The Wii U (ウィー ユー) is Nintendo's sixth home console and the direct successor to the Wii. It was first released on November 18, 2012 in North America, with releases in other territories coming in the following weeks.
Overview[]
The Wii U is Nintendo's first home console to support high-definition graphics. Its defining feature is the Wii U GamePad, a controller with a built-in full-color LCD touch screen. The presence of the touch screen allows for games to be played in a dual-screen format with the primary display being the television with secondary information on the GamePad. Alternatively, many Wii U titles support Off-TV play, in which the game is entirely played on the GamePad screen itself, freeing the television for other uses.
The Wii U is fully backward-compatible with the Wii, and can play both disc-based Wii games, as well as titles downloaded to a Wii that were subsequently transferred to a Wii U via transfer tool. The Wii U is compatible with all Wii accessories, including the Wii Remotes and Wii Balance Board. The console also introduced a new online account system in the Nintendo Network ID.
The NNID system would later become compatible with the Nintendo 3DS, but was eventually retired in favor of a more universal Nintendo Account system introduced with Nintendo's mobile game efforts such as Miitomo and Fire Emblem Heroes, and the subsequent launch of the Wii U's successor, the Nintendo Switch. Online services for the Wii U ended on April 8, 2024.
System Software[]
The Wii U menu shares design elements with that of the Wii menu interface, evoking the feeling of TV channels. Separate channels are graphically displayed in a grid and can be opened by selecting their specific icon.
- Software Icon, which allows users to play the specific game in question. One icon is reserved for the disc-based game currently in the console, while other icons will be displayed for downloaded software.
- Mii Maker allows users to create and customize Mii avatars, which can be used in any game or app that supports Mii functionality. The Wii U channel features more customization options for Miis than existed on the Wii. Miis created on the Wii can be transferred to the Wii U, while the 3DS and Wii U can swap Miis with each other.
- Wii U Chat users use the Wii U GamePad's front-facing camera to video chat with registered friends. While video chatting, only the Wii U GamePad is essentially needed, since the application is compatible with Off-TV Play. Users can also draw on the GamePad during a chat session. This feature is now discontinued and no longer active.
- Wii Menu Channel opens an interface mimicking the Wii menu, from which the user can play disc-based or downloaded Wii titles.
- Daily Log displays all games that have been played by the user, and their respective total time played on a daily or monthly basis.
- Miiverse was a social networking service allowing users to post about specific titles. All Wii U titles had their own Miiverse topic on which posts could be made. Players could also post pictures drawn on the GamePad, and some games included image stamps that players could use in their images. As of November 8, 2017, this service has since been discontinued.
- Nintendo eShop allowed for the purchase of digital games and downloadable content games. The ability to purchase games and DLC through the eShop was discontinued in 2023, though players can still download titles that they previously purchased.
- The Nintendo TVii allowed players to sync their Wii U to their television service and use the GamePad as a TV remote. This service has been discontinued since August 11, 2015.
[]
No mainline Fire Emblem titles were developed for the Wii U, although legacy Fire Emblem titles were made available for sale on the eShop.
Virtual Console Titles[]
- Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (GBA - May 14, 2014 for Japan, December 4, 2014 for US)
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA - January 1, 2015 for Europe, June 18, 2015 for US)
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS - July 2, 2015 for Europe)
Japan Only[]
- Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem (Super Famicom - April 27, 2013)
- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War (Super Famicom - April 27, 2013)
- Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 (Super Famicom - July 10, 2013)
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light (Famicom - June 4, 2014)
- Fire Emblem Gaiden (Famicom - August 20, 2014)
- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (GBA - September 2, 2015)
Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE[]
A spin-off of the Fire Emblem series developed in collaboration with Atlus as a crossover with Atlus's Shin Megami Tensei series. The game is a turn-based RPG set in modern-day Tokyo, and shares numerous elements with both Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei.