The Wii U is quite the system when you've hacked it out to it's fullest extent. I think it's essentially a be-all end-all Nintendo system for all Nintendo systems before the Switch with some exception. I wanted to catalog the exceptions to see if there is any hope for them to somehow see implementation or if they'll always remain elusive to the Wii U. Just read, you'll see what I mean.
Naturally, all Switch games can't be played on Wii U.
Likewise, all 3DS games can't natively be played on Wii U. However, you can stream your own New 3DS to your Wii U via NTRview and play any 3DS game on your Wii U through such a way. It's not perfect, and it's not really being handled natively by the Wii U, but you're playing 3DS games on your Wii U so some might say it counts.
Going to the start though, all Game and Watch and Virtual Boy games can be played on the Wii U via Retroarch cores. There are multiple emulators that can play the entire catalogs for NES and SNES. The Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance can mostly be played without issue, but I can recall a few problematic experiences. While even features like motion control for select games (Kirby Tilt N' Tumble or Wario Ware Twisted) are properly implemented for use with Wiimote motion control, other features like a usable camera for Game Boy Camera, any kind of e-reader functionality, communicating with things like the Game Boy Printer or infrared for features like Mystery Gift in Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, have not been realized on the Wii U. Furthermore, while a core in retroarch can emulated 2 GB/Cs to play and link up at the same time, there is no way to experience local multiplayer GBA games on the Wii U at this time.
Moving to the N64 where compatability is quite high these days, there are still plenty of minor issues and a handful of games that wont play either as an inject or in one of the latest builds of Not 64 or Wii 64, but for the most part, any high profile game N64 you can think of is pretty much playable in some way on the Wii U. However, there is no way to make use of a microphone to communicate with Pikachu in Hey You Pikachu (or the one other Japanese game that used the mic), 64DD games can not be played in any way on the Wii U, and there is no way to transfer any game boy games and saves for use as the transfer pack in N64 games that made use of it.
GameCube compatibility is nearly perfect, unfortunately there is no way at this time to make use of the GBA Link cable on Wii U for GameCube games that used the feature. Games like Four Swords Adventures can only be played single player on the Wii U at this time. There is no way at this time to use a mic with GameCube games that used the GameCube mic like the Mario Party games.
Triforce Arcade games run great on Wii U (these titles including Mario Kart Arcade GP, GP 2, F-Zero AX, and Virtua Striker 4). Newer arcade games like Mario kart Arcade GP DX do not run on the Wii U, and I doubt they ever could.
DS games compatibility are many, but not all. No DSi, DSiware, or DSi enhanced games can be played on the Wii U. VC and injects are the only way to really go here, but the Wii U makes for a solid DS player with it's 2 screen nature. Most high profile games are playable, but you will find a fair share that aren't including gen 5 of Pokemon. Furthermore, plenty of DS accessories can't be realized like the rumble pack or the DS guitar hero controller.
Wii and Wiiware games have perfect compatibility.
Wii U games of course have native perfect compatibility.
There are also redundancies that don't work like Super Game Boy or Game Boy Player, but when we have the GB emulators that we do on the Wii U, their inability to be used is pretty much a wash.
If I've missed anything, let me know, and feel free to correct me if I was wrong about something. I made this list because I want to lay out all the things the Wii U can't currently do that would otherwise make it the ultimate Nintendo player, and see if maybe, some of these things could actually be realized at some point in some way. Like I would think in theory we could get a Game Boy emulator to use the Game Pad's camera for Game Boy Camera, or use the GamePad's infrared sensor for GBC infrared functionality, or an N64 emulator could be programmed to read a Game Boy save for transfer pack functionality.
Naturally, all Switch games can't be played on Wii U.
Likewise, all 3DS games can't natively be played on Wii U. However, you can stream your own New 3DS to your Wii U via NTRview and play any 3DS game on your Wii U through such a way. It's not perfect, and it's not really being handled natively by the Wii U, but you're playing 3DS games on your Wii U so some might say it counts.
Going to the start though, all Game and Watch and Virtual Boy games can be played on the Wii U via Retroarch cores. There are multiple emulators that can play the entire catalogs for NES and SNES. The Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance can mostly be played without issue, but I can recall a few problematic experiences. While even features like motion control for select games (Kirby Tilt N' Tumble or Wario Ware Twisted) are properly implemented for use with Wiimote motion control, other features like a usable camera for Game Boy Camera, any kind of e-reader functionality, communicating with things like the Game Boy Printer or infrared for features like Mystery Gift in Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, have not been realized on the Wii U. Furthermore, while a core in retroarch can emulated 2 GB/Cs to play and link up at the same time, there is no way to experience local multiplayer GBA games on the Wii U at this time.
Moving to the N64 where compatability is quite high these days, there are still plenty of minor issues and a handful of games that wont play either as an inject or in one of the latest builds of Not 64 or Wii 64, but for the most part, any high profile game N64 you can think of is pretty much playable in some way on the Wii U. However, there is no way to make use of a microphone to communicate with Pikachu in Hey You Pikachu (or the one other Japanese game that used the mic), 64DD games can not be played in any way on the Wii U, and there is no way to transfer any game boy games and saves for use as the transfer pack in N64 games that made use of it.
GameCube compatibility is nearly perfect, unfortunately there is no way at this time to make use of the GBA Link cable on Wii U for GameCube games that used the feature. Games like Four Swords Adventures can only be played single player on the Wii U at this time. There is no way at this time to use a mic with GameCube games that used the GameCube mic like the Mario Party games.
Triforce Arcade games run great on Wii U (these titles including Mario Kart Arcade GP, GP 2, F-Zero AX, and Virtua Striker 4). Newer arcade games like Mario kart Arcade GP DX do not run on the Wii U, and I doubt they ever could.
DS games compatibility are many, but not all. No DSi, DSiware, or DSi enhanced games can be played on the Wii U. VC and injects are the only way to really go here, but the Wii U makes for a solid DS player with it's 2 screen nature. Most high profile games are playable, but you will find a fair share that aren't including gen 5 of Pokemon. Furthermore, plenty of DS accessories can't be realized like the rumble pack or the DS guitar hero controller.
Wii and Wiiware games have perfect compatibility.
Wii U games of course have native perfect compatibility.
There are also redundancies that don't work like Super Game Boy or Game Boy Player, but when we have the GB emulators that we do on the Wii U, their inability to be used is pretty much a wash.
If I've missed anything, let me know, and feel free to correct me if I was wrong about something. I made this list because I want to lay out all the things the Wii U can't currently do that would otherwise make it the ultimate Nintendo player, and see if maybe, some of these things could actually be realized at some point in some way. Like I would think in theory we could get a Game Boy emulator to use the Game Pad's camera for Game Boy Camera, or use the GamePad's infrared sensor for GBC infrared functionality, or an N64 emulator could be programmed to read a Game Boy save for transfer pack functionality.
Last edited by MikaDubbz,
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