10 reasons to buy Wii U right now

Ninemsn games writes: As the next gen battle heats up between Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4, another gaming console languishes in the background, buried beneath unfair misconceptions levelled at its creator. The truth is Nintendo's Wii U is a much better gaming proposition than you think.

[RGDubz]

I got a better reason not too: $349 for current-gen console hardware.

I will patiently wait for actual next-gen consoles such as the PS4 which by the way is only $50 more then the Wii-U.

[DrRobotnik]

Agreed. I remember back in 2006 when I bought my 360 and my cousin instead bought a wii, we used to argue over the wii being considered next gen or current. Then COD 4 came out...I won that argument. Not saying the WiiU is not a powerful system, But that it's powerful for current gen not next gen.

[BozoLoco]

"Next gen" is really just a buzz term that is commonly misused and misinterpreted. Anything that proceeds current tech and evolves/enhances what was previously offered is "next gen". Wii U is the "next gen" of Nintendo consoles.

People really need to stop looking at next gen as being purely driven by graphics, because it's not. If that's the logic you use then consoles have never been "next gen" because they're always trumped by whatever generation PC graphics card there is.

[Utalkin2me]

@IC-1101

But it is only reasonable to compare latest hardware and features of each console maker regardless of "What Gen" it is supposedly is. So really your comment holds only water to specific console maker not current gen as a whole.

[ABizzel1]

Played the Wii U in depth at Mall of America this weekend, and it's solid fun. However, I don't think it's worth the asking price right now. It needs a price drop down to $199 - $249, a real HDD, and maybe a game bundled in.

Nintendo just about sold me on a Wii U, but it's still a second buy after my PS4, and fighting for second purchase against my PC upgrade.

[LOL_WUT]

Unless your anxious in getting one then go ahead but there's really nothing worth while in buying one at the moment IMO. You're better off wasting that money on a PS4 or X1 ;) Next-gen

[badz149]

there are still strong reasons NOT to buy it right now than the reason to buy it IMO!

1. the price it's asking is too much. $349 for 16GB?? watch Nintendo drop the price once the PS4 and Xbone come out by year end! the 16GB will be down to $299 before Christmas.

2. most of the anticipated games are coming out next year, so why should anybody buy it now?

3. 3rd party support is still lacking. why buy it at all if it's not even getting multiplats that comes out on PS3 and 360? GTAV is a huge loss for Wii U!

[assdan]

No, it's not powerful

[-Superman-]

Price:
PS4 - 399 US dollars
Wii U - 349 US dollars

Optical Drive:
PS4 - Blu Ray/DVD
Wii u - 25GB Optical Disc (Proprietary)

Ram:
PS4 - 8GB GDDR5
Wii U - 2GB DDR3

Storage:
PS4 - 500GB
Wii U - 8GB or 32GB Flash

Cloud Storage:
PS4 - Yes
Wii U - No

Cross Game Chat
PS4 - Yes
Wii U - No

USB
PS4 - USB 3.0
Wii U - USB 2.0

Live Streaming
PS4 - Yes
Wii U - No

Reputation Preservation
PS4 - Trophies will be ported
Wii U - No

Region Locked
PS4 - No
Wii U - Yes

Even Microsoft Xbox One has more interesting stuff than Wii U. Microsoft did big damage to theirselves but they removed DRM and has some great games. To be fair, i never been big fan or Kinect 2, but Kinect 2 is more interesting and better than Wii U Motion Control or Screen. I tried Kinect, i played sport game with family, i had fun, but i still perfer hardcore gaming.

[BullyMangler]

yep . and the ps4 comes with pre-historic split screen in 2013 <

wiiU game-pad is so bad ass surfing the net with its lightning speed service and you can take it to bed and cuddle with it and it rumbLes and youtube on it is ssiiiicKkk . . etc . . .

what does wiiU's current gen hardware have to do with that? (:

not to mention the game-changing exclusives coming to wiiU rather OTHERS with their generic UNIMAGINATIVE games that ANYBODY can think of making (:

ide rather get a ps4 when an exclusive game catches my eye . not much to do with a ps4 if it gots no games, unlike wiiU (:

and that's the wiiU in its infant stage :)

[Utalkin2me]

I'm having a hard time following you. Are you saying that the Wiiu has good games and the PS4 doesn't, which hasn't even released yet?

