10 Best Wii U Games

When it comes to having a cheeky gaming session, the Wii U might not be your first choice in terms of chosen platform. However, just because it’s an older platform, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a huge number of absolutely incredible games to play on it. 

I have fond memories of my Wii U, although sadly, it died a child’s drink spillage-related death a few years ago. It’s been a while since I picked one up, but I can still vividly remember playing on it for hours. Most of those hours were pumped into a select few games, so with that knowledge, here are my 10 favorite titles on the Wii U, in no particular order. 

Bayonetta 2

Nintendo is often considered to be the most family-friendly of all gaming platforms, so the fact that Bayonetta 2 (and the first game) exists on the platform is still something that I can’t quite wrap my head around. It’s filled with expletives right from the very beginning, is filled to the brim with fan service animations that do nothing to progress the story, and is as far from family-friendly as you can possibly get. 

However, it does exist, and it’s incredibly fun to play. The hack-and-slash gameplay is weirdly addictive, and if you look past the astonishing amount of jiggle physics, you might even enjoy the story. Or, you know, if you’re into that kind of thing, then you might not even need to pay attention to the story. To each their own. 

ZombiU

Look, I know, zombies and games involving them have been done to death (no pun intended, but I’ll take all the puns I can get). However, ZombiU has stood the test of time in terms of anxiety induction, and there’s something it has that can’t be said about many other human-eating-walking-corpse titles — permadeath. 

Waking up in a London filled with flesh-chomping undead creepers is bad enough, but progressing through the story only to die and wake up as someone entirely different is definitely a frustration. Not to mention the fact that if you want to get your stuff back from your former self, you’ll probably have to kill them, which isn’t ideal if you become attached to who you once were. 

Yoshi’s Woolly World

There has always been something undeniably cute and comforting about Yoshi. He’s a dinosaur with huge eyes and a bright, happy smile. Now take that cuteness and convert it into crochet, and everyone’s favorite dino becomes infinitely more adorable. 

Everything in Yoshi’s Woolly World has a touch of arts and crafts to it, with springy tree trunks, knitted backdrops, and, of course, Yoshi in all his crocheted glory. The aim of the game is to retrieve the stolen yarn pieces from Kamek, who rather handily has dropped a bunch of pieces while making his escape, in order to knit your friends back together.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I think it would be almost criminal to write up a list of the best Wii U games and not include a Zelda game, and Breath of the Wild is definitely the stand-out title that was released for the platform. Some of you might not even know that it wasn’t a Switch exclusive release because I’d forgotten until looking into what to include here. 

Breath of the Wild is often heralded as the best Zelda game to date, and for good reason. It was the first fully open-world title and is filled with beautiful areas to explore, collectibles to discover, and quests to complete. If you’re looking for a Zelda game to play on the Wii U, then this would definitely be my first recommendation. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X

If you’re struggling to wait for the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X on Nintendo Switch next year, then you can fork out for a Wii U (unless you already have your old one; how very forward-thinking of you) and play Xenoblade Chronicles X on it. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X allows you to explore the expansive open world of Mira, consisting of five wildly different continents that are unlocked as you progress and complete quests alongside a party of fellow BLADE members. And, if exploration and quest completion weren’t enough to make you want to play, there’s also a number of Skell mechs that can be purchased and upgraded in the latter half of a playthrough. 

Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 is either a fond memory or a frustrating experience that you never want to repeat again, depending on your skill level and whether or not you chose to play with the people who claim to love you yet throw every power-up possible in your direction. As you can tell, I fall into the “frustrating experience” camp on this one. 

With that said, there’s no denying that Mario Kart 8 is incredibly fun to play solo or with friends who might go a little easier on you than mine did. You can choose your difficulty, pick your driver and vehicle, and then try to come first. It’s not limited to characters from just the Mario universe, either. You can race as characters from other franchises like The Legend of Zelda or Splatoon or even go in as your own Mii. 

Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed III was released on multiple platforms back in 2012, including the Wii U. It centered around Ratonhnaké ton (or Connor, if you want to make things easier on yourself), an assassin in Colonial America at around the time of the American Revolution. As a bit of a history nerd, this is the kind of Assassin’s Creed that sparks a huge amount of joy in me. 

Of course, Assassin’s Creed III was filled with freerunning and parkour adventures, but it also introduced something new — naval gameplay. Connor becomes the captain of the Aquila, and it can be upgraded and improved with new weapons, armor, and crew. Admittedly, the ship part of Assassin’s Creed III was my least favorite part of the game, but I’ve come to learn that I might be in the minority on that front. 

Pikmin 3

As with all Pikmin games, the third in the series is filled with fights, puzzles, and an endless grind of resource gathering. The cuteness of the Pikmin is ever-present, and there’s something incredibly addictive about this one, which would explain why I’ve replayed it about five times in the last decade. 

Along with the well-loved Red, Yellow, and Blue Pikmins, Pikmin 3 introduces a couple of new colors with their own skills – Grey Pikmin, which can destroy barriers and are immune to crush damage, and pink Winged Pikmin, which can attack from the skies and also soar through them over obstacles that would otherwise be impassable. 

Super Smash Bros. 

There are two types of people when it comes to playing Super Smash Bros. – those who memorize the combinations and inevitably win every battle, and those who button mash as if their life depends on it and while they may lose the battle, they enjoy the therapeutic process of trying to stay on the platforms. 

One of the best things about Super Smash Bros. is the number of characters from different franchises. There are playable characters from Pokémon, Animal Crossing, Xenoblade Chronicles, Duck Hunt, and even Wii Fit of all things. And these are just in the base game, never mind downloadable characters like Cloud Strife and Sega from Bayonetta. There’s endless fun to be had with Super Smash Bros., and possibly some arguments, so try not to take it too seriously. 

Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends is another title that has been released on various platforms, including the Wii U. It’s a local co-op platformer that is capable of inciting a huge amount of frustration. However, regardless of how frustrated it might make you, you forgive it because it’s addictive, and getting through each level leaves you feeling accomplished. 

Events in Rayman Legends take place a whole century after those of Rayman Origins, and you’ll need to travel across worlds and defeat world bosses in order to complete the story. Collecting Teensies unlocks new worlds, and there are new playable characters to unlock along the way, such as Barbara the Barbarian Princess and her various family members.