I love how Scott has become the unofficial professor/mascot of the Wii U

I remember standing in line outside of my local Target on Black Friday, and a guy on the phone with his friend was behind us saying, “Yeah...yeah, the Wii U...I just, I dunno if it’s a new console or just like an add-on. I don’t know what the hell it is!” So yeah, their marketing wasn’t too good.

The Wii U was like that poorly managed coffee shop where where a fortunate few got to know how great the drinks were, how fun the staff was, and how cool the customers were. But we all knew it was going to close down soon.

My most precious memories of the WiiU were when I discovered Xenoblade's messaging functions were backended on the Miiverse and I got banned a whole lot from it accidentally by calling certain monsters insufferable fuckwits.

I love whenever someone praises ZombiU for being one of the only good games to utilise the gamepad.

You forgot to mention one thing the Wii U has that the Switch doesn’t: *Virtual Console*

"The Wii U had plenty of great games." Well done for identifying that straight away. It always frustrates me when people claim the Wii U had no games, when it's library is super solid.

13:27 Props to who ever thought to portray Scott the Woz as Steve Smith from American dad.

For the fun of it, I'm watching this on a Wii U

When I first heard about the WiiU, I thought it was just a peripheral for the Wii. "Why would I spend $250 on a touch screen?" The advertising and communication was so bad...

Nintendo needs to bring Miiverse to the Switch. The amount of shitposting and memes that Miiverse generated were glorious.

The homebrew Wii U scene is actually pretty great, I have to say. Turning my Wii U into an emulation machine was one of the better ideas I've had. Hold up, FBI is knocking on my door.

The Miiverse was a major aspect of the Wii U for me. Being able to pause the game and go directly to a community where I could post questions or funny pictures was huge. I really wish they bring this feature to the switch, the sense of community is lost on the switch. Specially with COVID, having an online community from within a game would be big for games like animal crossing

1. Casuals thought it was just the wii 2. THE MARKETING

I had entire friendships that started and ended with the lifespan of the WiiU. Game nights of drinking with smash bros and mario kart they were good times.

"Make it HD, give it more horse power, improve the motion sensors even further [...]" I love that it basically describes the Switch (barring a few details) and it was a huge success.

But remember, the Wii U walked so the Switch could run 😂

I hope Matt covers the other failure that is the PSVita. That thing needed the support

I think you nailed everything for gamers pretty well. I will add one more for parents: The Wii U gamepad was paired permanently with the console which meant if had a game pad issue and it was under warranty I had to ship back the console and the gamepad, and if I wasn't, I couldn't just go buy a new gamepad if there was a problem. in addition, that meant there was only one gamepad per console. I specifically told my father-in-law not to buy our kids a Wii U, but he still did. We went from our kids enjoying the multiple Wii-motes for the Wii, to fighting over the single gamepad, to breaking the gamepad.

I’m really curious who the marketing “genius” at Nintendo was that thought it would be a good idea to heavily focus on the game pad to the point people couldn’t figure out if it was a new console or not. I honestly thought it was an add-on like a modern day 32x or disc drive up and into launch.

The fact that Breath of the Wild, a game that had Link use a gamepad-esque type item throughout, doesn't have absolutely any gamepad features is proof that the Wii U idea was a failure.

The Wii U: You know the motion controls that made us billions, yeah how about if we don't do that, but keep the name, general audiences will get it! At least in the future, no company would name their next major console with only a slight name change instead of a new fresh different name or numerical number, that would be a whoopsy!

You didn’t talk about Nintendo land when discussing the games that didn’t come to switch >:(

I remember when reviewtechusa covered minecraft coming to wii u and mojang saying "using the 2nd screen for inventory management, that's a novel idea, but we're just going to mirror the tv screen." Perfect explanation of how little devs thought about the gamepad.

Literally the only game I own for Wii U that hasn’t been ported is Wind Waker HD. Also a 101% DK64 file.

Wii U has one MAJOR advantage over all other consoles ever: Virtual Console & emulation. With the Wii U's vast input styles, it can play almost any game (provided it has the power to do so) amazingly. This includes N64, Nintendo DS, GBA, GameCube, Wii (natively), 3DS, SNES, NES and more! You can even plug in a gamecube controller with the official GameCube Adapter and play gamecube games- ON YOUR WII U. And DS games, with it's touch screen, works great too! That alone makes this the best emulation device for playing retro games and has the Switch and others beat entirely.

I loved playing new smb u with my wife. I played on the TV and she used the gamepad to place blocks and help. One of the best and most unique co op experience. Wii u deserved better.

I must admit, for the longest time I thought the Wii U was just a peripheral for the Wii, so I didn't even bother looking into getting it. Once I did though, it's actually a genuinely fantastic console with a terrific library of games and an awesome virtual console too. It really was the marketing that killed the Wii U, cause the console itself was fantastic. I mean, it can also play all Wii games and use Wii peripherals, so it can literally do everything the Wii can do. If the Wii is a great console, then the Wii U is better.

