Why 2015 is the Year You Shouldn't Buy a Wii U

*Copypasta first four paragraphs from previous post*

However, the system has some, shall we say, quirks and Nintendo's practices from the last generation have come back to bite them hard.

This post will look at the various reasons why you shouldn't slap an indeterminate amount of monies on Nintendo's current generation release and perhaps stick with your old console...or new console...or a gaming PC.

It's a Current Generation Console in Name only

Up until the release of the Wii, Nintendo was either the benchmark of current console power or at least equal to the competition. The Wii however, was the graphical equivalent of a GameCube with motion controls and compared to the PS3 and XBox 360, it simply couldn't compete.

Sure, it had plenty of nice looking titles like both Super Mario Galaxy's, Skyward Sword when it wasn't overtly blurry and Donkey Kong Country Returns amongst others, but they mainly fell on graphical style then pixel pushing.

"But H!" I think I hear you cry "Graphics mean nothing, it's gameplay, hence why something like Hotline Miami and Nidhogg work so well". Very true probable voice in my head, but the advances in the Wii U are simply gyroscoping for something like Captain Toad or using the gamepad as a second screen to mixed results.

The Wonderful 101 is a prime example on the troublesome subject of integrating the features of the gamepad into gameplay. It's a fast and frantic isometric brawler which asks you draw patterns either on the gamepad or using the right analogue stick to fight enemies and it's incredibly frustrating.

Ironically, the Wii's marketing ploy was that it was a machine that wanted to make video-games for everyone, but with the Wii U, unless you literally scrap the integration and simply stick with using the gamepad as a second controller or worse yet, using a pro-controller, the system is a massive step backwards.

Add the same boring interface as last generation, online being completely pathetic compared to PSN or XBox Live and barely any multimedia features, the system could have done with more work but there you go.

The System Has Some...Strange Quirks

Physically, the Wii U is a small console, far more than the PS4 and XBox One, making it hypothetically portable, albeit portable with the need to be near at least one plug socket as you can use the gamepad to view the action. As mentioned before, it works a treat if people want to use the TV and you want to be anti-social and continue gaming.

But did you know the Wii U gamepad must be permanently on, even if you're using a pro-controller for say, Bayonetta 2 or SSBWiiU? I didn't when I first bought one and sure enough, the gamepad must always be on. Sure you can turn the display off, but it also means that the gamepad needs to be plugged in.

Why? Because the battery life on the gamepad is around five hours on a single charge, which is frankly, awful. Add to that if you have a friend that owns a Wii U gamepad, they can't simply connect their Wii U gamepad for multiplayer and will have to instead, use a pro-controller or Wiimote.

The Gamepad isn't strictly portable either and you have to be within a certain distance to the actual console base. So if you fancy gaming on the bog, you're shit out of luck (and probably out of shit).

Add to that an internal memory of 8gb if you bought the standard version or a 'whopping' 32gb if you spent more and the PS4 having only half a terrabyte of storage doesn't look that bad anymore. Sure, you can expand it with a USB stick or SD Card, but it's more things to buy when you quickly run out of data.

Then there's the whole otherside of the spectrum. Whilst people laughed at the Xbox One being everything but a games console, it at least plays DVDs, Blu-Rays and has access to online streaming services so it can potentially be a sound investment if you don't want to have two devices under your TV. 

Again, like the Wii, the Wii U plays games and games only, if you want to watch anything, you're gonna need another player, although in this day and age, this probably won't be a problem.

The Virtual Console Library Is Terrible Compared to the Wii

The idea of playing old classics on the gamepad is one Nintendo should advertise to Kingdom Come. I finally own a copy of A Link to the Past after over two decades of missing out and I'm looking forward to owning the Donkey Kong Country trilogy and going through the definitive nineties platformer again without digging out my old SNES.

However, the Wii U only has a rather streamlined virtual console library. Sure you have the cream of the crop in terms of NES, SNES and GBA games, but there's a glaring admission from the library.

Where are the Nintendo 64 games?

It's been two years since launch and not a single update other than hopefully coming soon. Sure, you can still buy N64 games on the original Wii library but they still require an original Wii Pro Controller which is more peripherals for the console if you don't already own them.

The Wii also had C64, Turbo Grafx, Sega Master System, Mega Drive and Arcade ports which haven't graced the Wii U, despite the fact that you can now get Wii titles to download.

Whilst it's only two years in, it's staggering that Nintendo hasn't got round to adding the massive software library to it's new fangled toy, especially when the N64 has a lot of the first 3D iterations of titles that would only be marginally improved with later consoles.

Plus I'm really hoping Nintendo, Rare and Microsoft can work to get Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Conker's Bad Fur Day re-released on a Nintendo console. I know pigs will fly out of a frozen hell first, but one can only dream.

Lack of 3rd Party Support

I imagine most people buying a Wii U already know this, but if you do buy one, you're basically buying the machine for Nintendo titles only and nothing else.

EA refuses to release anything on the system until they allow Origin, Ubi-Soft showed their confidence in the Wii U by porting then exclusive Rayman Legends to every other console first and then releasing Watch Dogs months after launch and every other developer shrugs their shoulders and says maybe.

Even when titles are ported, they're shallow copies of their rivals. Did anyone purchase COD: Ghosts and think the Wii U version would be superior? Did anyone actually purchase COD: Ghosts on the Wii U?

Ultimately, whilst 2015 looks great for the Wii U, it's strictly Nintendo games only. If you want the best 3rd party software, you're gonna need another machine.

The Inevitable Delays for 2015's Bigger Releases

Holy Roman Empire does 2015 look great for video games. Just, wowzers. I need to work harder and work longer just to earn enough to play a fraction of the games on launch! None more so than on the Wii U which sees three titles on my radar that are coming.

...Hopefully.

Look; you know and I know that The Legend of Zelda Wii U isn't coming out this year. It'll be shown off at E3, we'll all collectively wail and scream like it's 2004 and Twilight Princess has just been shown and then have our hearts broken when, around September, it gets delayed until 2016 because...reasons.

Starfox Wii U has been shown as a background teaser and despite the fact that it's definitely coming at E3, it'll be pushed down the release schedule to 2016 for, again...reasons.

As for Xenoblades Chronicles X; despite having an April release in Japan, thanks to living in Europe with its various languages, I can't honestly see the PAL version coming before early next year, although American readers can gloat their socks off.

Ultimately; the decision rests with you. Again I bought a Wii U after Christmas and I've enjoyed many titles, some more so than anything on the PS4 and the added bonus of re-discovering Super Mario Galaxy's and my hard-copy of Metroid Prime Trilogy, but with a little more work, Nintendo can make their current generation release from a maybe, to a must-buy.

Now if you don't mind, I haven't played Bayonetta 2 in three weeks and I'm itching to see how bad I've gotten.

H

@Retcon_Nation