[TongkatAli]

Dude, they're fing cult to over 100 year old company that uses the cute friendly amazing games to brainwash them and make them post the ignorant shit they always post.

Pika Pika chu!

[LOL_WUT]

Dude that's just weird.

Most Nintendo made Wii U games don't have online multiplayer in 2013<

No analog triggers, no multitouch, looses recognition of gamepad, I get more rumble feedback from an old cellphone and the YouTube app sucks. <fact

I'd rather have new ip's than to get the same repetitive stuff shoved down our throats.

Almost a year in and it's in its infant stage? LOL

[BullyMangler]

such a goomba you

and yes the wiiU youtube app sucks balls . .but not the regular wiiU youtube browser (: is dreamy

you: I'd rather have new ip's than to get the same repetitive stuff shoved down our throats.

me: like what games are repetitive? please explain in >detail< . faiL lol nitpicking wont take you fat in life my son.

you: No analog triggers, no multitouch, looses recognition of gamepad.

me: and multi touch has what to do with gaming . show me a game that matters with multi touch . faiL

and show me a game where analog triggers matters so much over regular triggers . . let a lone a real gun with more than one trigger please lol wut?

ha haaa

[TripC50]

Wii U is Nintendo's next gen. You will patiently wait for PS4's next gen. I will buy a PS4 and Wii U because I like video games.

[Campy da Camper]

That's what I have done. Wii U in bedroom and I play Mario while watching TV and if I die a lot I just flit it on to the big screen. Play my ps3 in living room on even bigger TV for those hardcore last of us sessions. Best of both worlds.

PS. The browser is pretty sweet on the game pad. Its like a tablet.

[MasterCratosKong66]

8 disagrees for liking games and removing bias...

[FlyingFoxy]

Wii U offers unique games, if you really want to go all out you'd spend extra and build a gaming PC. Which will only work out a similar cost when you buy PS4 at launch with the cost of online subscription and high priced games.

[Crillvirus81]

Visually the games can only look a little better then 360 or ps3 but gameplay wise and os wise the wii u does a bunch of stuff better it can run circles around them both and it way worth it... i bet you don't own one that's why you say that I have all 3 so from experience I know its way better all it needs is a party chat system and there good to go...

[Kos-Mos]

You must be last gen in intellectuality with that statement. And so are the fanboys/dogs that agree with you.

[jcnba28]

I think the price is just fine when you take into account it's the only next gen console with true backwards compatibility and free online.

$50? More like $150. Wii U's start at $300 and you'll need PS+ if you want to play online multiplayer.

[Ol_G]

they always use the price that suits them best making it look like ps4 is only 50 bucks more
funny thing is it's always the price from the premium package they compare with a barebone ps4 true fanboys

[LOL_WUT]

@ OI_G

Well the deluxe is pretty barebones too the cradle stand and NintendoLand aren't too much to brag about same goes for that laughable 8GB of storage I happen to know because I have one. ;)

[-Superman-]

Wii U - 350 dollar
PS4 - 399 us dollar

PS4 is more powerful, big exclusives(you know.. company who made Uncharted, Last of Us, Killzone, Infamous, GT5, LittleBigPlanet... so much), more features(share gameplay, cloud gaming, better multiplayer) and kinda stuff. PS4 is so much better than Wii U.
Lets be fair, when new call of duty, assassins creed, GTA are coming, then it will be on Xbox one and PS4 but wont be on Wii U because its last gen console and too weak for those games.

[-Superman-]

Nintendo has made too many mistakes:
1)Name - Wii U(most people think its same Wii console...)
2)Price is too high, i mean PS3 costs 199 euros(super slim) and has so many games while Wii U has almost no games at all in my country and console costs 350 euros.
3)Console is too weak. Yeah, Wii only sold that much because it was much cheaper and it was SOMETHING NEW TO GAMING, but Wii U = Wii HD

[-Superman-]

PS4 will have 140 new games out in 2013 while Wii U was released year ago and still has less games.

[Ol_G]

Your really a sad fanboy read what i wrote above this it was meant exactly for people like you

[Triforce079]

U troll,if wiiu is current gen then so is ps4 mate don't shout RAM to me,RAM isnt a bottleneck these days with compression x10 on Havok nextgen,which is in every wiiu devkit ???

32MB/64MB of edram on MCM,
3MB edram cache on cpu cores,out of order,
Custom E6760 DX11 GPGPU,
25GB Single layer discs,
2 GB RAM,
multi screen screen support,
1080p/60fps as seen on MK8,

CURRENT GEN YEAH ALRIGHT M8.

Here's a quick port that looks miles better.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Oh £80 got me a toshiba 2TB HDD.

[abzdine]

sorry but it looks like shit on both

[bootsielon]

The GPU has no DX11 capabilities, and it-s more of a 4000 series, not 6000 series. Furthermore, of those 2GB in RAM, it can only use 1GB for games. And the 1080p60fps games will look like shit

[MasterCratosKong66]

Maybe you should get really good at a game then hold local tourneys and collect the winnings? Then price wouldn't be a concern for you. That's how Smash Bros. basically funded my Wii U and future PS4.

[Nivalis]

1 Please!
2 Please!
3 Please!
4 Please!
5 Please!
6 Please!
7 Please!
8 Please!
9 Please!
10 Please im begging you!

[V0LT]

TBH I am kind of bored with mine right now... There just isn't enough games flowing out ATM..

[PopRocks359]

To be fair, there's going to be around six or so games releasing until the end of the year starting in about a month.

@Parapraxis

No Pikmin or Wonderful 101 love then? Those two are my personal #1 picks. There's also Sonic Lost World.

@disagree(s)

Okay, really guys? Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, Sonic Lost World, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Zelda WW HD. That's called content. Objectively, that's games for Wii U. That's what I'm saying.

[Parapraxis]

I'm looking at the new Donky Kong Country and maybe the Zelda remaster, that's just about it until Mario Kart next year.
:(

[Utalkin2me]

Content that hasnt released yet....

[Reverent]

I would get a Wii U for the HD Wind Waker release, but literally nothing else looks appealing to me personally.

Right now at this moment, there is no reason to waste money on the Wii U. I guarantee it will get a price drop this coming Holiday, plus that's around the time the bigger games start releasing for it.

My advice, wait until the Holidays when the price drops, and there are actual games to get with it.

[PopRocks359]

@Utalkin2me

The point is that content is going to come out pretty soon, starting with Pikmin in August.

@Reverent

Your comment is confusing. You start by saying that Wind Waker is the only appealing game, then you say wait for a price cut (which Nintendo has already stated they're not doing), then you end it by saying wait for the holiday price drop and when the games have been released.

I just listed pretty much all of the big games releasing by the end of this year. So... are there other games you're looking forward to? Not trying to put you on the spot or anything, but your comment is perplexing.

[BosSSyndrome]

Im lookin forward to sonic and dues ex.

[SilentNegotiator]

"To be fair"? They waited an entire year to release anything worthwhile. There's no "to be fair" twist to that.

[PopRocks359]

@Silent

You're joking, right? Look at the original comment. "There just isn't enough games flowing ATM.."

And I'm saying the games are going to start releasing pretty soon. I'm not saying it necessarily makes up for the lack of content up until August, but look there are games coming out for this console SOON. Emphasis on SOON. Can I make that clearer for you at all? That's ALL I'm saying.

Seriously, what is the matter with you people? Are the lot of you insane or just completely dense?

[letsnotbullshit]

1 reason to NOT buy Wii U now. Super Smash Bros. comes out next year

[Timesplitter14]

I'm very interested in virtual console titles since I've never owned a Nintendo console (though I played them extensively with friends). But yeah I've got lots of catching up to do with classic titles.

