As hardware, I think I prefer the Wii U to the Switch... anyone else?

[A Syrian Communist]

Props for a well thought out post and everyone has their right to their opinion but man I don't think I've ever disagreed with an OP on Gaming Side more. As someone who's probably spent upwards of a thousand hours total playing the thing (Smash Bros) I don't think I've ever not hated anything that wasn't playing Smash with a GameCube controller or another game with the Pro Controller. Really hated everything about the Wii U.

 

[LegendofLex]

I'd honestly take a fast system where the OS is bland and uninteresting over a charming system where the OS feels slow and bloated.

None of my best memories of Nintendo come from their OSes; they come from an era where there was no user-facing operating system and you just booted games directly.

 

[El Buga]

The Wii U wasn't this offense to humanity that people like to say, but you're losing your time with those hyperbolic folks.

Still play mine to this day.

 

[Doskoi Panda]

It's about how powerful it was for its time, though.

When Wii U released, it was more powerful than PS3/360 (though not by very much). Its games ranged from 1080p to 720p, mostly. Then a year later it was overtaken by PS4 with almost entirely 1080p games. Sure.

But the Switch is up against the PS4 Pro at barely more money, and that's pumping out checkerboarded 4k resolution while the big Switch games like Zelda, XB2 and Mario can't hit 1080p. That's a much, much bigger gap. Much bigger. Honestly, if the Switch could just hit 1080p for all the first party titles without issue then almost all of my issues with it would be lessened. I feel like that's my new mental baseline and it sucks that it's not met. The ports that do hit it like MK8 Deluxe look fantastic.

Click to shrink...

It's not a much bigger gap, when you consider that using resolution as your sole metric for comparison is flawed. The Nintendo Switch runs DOOM, a 2016 AAA ported from current generation platforms. It runs DOOM as well if not better than the Wii U ran its multiplatform games from PS3 and 360.

 

[thehellofitall]

The Wii U looks and feels like a Fisher Price toy. Everything about it was clunky and gross.

 

[Deleted member 8001]

You honestly raise a lot of good points OP. The Wii U did do a few things better than the Switch, and the upgrade in graphics isn't really much to shake a leg at. The online is a step down due to friend codes and no longer having Miiverse which let us have profiles we could share with friends. We can't message our friends anymore either.

The ergonomics of the Game Pad are certainly better, although I prefer the less weight of the Switch Handheld mode but I would love a Joy Con with proper grips that doesn't hurt my hands.

Wii U VC was honestly pretty bad, but Switch is like non existent with it which is such a shame.

I also miss the music and some of the charm of the OS.

Switch controllers are most certainly overpriced, me getting the Xenoblade Pro was a huge dent in my wallet.

 

[Deleted member 36902]

I was solidly Nintendo since the NES days. Owned every console, early adopter.

The Wii U was the first Nintendo console that I had no real interest in. Such an unappealing piece of hardware. I picked one up cheap last year and despite some great games, it's such a mis-fire. The OS is dreadful-looking and sluggish, and the pad adds nothing to the experience in most cases. The hardware itself is dated-looking and clunky.

I picked up a Switch two weeks ago, and I am thrilled by it. I love being able to bring it into work for a quick lunchtime game, the OS is nothing if not snappy, and it's a slick-looking piece of hardware with a beautiful screen.

 

[Bán]

The Wii U wasn't this offense to humanity that people like to say, but you're losing your time with those hyperbolic folks.

Still play mine to this day.

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The truth is I don't think people are being that hyperbolic - the relative sales of each of the devices tell me that this is genuinely just how people think about both of them.

That said, I felt like I should say my piece in support of one of the most maligned consoles ever, and I'm glad I did.

It's not a much bigger gap, when you consider that using resolution as your sole metric for comparison is extremely flawed. The Nintendo Switch runs DOOM, a 2016 AAA ported from current generation platforms. It runs DOOM better than the Wii U ran its multiplatform games from PS3 and 360.

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Sorry, but resolution is what I care about. I don't really give a shit about FPS or anything else. I'm one of those people. Resolution uber alles.

