Is the WiiU a viable option for a non ninty gamer?

So Iv owned the playstation 1,2,3...Xbox,360, X1.

However to date I have never owned a single Nintendo console, Iv'e only played the Wii briefly at a christmas gathering several years ago.

Id like to add none of my friends own a WiiU iv never even had an opportunity to play one briefly. Im kind of in a position whereby due to a lack of experience with Nintendo software the software isnt a selling point because my opinion of it is neither here nor there.

However for the first time im looking at Nintendo as a viable source of gaming entertainment. Although it lacks third party support I quite like the fact that if I bought a WiiU it would be an experience unlike any other console. Maybe its time for a change. A complimentary console to my X1 with lots of exclusive interesting games.

I was just wondering if I could get some positives off you guys who actually know Nintendo but also some negatives to balance things out.

Thanks!

If you buy a WiiU, you can play almost every single great Nintendo game ever made. A couple are on the WiiU, a few are on the Wii (fully accessible via backwards compatibility, both disc games and Virtual Console games), and the rest are on the Virtual Console. You'll miss out on the Gamecube classics, but those are just a drop in the bucket of Nintendo history.

Someone in your situation probably has the most to gain from buying a WiiU. The negatives don't even matter compared to the wealth of gaming history you'll have access to.

is it a case that you dont like nintendo games or you just havent played them?

if you have never played nintendo games before then the wiiu is certainly worth a look if you want to take a punt at them. it has one of the best mario karts, pikmin is great (wiimote and nunchuck strongly recommended though), i hear good things about mario world (i havent played it yet) and donkey kong tropical freeze and so on. its also backward compaitble with the wii so if you like what you see on the wiiu then there is plenty to raid from the wii catalogue also.

so have a look at the list of games and see what you think.

if you just dont like nintendo games though then its library is a lot more limited. i wouldnt bother to be honest.

the one thing i will say is if you are playing nintendo games and expecting something like uncharted or halo then you will be dissapointed. nintendo dont make games like that. they make cracking games imho....just not those types of games. so dont go in with a preconception of what the games should be. just see if you are enjoying them or not. thats the most important thing.

@JordanElek Thanks your advice.

Its a case of never really having played them, therefore I dont know if I like them. I cant say Iv ever been excited enough about any one Nintendo title to warrant purchasing an entire console to play it. As you said they do appear to offer an extremely solid game library and as a companion console to the X1 I can still get my FPS needs fulfilled. I honestly have no idea if il like the majority of Nintendo titles as its so far the other way from what MS and Sony offer. For the price I think I might just take a punt, I think the payoff will be far greater than not bothering.

I just wish there were demo kiosk for WiiU titles in the same way there has been for every other console for decades. I think its a real issue that faces consumers I cant be the only one in this position. Curious but lacking experience, willing to to try but lacking an opportunity to use the real deal. Starting to sound like my virginity all over again.

@always_explicit: its a good point about the lack of opportunities to try these games allright. i dont suppose any shop rents consoles these days? i remember renting an N64 a very very long time ago.

the proof is in the playing and all that.

could be something for nintendo to look at. rent a wiiu and a bunch of games from nintendo for a month for a set fee. if you like it then you pay the fee to rent and the oustanding balance for the console and any games you like. if you dont then just pay the rent fee and return the wiiu and games to nintendo.

If you already own the XBO, a purchase of a Wii U makes more sense than of a PS4. That is, if you had the disposable income and wanted to expand your available game library, the Wii U has more games you can't find on the XBO than the PS4 does.

It's pretty widely accepted that 2014 has been a relatively bad year for the PS4/XBO due to all the AAA game delays pushed to next year and the crazy amounts if Definitive Editions, while the Wii U has had an arguably fantastic year.

If you bought all the games you currently want on the XBO and have gaming money you still want to spend, the Wii U is a swell choice. I play my Wii U more than my PS4 and find Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze to be tougher than Dark Souls (outside of no-shield runs and whatnot), though I suppose it's the co-op that makes it more difficult.

Of course, Xbox one and PS4 have no games.

Wii u has smash 4 coming and I have already spent many hours on it.

There is literally no point in getting an xbox 1 or ps4, just go get a pc if you want to play those kinds of games and it will last you significantly longer.

If you're unfamiliar with Nintendo games, you should really try playing them.
You won't regret it.

And then if you want more, there is a whole giant world of Nintendo games available on Wii U because of backwards compatibility, virtual console and the Wii U library.

There's a reason Nintendo became synonymous of "gaming" for a long time. The games are amazing. If you're considering buying one, then you're already past the barrier that stops most people from getting a Wii U, the oh so famous "it's for little kids". If you saw E3 then you'll know this christmas or so seems to be the perfect time to get a Wii U, and yes, the Wii U is the perfect complementary console for X1/PS4/PC, due to the sheer number of exclusives.

no, if you not really gamed on a Nintendo console by now then it just doesent appeal to you and your only considering it now because the ps4 and x1 are garbage

The Wii U is pretty great with the fact that you can watch TV and play almost all of the games right on the gamepad's screen. I like the online experience and Miiverse. I've been a pretty big of Nintendo hardware and software for almost 10 years now, so I like a lot of their franchises. There are definitely some interesting games coming to Wii U- Smash Brothers, Devil's Third, Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei. Also in my opinion you should really get Bayonetta 2 (and 1 comes with it) if you pick a Wii U up.