Maybe I'll get a WiiU like a year from now or when a new full-fledged Mario/Zelda game comes out

[RGDubz]

Save $250 then and buy an OUYA console for your retro gaming, it's only $99 and runs all your Nintendo emulators from the original NES to the Nintendo 64, plus it works with both PS3 & 360 controllers.

[_QQ_]

Honestly there is no reason to buy one right now.In 2 months when the games finally start rolling out, yeah, but right now?No

[Serg]

Not to mention the pretty much guaranteed price drop in a few months. No business minded person is stupid enough to go up against the PS4 at a 50€/$/Whatever price difference.

[Stroke666]

Dude nintendo has stated there will be no price drop the 50 buck difference can be a game on the same day. They're the cheapest out why would any business minded person see reason to drop the price of their product when it already has the pricibg advantage.

[Ol_G]

Who guaranteed a pricedrop?
Nobody!
Where did you get it from?
My big thumb!

[jimmywolf]

or be smart wait for the next price drop/bundle

[Stroke666]

The 50 dollar difference, thats your bundle right there. Use it to get a game lol. Geezus nintendo already said, no price drop

[PigPen]

I just going to name one, Zelda U.

[Ulf]

What's that? Haven't heard any such thing exists yet.

When it does, then maybe these top N articles will have some merit.

[PigPen]

What's that? The fact no N articles mentioned junk status is merit

enough for me. What's with N articles that you despise so much.

Let me quest, you want to be insured the survival of your favorite

console future.

[paulcek]

Next gen vs current gen. It almost doesn't matter anymore. The power jump from xbox to xbox360 is not as big as the one from xbox360 to xbox one. In about 10 years, our eyes will barely be able to tell the difference between current graphics (as in 10 years later) and nextgen graphics (as in 15 years later). Though right now, it still makes a considerable difference. However, i wish people would stop arguing about graphics and power. What people actually want isn't always extremely good graphics, but good aesthetics.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

This video explains the difference between the 2. (Though he uses pretty bad examples, his points are still valid) The best result would be good graphics and good aesthetics. The consumer and media should stop focusing solely on good graphics, but should voice their want for good aesthetics.

So even though the Wii U is underpowered, as long as the games have good aesthetics, it will still be better than a game with good graphics and terrible aesthetics. And the wii u games, graphically speaking, look good enough.

[worldwidegaming]

I agree with you.
No one on here currently owns a PS4 or XBone but
they sure are gurus of what's next gen or not.
The Wii U is out and its Next gen.
If you want a power jump spend 3k for a super PC or something. We all are waiting for TRUE NEXT GEN!
Avatar graphics in real time at 60fps!
Until then we are getting what we get and thats enough for me.
"Goes back to play Animal Crossing, what gen is this?"

[Ulf]

I find the animal crossing comment deeply ironic, since journalists complained loudly that the Wii game's biggest fault was that it was hardly different from the GC version.

Was that comment intended irony?

[josephayal]

The Wii U is a great console and offer a lot of potential that Xbox One and PS4 will never do… Neva

[BATRA]

THATS VERY TRUE I LIKE MY WII U AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT MORE GOOD GAMES ARE COMING TO THE WII U LIKE A NEW MEGAMAN GAME OR A STARCRAFT LOOK LIKE GAME FOR THE WII U

[SonyPS4]

I am waiting for Zelda HD and Pikmin 3...maybe Super Mario 3D World as well. ATM there is nothing I'd play apart from MH3, and NSMB games are boring IMO.

[Campy da Camper]

Lego city undercover is pretty sweet.

[MikeyDucati1]

Yea I'm looking to pick up a Wii U. Maybe they will have a sale for when the other two big dogs come out? I want to play Bayonetta 2 and get Deus Ex Director's cut.

[CLOUD1983]

Well I have 3 reasons not to buy one:

1.X is not released yet.

