I liked both systems at launch. But they both kind of pale in comparison to both their successors and their predecessors. Comparing the software to the Wii, the WiiU is weak. Comparing software to DS, the 3DS falls short.

As far as comparing to the Switch, it’s difficult because you are comparing a handheld and a home console to a hybrid of both. Software wise, the Switch has most of the big games from the Wii U. The 3DS does have a decent amount of software but it doesn’t really have enough on its own to really push itself beyond or to the levels of the Switch. As far as hardware, the WiiU is clunky and the 3DS felt a bit gimmicky at times. I’ll be honest, the WiiU always felt a bit like a prototype for the Switch that they rushed to market to test the waters. 

Hell no.

The Switch is one of the best systems of all time, Wii U and 3DS were both underwhelming.

Wii U was beset by droughts almost all its life and had woeful third party support, while 3DS's lack of a proper second analog input was a significant flaw and it had relatively few Western third party titles.

Switch by contrast has the best third party support of any Nintendo system since the SNES, has almost no droughts, and is a lot more well thought out and forward thinking than either of its predecessors.

I feel like this argument mostly comes from the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia.

WiiU was just an average console.

Was more like an Xbox 360 Pro than a next-gen system.
OS Software slow and sluggish likely due to the poor EMMC storage bogging things down.

And reserving 50% of the Ram to the OS was a massive oversight, the console needed 4GB of DRAM if that was the case...

Short range of the tablet meant it was limited in capability for Nintendo's Hybrid console... Can't walk from the lounge room into the bedroom and start off-screen gaming.


But... It did bring us some of the best games in Nintendo's history.
Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8, Smash Ultimate, Splatoon, Tropical Freeze, Xenoblade and more... Most of which got ported to Nintendo successor and became some of the best selling games on that console.

*************


The 3DS... A stereoscopic 3D screen for glasses-free 3D is an experience consoles have never provided and will never provide again.

It's a unique console. Again with some amazing games.

The 3DS is also highly sought after, so second hand prices on special edition consoles have ballooned to $800 or more AUD.

Nintendo didn't support it's online aspects long enough.

No, not at all lol. But I personally liked them more. Something seems missing with the Switch. It's like, with their old way of doing things, there were two distinct offerings, with two distinct collections of software that played similarly, yet entirely different. Then there was the whole, two-different-UI thing, where it felt like you were immersed in the world of Nintendo, just by turning them on etc. It felt comforting, magical even. The Switch just feels like a game system, and that's it.

But these are my subjective opinions. Objectively, Switch is right up there with the NES and SNES.

Not even in the same solar system as Switch's level of greatness.

These are just thoughts don't take them seriously.

I don't care about sales. I don't care about metacritic I just care about the tech in the console and the games. The games are fair. I haven't used my Switch enough to comment much on it that much in that area neither 3DS but for the things I do care about I find it a fair system. I really don't like the 3DS buttons at all. They get the job done though.

3DS streetpass, Wii U Chat, some games had camera uses for a quick gimmick, WiiTV, Karaoke and more, not as much as the Wii had though. Both systems had various apps to use, some dead sure but still. I don't hated game focused consoles but I mean sometimes I want something else to do. Sometimes I think the games are a bit eh so I move to another console instead.

Even then some of my favourite games are those not ported to Wii U. I know right how dare I say that and like the broader Wii U library of physical or digital only games on it. Devils Third, Tank Tank Tank, Rush and some other mobile games on Wii U or were mobile/PSP Minis but more definitive on mobile or Wii U because I looked at many of them when the eshop was up and bought them and their really fun not just the virtual console or Wii U games all the time.

Not all console gimmicks are great but I mean even if I don't use 3D that much because battery life it's still there for me to use if I want to. I did buy the New 3DS XL because of the 3D for a reason and I like it in some games others don't use it that well. I just find some modern games boring and I like gimmicks because well without them I'm not getting PS2/Xbox/GameCube/Dreamcast level even without the GBA/VMU or Pressure Sensitive buttons many exciting gaming experiences.

First party sure you do see that level of creativity still. I can look at Splatoon and Foamstars and go deathmatch and foam that's useless then creative yeah Splatoon has made the squids and reloading/travel/hiding and ink fun and different I appreciate that. So much so that I came up with modes and mechanics Foamstars is so boring and following trends then actually offering fun mechanics like Splatoon is. But that's the thing it's the third parties or certain games that are same old. Not in terms of 'oh this IP is still going' just the ideas in the games. I do seek mechanics in games.

I've researched or played enough PS3/360 shooters with 1 cool mechanics and all play as Gears of War like cover based shooters. I've seen how bland things get or why the refinements to existing IPs for western third parties got boring and why some Indies suck and do that too on a fangame level with their games then when Outrun clones or Mario 64/Banjo/Spyro like platformers exist and I go but 5/6th gen platformers and 5/6th gen racing games are far more original and exciting then these Indies.

