The WiiU is now 3 years old.

November 18th 2012 Nintendo released their most forgettable and most controversial console to date.

The infamous WiiU.

What a wild ride it has been for this system.

Missing out on major 3rd party support aside, this system has a lot of games on it.

From ZombiU, New Super Mario U, Assassin's Creed III and Black OPs 2 at launch to Bayonetta 2, Splatoon, Mario Kart 8, and Smash Bros today I don't think there isn't a game on WiiU anyone could really say "no" to.

Although the WiiU had a slow start it's clear that the WiiU has enough games under its belt to warrant a purchase and a space under your TV.

The Gaming Community may not have cared for the WiiU, but for those of us with a WiiU, I think we can say that it's been a fun ride.

Happy 3rd Birthday

And it's already dead. Third parties abandoned it shortly after launch and Nintendo abandoned it after Mario Maker.

and had 6 new games TOTAL released for the console as of July 2015. Think about that.

Even with my substantially lowered expectations, it is not what I wanted it to be.

Meh, I can't say I rue getting it, but overall it was a colossal disaster.

This is false- since Mario Maker, it has got, and will get, Fatal Frame V, Devil's Third, Mario Tennis Ultra Smash, Animal Crossing Amiibo Party, Yoshi's Wooly World, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Star Fox Zero, Pokken Tournament, Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem and The Legend of Zelda. A few of those are trash, but the back half of that list isn't half bad.

Happy birthday Wii U, its been and will continue to be fun times, ill be getting my Xenoblade Chronicles X files ready tonight.

Ive actually been amazed at how Nintendo is supprting the Wii U, from catering to the hardcore, casuals, kids etc, it truly has something for everyone. Im glad Nintendo also gave the kids a few games this year, i felt it was much needed.

The active community for Black Ops II lasted longer than the Wii U.... sad.

@Legend002: Many still play Black Ops II on Wii U. I was playing it online bout a month ago. I get bored of it pretty quickly though, same thing happened to me on the original Black Ops. Good story campaigns though, ive enjoyed them all.

3 years, and still no games. It's pretty bad that in year 4 the only thing on the horizon that I'm looking forward to is Twilight Princess... again.

@Renegade_Fury: Dat Rodea Sky Solider tho!

I still enjoy my wii u.

3 years huh. This generation has been pretty bad between all companies. Such a lack of creativity, the only surprises I've gotten have been from Nintendo (Splatoon and Wonderful 101).

@mesome713: The Wii version, for sure. The only thing that the Wii U version has done is tarnish the reputation of this otherwise superb game, but hey, at least the Wii U has BC going for it.

Despite it's flaws, the Wii U has such a fantastic library of games that I just absolutely love it. I definitely have had more fun with my Wii U this generation than my Xbox One and PS4 combined.

I think that the Wii U will end of up having a legacy similar to the Dreamcast in that it was under-appreciated, ignored for the hype of the more powerful consoles, and sold poorly during it's life, but eventually people will discover the great games that the Wii U has and it will be looked back upon as a cult classic.

Still playing my WiiU. Its such a great thrill to experience nintendo in full HD.
Some damn good titles released on it, and a few big titles sold like a bomb on release.
There are still some games to get released and im sure Zelda gonna make it to the front page of gaming sites after launch on copies sold.

How many AAAAE's do the other consoles have?

I couldn't care less what the other consoles have; I didn't see a need to buy them. I should have done the same with the Wii U, because it's just as worthless as its peers in my eyes.

Unlike the PS4 and Xbone, WiiU has by far the best exclusives on consoles not available on PC. So it's a great companion system. Like the Wii was last gen. I agree with you on not seeing a reason to get the other systems. Two years in and I still have yet to see a reason to get either one with the great majority of their libraries also on PC.

Since its Wii Us birthday today, lets compare its hardware sales to Gamecube. All sales will be based on official financial reports.

Gamecube :

September 14, 2001 - March 31, 2002 = 3.80 million

April 1, 2002 - March 31, 2003 = 5.76 million

April 1, 2003 - March 31, 2004 = 5.02 million

April 1, 2004 - September 30, 2004 = 1.4 million

2 years, 11 months = 15.98

Wii U:

November 18, 2012 - March 31, 2013 = 3.45 million

April 1, 2013 - March 31, 2014 = 2.72 million

April 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015 = 3.38 million

April 1, 2015 - September 30, 2015 = 1.19 million

2 years, 11 months = 10.74

Conclusion:

So it would seem Wii U is behind 5.24 million in sales. This might look bad at first, but considering how much competition there is today vs when Gamecube was around, i would say its not too bad. With Japan and others enjoying more mobile gaming with phones, tablets etc, PC gaming on the rise and becoming a super power stronger then ever and third party pretty much starting Wii U off weak and then abandoning it after poor sales causing Nintendo to bout fully support it by itself. I would say things are looking pretty solid.

