Nintendojo Holiday Buyer’s Guide 2016: Wii U

The best of Wii U this holiday shopping season!

By Robert Marrujo. Posted 12/13/2016 09:00 Comment on this     ShareThis

masthead_holiday_wiiU

Wii U might be in its final days, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t games still worth buying for Nintendo’s home console! We’ve sifted through the titles of 2016 and have them listed here and ready for discerning buyers who are looking to bring some holiday cheer to friends and family in the form of video games.

Note: All prices listed were accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

screen_TwilightPrincessHD-TempleOfTime

Price: $59.99

From our review:

“Nature abhors a vacuum, and so it was that when The Wind Waker HD hit Wii U back in 2013, it only seemed natural that Nintendo would go on to add a high definition sheen to its other GameCube Zelda title, Twilight Princess. Sure enough, with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, Nintendo has completed the circle and brought this dark, gritty adventure to a new generation of fans. Thankfully, the transition to Wii U has been overwhelmingly beneficial to this now nearly ten-year-old game, with improved visuals, refined gameplay, and some fun new additions to fool around with.”

Keep your eyes peeled for the special bundle of this game; it’s the only way to get hold of the Wolf Link amiibo at this point!


Pokkén Tournament

art_Pokkén Tournament

Price: $59.99

From our review:

“At its core, Pokkén Tournament is a mash-up of Pokémon and Tekken. The 3D fighting game has players directly controlling the pocket monsters themselves in a standard, best of three match-up. Battles start in Field Phase mode, where players are free to move throughout the field of battle using long-range attacks, then shift to Duel Phase mode, where the battles get up close in a more traditional fighting game format. Controls are easy to learn and fairly intuitive, with attacks directly influenced by the main series games (though the game contains no type-matching).”


Lego Marvel’s Avengers

art_LEGOAVENGERS

Price: $29.99

From our review:

“Back in 2013, Wii U owners were treated to Lego Marvel Super Heroes, a charming, massive recreation of the Marvel Universe presented in Lego form. This year, Traveler’s Tales revisits the Marvel brand with Lego Marvel’s Avengers, an adaptation of the two Avengers films (as well as moments from other Marvel Studios flicks) in the inimitable Lego style. Lego Marvel’s Avengers never quite reaches the same heights as its predecessor, but it does offer an experience that will prove charming for most Marvel fans.”


Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Lego Force Awakens

Price: $29.99-39.99

From our review:

“The most frequent complaint about Traveler’s Tales’ Lego games is that they aren’t dissimilar enough from one another. The gameplay changes a bit between franchise representations, but the changes tend to be fairly minor. Fortunately, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the biggest deviation from the standard in quite some time. It still maintains the heart and core gameplay of the Lego franchise, but there are enough new additions that make it stand out from other recent titles.”


Skylanders: Imaginators

screen_SkylandersImaginators

Price: $49.99-89.99 (look for discounts!)

From our review:

“After five previous Skylanders titles, it was hard to imagine where Activision could go next with the franchise. Sales of toys-to-life games and their corresponding figures have been far more modest of late, causing competing franchise Disney Infinity to abruptly fold. While the playing field may be a bit smaller now, Skylanders: Imaginators proves that the genre is far from dead, as long as Activision still has some ideas left in the tank.”


Paper Mario: Color Splash

paper-mario-color-splash-masthead

Price: $59.99

Nintendo’s latest Paper Mario offering is a delightful return to form for the series following the divisive Sticker Star on 3DS. While that game’s non-traditional take on the RPG genre is largely intact here, Paper Mario: Color Splash is far more successful with it. The title’s Battle Cards are a joy to employ in combat and the series’ signature exploration remains as entertaining as ever. Don’t overlook what is likely going to be the last major Super Mario title on Wii U!


Have any games we missed that you’d like to share? Shout their names out loud down in the comments!

 

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Log In 0 points Log in or register to grow your Ninja Score while interacting with our site.
Nintendojo's RSS Feeds

All Updates Podcast
News Comments
Like and follow usFacebookTwitter Friend Code Exchange + Game with Us Join the Team!