The Wii U was such a failure it broke the entire concept of console generations. Released in 2012, as a follow-up to the hugely successful Wii, it was a complete disaster from the very start, with a poor line-up of games and bafflingly little marketing.
Despite the success of the Wii, most people didn’t even know the console existed, with the original model being discontinued in 2015 and all production ceasing in 2016.
In 2017 it was replaced by the Switch – Nintendo’s second console of the generation – and apart from a steady supply of ports, of the Wii U’s small selection of exclusive games, the console was quickly forgotten about – until now, as Nintendo announces that it’s ending all hardware support for the format.
Nintendo already closed the Wii U’s eShop last March, but they were still offering free repairs in Japan, until they announced that they’ve run out of spare parts.
There was already a warning last May that support would only last as long as the spare parts did, with repairs in the West already having stopped due to a lack of demand.
Although few will mourn the passing of the Wii U it does take with it a number of very good exclusives. For reasons that remain unclear, the excellent Xenoblade Chronicles X still hasn’t been ported to the Switch. Some assumed it was being held back to fill in the current period before the launch of the Switch 2, but it still hasn’t been announced.
Xenoblade Chronicles X doesn’t make any particular use of the Wii U GamePad, which makes the lack of a port all the more confusing, but most of the other games that haven’t made the journey do.
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Star Fox Zero might maybe be retro-fitted to make use of regular controls however the poor reception of the unique (although we favored it) makes that unlikely. Which means pack-in Tower Defence sport Star Fox Guard can be misplaced to historical past.
On the opposite hand, nobody likes Paper Mario: Color Splash or the dreadful Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival, so that they’re no loss. There have been rumours that Kirby And The Rainbow Paintbrush can be making the leap to the Switch however given how intrinsic the Wii U GamePad was to it, it appears inconceivable that Game & Wario will ever be ported over.
Again, Game & Wario isn’t superb, so few individuals are going to lament it disappearing, however arguably the best loss is launch title Nintendo Land.
A compilation of uneven multiplayer video games, the likes of Mario Chase, Animal Crossing: Sweet Day, and Luigi’s Ghost Mansion had been wonderful enjoyable and but with out the Wii U’s very particular {hardware} set-up they’ll’t work on another format – or not less than not with just one console.
Nintendo Land’s video games had little or no longevity, however they had been glorious celebration video games and it’s unhappy to know they can’t be skilled on a contemporary format, or any console as soon as the world’s provide of Wii Us all break down.
However, it’s not inconceivable that just a few of those video games, particularly Xenoblade, might seem on Switch earlier than the discharge of the subsequent console, and even after it. The Wii U remasters of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess would require little or no effort for Nintendo to port over and they also additionally appear comparatively seemingly.
In phrases of {hardware} although the Wii U is now formally a lifeless format and whereas its early demise gave beginning to a much better console it’s unhappy to see it take so many distinctive video games with it.
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