Okay, we need to talk. If you consider yourself a fan of video games- not a "gamer", because that word is seriously lame- then go ahead and take a seat because we're going to have a discussion about the Wii U, and crucially, why you haven't bought one.
So... Why haven't you bought one? The Wii U is an awesome machine, don't even try to tell me it isn't. I know, it has it's faults and we'll get to those. Later. For now I'd like to highlight what makes the Wii U such an exciting console, and one that's worth your hard earned money.
First of all, let's just acknowledge how strange the Wii U's first year on the market was. I can't personally recall any new platform, including handhelds, flying so far under the radar just after launch. It always takes time for a new device to gather it's bearings and pick up steam as developers start releasing their first wave of AAA titles, but Nintendo has made it way too easy to simply forget that the Wii U even exists. The internet (not you, I mean all those other assholes) likes to shout about how it has no games, which was always an exaggeration even if there used to be some truth to the sentiment. It took awhile, but don't go telling people anymore that the Wii U is devoid of games. It just aint the truth.
And here's the kicker: not only are there a handful of gems on the Wii U, but two or three of them are among the most challenging games I've played in years. The new Donkey Kong Country is a lot more difficult than the cartoony style would have you believe, and good luck if you're the kind of person who needs to 100% every game you play. For one thing, DKC: Tropical Freeze isn't completed until you reach 200%, and second of all, you're gonna friggin die a lot. Prepare to screw up lots of jumps and drown Donkey Kong a few times because in your concentration you forgot to swim up for air.
What makes Tropical Freeze fun enough to keep you playing is the pacing. The pacing, the ebb and flow of a game, isn't the sort of thing developers brag about at E3 but it's an element that can save or ruin most games. Great 2D platformers are either fast-paced to keep the action flowing smoothly (think Super Meat Boy and Rayman Origins), or slow and methodical with an emphasis on puzzle solving. DKC: Tropical Freeze is closer to the latter category, though it certainly has it's fair share of mine cart and barrel blasting segments. It's just a lot of fun searching for hidden puzzle pieces and figuring out how to get past tough enemies. It's no Dark Souls 2 but I'm telling you, it's the kind of game that'll kill you 37 times in a row, and then you end up beating the level mindlessly while you think about whether or not you want Quiznos for lunch tomorrow.
And then there's Pikmin 3, which manages to challenge the player in a completely different way. You're not going to die over and over, and you won't find yourself stuck on any tough bosses or anything like that. You will, however, feel a tinge of sadness when a foolish decision (or a noble sacrifice?) causes a handful of your Pikmin to perish. Normally I hate games that slap a time limit on you, but it actually works here by ensuring that you maintain focus and formulate strategies for all 15 minutes of an in-game day. Many objectives are achievable by throwing caution to the wind and tossing your Pikmin around without a second thought, but the developers know that most of you won't be satisfied sacrificing half your squad to beat a level. You're your own motivation, in a way. That's just great game design.
Anyway, all I'm saying is that you shouldn't judge the Wii U by it's cover. Take it from somebody who was disappointed by the original Wii pretty much from the moment I pulled it from it's box- the Wii U does not deserve to be cast aside under the shadow of its more powerful competition. The cup isn't exactly runnething over with games at the moment, but this is a matter of quality over quantity. Along with Donkey Kong and Pikmin, games like Super Mario 3D World, Wonderful 101 and Rayman Legends will bring the inner gaming snob out of you. These are some top quality games here. It's like sipping a fine wine, the Wii U is.
And lordy lordy, there are Game Boy Advance games on the Nintendo e-store now! The GBA is one of the finest game devices ever made and if you can't get on board with the idea of playing classics like Golden Sun and Advance Wars on your TV screen, then you can just get out right now. You can get right out of my country, is what you can do.
Oh wait, I was supposed to mention the Wii U's faults too. The gamepad is a little clunky and the screen smudges easily. Mario games are always great but if your dad or your friend catches you playing them, you're probably gonna get made fun of. Let's see... What else is there? Oh right, it's like a hundred dollars less than the other consoles, which really blows because we all know how fun it is to spend money. I'm rich, bitch. No I'm not. Ummm, oh yeah, the Wii U's Netflix app is a little finicky. It works most of the time, but it also froze up on a few too many occasions while I was halfway through an episode of Mad Men, and that's admittedly plenty frustrating.
Just go buy a Wii U. Or start saving up for one, or at least open your mind to picking one up in the future. Seriously, it's a quality machine and we need to make this thing popular before the hipsters get their hands on it.
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