You see this with say No Man's Sky and Nightingale, both veteran devs from the industry of big companies, both EA studios, both original takes on survival games. The Indies, following trends from survival games or other popular games left and right. Tell me why the veterans have more original ideas when let free from the companies they were from aka like old games not copying each other but whether AAA or not we have Indies that a certain groups are original, some vets are just continuing their IPs different name and some fair ideas like Bloodstained, Mighty No9/Azure Striker Gunvolt, Yooka Laylee, Judas (Bioshock successor besides Bioshock 4 or whatever Atomic Heart was), Callisto Protocol (versus Dead Space remake). Nothing wrong with these games they are good but nostalgia or IP continuation seems about right doesn't it? It makes a point rather than judging the quality or if we should even have these.

I mean tank controls versus full analogue a trend that some publishers did win over with, others didn't. Hilarious to think that was the case back in the day wasn't it hmm.

Many things spin off or bounce off ideas and there is nothing wrong with that at all. Or else we would be limited on many things created very quickly.

Some just go fresh and think, others copy others and don't know, hey I came up with this just by experimenting various inspiration heavy they look at others to compete because that's what they know, want to compete that way or don't have time to experiment in their engine with ideas anymore.

Was ReCore a Metroid Prime game not really.

Even then the apps on 3DS are great. Switch has what the game like club things like PlayStation 5 followings have I think? Or the update ones by the Nintendo employee that are fair update logs or tutorials to read but hardly as fun as the 3DS sound app for playing music, well M4A or other types of files but still or just messing around with the sound app, the cameras and more. Switch is a games console first but I mean it's also just kind of that and that's it. It's like if the DS didn't have PictoChat, it was just the console and it's settings. How much did people use PictoChat as much as the DSi sound app/cameras and effects to mess with them? A lot I assume like filters on images nowdays?

Like I enjoyed used Welcome Park on Vita and Playroom/Playroom VR on PS4. I don't use them really but the Wii had fun channels. Some consoles that are app toy boxes are more fun sometimes than the console ones. Like sure I can listen to music from PS1 disks on a PS1 or 2, can't on a PS3.

Reading comics on the PSP? I never did but I can still watch UMD movies, my music or if I cared enough converted videos. I just use my Vita for that so I don't have to convert them they just play no problem.

Wii U and 3DS had fair Indie support that most people probably ignored unless deep collectors for those systems. Mobile games as well, many not on Switch. Dual screen support wins again that no one cares about of course. XD Yes I enjoyed buying Captain U on Wii U thanks. Not Silver Skies Umbra but hey many US only eshop customers ended it before the eshop went down.

Also no tate mode for them why not developers it's always single screen sign.

I mean I still can go well the Joycons are still handheld buttons they were considered for that form factors. The sticks aren't compared to say a Neo Geo Pocket stick or a Vita with the better handheld sticks for a system (even if the Neo Geo Pocket's is more a arcade like stick). I can't say for the Tapwave Zodiac stick as I don't have experience with one by feel but looks and what I've heard it seems fine though.

As someone that's sick and tired of the 'oh the Switch is what the Wii U should have been' well first off their different goals and different ideas.

The Switch is not unique unless you ignore the PSP cabled to the TV, the Sega Nomad, Pocket PCs of the 2000s (docks and portable PCs, what more can I say, sure their awkward like the Ngage but I mean touchscreen phones aka the iPhone was 2007, smartphones were a thing before but not app store and touch screen extent till then) and anything else tech related because narrow minded people.

I can cast my phone to my TV, it's laggy you see the delay but for watching things it's fine for playing it's not worth it. It's clear 3 second+ delay the type you can see not the milliseconds you usually don't notice.

Evercade and PS Vita TV are boxed consoles besides their handheld counterparts their separated but still. You had Gameboy games on the TV, sure again handheld but through another method. The DS/3DS could do TV access but that's development wise not public like the PSP or syncing data like the Gizmodno/Tapwave Zodiac or other PDAs and Pocket PCs which these failed handhelds were based on the Tapwave company was ex PDA staff from one of the notable PDA companies of the time Palm if you know your tech history not gaming only and isolated things people focus on that is.

But otherwise I think if we take the games and marketing aside or brief focus. The marketing sure it's not great. I wasn't there but it wasn't great from what I've researched.

The games I mean they are very different, even ignoring the ports which I mean many are Wii U games, many are 3DS, Wii, GameCube and more from different systems and not 'all' are ported over just key ones. Switch has a lot to offer yes but 'best Nintendo console' I mean SNES or GameCube for sure. GameCube the tonal shift and ideas were a good change. SNES is the best Nintendo system for 2D games and transitional 3D or Super FX 'effects' and ideas in some games. Satelliview even. A lot of cool 'tech' and games to play on it from many third parties not just first parties.