 

[Burrman]

I prefer the wii u as a co op console honestly. And I like the fact it was less delicate then the switch. When my sons friends come over I didn't have to supervise them. Taking it out of the dock, putting the grips on wrong, putting in the cartridges without ripping of the flap etc. Wii u was better for a house full of kids. Just whip out a bunch of wiimotes and there good to go. I also loved the multiplayer games on the wii u. There's a bunch to play with 4 kids in he house. I do love the switch but for different reasons

 

[nanskee]

Wii u 1st year was horrendous, switch is better.

Overall though I do kind of like the Wii u sucks that it was underpowered and that gamepad wasn't too great

I really liked playing VC games on Wii u

 

[Kid Night]

Although, overall, I do not prefer the Wii U experience, there are plenty of things I wish they carried over to the Switch.

- Backwards Compatibility with controllers. I really like the Wii U Pro controller and would love to play my switch games with it. Would have saved me $100s of not buying extra joycons and the new pro controller for convenience.

- A touch screen controller standard. Not having it for inventory management, maps and UI stuff has ruined games like the Witcher 3 for me on other systems and continues to annoy me in games like Xenoblade 2.

-Miiverse, especially the game diary function. Would have been perfect with the Switch's UI speedboost.

 

[Hammee]

Let's just cut the bullshit and admit the Switch is the 3DS successor and they are out of the "home console" business.

The Switch OS is leaps and bounds better than Wii U. Wii U was terribly slow and clumsy.
Hardware isn't impressive whatsoever on the Switch but it's Nintendo so I'm not surprised.
Controllers are crap on the Switch, it's OK though, just spend another $65 for your Appl...sorry...Nintendo Pro Controller.

Yeah, the Switch is too little for how much you have to pay ($300 for system, $65 for controller, $20 for SD card), but it is a great 3DS successor. I enjoy mine.

 

[Aprikurt]

Jesus Christ I'm open minded but I think that might be the most contentious opinion ever

Fisher Price toy versus literally gorgeous hardware

 

[Mithos]

Yep for me too, but that's because far more games for me on Wii U then on Switch, hardware wise I also care about Wii U over Switch, I don't play portable, and as portable it's way to expensive, and as homeconsole its to weak for me.

 

[Bán]

Let's just cut the bullshit and admit the Switch is the 3DS successor and they are out of the "home console" business.

Click to shrink...

This is what I would have said 100% until I bought one and found that I only use it as a home console.

Obviously, if you want to categorise it technically, it's a handheld for sure. But the way I use it... it's just a home console.

 

[Doskoi Panda]

Sorry, but resolution is what I care about. I don't really give a shit about FPS or anything else. I'm one of those people. Resolution uber alles.

Click to shrink...

I understand that, and I understand that your issue is that the Switch, today, is competing with machines that can drive 4K over its 1080p-and-under. I'm just trying to illustrate to you that, irrespective of how you perceive the gap to be when you measure it solely through resolution discrepancies, the Switch is quite a bit closer to PS4 and Xbox One than the Wii U is. The Switch would eat the few native 1080p Wii U multiplats and exclusives we've played for breakfast, if they were ported over. And the Switch can support some higher-spec current gen games that the Wii U would never have been able to.

 

[DeliciousSunnyD!]

I can't BELIEVE I forgot about the headphone jack - that was going to be one of my main points! It's outrageous that the Switch doesn't have such a standard feature - it drives me crazy. It is my single biggest complaint with the system as a whole and the Pro Controller as a device. Surely there was some way to do it. I actually bought the Pro controller assuming it must have one, and was hugely disappointed when it didn't.

I always play Wii U with headphones in. Not being able to do that with Switch is a serious step backwards.

You know, ergonomics may actually subconsciously be a reason I so rarely use it in handheld mode. It doesn't feel good, that's for sure.

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Ergonomics is definitely huge. Before I bought my Switch, I was thinking "Hell yeah, I can finally move the tablet around without restriction and having to worry about being tethered to the console!". But I didn't realize the limitations that that new 'freedom' would also present, the loss in ergonomic comfort in portable mode being the biggest one, with the headphone jack being secondary. I also tend to avoid playing my Switch in portable mode as I just don't find it to be particularly comfortable, and since I'm not the person to really take full advantage of the portability of the Switch, this really hurts the console for me.

I also think it's really disappointing that Nintendo couldn't have designed a way to have the jack in the joycons as well as the pro controller.

Another thing that I didn't think I'd miss, but I actually kind of do, is the touchscreen. I kind of wish the Switch had a touchscreen as well for certain things.

Something else that quite bothers me, but is a nitpick, is where the power cable port is located on the Switch handheld. If the port was on the top of the tablet like how the gamepad was on the Wii U, then you could have the device plugged in and set up in table top mode, but since the port is on the bottom you can't do that. I was someone that liked to play with the gamepad plugged in, away from my TV when gaming on my Wii U, and the Switch doesn't really facilitate that playstyle very well at all actually, and that's kind of disappointing.

If Nintendo makes a sturdier, more solid build quality Switch 2.0/XL that had a bigger screen, altered power and audio ports, and more comfortable/ergonomic joycons, I'd be all over that shit.

 

[Deleted member 2145]

Gyro aiming was much better on the Wii U. See Nintendoland and Splatoon 1. That initially wow'd me with the Wii U, and it's definitely missed on the Switch.

Click to shrink...

missed? every control scheme for the Switch has gyro aiming

 

[Casual]

Wii U is an awful console. Easily the worst Nintendo ever released.

 

[Hammee]

This is what I would have said 100% until I bought one and found that I only use it as a home console.

Obviously, if you want to categorise it technically, it's a handheld for sure. But the way I use it... it's just a home console.

Click to shrink...

Fair enough. I personally use it as a home console as I can't stand non-2D gaming on tiny screens, but my kids love using it in handheld.

 

[DarkTom]

I love the Wii U. I played Switch only once and did not like the feel of the controller (I played in handheld mode).
Wii U gamepad feels way better.

Outside of that I obviously can't compare.
I just don't have any incentive to buy a switch, except Mario Odyssey.

I bought an Xbox One S during the holiday season for almost the third of the price.

I honestly don't really get the Switch success. It's like people just woke up and realized the Wii U is great so now they buy the updated version.

 

[kc44135]

No... Just, no.

The Switch is an amazing and incredibly versatile piece of hardware, and I say that even as someone who primarily plays Docked. The versatility of Switch is amazing. I do miss some of the "charm" of the Wii U's UI, but Switch's UI is just flat-out better, faster, and overall much more functional. Also, in terms of power, the Wii U was a fairly dated piece of tech when it launched, and quickly surpassed by PS4 and X1. Switch is more powerful in Docked and Undocked Mode than Wii U, and is the most powerful handheld gaming Console ever made. It is flat-out a better, more groundbreaking piece of tech than the Wii U ever was. Also, I feel that it's already on it's way to surpassing the Wii U's software library in year one. I only wish it had a proper Virtual Console, although I'm pretty sure it's not getting one at this point. :/

The one thing I'll agree on is the Gamepad was more ergonomic than the Joycons for TV play. However, I hated the Gamepad's screen and the fact that so many games utilized. It was distracting, low resolution, and fugly looking, just like the Gamepad as a whole. The Gamepad was also just a bulky monstrosity of a controller, and the off-tv play experience was poor due to the awful and limited streaming tech. Honestly, a PRO controller was necessary to buy for both systems in the end, so I wouldn't really call this a "win" for the Wii U. On the contrary, I prefer the Switch Pro controller overall.

So yeah, Wii U sucks.

 

[Boiled Goose]

Hahahahahaha.

No.

WiiU is a slow, clunky, overly complex piece of trash next to the switch.

And it's more expensive.

 

[Richietto]

Ive never disagreed more with an opinion, and I loved my Wii U.

 

[Deleted member 8001]

Fyi guys you can disagree with the OP without being rude.

 

[Doskoi Panda]

Ergonomics is definitely huge. Before I bought my Switch, I was thinking "Hell yeah, I can finally move the tablet around without restriction and having to worry about being tethered to the console!". But I didn't realize the limitations that that new 'freedom' would also present, the loss in ergonomic comfort in portable mode being the biggest one, with the headphone jack being secondary. I also tend to avoid playing my Switch in portable mode as I just don't find it to be particularly comfortable, and since I'm not the person to really take full advantage of the portability of the Switch, this really hurts the console for me.

I also think it's really disappointing that Nintendo couldn't have designed a way to have the jack in the joycons as well as the pro controller.

Another thing that I didn't think I'd miss, but I actually kind of do, is the touchscreen. I kind of wish the Switch had a touchscreen as well for certain things.

Something else that quite bothers me, but is a nitpick, is where the power cable port is located on the Switch handheld. If the port was on the top of the tablet like how the gamepad was on the Wii U, then you could have the device plugged in and set up in table top mode, but since the port is on the bottom you can't do that. I was someone that liked to play with the gamepad plugged in, away from my TV when gaming on my Wii U, and the Switch doesn't really facilitate that playstyle very well at all actually, and that's kind of disappointing.

If Nintendo makes a sturdier, more solid build quality Switch 2.0/XL that had a bigger screen, altered power and audio ports, and more comfortable/ergonomic joycons, I'd be all over that shit.

Click to shrink...

Switch actually does have a touch-screen, but not a whole lot of games use it actively, right now. I only use it for ui navigation and to play World of Goo.
I wouldn't mind a Switch with a second usb c port on top. its usb c port is on the bottom for a pretty obvious reason, and I wouldn't move that one before I advocated for a second one up-top, in a revision.

 

[Bán]

I understand that, and I understand that your issue is that the Switch, today, is competing with machines that can drive 4K over its 1080p-and-under. I'm just trying to illustrate to you that, irrespective of how you perceive the gap to be when you measure it solely through resolution discrepancies, the Switch is quite a bit closer to PS4 and Xbox One than the Wii U is. The Switch would eat the few native 1080p Wii U multiplats and exclusives we've played for breakfast, if they were ported over. And the Switch can support some higher-spec current gen games that the Wii U would never have been able to.

Click to shrink...

I get this. Your point is that if Switch wasn't as advanced as it is, we wouldn't even have Doom or Skyrim. But it is, so we do, and people are enjoying them. And all of that is great - it's clear that the Switch is a cleverly thought out, modern piece of mobile kit.

But when I moved from BotW on Wii U to BotW on Switch and realised I wasn't gonna get 1080p, I was just really disappointed. And then when I saw whatever the hell is going on with dynamic resolution in Mario and especially XB2 I realised that I'm gonna have to get used to this for the next four years. And that's not a great feeling for your 300 euro new piece of kit.

But your point is totally fair, and well taken.

 

[Doskoi Panda]

I get this. The point is that if Switch wasn't as advanced as it is, we wouldn't even have Doom or Skyrim. But it is, so we do, and people are enjoying them. And all of that is great - it's clear that the Switch is a cleverly thought out, modern piece of mobile kit.

But when I moved from BotW on Wii U to BotW on Switch and realised I wasn't gonna get 1080p, I was just really disappointed. And then when I saw whatever the hell is going on with dynamic resolution in Mario and especially XB2 I realised that I'm gonna have to get used to this for the next four years. And that's not a great feeling for your 300 euro new piece of kit.

But your point is totally fair, and well taken.

Click to shrink...

As is yours. The state of dynamic resolution in Switch games right now has me a bit concerned as to how Switch games are going to keep up moving forward, too. Switch is like a bucket of compromises. Compromises that I'm willing to make because they enable me experiences that I value, but of course, ymmv.

 

[Spinluck]

The best thing about the Wii U is that it died for the Switch.

 

[Ponchito]

Wii U left such as bad taste in my mouth. It was inoffensive but maybe i regretted the purchase for such a thin library of games. I know there are some very special game for some people, but for me it was lackluster with Pikmin 3 being the best game I played on that console.

To answer the OP, absolutely not.

 

[WarpSpeedMolasses]

"The Wii U has "Nintendo Charm" that the Switch lacks and I prefer theOS"

Stop right the fuck there

Maybe Switch lacks charm but come on, Wii U OS is so bad it prevented me to play it some times

Click to shrink...

I adore my Switch. It's become my favorite console ever, and topped the 1st year magic I felt with my Dreamcast back in the day.

I loath its place-holder UI though and in its current form, I'd take WiiU's in a heartbeat. Loss of snappiness and all.

 

[The Nightsky]

I did actually like the WiiU, mostly for the two screens and asynchronous gameplay...

...but come on. The Switch is such a homerun.


Also I must be the only one who freakin' loves the joycons. Actually rarely touch my pro controller. Split joy-cons for life. One of the things I hated about the WiiU was having the gamepad, wii remotes, nunchucks, pro controllers... the Switch is so simple and a lot of that is due to the genius that is the joycons.

