3DS and Wii U Digital Stores to Close in 2023
The Wii U doesn’t have the best track record in Nintendo’s lineup of consoles, failing to live up to expectations both financially and critically. Nonetheless, the Wii U is far from a bad console, and while the lineup of first-party exclusives isn’t huge, it’s worth playing with.
Nintendo of America just announced via Twitter that the Wii U and 3DS eShops will no longer allow users to purchase new games starting late March 2023. For those who still own the Wii U, now is a great time to buy games that haven’t quite worked for a few years. ago. With some of Nintendo’s best first-party games, there are a few standouts fans should consider picking up around next year.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
While Wii U owners can still pick up and play physical copies of Xenoblade Chronicles X after the eShop closes next year, buying them direct from the eShop is usually easier than tracking down copies elsewhere. While the main narrative is cut off from the original Wii title, as well as the upcoming Switch and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 sequels, Xenoblade Chronicles X is well worth playing for fans of the franchise, or fans of the open-world RPG genre as a whole.
Star Fox Zero
Despite being criticized quite a lot at launch, Star Fox Zero is definitely a good game to pick up for Wii U owners who have a particular fondness for space-traveling foxes. While it may not add too much to the classic Star Fox formula, Star Fox Zero does provide fans with an enjoyable – albeit brief – experience.
It’s worth noting that Star Fox Zero’s controls like gyro shots can be a little frustrating. With a little persistence, Star Fox Zero is a solid reimagining of the original Nintendo 64 game, and definitely worth picking up — even if players just want to play the included bonus tower defense game Star Fox Guard.
Games & Wario
Another Wii U game that received mixed reception at launch was Game & Wario, the eighth game in the franchise. While some critics believe that the collection of micro-game titles is a little uninspired, others believe that the vast majority of micro-games actually flaunt the features of the Wii U to the best of their ability. Game & Wario is certainly an option for those who want a game that really takes advantage of the unique hardware of the Wii U.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD
Despite rumors that they’ll make it to the Switch, the official ports for The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD are still unconfirmed, and the only way to play these high-resolution versions is on the Wii U. Their quality-of-life improvements, along with visual touches , making this Zelda title the perfect starting place for any gamer who hasn’t had the chance to dive into the series yet.
Virtual Console Games
With Nintendo not bringing back the Virtual Console idea for the Switch, Wii U owners should take advantage of this giant catalog of some of Nintendo’s best games while they can. For Pokemon fans, the original Game Boy Advance and DS Mystery Dungeon games are great choices, along with the Pokemon Ranger series. For Zelda fans, The Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass are both available on the Wii U Virtual Console.
In addition to these Game Boy and DS games, the Wii U Virtual Console is also home to a variety of NES and SNES titles that haven’t yet been brought to the Switch. Earthworm Jim and Battletoads, for example, are some of the classic games that can be played on the Wii U, but are not yet available on the Switch.
Source: Gamerant