YEAHHH WiiU fans represent! We gotta let everyone know the Switch's #1 best selling game is a WiiU port! Mario Kart 8 🍄

I love how the discription of the Wii HD that Scott gave is basically just the Switch

The Wii U had to be what it is to give us the Switch. I mean, everyone thought the tablet was the console, so why not make a console that IS a tablet!

Meanwhile, I turned my Wii U into an amazing homebrew machine. Being able to play GameCube games on the big screen with widescreen support and full progressive is amazing.

The WiiU was born with it's legs cut off so that Switch could run.

This wasn't merely a dead horse. This was a stillborn horse fetus that slid right into a woodchipper.

I was working at Blockbusters in the UK when the Wii U came out, and honestly I had to explain to nearly every customer that mentioned it that it was a new console, and not just a remarketing of the original Wii. Only a handfull of people understood what it was, and even they didn't care!

I remember as a kid I was super excited for the Wii U, but when I showed my parents they asked me what they were even looking at and I just looked at them lost because I DIDNT EITHER

I never really felt burned until Breath of the Wild came out and I was sitting there with my awful gamepad thinking "oh wow this would be a lot easier if there was a map on my gamepad instead of... nothing..." and then I researched the reason why.

Sooo this means we’re getting a Wha Happun on the PSVITA next right?

The name is what killed it in my opinion. Like, I knew people who thought it was just a tablet add on for the wii, and they were like "I don't care about the wii [anymore] so why would I get a wii u?"

*cries in twilight princess and wind waker not being on switch*

Ahhh yes, the WiiU, a necessary failure that would pave the way for what it should have been: the Switch

Nintendo: Touching is good. Me because I lost my stylus: Touching hurts.

You had me at "featuring scott the woz"

A toys to life episode could be cool, maybe skylanders imaginators specifically since that was sort of where it seemed like the trend dropped off.

10:24 If they called it the Wii 2, it would have been the "wii," "ni," in Japan.

Is there a "wha happun?" About dead island 2? If not, i would love to see one on The future

To this day I've seen one wii u commercial. It took two years before I knew it was an actual console. But it's awesome.

Funny how my favorite consoles are so similar. The Sega Dreamcast and the Nintendo Wii U.

Man this is a crossover I’m thankful for

I'm still waiting a "What Happened" ep about Metal Gear Solid V. Even have followed all the media press pre, during and post lauch of the game, I'm still baffled by what the fuck happened.

Ugh I remember when I was in retail having to explain to parents what this console was. It was like 20 minutes explaining you cant take the mobile screen to play games at mcdonalds or that they had to buy these other different wii remotes for other kids to play. Parents were concerned there'd be fighting over who got the big screen controller vs the wii remote.

I laughed at "batwoman and catman". My sense of humor is very simple.

The Wii U is such a strange beast to talk about. In pretty much all regards, the console was a failure and the gamepad offered little to no innovation for the majority of games. But it still had some real fantastic titles. The HD remaster of Wind Waker is fantastic and one of the rare cases where the gamepad really did enhance the experience, being able to look at your map as you sailed and quickly swapping between weapons. It was a shame that they gave up by the time Breath of the Wild came out and didn't utilize the gamepad at all.

I still actively play the WiiU (And in fact, came here from playing it just a while ago). Though I guess nowadays it's basically my Xenoblade Chronicles X machine

Its says a lot that the best user of the game pad gimmick, Zombie U, is based around how cumbersome the game pad is to use.

It would've been great to see those interviews of random locals being asked if they heard of the Wii U before in this. They mostly thought it was some weird college brand promotion for the Wii or something.

I loved the Wii U. especially as a college student, being able to use the tablet without waking up a roommate, plugging in my headphones, it was the perfect console. Smash, Bayonetta 2, the amazing offerings on the virtual console, I feel like the Wii U could have been marketed way better than it was.

"Hey all, Matt there!" Immediate classic. 🥲

Like purchasing the Wii U, part of the reason I watched this video was brand loyalty. I see the Woz, I click the Woz.

"But what am I talking about? F-Zero skips every Nintendo console." Somewhere Lythero is sobbing rn lol

The timing with Nintendo just announcing they're no longer allowing course uploads on Mario Maker for Wii U today...*chef's kiss*

It’s hilarious that I’m watching this series while every ad break getting a stadia ad

I loved my wiiU. First console that i bought after 25 years. Also got my wife into gaming - together we've done about 1000 hours of mariokart, mario3d & yoshi's world. Even if it's flawed, it gave me hours of precious gaming. RiP upgraded Wii / downgraded Switch.

Lego City Undercover was/is incredible, as were the loading times.

WiiU basicaly looks like a bigger DS, with an upper screen ripped off.

WiiU had such good games, I wish it wasn’t that weak of a console.

The WiiU game pad is actually really handy…I lost the remote for my TV and the game pad saved me from having to buy a new one, lol

It's actually crazy how many people genuinely don't even know the Wii U ever existed, or thought it was just some add-on for the Wii. A LOT of people think the Switch is the successor to the Wii

I was actually just using my WiiU the other day to play Earthbound on the virtual console... so this video was well timed.

