Gaming Misc Does the Wii U count as retro now?

[linuxares]

So what do you people say? Is it an oldie now? Do it need crutches and a wheelchair?
Since the Switch 2 is upon us. Is it a retro console now?

 

[ray_ray696]

That would be like calling the PS3 retro.

 

[duwen]

The 6th gen of consoles is the "newest" that can be considered 'retro'... it'll be a few more years before any of the 7th gen would be eligible for the term - even the Wii isn't retro yet, so no way the Wii U is.

 

[InsaneNutter]

Not really in my opinion, its like saying the Xbox One and PS4 are retro.

Due to its short lifespan the Wii U is in kind of weird limbo stage, however it can also play quite a few current gen Switch games (Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Bayonetta 2, Breath of the Wild, New Super Mario Bros. U and so on) - so its kind of hard to justify it as been retro with that in mind.

I feel the 360, PS3 and Wii are only just starting to approach retro status.

 

[Ettino]

How can it be retro when it just came out in 2012. Which is only 5 years ago.

 

[linuxares]

How can it be retro when it just came out in 2012. Which is only 5 years ago.

Not sure honestly when something counts as retro x3

 

[Jayro]

I don't even count the PS1 or N64 as "retro", because they natively render 3D graphics. So, no.

 

[Lostbhoy]

I don't even count the PS1 or N64 as "retro", because they natively render 3D graphics. So, no.

That's a bit of a strange stance.... Both are from the 90s which is definitely retro!

Although that and the above comment about wii u basically running current gen games does hold credence to another debate.... Is retro still considered anything over ten years or is it a generational thing now? Every 25 years.

The Wii still has a thriving user base and community but I don't see any round here for SNES for example so is the Wii retro as of now or next year then??

 

[Jayro]

That's a bit of a strange stance.... Both are from the 90s which is definitely retro!

Although that and the above comment about wii u basically running current gen games does hold credence to another debate.... Is retro still considered anything over ten years or is it a generational thing now? Every 25 years.

The Wii still has a thriving user base and community but I don't see any round here for SNES for example so is the Wii retro as of now or next year then??

To me, "Retro" stays within a certain criteria, and doesn't move within the typical "anything from 20 years ago is retro" timeframe. That's just such a silly frame of reference. Retro consoles to me means they have 16-bit graphics, or worse.

 

[emigre]

That would be like calling the PS3 retro.

PS3 is retro though. The PS3 has been around longer than my 18 year old niece.

 

[Lostbhoy]

To me, "Retro" stays within a certain criteria, and doesn't move within the typical "anything from 20 years ago is retro" timeframe. That's just such a silly frame of reference. Retro consoles to me means they have 16-bit graphics, or worse.

So you want 4d holographics to call anything from the N64 onwards retro?? Ain't gonna get any better than this mate and the general consensus across different media and other industry is ten years and time is a better gauge than slowing/stalling tech I'm afraid!

I thought you were a forward thinker Jayro... Tut tut

 

[MysticStarlight]

Wii U is old, but not "retro" old. The Wii might be starting to become retro this year. The GameCube was retro for me when the Switch 1 released, and it's now confirmed to be 100% retro thanks to the GC NSO on Switch 2

 

[linuxares]

PS3 is retro though. The PS3 has been around longer than my 18 year old niece.

Oh god... It's almost 20 years old. I feel so old now

 

[Jayro]

So you want 4d holographics to call anything from the N64 onwards retro?? Ain't gonna get any better than this mate and the general consensus across different media and other industry is ten years and time is a better gauge than slowing/stalling tech I'm afraid!

I thought you were a forward thinker Jayro... Tut tut

So lets say 20 years from now when we have games on 48K HoloLED TVs, we'll look at back on 4K gaming and be like "Oh yeah, that's retro af."

Not a chance in hell mate.

 

[Lostbhoy]

So lets say 20 years from now when we have games on 48K HoloLED TVs, we'll look at back on 4K gaming and be like "Oh yeah, that's retro af."

Not a chance in hell mate.

But that's what you said!
48k holo whatever... it'll still be rendering 3d graphics just the like the n64 does. So by your logic retro is now and forever?

Most criteria encompass the passage of time as well as different styles and trends also so yeah.... If we do get 48k holoshit, people will definitely say 4k is retro looking by that time.

But that is mere graphics argument. The debate here encompasses all the criteria involved such as this.... Does the wii u look out of place in a living room right now? The gamepad looked dated when it came out for crying out loud but the console still blends with other modern tech I'd say. N64 design and controller?? Definitely fuckin retro!

I did say your not really wrong tho and wasn't using just time as a measurement, I merley mentioned that's how the rest of the world measures it on a basic level but I do forget us gamers are a different breed! One example is the music industry (primarily dance and hip hop I'd say tho).... Once a song is over ten years old it's called oldskool. A scene word for retro. No other criteria involved regardless of sound or style. It's oldskool.

