Wii U
ウィー・ユー Wii U | ||||||||||||||||
The Deluxe Wii U console | ||||||||||||||||
Release dates
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Technical specs
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Related information
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The Wii U (Japanese: ウィー・ユー Wii U) is Nintendo's home game console for the eighth generation of video games, which serves as one of the company's competitions for Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, the other being the Nintendo Switch.
First officially announced during the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 of 2011, the Wii U (previously referred to as Project Café) is the successor of the Wii and is backwards-compatible to all Wii games and controllers. The console features a 6.2-inch touch screen-capable controller equipped with a camera, called the Wii U GamePad. In addition, the console is capable of playing games at 1080p with a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio. Its handheld counterpart is the Nintendo 3DS.
Unlike the original Wii and much like the Nintendo GameCube, the Wii U did not sell as very well as Nintendo hoped it would be. It would have sold 100 million units, and yet, it only managed to sell 13.56 million units worldwide, making it Nintendo's least successful home console. The Wii U's lifetime sales were outsold in only nine months by its successor, the Nintendo Switch. As a result, it was discontinued in Europe on October 1, 2016, in North America on November 10, 2016, in Australia on November 14, 2016, and in Japan on January 31, 2017, only around 4 years after the console's initial release. Commonly cited reasons for the Wii U's bad sales include some confusing marketing, a complicated GamePad, a few third-party titles, high initial pricing, and the lack of Blu-ray and even DVD playback; numerous first-party Wii U titles, however, were ported to the Nintendo Switch.
Technical specifications
- Size: 1.8 inches high, 10.5 inches deep, 6.8 inches long.
- Weight: Approximately 3.41 pounds (1.5 kg).
- CPU: IBM PowerⓇ-based multi-core processor.
- GPU: AMD Radeon™-based HD GPU.
- Storage: Internal flash memory (8 or 32 GB)
- External Storage: SD memory cards, USB storage.
- Game Storage: Wii U and Wii optical discs.
- Networking: Wireless (IEEE 802.11b/g/n) connection, USB 2.0 connectors ×4.
- Backwards Compatibility: Most Wii accessories and games are compatible with the Wii U.
- Audio: Uses six-channel PCM linear output via HDMI® connector, or analog output via the AV Multi Out connector.
- Video: Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i. Compatible cables include HDMI (3D stereoscopy supported), Wii D-Terminal, Wii Component Video, Wii RGB, Wii S-Video Stereo AV and Wii AV.
- Memory: 2 GB DDR3 RAM.
Features
- Miiverse: allows communication with a community of both Wii U and 3DS owners
- Nintendo Network
- TV Remote: The Wii U GamePad can be used as a regular TV remote
- Near Field Communication (NFC): Can communicate wirelessly with objects above it.
- Nintendo eShop: "The digital storefront for Wii U will be available at launch and offer a variety of content for people to download and enjoy. Consumers will also be able to purchase and download select games that are also available at retail stores." ~ Nintendo. eShop was also used in 3DS.
- Video Entertainment: Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube
- Video Chat: Uses front-facing camera of GamePad to have video chats with other Wii U owners.
- Internet Browsing
Pokémon games
All releases listed are the year in which the Japanese version was released.
Title | Genre | Release | Pokkén Tournament | Arcade fighting | 2016 |
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Nintendo eShop
The Nintendo eShop will be discontinued in March 2023.
Nintendo eShop titles
Title | Genre | Release |
---|---|---|
Pokémon Rumble U | Action RPG | 2013 |
Retail titles
Title | Genre | Release | Pokkén Tournament | Arcade fighting | 2016 |
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Wii titles
Title | Genre | Original release | eShop release |
---|---|---|---|
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure | Action-adventure | 2009 | 2015 |
Virtual Console games
Virtual Console games are old games that were originally released on past consoles, and have now been re-released on the Nintendo eShop. They can be downloaded after being bought.
Title | Genre | Original system | Original release | VC release |
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Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire | Pinball | Game Boy Advance | 2003 | 2014 |
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team | Dungeon crawler | Game Boy Advance | 2005 | 2016 |
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team | Dungeon crawler | Nintendo DS | 2005 | 2016 |
Pokémon Ranger | Action RPG | Nintendo DS | 2006 | 2016 |
Pokémon Snap | First-person rail shooter | Nintendo 64 | 1999 | 2016 |
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky | Dungeon crawler | Nintendo DS | 2009 | 2016 |
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia | Action RPG | Nintendo DS | 2008 | 2016 |
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs | Action RPG | Nintendo DS | 2010 | 2016 |
Via backwards compatibility
Running in Wii Mode, the Wii U can be used to play games playable on the Wii.
On game discs
Title | Genre | Release |
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Pokémon Battle Revolution | Battle simulation | 2006 |
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure | Action-adventure | 2009 |
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond | Action-adventure | 2011 |
WiiWare games
Title | Genre | Release | Cost |
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My Pokémon Ranch | Virtual Life | 2008 | 1000 Wii Points |
Pokémon Rumble | Fighter | 2008 | 1500 Wii Points |
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (WiiWare) | Dungeon crawler | 2009 | 1200 Wii Points |
Virtual Console games
Title | Genre | Original release | VC release | Cost |
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Pokémon Snap | First-person rail shooter | 1997 | 2007 | 1000 Wii Points |
Pokémon Puzzle League | Puzzle | 2000 | 2008 | 1000 Wii Points |
Gallery
Cameos
- Players have a Wii U in their bedroom in X and Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and Sun and Moon. Calem and Brendan have a black Wii U; while Serena, May, Elio, and Selene have a white Wii U.
- Two Wii U consoles can be found in the lower left room on the second floor of the Shady House in Sun and Moon.
External links
References
Game systems with Pokémon games |
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Nintendo handheld consoles |
GB (Pocket · GBL · SGB · SGB2) • GBC • mini • GBA (SP · GBm · GBP) DS (Lite · DSi · DSi XL) • 3DS (XL · 2DS · New 3DS · New 3DS XL · New 2DS XL) Switch (Lite · OLED) |
Nintendo home consoles |
SNES (BS-X · SGB · NP · SGB2) • N64 (DD) • GCN (GBP) Wii (Family Edition · mini) • Wii U Switch (OLED) |
Sega consoles |
Pico • CoCoPad • Beena |