I got my lil sister a WiiU back at launch. Then bought a second one for myself when I moved. I love the WiiU.

An other problem with the Wii U : you can have only ONE gamepad... No very family-friendly. It wasn't possible to plug a second unit on a console, and I'm not sure there were any for sale as accessory.

Thank you m8, i love the Wii U and i love videos even more when they mention Zombi U, ExciteBots and Devil's Third.

I remember my Wii U, I played a whole lot of wii games on it after it broke and my parents got one as a replacement for said wii lol

First time here, already know this channel's special because it's probably the only one to shout out Devil's Third in an animated inro

Deus Ex for the Wii U was an amazing port that used the gamepad really well. Xenoblade Chronicles X still is the reason to even own a Wii U until it eventually, maybe and hoepfully gets ported over to the Switch. Such an amazing looking game for the system.

One important thing to touch on is that the console was incredibly slow. Just navigating the UI is painfully slow, and that's after the patch that close to doubled the speed of it.

Fun Fact: the Wii U has two GPUs, one is used for Wii U games, the second one has the whole purpose of mantaining Backwards Compatibility with the Wii, this is why you need to reboot into Wii mode to play Wii games

Haven't heard anyone talk about the Wii U since forever.

It was so comfortable to hold.

“Oh cool. So that massive controller means we can play it at home but also play it on the go.” “Oh…. Damn I wish we thought of that.”

Man, seeing goldeneye on wii brought back memories

Nintendo needs to make a new F-Zero. Idk why they haven't when captain falcon is one of their most iconic characters even tho he hasn't had an actual game in over 10 years

Without the Wii U, there would've been no Switch.

What hurt it most for me was the lack of third party titles. Like you said, the only good games were first party, and owning 6 games felt like you owned them all. There just wasn’t a good extensive library

Matt and Scott in one video complaining about video games? It’s gonna be a good day.

Please do "What Happen to the PSVita"

I loved the thing I made so much memories on it with my family

i still play my Wii U, just recently bought Twilight Princess HD and lovin it !

The only Wii U game that REALLY needs a Switch port is Star Fox Zero so the controls can be fixed and Star Fox can be good again.

The fact that the switch sold more in its 1st year than the Wii u did in its entire life basically conveys perfectly just how poorly the the console did.

What made that 2011 reveal especially frustrating was that the first half of the presentation (pretty much everything until Pokédex 3D) was great. The Zelda 25th anniversary segment (start of the concert series included) was stellar, and during 3DS game segments the stage design did a great job of emulating the experience of playing in 3D. Plus, the fact that 3D Land, MK7, Kid Icarus: Uprising & LM Dark Moon are fun games helped, too. But then the 3DS segment had to end w/ a wimper, and...well, you know the rest.

I got the Wii U specifically for Xenoblade Chronicles X. I regret nothing.

It's really nice to start the day with a new episode of What Happened? XD

Say what you will about the Wiiu, at least it still had virtual console and online support without a dumb subscription service

I remember I sort of inherited my sisters wii u when she moved out and honestly? I loved the thing. it had virtual console, KZfaq, a few decent games and worked pretty well. I didn't care much for the announcement but it inadvertently became the center of my living room set up a good portion of 2015.

The Wii U has a reason to exist! It‘s an amazing emulation machine, with a little homebrew and effort :) It can play all nintendo home console games up to its own generation, and many handheld games. I use mine to play gamecube games a lot recently!

You forgot about Wind Waker HD, that hasn't been ported yet either. Even though that and Xenoblade X are the 2 Wii U games that I wanted to play the most :(

I still say that Deus Ex HR Director's cut was best on the Wii U. as was Lego City Undercover.

I always thought what they were going for with the appeal of the Wii U was "Someone can watch TV while someone else plays on the Wii U pad! It's a handheld and a console in one!" Although what kind of killed it was the fact you could take the pad more then like 4 feet from the console without it no longer being able to work. A concept that wasn't actually imagined efficiently until the Switch.

I just bought a Wii U like a week ago and I gotta say, while Nintendo may have abandoned it the community support is incredible. And custom firmwares and homebrews are where it's at. There's literally a homebrew app store. And it has Retroarch. Just yesterday I downloaded about 200 gigs' worth of Wii U games, "for archiving purposes" Some notes: PROS - Wii games support which doubles the available library (you can also run GameCube games, apparently) - HD support - portable gaming without TV on a gamepad - sensor bars and motion controllers are a dime a dozen if you buy then in China CONS - Even 32 gig version lacks storage (e.g. Xenoblade Chronicles X take up ~20GB and a lot of single games are 8-12GB) It doesn't support SDXC so a max of 32GB SDHC card and USB 2.0 means max USB flash stick 128GB *OR* (the popular option) a bulky external USB hard drive (NOT USB 3.0) - gamepad is fairly terrible, my fingers got cramped playing Fast Racing Neo and the PRO controller is not cheap (if you manage to find one) (unless, again, you get a Chinese knock-off) - homebrews are somewhat finicky to set up but apparently not as hard as it used to be