Cant wait for NX in hope of a better future, Nintendo never bores me, may the good times roll.

Yeah, i was about to buy it at the store until i saw the wrapping for it, it looked like some kid in china wrapped it with plastic and sealed it with a lighter. Im not sure how they let that beast even enter stores wrapped like that.

I am so dissapointed, the gc put up a better fight. the nx better make up for it, bad.

@Mercenary848: The Gamecube had awesome third party support. Wii U gets nothing though. Rise of the Tomb Raider, Fallout 4, MGSV, GTAV, Minecraft, Dark Souls II, South Park Stick of Truth, Life is Strange, CoD Black Ops III, NFL, NBA, FIFA 16, all these games could have ran on Wii U.

To be considered a companion system, it has to have exclusives that I actually care about. More power to those that are happy with the Wii U's current lineup, but I'm not.

It's still available online through sites like amazon, or you can still get it directly through the NISA store if you're really interested. I'm thinking of getting another copy just for the hell of it, lol.

Not a great console by any means, but easily my favorite console of the gen.

I'm hoping (but not expecting) that Zelda U can be some game of the gen material. The WiiU is flush with some good exclusive content, even a game or two that I'd consider great, but Nintendo has yet to deliver on a masterpiece for this console. Every console cycle they release at least one title that makes most other devs look wildly inferior. At least one game that's like "yep, Nintendo still runs this shit." Hopefully they can still come through.

Also, where the **** is mah WiiU Metroid? Is that even still a thing? Seems like a no brainer really. Not only has it been a long time since we've seen a great Metroid game, but it also seems like a perfect fit for the tablet.

I adore this system. The concentration of phenomenal games it had in such a short amount of time is incredible (mostly the first 2 years).

You going for the Smash/Splatoon bundle for $249? Will you buy an Amiibo for it?

@Slashkice:

She dont look too bad for being only $12.99. But yeah, that Samus figure is very nice.

I've been happy really with my console, Yoshi to be my personal GOTY (if Xenoblade Chronicles doesn't top it).

well, the first two years were good anyways, haven't been too pleased with them this last year

it's like after all the Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros for Wii U, and Bayonetta 2 praise, it's like they got an ego and are no longer their humbled selves I came to like

I mainly use it for exclusives and various ones delivered, but really, I spend more time playing Gamecube games on it through Nintendon't. How it's doing worse than Gamecube is what I will never know.

Thank you, Platinum Games.

@mesome713: funny you show this. It's also Gamecube's 14th!

@LegatoSkyheart: Thats pretty cool they are so close to each other.

Favorite system this gen so far. I guess that can be considered problematic for some haha.

It's a pitiful console.

I just bought one today! I'm having a ton of fun with it!

@freedomfreak: Word.

Congrats, what game are you playing?

Great little console.played some epic games but the quality wont make up for the lack of quantity.

@freedomfreak i never did get around to wasting you on Bayonetta 2.

And it has sold about 3(.something) million units over the course of each of those years :P

@Desmonic: Its crazy to think Wii U will be passing Vita soon. Guess dedication does pay off after all.

@mesome713: Will it? Last I heard the Vita was around the 12 million mark :P gonna take a while to see who is the worst selling machine of the gen xD

@Desmonic: Wont be long, even though Vita has been out longer and its much cheaper, Wii U will still destroy it.

By destroy it, do you mean miserably inch past it at a snails pace?

It's a battle of the failures anyways man, neither side really wins lol.

@ConanTheStoner: I mean just destroy it, like beat it by 5 million + when its all said and done.

Three years old and not a single game approaches Halo 4, KZ2 (an old ass game mind you), KZ3, GOW3, TLOU, gears 3, UC2, UC3 etc etc etc in visuals. More powerful my butthole.

@silversix_: Xenoblade Chronicles X surpasses all them games. Also it has Batman Arkham City which looks purdy. Need for Speed Most Wanted uses PC version i think and cant run on last gen. Also Bayonetta 2 ;)

And dont forget Mario Kart 8. Super Smash Bros and Pikmin 3 couldnt run on last gen either. And also Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze.

Where is the Metroid in that list....??

@AtariKidX: Metroids in time out, she was naughty last gen.