from what the Switch has to offer hardware wise. Even if you don't include the fact that many of them can't played on the Switch as you can't use the console screen and the TV screen at the same time on the Switch.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

for your whole remakes argument,whats your take on mario 64 ds and the resident evil remake on the wii

 

[Ventus]

Smash 4 has no chanxe. Salurai wants a brake video games as his health is deteriorating by the minute.

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

Firstly I will say Xenoblade Chronicles X. That is rumoured to be getting a Switch port. How can that be improved apart from new content? It can't . . . well apart from better framerates and less pop in and an overall better gameplay experience. That's the main reason for the port though. It's enough to make people want the game on the Switch.

Yeah, but even this game I don't think would be a big hitter on the Switch. Even assuming the Switch does much better than the Wii U, I don't see how a Switch port gets a ton more sales for this game. It's not like it ran badly on the Wii U either. It was a gorgeous game that hasn't even been out for 2 years.

I mean, I guess they could technically "clean up" almost every game released on the Wii U on the Switch, since it will be more powerful. Textures could be cleaned up, frame rate and pop-ins could be addressed, colors could be enhanced, etc.. But like you said, why? Why bother?

Xenoblade X wasn't enough of a success to justify a port. The only two games that I think "deserve" a port are Splatoon and MK8, and they had better be enhanced editions, with new maps, items, power-ups, characters, etc..

 

[CM30]

Game & Wario ain't going anywhere near the Nintendo Switch. Nor are Mario Tennis Ultra, Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival or Nintendo's other filler titles. No one likes them enough to think they'd be worth porting.

I also worry Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze won't make the jump, since that's a game that would be awesome to see moved over to the Nintendo Switch.

 

[Lozjam]

Yeah, but even this game I don't think would be a big hitter on the Switch. Even assuming the Switch does much better than the Wii U, I don't see how a Switch port gets a ton more sales for this game. It's not like it ran badly on the Wii U either. It was a gorgeous game that hasn't even been out for 2 years.

I mean, I guess they could technically "clean up" almost every game released on the Wii U on the Switch, since it will be more powerful. Textures could be cleaned up, frame rate and pop-ins could be addressed, colors could be enhanced, etc.. But like you said, why? Why bother?

Xenoblade X wasn't enough of a success to justify a port. The only two games that I think "deserve" a port are Splatoon and MK8, and they had better be enhanced editions, with new maps, items, power-ups, characters, etc..

Xenoblade X did well enough actually.

Monolith Soft has been pretty happy with the sales of the game, being 840,000 copies. Which is about how much the original sold worldwide(which was enough to get the game ported to the New 3DS).

 

[the8thark]

The only two games that I think "deserve" a port are Splatoon and MK8, and they had better be enhanced editions, with new maps, items, power-ups, characters, etc..

How many people want to play MK8 and Splatoon who have not already played it no the WiiU? Not many. They are both not the kind of games that people switching to the Switch would like either. Mostly Nintendo fans like these kind of games. Most of the Nintendo fans have played both games so much that they'd now want something new.
On the flip side however, many people just want their Mario Kart and Splatoon fix and don't care if it's just a remake. We shall see how well these remake sell.

Xenoblade Chronicles X did sell moderately well and it is the kind of game that people switching to the Switch would possibly really get into and like. Also the Switch version will play better. Better draw distances and less pop in would be totally welcomed.

Game & Wario ain't going anywhere near the Nintendo Switch. Nor are Mario Tennis Ultra, Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival or Nintendo's other filler titles. No one likes them enough to think they'd be worth porting.

You call them filler. I call them utter garbage. Those games should never have been made in the first place.

Tropical Freeze I have not played but I hear it's pretty good. If it was remade it should not be released at launch. Or even in the launch window. Nintendo need to distance themselves from the "2D platformsers are enough for launch" that the WiiU suffered from.