 

[buxtoc]

I agree with all the OP points. However, I didn't like using the Gamepad as a controller when it wasn't really necessary (e.g NES remix pre-patch). This isn't a problem with the Switch, I can use a regular controller for all games, and so for that reason alone, I prefer the Switch.

 

[Bán]

As is yours. The state of dynamic resolution in Switch games right now has me a bit concerned as to how Switch games are going to keep up moving forward, too. Switch is like a bucket of compromises. Compromises that I'm willing to make because they enable me experiences that I value, but of course, ymmv.

Click to shrink...

And this is kind of the whole thing - that it's possible for people to have wildly different views on the Switch (like I do) because it can be used in different ways and the different compromises needed to get it there will affect different people in different ways.

You and I buy a PS4, we're both buying it to have to same basic experience sitting in front of the TV an that's what we'll get. We may enjoy it to a different extent but it'll be that same experience.

You and I buy a Switch, and god only knows the different ways we might end up using it. Playing with Kids in tabletop mode mostly, or as a business traveller road warrior on planes and in hotels, or like me just as a home console. It's hybrid nature means that there will probably be a wider set of opinions on this one console than any other before it.

And that's fascinating to me.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

Eh, the only thing Wii U did better than Switch as a console was Miiverse, otherwise the Switch is better in virtually every aspect.

I guess VC as well, but at this point in Wii U' s life the VC was still pretty shit, it didn't get good until they added GBA and D'S. Too early to say whether or not we will get VC on switch.

I guess the eShop had music on Wii U, that's the only other thing Switch could use. Grasping at straws here OP.

 

[Deleted member 8001]

I agree with all the OP points. However, I didn't like using the Gamepad as a controller when it wasn't really necessary (e.g NES remix pre-patch). This isn't a problem with the Switch, I can use a regular controller for all games, and so for that reason alone, I prefer the Switch.

Click to shrink...

That was absolutely dreadful. There were instances where you couldn't even boot certain games like Mario Maker, or Shovel Knight without the Game Pad which drove me up the wall. So glad Switch changed that dumb aspect.

 

[FreedomFighter]

That's not what it felt like when I was playing both over the holidays. I felt like moving from PS4 Pro to Wii U / Switch was moving from one plateau to another. That Switch and Wii U were roughly on the same level. Granted a lot of this is that I just spent 100 hours playing XB2 and that game looks like ass either docked or undocked, but even a game like Splatoon 2 - there's a nice resolution boost and it does look better, but not massively so. Granted, Nintendo's games typically have such a good art style that it doesn't matter much, but Mario Odyssey, Zelda, XB2, Pokken Tourney DX... these were all games where I felt like the hardware should have been capable of more. And where if it had been a dedicated home console it definitely would have been capable of a lot more.

Click to shrink...

If you think Switch and Wii I are on the same level then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe go check out some Digital Foundry vids featuring Switch. And you clearly have unrealistic expectations and kinda crying over spilled milk. As for the later, the Switch is a hybrid and not just a dedicated home console - so there's no use in lamenting over that fact and fantasizing over what it would be like if it was a dedicated console without hybrid/handheld functionality. As for the former, Nintendo had to find the perfect balance between power, battery life, and price. In this regard, I think they've succeeded.

 

[Pinballsummer]

My best friend was saying this same thing until she got a Switch (now she feels the exact opposite).

Same friend dismissed the Switch because 'the portability is the opposite of a selling point for me - I will never use it portable'. Her tune has completely changed. Just the other day she was telling me 'I knew I wouldn't be leaving the house with this, but didn't realize how much I'd be using it in handheld mode around the house and in bed - I have to admit I'm using it portable way more than expected'.

That said - her experience / thoughts sum up my own. I laughed when I saw the Switch announcement. My owning it is a combination of unexpected bonus at work + impulse buy for an extended trip overseas. Since then, the PC has been collecting dust. Definitely did not see that coming.

 

[Deleted member 8001]

Grasping at straws here OP.

Click to shrink...

Or they feel differently about the system than you do.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

Or they feel differently about the system than you do.

Click to shrink...

No, you misunderstood. I'm saying that I was grasping at straws trying to find things I like better about Wii U than the Switch.

