As far as games go, that only really works when you’re comparing them without context. The context being that the N64 first launched in 1996 when all these 3D games were really compelling and groundbreaking. The Wii U launched in 2012 and its games were more of the same, even a downgrade from the previous generation.

This meant that N64 games were far more compelling in their time. You cannot understand how monumental Ocarina of Time, or Goldeneye, or Mario 64 were unless you were there. These games were up there with the likes of DKC and Super Mario Bros 3. Breath of the Wild, with all its hype, compelling nature, and critical acclaim, is the only recent game I think it comparable to what those 3 N64 games were akin to in their time.

The Wii U didn’t have anything like those games. Not one, not a single killer app. The N64 made horrendous decision: cartridges which were both expensive and prevented a lot of Nintendo’s own second parties from putting their sequels on the console - the N64 sold decently in spite of this due to its killer apps, and despite being up against one of the most dominant competitors Nintendo had ever been up against in the original PlayStation; arguably the most dominant because MANY of Nintendo’s core second party franchises were exclusive to PSX: Street Fighter, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, etc...

There were other important games, too: Wave Race and Lylat Wars which blew peoples minds with their graphical accomplishments in a similar way to DKC on the SNES. Mario Kart 64 replaces SNES Mario Kart as the main one people played, and it maintained that run all the way until Mario Kart Wii. Mario Kart 8 on Wii U did NOT overtake Mario Kart Wii as the main Mario Kart; that didn’t happen until the Switch version of Mario Kart 8. The reason why Mario Kart 8 on Wii failed? Lack of multiplayer features, including any kind of reasonable advantage over the previous Mario Kart: but when it came to Switch it had portability on top of battle mode.

Wii U could use Wii remotes to get up to 4 players, but it was still largely a 1-player console. And using Wii remotes is something the Wii already did. On the other hand, N64 introduced 4-player multiplayer in 1996 which remains a minimum standard to this day. Wii U introduced asymmetric gameplay which died before the end of the console launch window.

Off TV play would have been good if it actually worked; it works on the Switch. With Wii U, you couldn’t even leave the room without the signal cutting. There was little point in playing on that Wii U screen instead of a TV screen. I couldn’t even play my favourite game on the console (Xenoblade Chronicles X) off TV without extreme problems due to blurry-tiny font. Switch has working off TV play, the Wii U version of it failed to reach even half-baked levels (which they could have done by allowing it to hook up through a WiFi network, or have some sort of a transmitter accessory, but instead you had to be in the room, and your room had to be small enough.

Miiverse was a failure, a feature they had to axe. I’m also not sure which other games integrated it besides New Super Mario Bros U. At its best usage, it was a downgraded version of DeviantArt.

Miiverse was a failure, a feature they had to axe. I’m also not sure which other games integrated it besides New Super Mario Bros U. At its best usage, it was a downgraded version of DeviantArt.

You thought Quest 64 was better than Ogre Battle?

The Wind Waker HD.

Bottles with miiverse messages would wash up ashore. I’d say that was definitely the best integration of a social feature in any video game.

My guess is most people didnt play OB64. Quest completely slips my mind when thinking of n64 games, but OB64 is  probably one of my most replayed games ever.