4 ms·
The Wii U had a rich feature set. Firsts for a Nintendo home console: - OTB web browser - OTB audio and video chat with friends, native support for 3rd party
by Bondi_Blue 4y ago
The Wii U had a rich feature set. Firsts for a Nintendo home console:
- OTB web browser
- OTB audio and video chat with friends, native support for 3rd party headsets
- real-time direct messaging (via Miiverse) notifications and other friend notifications via the home button LED
- Ability to view online status of friends
- High definition graphics
- 5+ player synchronous local multiplayer
- built-in Nintendo TVii service
- built-in support to use the gamepad as a TV remote
- eShop selections for mobile retro consoles (e.g. GBA, DS)
- background installations and updates
- accelerometer, gyroscope, front-facing camera, touch screen, IR sensor, NFC all packed into the gamepad
- full backwards compatibility with a prior console (Wii)
Not to mention, all online services were free to use. And those still existing, are still free.
Edit: As a kid, this was the first console that had just enough 3rd party support for me to enjoy games like Fifa, Need for Speed, and Call of Duty akin to an Xbox 360, while also hosting all my favorite Nintendo games. It was a fun system, even if it was poorly advertised and a bit awkward. But I enjoyed the gimmicks and I still use it, mostly for playing exclusives that never made it to the Switch.
- IntelMiner 4y agoMinor correction. The Wii came with Opera Mini, aka the "Internet Channel" in 2007 https://learn-about-anything.fandom.com/wiki/Internet_Channel https://learn-about-anything.fandom.com/wiki/Internet_Channe...
- Bondi_Blue 4y agoMy bad, I thought this was an optional install. Edit: This is an optional install, not OTB.
- IntelMiner 4y agoI remember it being OOTB on our Wii. Though we didn't get it until 2009 or so
- mch82 4y agoYes, Wii had a web browser and a JavaScript API for the Wiimote. I prototyped a simple web game for my Wii at the time.
- tiagod 4y ago>full backwards compatibility with a prior console (Wii) Wasn't the Wii, at least initially, compatible with gamecube? Mine even has gamecube controller and memory card slots.
- drewzero1 4y agoYes, ours had that. There was a door on the top that concealed four GameCube controller ports and two memory slots. We never had a GameCube but I ended up buying some controllers and GC games to play on the Wii.
- aquova 4y agoYes, the Wii contained full GameCube components inside, so it was able to natively play GameCube games. I think the later Wii Mini model removed that capability, but the regular Wii model was backwards compatible.
- SSLy 4y agoWell, https://github.com/FIX94/Nintendont https://github.com/FIX94/Nintendont
- Bondi_Blue 4y agoYes, my bad. Completely forgot.
- lostgame 4y agoThe Wii Mini - I believe only available up here in Canada; but actually fairly common up here - I think dropped GCN support. Otherwise, all Wii models had GCN game, controller; and memory card support. Fun fact: the Wii was a modified GameCube for a bit of its development cycle. Prototypes of the Wiimote with a GCN have been found.
- goosedragons 4y agoThere was a model before the Wii Mini that also dropped GameCube support. It looks similar to the original model but lacks the GameCube ports and the "Wii" logo is placed for horizontal orientation instead of vertical. It's sometimes called the "family edition". The Wii Mini originally released in Canada but came to other regions later. Japan never got the GameCube-less models for some reason.