Nintendo SYST66 Wii U

I have been playing video games for a while now. I used to play the original Pitfall on my dad's work computer back in 1991 or so. Then we got Nintendo's Famicom (sort of the same thing as the NES), then I had a Sega Genesis, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4. I had not played Nintendo games in a long time, and I was craving some of the first-party franchises Nintendo owns exclusively. The good old ones, such as Mario, Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Sar Fox, etc.While I love my PS4, there's a uniqueness about Nintendo's franchises that simply can't be found anywhere else. There's some really good PlayStation exclusive games out there, pretty sure XBox1 users will also have some exclusives they love. But when it comes to exclusive IP, Nintendo takes the crown. These are franchises my generation has been playing since we were born.I missed out on the Wii, but the cool thing about the Wii U is that not only it has GREAT games available on it (anything Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda, or any of the others I mentioned above, plus a bunch more), you can also play your old Wii games on it, so that instantly makes the library endless. So yeah, I've been buying Wii games as well... just a decade late, that's all.If you like or want to play games with family and friends, Nintendo's systems are typically designed to do just that. Again, PS4 and XB1, both great systems, but they don't compare when it comes to local multiplayer, again Nintendo takes the crown. Mario Kart, Smash Bros., Nintendoland, Mario Wii U, Mario 3D, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and more, are great, fun games for kids and adults alike. They make great party games, and are easier to set up than board games.The system comes with a gamepad that resembles a portable console or tablet. This is what you will be using for all the menus, and for most games. Some games make special use of this pad, such as Nintendoland, which sometimes will give the gamepad holder a special task that sets that person apart from the rest of the group.Now, not all is fun and games (literally it is, but I'm just speaking metaphorically here) with the Wii U. The system did not sell well, and fell very very short of the expectations Nintendo had for it. The company made a few key mistakes with this system: the main one being the time of release. Depending on how you look at it, the Wii U was either released too early or too late. Too late to compete with the PS3/XB360. Too early to compete with the PS4/XB1, which were released a year later, with far more powerful computers in them and full support from 3rd party developers. This threw off both consumers and developers, because the PS3 and XB360 were already established as the top contenders, with huge libraries of games. And from a 3rd party developer perspective, the system was in between generations, it was too much work to make next gen games and try to port them over to the Wii U hardware, and most importantly, not profitable enough to justify it.One issue you may have is there are many accessories available for the system. There are tons of knock-off brands out there, but the quality is sub par. If there is one thing Nintendo is known for, is quality products. If you can afford it, I recommend getting officially licensed Nintendo products (controllers and such).In conclusion, the poor sales record doesn't mean that the Wii U is not a great system. It is one of the best and most fun consoles I've ever owned. It's like a Wii on steroids. I bought mine two years ago and never regretted it. The marketing mistakes Nintendo made only mean this console had a short life compared to other systems, but there are tons of great games available for it that you won't be able to play anywhere else. Add the Wii library of games on top of that, and OMG, it's never ending. Should you get one? definitely, yes, if you can find a good deal nowadays! Good luck!

I decided to purchase the Wii U for my 6 year old after many weeks of debating whether to get the Xbox One or Wii U. I felt like the Xbox One would have been a better console to buy (initially) because it has far more games than the Wii U and because it plays DVD's and Blue Ray Discs. Also, I was worried that the Wii U graphics would be inferior to the Xbox One. So far, the Wii U has impressed me (although I wish it would play DVD/Blue Ray). The Wii U platform offers far more family-friendly games and it's pretty easy to use for kids. A big plus with the Wii U is that my kid can still play games on the Wii U while I watch TV because of the tablet style controller. The Wii U seamlessly moves the video game from the TV to the controller without any issues. Overall, I am pleased with my purchase!The Wii U is very easy to set up right out of the box, however, it's not ready to play the second you get it all hooked up. First, there are some lengthy updates that you will need to install prior to playing. Overall, the initial setup-to-play time was about an hour. Second, the controller requires a full charge prior to playing without it being plugged in which may take a while. This really isn't that big of a deal, but if you are purchasing this as a gift for someone, you might want to crack the box open and do these things prior to them opening it up and wanting to play immediately.The graphics from the games I have played have been very impressive. Both Mario Kart 8 and Call of Duty Ghosts looks fantastic and they even look great on the tablet controller (which surprised the heck out of me)!I am still disappointed in how few games are offered compared to the Xbox One (or even PS4 for that matter). Like I said, there are a lot of kid friendly and family friendly games, but for the adult or mature teen who wants to play some more mature games, you'll find out that your options are limited. One thing the Wii U system has going for it that other systems don't is that the Wii U is backwards compatible. In other words, you can play regular Wii games if you have them. We haven't tested this yet, but as long as it works as described, all the Lego games we have for the Wii will add to the collection we have started to build for the Wii U.Overall, I'm really impressed with the Wii U and think it was the best purchase option for me. If you are buying this for family fun, it's a great buy. If you are a first time gamer looking for a vast array of games, the Xbox One or PS4 is a better option, especially if your kids are older and mature enough to play some of the more recent Role Playing Games (RPG) or First-Person Shooters (FPS).