 

[DeliciousSunnyD!]

Switch actually does have a touch-screen, but not a whole lot of games use it actively, right now. I only use it for ui navigation and to play World of Goo.
I wouldn't mind a Switch with a second usb c port on top. its usb c port is on the bottom for a pretty obvious reason, and I wouldn't move that one before I advocated for a second one up-top, in a revision.

Click to shrink...

Huh, I guess I just didn't realize. Shows how much I've used it in portable mode. I guess that devs just need to support the touch capability more and I'd be okay with that, without making it a required feature in games.

And yeah, that's how it sits in the dock, but still.

I'd definitely love to see an XL revision of the Switch with several quality of life updates. If they did a few subtle tweaks to the system and its hardware, the Switch would no doubt be their best piece of hardware ever. Right now, there's just a few quirks that slightly annoy me with the system.

 

[ChapterBlack]

Sacrificing portability for more power under the hood has absolutely nothing to do with the Wii U

 

[linko9]

My main annoyance is having to charge the switch joycons on the console itself. With Wii U I just kept the gamepad plugged in with the included charger at all times, and never had to worry about it. With Switch it's a constant hassle. The included joycon grip should have been a charging grip, it's ridiculous that those are even two separate products.

Otherwise Wii U is garbo in comparison, sorry maing.

 

[JaseMath]

The UI is better on Wii U, at least.

 

[DeliciousSunnyD!]

Wait wut?

The Switch looks and feels like a piece of real hardware. I could break the Wii U over my knee if I wanted too. I mean holy crap the screen on the Wii U gamepad was god awful.

Click to shrink...

No denying that the Switch tablet screen is definitely far superior to the Wii U gamepad screen. That's definitely a fact haha. I just mean in the sense of how the dock hardware is (cheap, flimsy plastic) and how the joycons/portable Switch feel in your hands. It's more cutting edge than the Wii U definitely, but they don't feel as sturdy or comfortable to hold and operate. The analog sticks and all of the buttons on the joycons feel far more cheap than the ones on the gamepad, imo. That and the d-pad, of course. It's probably because I have relatively large hands and I tend to manhandle (lol) my controllers pretty intensely.

 

[El Buga]

The truth is I don't think people are being that hyperbolic - the relative sales of each of the devices tell me that this is genuinely just how people think about both of them.

That said, I felt like I should say my piece in support of one of the most maligned consoles ever, and I'm glad I did.

Click to shrink...

As you should. You're absolutely right. It's just that the mountains of kneejerk reactions take away all my willpower to discuss.

 

[Pinballsummer]

Huh, I guess I just didn't realize. Shows how much I've used it in portable mode. I guess that devs just need to support the touch capability more and I'd be okay with that, without making it a required feature in games.

And yeah, that's how it sits in the dock, but still.

I'd definitely love to see an XL revision of the Switch with several quality of life updates. If they did a few subtle tweaks to the system and its hardware, the Switch would no doubt be their best piece of hardware ever. Right now, there's just a few quirks that slightly annoy me with the system.

Click to shrink...

There are actually some games for Switch that can ONLY be played using touchscreen (Voez is the only one I can think of - but pretty sure I've read about others).

 

[LoyalPhoenix]

Oh hell no, the wiiu always felt like some fisher price toy. The switch feels like an actual electronic device and feels like the most premium console Nintendo has made.

 

[ShinUltramanJ]

I prefer the Switch, simply for the fact that I can play it wherever. The Wii U's range awful, and I could never use it like I imagined.

But I'm not going to dismiss outright. Backwards compatibility is a major advantage Wii U had over Switch, not to mention VC. Seems like Switch isn't getting VC at all.

 

[art_vandelay]

I've never disagreed with an OP enough to post just because of it... I'm not going to bother going point for point because I'd be here all day, but I basically feel the opposite about everything stated.

The only point in your post that I wouldn't debate is the backwards compatibility, which currently is/was superior on the Wii U for sure. I never had a Wii and I do hold the Wii U in higher esteem than most, at least in part because of that fact, but the Switch is absolutely everything the Wii U wanted to be. To me, the Switch is a shining example of Nintendo taking a long hard look at a wildly underperforming console in the Wii U and making adjustments and refinements in an incredible, smart, focused way.