2.Even when X released 350 $ is still too much for a console I'm going to play 1-2 games at best.

& 3.PS4 is much better investement over all & for almost the same price, in PS4 I'll find at least 10 games I'm interested in down the road probably more.

[truechainz]

everyone is entitled to their opinion. I will be getting both PS4 and Wii U. The PS4 will have great games but to tell you the truth I will probably play Super Smash Bros. more than all the other games on Wii U and PS4 combined. Though KH3, X, and FFXV will come pretty close to breaking that thought.

[JonnyBigBoss]

I'm selling mine on Craigslist. Don't bother unless you're incredibly patient.

[meganick]

As a Wii U owner, I don't think the system is a compelling purchase at this time. But this holiday (Nov/Dec) it will be more enticing since it will have a bigger 1st party library. A price drop would make things even better.

[Stroke666]

You almost had me, if ur a wii u owner why wiuld you care for a price drop its not like you'd get the difference back from yoyr pyrchase. As an actual wii u I'd say right now the pickings are slim but there is still loads of fun in what is out for it right now. They just need games games games. Thats what will get people buying

[meganick]

Strange reply. I was just suggesting that a price drop along with more 1st party releases would sell more Wii U's. I never implied current owners should get money back after a price drop. Why would you think that I thought that?

[Pittoo]

Lol no

[worldwidegaming]

Nintendo is just sad right now.
They should just hire more workers to get their stuff out on time. Here is hoping for a miracle this summer.
"Tokyo Game show this coming fall is their last chance"
I am sure Sony and Nintendo are saving their best for around that time...

[tweet75]

well ive found its great for couples where the husbands a gamer and the wife isnt you can play all your games on the gamepad while your wife watches something else on the tv

[Campy da Camper]

Heck I play games on the gamepad while I watch TV. Its best of both worlds.

[shuuwai]

P4 first, after that it's the X1(mid 2014), and maybe the Wii U (end of 2014), if the price is 199.99. I am NOT spending 350.00 for 3 games: Zelda, Metroid, Pikmin, No.. just No..

I learned my lesson from the Gamecube era, but I got sucker in for the Wii era.

Heck I only have 6 games for the wii, yet truck load of xbox360,PS3 games. I have more games on my vita!

[PigPen]

To tell the truth, I had a different story. I owned 32 Wii games and 9 Xbox 360 games. I didn't fall for the PS3 with inferior multi platform games then the Xbox 360. I won't get suckered in with the Vita as well. As of now, I have no plans to get another console to sit next to the Wii U. External Hard Drive already took up the space. But if I get another console it will be the Xbox One.

[JohnS1313]

If you have a Wii U you really got suckered. What a waste of money.

[Stroke666]

May I ask what games you got for the wii cause you may have just missed out on some. Galaxy, no more heroes, mad world, red steel 2, pandoras tower, xenoblade, the last story twilight princess to name a few are great games. And thats 8 without thinking hard. 199 2 years in??? Here's to wishful thinking

[shuuwai]

@Stroke666, here's an image I took.

[jeromjenkins]

Who cares what generation it is. It's a great system to own. These arguments are pointless and mind numbing. All systems have their pros and cons.

[JohnS1313]

No thanks. I'd rather save up for a PS4. Isn't the Wii U only $50 cheaper than the PS4 will be? If you really want a Wii U wait until the PS4 and Xbone come out. Nintendo will have to drop the Wii U by $100.

[PigPen]

Nintendo doesn't have to do anything, just let Sony sell its console at a lost. It's almost lights out for Sony anyway and I most certainly won't be suckered. Just leave it to its own fate.

