I recently wrote a post that explains why I'm such a big fan of the Wii U.
I'm somewhat baffled by the mainstream mentality when it comes to console gaming. The PS4 sold very well at launch despite a weak lineup of launch titles. Even now, I haven't seen anything on the PS4 that makes it feel like a necessary upgrade from the PS3.
I'm also amazed by how many Call of Duty games (and other similar first-person shooters) can be released and still sell like hotcakes. It's a gaming genre that has grown very stale, and I'll never understand what is so appealing about playing a game in which you play the role of a soldier in a simulation of real war.
The writers & editors at Engadget recently posted a brilliantly refreshing article entitled 'Nintendo was right about the Wi U. We were wrong.'
I'd like to share some of my favorite quotes from this post.
"...today, with a lineup of revamped classics and fresh competitive experiences, the Wii U is the most consistently joyful console of the current generation."
"Nintendo excels at capturing the strange magic of video games, and the Wii U is no different. Nintendo's franchises are joyful and bright...The industry needs a company like Nintendo -- it isn't heavily invested in military-style first-person shooters and it oftentimes seems to completely disregard what its competitors are up to."
"I hope [Nintendo] never loses its sense of fun and its emphasis on childlike joy in video games."
"Making the next Nintendo console a Mario-powered Xbox won't save the company; it'll strip it of everything that makes it unique, fun and worthwhile. The Wii U has problems, but I love it because it's weird, insane and non-conventional, not in spite of those things."
"Take Nintendo's latest sleeper hit, Splatoon. It's everything a team shooter isn't supposed to be: colorful, bright, quirky, childish and completely devoid of voice chat and matchmaking. It's also the most fun I've ever had with an online multiplayer shooter. I adore it...it's a Nintendo-exclusive experience...because it's more focused on being a fun game than a competitive by-the-numbers shooter."
"This is a company that saved gaming from Atari's notorious blunders, kicked off a home entertainment revolution, cemented a multibillion-dollar industry and carved out a reputation for itself as gaming's preeminent content maker....This is the company that got your grandparents to "bowl" in their living rooms."
"I own all three current-generation consoles, but the Wii U is the only one I actually use to play games."
The post also contains valid criticisms of Nintendo's decision making, but the consensus among the Engadget writers and editors (that contributed to the article) is that the Wii U is simply the most fun to play out of the 3 current-gen consoles.
So stop following the mainstream gaming industry, pick up a Wii U, and have some real fun.
