Wii U
Switch's immediate predecessor
The Wii U was Nintendo's home video game console released in 2012, succeeding the phenomenally successful Wii.
Its defining feature was a tablet-like controller with a touchscreen that could display different content from the television or function as a standalone screen.
The console struggled commercially due to consumer confusion about whether it was a new system or merely an accessory, weak third-party support, and an underwhelming game library.
Nintendo discontinued it in 2017, making it one of the company's least successful consoles.
The Wii U flopped, but several of its best games were ported to the Switch.
- NintendoJapanese video game company
- home consoleTV-based gaming device
- touchscreenInput-sensitive display panel
- second screenAuxiliary device while viewing
- consoleComfort in distress
Dreamcast · gamepad · button · Splatoon · PlayStation · joystick · Super Mario · Mario · Xbox · asymmetric · Sega · Donkey Kong · Luigi · Zelda · Pikmin · Kirby · HDMI · backward compatible
- gamingvideo games, buff, games, PlayStation 4, gameplay
- NintendoNES, Mario, SNES, Donkey Kong, Metroid
- 2012London Olympics, Summer Olympics, Hurricane Sandy, Gangnam Style, US election
- WiiMii
Wii UNintendo Switch
Hybrid video game console
PlayStation 4 · Wii · Nintendo DS · PlayStation 2 · Xbox One
Wii UPC
Home computer, or tactful
gaming PC · smartphone · phone · tablet · arcade cabinet
- Wii SportsMotion-controlled athletics collection
- Wii FitBalance-board exercise software
- Wii RemoteNintendo's motion-sensing controller