Talking Point: Wii U and the Importance of Backward Compatibility

In future years, maybe even in a matter of weeks, there's likely to be plenty written about Wii and its lifespan, with judgements made on its strengths and weaknesses. The list of negatives are fairly predictable: it was underpowered, with motion controls that brought an unrelenting wave of sub-par games, it struggled for major third-party support in later years and missed out on the key, supposedly hardcore audience. Those are all perfectly reasonable, defensible things to say, but Wii was also the success that Nintendo desperately needed.

Wii will still have a role to play on Wii U, courtesy of backward compatibility, and Nintendo Life outlines why it's an important feature of the new system.

[wishingW3L]

Importance of Backward Compatibility: Not having a truck-load of consoles on your house. This may be good for collectors but not for the average person. I like owning and playing old games but not by having 10 consoles connected to my TV....

[MrWonderful]

you could just box them up and pull them out when needed

[MrWonderful]

a phantom disagree for thinking logic? seriously who the hell want to have 10 consoles plugged up to their tv?

[Yi-Long]

NO-One wants 10 consoles plugged up to their TV....
... but no-one wants to unbox and hook-up old consoles every time they want to play a game either!

Which is why people like backwards compatibility, so you can just throw in your old games into your new machine and it should play it the way you loved it.

Also, when your old console breaks down, suddenly your complete old collection is worthless, if the new generation isn't backwards compatible and they aren't selling the old system anymore.

Which is another good reason why people want backwards compatibility.

[auragenz]

What the hell man, I hope not every Nintendo fan's room is like an episode of hoarders. Just let it go. Or better yet join life and put down the controller.

[PopRocks359]

What's wrong with having a lot of game consoles? Nintendo brand aside. Sheesh, some people are anal.

[auragenz]

Don't ask me, ask your parents. I'm sure their not exactly gushing to their friends about how their child has an above normal fascination with or amount of game consoles.

[PopRocks359]

Uh, I live alone pal. And I buy my game consoles. The only consoles my folks bought for me was the N64 and the Gamecube. Everything else, from the NES to the PS3 to the Wii U I've preordered I had to buy on my own.

If you're trying to imply that I'm somehow an embarrassment to my family because gaming is one of my hobbies, then boy are you one ignorant son of a gun. I suppose the Angry Video Game Nerd is an embarrassment to his parents as well? And his collection is much heftier than mine.

[victoryscreeeeeech]

@auragenz
...........and yet u have a account on a site specifically for gaming. Why don't u tell ur parents bout that.

[spike]

Wii U is coming

[Nevers0ft]

It's not the only one.

[spunkee311]

Backwards Compatibility is a huge incentive for me. I don't like having multiple systems as well. Which is Why I loved the PS2 and Original PS3. And the fact that the Wii played Gamecube games great. I'm a collector so I don't really get rid of my old games too often. I know not everyone is the same. But since when was backwards compatibility a bad thing?

[Pillsbury1]

Backwards compatibility is a nice extra but not required. I used to be a big supporter of backwards compatibility but I realized companies have no reason to do it. I love my ps1, ps2 and ps3 I still have all of them, sony realized it can continue making profit by re-releasing classics. companies like nintendo like to keep on giving.

Rated M for Mature.

[morkendo23]

I have a phat ps3 and slim ps2,ps1 they dont work as good anymore (ps1,ps2) guess from sitting.
but glad backward compatibility going strong with my ps3.

[taquito]

thats why i like pc, it plays pc games from the 80's, 90's, 2000's, 2010's and now and future

plus nearly every console and arcade game ever made, ps1,nes,snes,genisis, gamecube, wii, ds, psp, ps2 and plays them in hd

that said, im getting a wii u, but not to play wii games, i already play those on pc in 1080p at 60 frames with 8x aa, the wii u aint gonna do that

[Jek_Porkins]

Backwards compatibility is a huge factor for me, I own a lot of games and will still go back and play them all from time to time. When the new consoles launch, I cant have 6 or 7 consoles hooked up, so I'm glad Wii U has backwards compatibility. Hopefully we'll get confirmation on the next Xbox and PlayStation having full, true backwards compatibility.

It might even be a deal breaker as far as I'm concerned, because the first year or so of a new console doesn't really offer the best games, so I'll want to be able to play current gen games on those new systems for while.

[mdkgod43]

the wii has no games, why would u want the wii u to have BC

[lfclee]

I'm really getting so excited i can now see me opening the box and seting up and i can smell that new plastic upon opening the box as each day goes by i'm getting more and more excited.

[Qrphe]

BC has never been a big deal for me. I never really played PS1 games on my PS2 nor do I play DS games on my 3DS. Yes, I have bought PSP games for my Vita but the ones I have physical copies for I'd play on my PSP (they look better as well to me).

I REALLY doubt many of us will be using the Wii-BC on the Wii U anyway.

[BitbyDeath]

Same, I usually just move onto new games when i get a new system, the only exception had been God of War 2 cause it released after PS3 came out.

Also i don't like to hoard, i usually trade in my games after completing them.