Probably not. Especially if you're a kid, kids seem more self conscious about avoiding something deemed a kiddy console. Whereas mature adults comfortable in their own skin and who grew up on Nintendo probably find more appeal there. I won't lie, a lot of appeal is in nostalgia. If there's nothing there for you then there's lots you'll not be as taken with.

If you don't mind getting one for just a few games then there's Mario Kart 8, Bayonetta 2 + 1, Super Smash Bros for Wii U, Zombie U, Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, you may like Wind Waker HD; games I feel you really don't need to be well versed in the franchises to date to enjoy, not sure if you'll care about NSMBU or Mario 3D World.

Maybe starting off with a 3DS would be a better introduction into Nintendo franchises. Wii U and 3DS and even Wii has VC games, so you can play older Legend of Zelda titles, or classic Nintendo IPs like Metroid, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion. If you get a BC Wii you can try the Metroid Prime games (by getting the GameCube copies), or getting a used Metroid Prime Trilogy, Metroid Other M was also worth a shot. You can play the old Super Mario Bros games, or get the Mario All-Stars updates of the first 3 NES games. The DS (which will play on 3DS) there's the Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Track games. The Wii has Legend of Zelda from NES on it, it has A Link To The Past, as does Wii U, 3DS just has Legend of Zelda but they do have both Ocarina of Time 3D and A Link Between Worlds.

You can jump straight to the Wii U and download eShop titles to verse yourself some in the classic Nintendo IPs, what they have there isn't super extensive but there's enough to play catch up with. You can also play Wii games on it like Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2, Twilight Princess, SKyward Sword, Metroid Prime Trilogy and Other M, just a bunch of stuff.

No.

Look at it this way, most people here are going to recommend you purchase a Wii U. It is a forum dedicated to Nintendo platforms so you have a huge bias in recommendations here.

Considering you have a X1 most good third party games are adequately supported on the system. So if you find interest with decent amount of exclusives, not to mention decades of retro games this may be a system for you.

A big factor would be, are you the sort of player that will lodge large amount of hours to games like Super Smash Bros Wii U or Mario Kart 8? If you enjoyed Devil May Cry and God of War, then Bayonetta 2 may be a terrific option for you. Do you like adventure games like the Legend of Zelda? Do you like 2d sidescrollers because there are tons of quality games in that genre. Super Mario 3d World is the best 3d platformer you will get all generation most likely.

Wii U has gems, but you have to really be interested in a small amount of games that will stand the test of time.

I bought a Wii along with a PS3 and I grew up playing Nintendo games, what I found was that there were few great Nintendo games but not enough to make it a stand alone console. I have since moved to PS4 and Xbox 1 and I frankly don't miss Nintendo games. If you aren't sure if the "Nintendo" game experience is for you, I would recommend you try before you buy. WiiU has apparently great games on it, but the flow of games on that system will be sloooooow.

Wow, this is a really tough question to answer. Undoubtedly, I just want to say "yes, of course, there is a lot of Nintendo in the Wii U", if you include the VC and backwards compatibility. But then I stop to think and wonder, how much of my enjoyment of Nintendo games comes from playing through the history of the games?

How good is Skyward Sword, if you haven't played Ocarina of Time, or Link to the Past? How would you know where it stands next to Wind Waker? Can someone appreciate the level design of New SMB Wii U if they don't know how the series evolved from SMB1, SMB3, and SMW? Would the OP even care for the Virtual Console? There is no nostalgia there!

@always_explicit This is a tough call. You don't have that history with Nintendo, so you will not be wowed by how the franchises have evolved. When did you start gaming? What are your favorite games? I like to put it like this. A lot of games today are experiences. Nintendo games are games made for fun (imo). The gameplay is the experience. No elaborate stories. No big efforts for realism. A lot of Nintendo conventions are not in line with today's standards. A lot of games still have no voice acting and online multiplayer is lacking.

Still, with that said, I'd say yes, get a Wii U. The games are different enough from the X1 library, that if you end up liking them, they will be a breath of fresh air from the majority of games today.

To be honest. The answer is no. If your not a fan of Nintendo's first party and second party games. I would not recommend the Wii U. If you have never owned a single Nintendo console. The Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gam ecube or Nintendo Wii.

So you have at least played the Nintendo Wii. Which should give you some idea of Nintendo's current type of games. The Wii U is meant as a continuation of the Wii brand. So if you are not a fan of the Wii and it's motion controls. The Wii U may not be the best choice of console.

So I would not advise on getting a Wii U if your not a Nintendo fan.

But the good news is that a Wii U console is only $200.00 for a refurbished Wii U console done by Nintendo of America. These Wii U console also includes a new copy of Nintendo land. Which was the original pack in game when the Wii U launched in November 18th 2012. The original cost was $350.00 so buying a refurbished Wii U console from Nintendo. Is a cheaper way to find out if you will like the World of Nintendo.

So you can find out if Nintendo is to your liking.