State of Play: Wii U

Part revaluation, part updated buyer's guide, we take a look at each platform in turn, framing it through the recent E3 announcements and what they mean for its future, as well as considering what the system offers as of right now and whether its worth picking up, and giving our own personal recommendations for must-play games.

Now & Tomorrow

Early into the Wii U's lifecycle, we argued that it need to mirror Nintendo 3DS's then spurt of must-have releases to be an attractive buying proposition. That saturation point's now being reached, and with a solid E3 line-up promising quality releases from autumn onwards, the console's finally coming into its own.

As with every Nintendo machine in existence (with exception of the Virtual Boy) the core sell of Wii U is still the wealth of platform exclusives. Sure other consoles may have some as well with their own first-party software, but Nintendo's catalogue of IP is fairly unique when it comes their core gameplay. With the machine's Wii backwards compatibility and the slow drip of older classics through Virtual Console, you've got all the all-time greats covered by one unit under the TV.

Third party support is still weak, and with bigger games this year and next either coming late (Watch Dogs) or not at all (Batman: Arkham Knight) to the platform, the Wii U's stuck between generations as developers transfer to new-gen consoles and PC and mainly ignore Nintendo's own hardware entry. Yet the gloomy forecast prior to E3, with reports suggesting that Nintendo were going to shelve support for the machine completely and debut a new upgraded console have proven unfounded, and the debut of a new Legend of Zelda - releasing at earliest next year - has at least assured us that the Wii U is good for well into 2015.

But that's then, this is now. There's a good pile of games exclusive to the format, along with a lot of ‘upgraded' third-party titles from the Wii U's launch period as Nintendo yanked big-name games across from PS3 and Xbox 360 for a quick bolstering of their line-up. The machine's arguably the best for local co-op, and as the backwards compatibility extends to peripherals, you can pick up a few second-hand Wii Remotes cheap to enjoy couch-surfing multiplayer.

With the usual multimedia licks you expect from today's consoles, Apps such as Netflix and YouTube, Wii U still offers something for those wanting an all-in-one unit without the need to break out the laptops.

The online community is one of the nicer we've experienced, and while it's still not as easy as competitor machines to start compiling friends to play with, Nintendo at least has a knack for making community crossover in games feel inclusive (Wind Waker's notes in bottles, Super Mario 3D World's doodles). And that heavily-guarded entry to Nintendo's online options means if you're looking to take your family online and want to avoid the darker side of the connected world, this is the safest entry point.

Exclusives

Nintendo probably carries the most consistently high-rated series in gaming, and the Wii U versions of preexisting franchises have seen them diversify these offerings. We've had two Mario Bros. entries, both with ‘better with four player' tags. New Super Mario Bros. U takes the 2D route of the 90s classics, and is a continuation of the ‘New' sub-series established on Nintendo handhelds, while Super Mario 3D World takes 3D Land's open world environments and platforming magic and eases in space for three extra pairs of feet. It'd be easy to lay a claim of Nintendo milking its most profitable property as much as possible - if the games weren't so darn good.

Platformers are the main trade of the system - the already-released Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, the upcoming Yoshi's Wooly World and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse just three titles that use popular properties and refresh solid ideas for the type of genre fun that's now reserved for indie titles on other platforms. For wholesome family entertainment, the Wii U is hard to beat.

While Sony may push the idea of the PS Vita operating as a second screen for PS4, that still requires a secondary purchase. Wii U's GamePad screen is sadly seldom used to create original gameplay mechanics (launch title ZombiU is still the best example), but it does allow you to continue gaming if the TV screen is otherwise being used. The screen quality's not on par with the TV, and the range mightn't be great (forget taking it to the bathroom) but it's a useful addition to have.

And we mentioned that Wii backwards compatability. PS4 and Xbox One ruled out hanging onto your PS3 and Xbox 360 discs, but you're still able to track down Wii games easily enough, and you really should. The titles mightn't look supersharp on that HDTV of yours, but there's no denying the gameplay goods of Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, The Legend of Zelda's two entries, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword, the Metroid Prime Trilogy, Okami... add the Wii greats to the list, and the Wii U's library suddenly looks much glossier. And as an added bonus - you can pick these titles up cheap (though you may have to dig around to find some of them).

And for the future? Bayonetta 2 is your hardcore action title released on October, Smash Bros. Wii U (due before the end of the year) sees Nintendo's biggest icons clash for (more) four player fun. Splatoon takes team-deathmatch into squid and ink territory, and The Legend of Zelda looks to be Nintendo's answer to both Skyrim and Witcher 3. Nintendo's even branching out to tackle the success of Skylanders with their own brand of figures, Amiibos, that can be used for multiple titles - the first being Super Smash Bros.