One could even argue a console is retro the minute they stop making it anymore! But I won't

 

[spletz_]

A lot of the Wii U's games are still in the current generation's rotation and will be extending into the Switch 2. Also, a lot of Nintendo's game internals are still based off of Wii U stuff. BFRES is still going strong!

 

[ChibiMofo]

The 6th gen of consoles is the "newest" that can be considered 'retro'... it'll be a few more years before any of the 7th gen would be eligible for the term - even the Wii isn't retro yet, so no way the Wii U is.

LOL! So you are who gets to decide what is and what is not retro.

Well the Wii U and Wii are retro consoles. And there is literally nothing you can do about that except accept it.

 

[bonkmaykr]

No but I suppose it's getting there.

LOL! So you are who gets to decide what is and what is not retro.

If it was such an objective question there wouldn't be a damn poll on it.

 

[Technician]

I would say it depends. The wii u got abandoned by Nintendo a long time ago, there won't be new games for it anymore, except ports and fan projects. So in this case you might call it retro.
But if you look at the graphical side of it, then it can hold up with the switch. There is not a big difference except in loading times maybe.
In my case I like the word retro. For me it means not to swim with the mainstream. Hence I didn't buy a switch and will definitely not buy a switch 2. Wii u ftw!

 

[LinkStormer]

There's two different approaches i see with the topic

Legacy, in technology, stands for either software or hardware that are considered out-of-date, out of present day standards or replaced by a superior equivalent. Take Wii during Wii U days as an example: both Nintendo and third parties (except for Bugisoft) were not launching games for Wii anymore, its online game service was discontinued and only you could buy digital games for little expansions of the experience, as all major studios moved to Either Wii U or other videogame Marketplaces

Retro, as I think it actually stands for, goes for Legacy hardware that has been totally abandoned for official support, there's no online services, there's no functional game marketplace, there's no new releases, manufacturer (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sega, Atari, Bandai Namco, etc.) doesn't produce nor sell new units of the console, manufacturer doesn't offer tech support, nor repair/replacements for existing devices; and most importantly, it's name keeps alive in collective unconsciousness as a beautiful remembrance of good ol' times; GOOD, but still OLD.

My criteria is the following: Current generation (as in release year) is Present Gen; Penultimate generation (Generation previous to Current) is Legacy; Antepenult or below (Previous to Penultimate or Antepenult) is Retro

So the chart will be like this:
Nintendo Switch 2: Present Gen (as it launches this year, 2025)
Nintendo Switch: Legacy (as its "superior equivalent" launches this year, 2025)
Nintendo Wii U: Retro (as its "superior equivalent" becomes Legacy this year, 2025)
Nintendo Wii: Retro (as its "superior equivalent" became Legacy in March 2017)
and so on...

Sony PlayStation 5: Present Gen (as it launched in 2020)
Sony PlayStation 4: Legacy (as its "superior equivalent" launched in 2020)
Sony PlayStation 3: Retro (as its "superior equivalent" became Legacy in 2020)
Sony PlayStation 2: Retro (as its "superior equivalent" became Legacy in 2013)
Sony PlayStation: Retro (as its "superior equivalent" became Legacy in 2006)
Sony PlayStation Vita: Retro (as its had no "superior equivalent" and it was discontinued in 2019)
Sony PlayStation Portable: Retro (as its "superior equivalent" launched in 2011, then discontinued in 2019)

Remember: All RETRO software is LEGACY, but not all LEGACY software is RETRO

Post automatically merged: Apr 28, 2025

A lot of the Wii U's games are still in the current generation's rotation and will be extending into the Switch 2. Also, a lot of Nintendo's game internals are still based off of Wii U stuff. BFRES is still going strong!

That doesn't change anything, as, for example, Sony sells both PS3 games launched as remasters for PS4 (Heavy Rain, The Last of Us OG, Beyond Two Souls) and a full remake of a PS3 game exclusive to PS5 (Demon's Souls)

And you'd say "PS5 Demon's Souls is a remake, it's no longer retro"; so was Resident Evil Remake on GameCube days, it was a full reconstruction of the PSX game, but it looked and played exactly as the PSX equivalent, not like Resident Evil 2 remake that changes the original story and the gameplay is a more developed equivalent of Resident Evil 4 gameplay; camera on shoulder, zoom-in while pointing, vulnerable while pointing, with the plus of being able to move while pointing and usage of sub-weapons as it featured on GameCube's Resident Evil. Returning to Demon's Souls, the better graphics and the new UI is the only new things brought to the table, because aside from that, it looks and plays exactly as its PS3 equivalent

Not to mention 99% of PS4 catalog is currently being sold on PSN for use on PS5; AND The Last of Us 2 Remastered uses the EXACT SAME internals as its original release on PS4.

And as it happened on PS3, it's almost assured that Sony will include either retrocompatibility or workarounds to play PS4 and PS5 games on the future PlayStation 6; as Sony did that with PSX, PS2 and PSP games, which were fully retrocompatible on the first models and that retrocompatibility was either removed or replaced with workarounds such as selling PS2 emulated games on PSN for further hardware revisions