The Most Overlooked Feature on the Wii U is Also The Best

N247 Writes: I was recently having a chat with a good friend of mine who also happens to own his Wii U since launch. I won’t mention any names so “this friend” doesn’t get slammed for not knowing something that every Wii U owner knows…or at least that was my assumption; I assumed that every Wii U owner knew one very important feature about the console.

[techologie]

I actually didnt know this. How long has this update been out? I feel like ive been living under a rock

[Chupa-Chupa]

Well the update only added gamepad support. Wii games have been supported since day one.

[bouzebbal]

there is a big Wii menu channel on screen i dont understand how people didn't notice that.
My only problem with Wii U is the range of gamepad.
I am unable to play some Wii U from my bed on gamepad because the console is in the living room, it loses connection everytime.
i wish a future update would improve that range

[ShinMaster]

But I already have a Wii and it also plays GameCube games.

Backwards compatibility shouldn't be a stand out feature for the Wii U. The Wii U should be able to stand on its own.

[Benjaminkno]

This feature actually convinced me to go back and get some of the old Wii games I never played, like Zak and Wiki and Okami. I also went ahead and bought the MP Trilogy, Xenoblade, Boom Blox, Punch Out, and Red Steel 2, which are all incredible games.

Anybody who says Wii didn't have any good games just didn't like Nintendo.

As many mistakes as Nintendo made releasing Wii U, they certainly are doing many things right.

If only it played GameCube games....

[mydyingparadiselost]

Zak and Wiki is such an awesome take on point and click adventures. You did yourself a great service picking up those games. House of the Dead Overkill, Sin and Punishment 2, the Trauma games (Center and Team), Sam and Max and Tatsunoko vs Capcom are all worth it as well.

[GoPanthers999]

Tatsunoku vs Capcom is an overlooked gem. Outside of Smash Brothers, T vs C is my kids favorite fighting game. Simplified controls and a great character roster.

[Venoxn4g]

Here are some more great Wii games:

Kororinpa, Marble saga: kororinpa, excitebots, wario land: shake it, metroid: other m, sonic colors, bit.trip saga (just amazing game collection), boom blox 1 & 2, warioware: smooth moves, zelda: skyward sword & twiligh princess, disaster: day of crisis, deadly creatures, muramasa, munchables, resident evil archives (2 gamecube proper resident evils), silent hill: shattered memories, elebits (eledees), madworld, super paper mario and many more..

[admiralvic]

It really just sounds like your friend was out of the know, since this is a widely known and often discussed feature of the Wii U.

[Chupa-Chupa]

well, I think the problem is the lack of advertising for this feature. Nintendo doesn't advertise it what so ever. It would be a great marketing strategy..the only current gen gaming console with true backward compatibility.

And that's just one feature, the Wii U has lots of neat features.

[mydyingparadiselost]

I honestly think they're afraid to advertise it after the whole "it's just a wii with a tablet add on" fiasco. Probably just trying to make sure the average custoumer isn't more confused than usual.

[Chrischi1988]

Yeah, if they advertise it with playing original Wii games, then even more would think, it is just a peripheral.

[Nodoze]

I agree it should be advertised. They should have just called it the WiiHD to remove any confusion. They should also advertise that all of the wii peripherals work on the WiiHD as well. This extends the value of the investment made in the wii, while providing new experiences in HD.

Reggie was more concerned with making videos of himself. It is not to late to put together an 'educational' advertisement.

WiiU is a very poor name (so is Amiibo but that is another story) it should have been simply WiiHD. EVERYONE would understand what it was then.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

"WiiHD" woudl still cause confusion, as the same Wii now high definition capable.

It's not rocket science really, just name the thing Wii 2 if you gotta use "Wii" in it. Otherwise, do as they usually did and call it something else (a more diverging design could had helped too, it actually looks like the Wii, raising the confusion even further).

[illmatic]

I know people who still don't know that the Wii U has this feature. May God bless their souls.

[60FramesPerSecond]

Wish they had gamecube support. gamecube games.

[Chupa-Chupa]

me too, but I think that Nintendo is going to release a few more Gamecube HD remakes soon. They have to. Wind waker HD remake was brilliant.

[60FramesPerSecond]

Sunshine hd would be nice

[Nodoze]

Would love that. Wave race, luigis mansion, sunshine, but what I am hoping for is an HD Metroid Prime. That would be sublime.

[DualWielding]

I really don't see the point of playing Wii games on the gamepad if you still need to use Wii Motes to play the games..... who wants to put that tiny screen and then walk away to waggle at a distance

[Concertoine]

Well i just set it in the stand and play stuff like Super mario RPG and REmake with a classic controller. I dont think playing waggly games or ones that require you to point at the sensor bar are ideal.

[memots]

Since i never owned a Wii this feature make sense to me.

I will get a wii U very soon.

[maniacmayhem]

A lot of people say BC isn't important but it is definitely important as people still get to experience games from the previous gen.

[WitWolfy]

I dont care for Wii BC per say, seeing that every Wii and Wii U can be softmoded in like 30 seconds to play pirated Wii games and homebrew apps. But GC BC would change EVERYTHING!

[Xof]

While you can play Wii games on the gamepad, the functionality sucks. Instead of doing the logical thing and having the gamepad emulate a pro controller, or what have you, if you want to play Xenoblade you have to somehow hold the gamepad with one hand, a wiimote in the other hand, and with the wired Wii Pro controller in the other hand.

[Takwin]

The Wii U has to be the first console to have backwards comparability for both games and controllers, which is really quite amazing. Scoff at the original Wii (mass some still do to the Wii U), but the Wii had 15-20 AMAZING games and the Wii U will have just as many. That's more than I need for a great system.

In my house, we only play exclusives on consoles, everything else on our PCs. The Wii U gets more action than the PS4 but we are very happy to have both. And my daughter plays the shit out of her 3DS and a lot on the Wii U.

[Mikito11]

Can't believe people here bashing wii u's BC with wii games.. It had so many great games! I'm planing to buy the wii resident evil remake just so I can play it on the one console.. Plus people seem to forget you also can access all the downloadable vc games like sin and punishment mario RPG and other classics... And you don't have to pay for any vc games you had on wii when you system transfer!!

I don't get how anyone can put a negative spin on it!

No remakes of one year old games for me thanks

[Reeze]

I love having backwards compatibility, because I often trade in my previous system to get some credit towards my new one. For example, I sold my DSi XL to Gamestop in order to get credit for the 3DS. It still plays all my DS games, so I'm a very happy customer.

[sAVAge_bEaST]

Wii U is my next console this holiday.

[kamakaz3md]

stupid you cant use the gamepad controls to play the wii games on the gamepad!

[IQUITN4G]

I expect there are also people buying the Wiiu and unknowingly buy only wii games for it. Especially as the wii audience is very much made up of those not really in the know

[2pacalypsenow]

they look like shiza tho atleast the ps3 upscaled ps2 games before they removed it