Apps and Interface

One of the GamePad's iPad comparisons is in it's interface, mimicking the Wii's ‘channels' grid, each square holding a different App. Click on it and it fires up on the main TV screen.

This App selection can be toggled to appear on the TV screen instead, which as default opens on a nice, if not wholly practical, overhead view of a community square, that has Miis clustered around a handful of 'talking points' in the online community. Cute, but you may just want to get straight to the games. A new update allows quick starts on your most used Apps, so you're spending less time between powering on and playing. As with any console these days, digital updates are a regular thing, altering and tweaking the system OS based on feedback and when introducing new overhauls.

There's the eStore, offering digital downloads of Wii U and retro titles. Nintendo's gradually phasing in its previous consoles' back catalogues, and the current batch is somewhat patchy, but you'll see that list grow more substantial in time. The store's accessed through your GamePad, and the layout is clean and different sub-menus are easily found. We wish Sony and Microsoft would take note and jazz up their store interfaces accordingly.

Amazon Instant Video, Netflix and YouTube are all present on the system. No Twitch (Nintendo can't see the fun in it), or Now TV, nor the smattering of sports-specific Apps we've seen in the past. But then, even with the growing amount of Apps appearing on consoles, personally we still keep to just the core video streaming services. If you're the same, then you're fine with Wii U.

Peripherals

The Wii was littered with god-awful and badly made Wii Remote ‘extensions' like plastic golf clubs to make things more 'authentic', but served only to fill up the living room with plastic tat. Thankfully the Wii U's yet to suffer the same ignominy. To be honest, the only real things you need to splash out on are a few Remotes and Nunchuks if you're going to be focused on multiplayer gaming, If you can remember to yank the batteries out each time you finished playing, you don't even need to worry about charging stations to keep the Remotes topped up. We'd also recommend a Wii U Pro controller if you're going solo - for most games, there's little lost in trading the bulky GamePad for a lighter, more comfortable controller, and it can charged up through the Wii U itself.

Recommended Games

Super Mario 3D World

While we're still waiting for a 'core' Mario game in similar vein of Super Mario Galaxy, the 3D side-series will do nicely, and it doesn't feel like a second best. Structurally similar to its predecessor Super Mario 3D Land, the game starts with large open environments before shrinking the platforms and slowly ramping up the challenge in later levels. While completion isn't the nail-biting affair of some of the franchise's finest, discovering the hidden Stars on each course layers in an extra challenge that'll make you appreciate the level design. And more so than New Super Mario Bros. U, the HD upgrade makes the vibrant colours of Mario's world pop out of screen. Though it's not as impressive as...

Mario Kart 8

We're sure anti-grav karts were as much an idea to show off the extra fidelity the Wii U's graphical horsepower was offering as to evolve the racing franchise. Mario Kart 8 is a visual and gameplay treat, and one that's really best played with friends at 150cc. Even if the Battle Mode has been strangely neutered, four player same-screen races are enough to take over an entire gaming evening.

Pikmin 3

Remember when we talked about experiences exclusive to the Wii U? RTS mightn't be a genre unique to the console, but Nintendo certainly know how to take a template and mould it into something indelibly its own. Gardening various Pikmin to overcome a hostile environment (which strangely resembles many UK back gardens) for your stranded spaceman, while against the clock of a setting sun is unlike many other games you've played. The flair of the design and personality is such that even if you're not an RTS fan, you'll be a Pikmin fan.

Rayman Legends

It may have been released on every format known to gamer now, but Rayman Legends was originally a Wii U exclusive, and it shows. Funny that it should be Ubisoft that makes the best use of GamePad outside of Nintendo, and twice at that. In-game character Murphy is controlled with the GamePad's touch screen, cutting ropes and moving platforms to help the other players on the TV screen out. This tactile approach makes the cooperative gameplay of the Wii U version more involving than the ports, and Rayman's only matched for Mario for the best platform enjoyment the console has to offer.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Remake? Yes. But it's testament to Wind Waker's timeless visuals that this looks as good as anything that's releasing currently despite being over ten years old, and the game's ending still strikes a chord with us, being perhaps the most depressing yet uplifting finisher of the series thus far. The game's structure of sailing across an ocean in search of new islands and dungeons is a precursor to Assassin's Creed IV: The Black Flag. While Ubisoft's effort may offer a better joy in sailing (changing Waker's wind direction is still infuriatingly slow on Wii U) Wind Waker does better with the illusion of mystery.

Lego City Undercover

Lego games are great, and the best of the bunch recently was a Wii U exclusive. Lego City Undercover featured more movie-themed gags than you could shake a stick at, an endearing sense of play, and an open-world to explore that might not have been the biggest, but was still crammed full of things to do. Some lovely pun-tastic writing and the usual Lego-blend of platforming and collecting made it one of most enjoyable games to land on the Wii U so far.