I'm with you on this.

While it's not the smoothest ACIV experience - it's probably smoother than AC Unity. Really about the same framerate league as Breath of the Wild. You get frame-dips into 20s in some busy areas, but the rest of the game is 30 fps and very enjoyable. I should know as I played 75 hours of ACIV on WiiU.

In terms of technical scope I'd figure ACIV and BotW aren't that far off from each other. Zelda of course has a more advanced physics engine - but ACIV goes for much more realistic detail. Also -  ACIV on WiiU has 2nd screen gamepad features I wish Breath of Wild had. 

I think it's a shame ACIV on WiiU didn't get more attention than it did. The gamepad made the UI cleaner while also managing the pursuit of all the side activities of ACIV less annoying and more interesting. Loads of fun to go sailing away with all extra UI gunk hidden away - and glancing down at the gamepad occassionally to see what treasures and activities to go after. WiiU map > minimap.

Xenoblade X,

thanks to the smog of death, bad framerate and low dynamic resolution, Breath of the Wild has some of the worst graphics on the system, despite using parts of the Xenoblade engine.

I was heavily annoyed by the flickering shadows.

OT: XCX, Bayo2, Captain Toad, SM3DW, MK8, BotW and Devil's Third Fatal Frame V.

Edit: And of course Pikmin 3!

From what I've played, I'd say XCX is the most visually impressive game I've played on the Wii U. The world, towns and machinery just look so dang impressive. The fact that a game like XCX can be on the Wii U is quite amazing.

Bayonetta 2 in my book.

BOTW is clearly the game that pushes the Wii U's limits the most. The scale is incredible, the foliage means it's pushing a ton of polygons, and it probably the most advanced physics system of any open world game. I'm amazed it runs at all on the Wii U hardware.

As for what's #2, that's hard. Games like Rayman Legends, Yoshi's Woolly World, Captain Toad, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, and Child of Light are not technically demanding but have perfect art styles.

Mario Kart 8 is tops when it comes to attention to detail. Bayonetta 2 is the best at sheer spectacle. XCX may not be as advanced as Zelda, but it still looks mighty fine.

To me, Breath of the Wild is not just the best looking Wii U game, but also the best looking game in general. I've never seen such artistic yet detailed graphics in any other game.

Best graphics as if best overall textures and other stuff? Assassin's Creed IV, maybe? The only poor thing about it is the shadows.

However, the best looking game on the console has to be either Captain Toad or 3D World.

mk8 easy

Say what!? :D