[Stroke666]

Wow people kill me, the least expensive next gen console is still too expensive? Goodness people 7yro consoles are still selling for about the same price. You've got to be kidding me that gaming has become about nothing but graphics. No console is without faults but damn wii u is not over priced what so ever. Better graphics than last gen, 8th gen started when the wii u released so plz stop referring to ps360 as current they're last gen, new everything just really short on game options right now. I'm sure they'll fix that but it being over priced cause it doesnt have better graphics than its soon to be competition really??? Admittedly I'm a huge nintendo fan to the point that I've never own a sony system cause of its origins, ps4 will be my first sony system owned. But even I can see the problems with wii u right now is no games and thats it, but they have plenty coming, w101, bayo2, might cop the windwaker redo, watchdogs is coming. I mean honestly whether you get it now or later its gonna remain a fukin fun ass system. But at least have a good reason not to get it and stop harping on graphics. If graphics in the game is your start all end all then maybe save your money skip psboxu and grab a gaming wrig.

[Ol_G]

i'm guessing all the kids here yelling graphics are maybe 15 years old

[Sharius]

unless nintendo change thier policie about region-lock and thier online system (i want my game tie to my account, not console), i'll nerver buy WiiU

while in the region lock case, i can let it slice and carefully about my purchase, the later is the main reason to keep me from buying the WiiU

[Ninte]

I bought the Wii U because i skipped the PS3 and 360 and i haven't played games since the xbox, so if games are ported to the wii u it's good for me since i can catch up on my gaming experience and what i've missed last gen.

Oh and the price played a big part since a retail store decided to sell them off cheap and will no longer sell them.

[WeAreLegion]

The slideshow isn't working for me. I hit next and it just refreshes the page.

[jcnba28]

It's funny how the ones who are saying Wii U isn't next gen are the same people who bought a PS2 lol

[hemmo1986]

Well I'm actually purchasing one this week.

While I'm not a big fan of Nintendo's consoles, I'm a diehard Sony fan.

I already have a Ps4 pre-ordered but the Wii U will go nicely as a second console as getting an Xbox one as a second console would be really stupid considering I have a gaming rig and even if I didn't have a pc I still wouldn't have the Xbone as a second console as it pretty much has the same catalogue as ps4 minus a few average exclusives.

Besides the Wii U will offer something different in games and will come in handy for my younger nephews and nieces when they come over to stay.

[CaulkSlap]

I ordered one that should be here tomorrow. I'm mostly buying it because I intend to own them all and there was a decent deal on the ZombiU bundle. I doubt Nintendo will drop the price more than $50 before Christmas and I might as well enjoy the novelty of it a bit before PS4/XBO. Then the maybe 2 games per year worth playing after that.

But I would never suggest anyone with limited funds buy a Wii U over another system. Even as a secondary system everyone should wait until the price is in the $250 range. $349 is just a complete rip-off for what you get compared to PS4.

[Ol_G]

you can't compare a premium package with game included cradle and extra sensor bar + 2 years long 10% back for your eshop games with a barebone ps4 that will cost more before even being able to play online

[tigertron]

I only have one reason to buy a Wii U, and that's the Nintendo exclusives.

Other than that I have no reason to buy this console, especially when the PS4 is out in a few months.

[sean_35]

To be perfectly honest what console system a person chooses is subjective to their needs i chose a wii u as it offers greater diversity in game type/styles relation to my high end pc a ps4 in reality is trying to be somthing that i already own. If you cant afford a pc then get a ps4 if that is what you want but if you have a good pc then i think the wii u would offer more diverse style of games then what you would get if you had a ps4/pc combo that in my opinion anyway

[pabadamus1]

Lol. No...there is no reason to buy a WiiU. Maybe 5 years ago but not now.

[RGDubz]

I didn't realise we had so many 12 year old Japanese girls (Nintendo's fanbase) on this site.

[blueskysonicdelta]

The sony ponys on this site are so unbearable.

They have had the last place console and portable for 8 years and its made them bitter.

Wii u by the end of its first year will be a fine system to own

[Dj7FairyTail]

More like 10 Reason for N4G Sony Fans to runs this comment section.

[Jagsrock]

There is enough room in my tv stand for a wii u and ps4..if only I didn't have so much room in my wallet.

[Jagsrock]

Is the disagree for having room on my tv stand, wanting both a ps4 and wii u, or is it because you disagree with the fact that my wallet is kinda empty right now?