The tech wise and gimmicks were far more exciting. I can literally use my Wii U many ways, I can outside with a power brick if I want but only a small percentage of people do that (I don't myself) or know about it and go 'oh TV is all it was good for'. The only thing I can agree on is that devs used the TV too much. The Gamepad nah forget it. We have DS games have 2 cutscene video angles or menu swapped screens or the lid closing but Wii U nah forget it. Even though the Gamepad sends the signal faster........ TV it is. What a joke.

But anytime I talk Wii U places people have nostalgia rather than care if I say refinements to the system and agree I enjoy the thing. The Wii U community sucks. So I stopped going there because I can look at other platforms and want to say the future of the Wii U's potential ideas when their a bunch of nostalgic people with nothing better to say other than 'I got a Wii U what Nintendo games should I get because I don't care about the Wii U otherwise' and I'm like sure ok welcome to the community then.

I just like tech so to me I love the Wii U's concept. I'm not nostalgia focused even on my own favourite games/consoles because I've played better or researched more and had fun doing that I don't limit myself to 1 platform.

Sure the plastics and buttons aren't great on 3DS or Wii U. The grip is nice on Wii U though. But I mean GameCube has nice buttons but I don't find myself disappointed with the PS1-3 controller, not so the size just the changes. I don't think PS4/5 controllers are the best. I find the comfort to be different between each platforms controllers, the gimmicks are good and the feeling differs but some are still better buttons layouts/trigger designs of old then just the comfort/materials.

I think the Switch controller is a fair controller for a Nintendo controller and more their best controller than the others for materials not necessarily their button layouts or feeling of some elements like GameCube triggers (even besides being analogue).

Other than the Joycons separating which the Lenovo Legion can do (again handheld PCs have been a thing since forever, even tablets were around in Windows 3.1 for Pen Computing days or XP Tablet Edition). The Switch is a fair dock, controller separation tablet that's a good PS3/360 handheld with those games and PS4/Xbox One and current gen on it. It's a handheld fair for 3 generations of access to games and more.

It's a fair handheld but it's no Wii U. It's not a dual screen device, wirelessly and locally. Sure cloud gaming but that's not the same thing nor a better experience either.

The games and 'gimmicks' of Wii U are why I bought the thing. It's why I would buy a dual screen phone if they actually put apps to utilitise it but they don't.

I mean I could buy Everybody 1-2 Switch or I could Playlink for PS4 party games and download dead Android APKs. Which do you think I do, the latter.

Is Switch good yes, but as a user of all platforms it's a fair console/handheld not the best thing ever I prefer the Wii U. I can take a limited library then a bunch of games I don't care about. I already don't on Vita. I didn't need the big IPs but most people complain waaaah they don't have the western big third parties even though who really needed them. Same on Wii U they still supported those systems with family IPs, just because those people want their big mature IPs on a console but cry about it on the failed ones that don't. I don't play them so I didn't miss out on anything at all really.

It's not like people would have praised Bioshock Vita anyway if it did come out it wouldn't have been like Bioshock on the iPhone it would have been Bioshock Tactics and people would complain not getting a 1 to 1 experience. Because devs can't apparently make a different experience for the series?

Some of my funnest experiences is the PS2/Wii/PSP older gen versions or PSP unique versions of games not the ports that are fine but not great sometimes. Sometimes the older gens versions were better then the PS3/360/PC versions for content (Star Wars Force Unleashed had better content on PSP) or just cutting aspects that sucked in the newer gen versions like Sonic Unleashed quests just talking in old gen, a lot more exploration and nonsense in the newer gen version as far as I've heard. That's just the examples I can think of at least.

But I mean Ngage and Xperia Play are phone and gaming hybrids, Gizmondo and Zodiac are PDA and gaming hybrids. The first hybrid was the Tiger Gamecom but people trash that. Yet it did or didn't come before or after the Gameboy addon the Workboy. The Gamecom had 2 cart slots, something the DSI was planned to have but didn't.

If I wanted to get 'hybrid' technical instead of just oh it's 'GAMING ONLY HYBRID' people limit it too.

I love the 3DS,.... but I love the Switch too.... both have great libraries of RPGs.
The Wii U.... left me dissapointed, so the Switch is much better than the Wii U by itself.

^ so much this.

Let me hook the thing up to a tv, and enjoy games that way.

3DS was great but the Switch beats it in pretty much all categories.


The WiiU....not even a competition, even the NES and Gameboy had better libraries.

I think Nintendo released more games on the combination of WiiU and 3DS than what they have so far on the Switch.
Well, there could be a case of better backwards compatibility on them as well. People who prefer buying digital versions of their older games cannot do so on the Switch. Instead one need to subscribe to an online service and Nintendo are infamous for closing down their services early.

I don't like the 3DS or the WiiU and even if I took the best aspects from each system and combined them into one, the Switch is still better.

Switch is 10x better. Wii U was awful hardware and limited software. I couldn't play 3ds on the TV. Switch is brilliant.