Help me spend money on a new console.

[picksthemusic]

Hi!

We got some money from my ILs and we are in the market for a new console. We don't play many video games, but we have a bunch for our PS3 (I love the Lego series of games and have most of them for the PS3, so it would suck to have to re-purchase if we get a PS4). We have two littles (4 and 16 months) who are not quite ready for video games, but the 4 yo will be eventually. DH and I really enjoy the old Nintendo games, and I know you can download the old stuff onto the Wii U, and I feel like Nintendo games are a bit more appropriate for kiddos (Mario, Disney, etc). We already have a stand-alone Blu-Ray player that does 4K and 3D, so we're set there.

We're almost sure we want a Wii U. What do you guys think? Do you like the Wii U? What are the downsides?

TIA!

[Deleted]

If you don't already have a regular Wii, then I think the Wii-U is a great purchase because there is a huge game library between both consoles. There are many family-friendly games. If you already have a Wii (which I do), then the Wii-U is a bit redundant. Next year I believe Nintendo will be releasing a new system, but I don't know anything about it.

I find the Wii-U gamepad kind of unnecessary, but it can be fun to use for pulling up Youtube videos to watch on TV. I haven't tried online mode, but I know that many people enjoy that.

Some Wii-U games I recommend are Mario Kart 8 and New Super Mario Bros U. I tried the Super Mario 3D World and Bayonetta 2 and wasn't a fan. Mario Maker, Mario Party 10, and Super Smash Bros are very popular. There are so many Wii games available as well, pretty cheap now that they have been out for years - Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart Wii, Boom Blox, Fortune Street (similar to Monopoly), Monster Hunter III, and Wii Sports Resort. I'd definitely get Wii Sports as well - lots of fun for kids.

One drawback is that the Wii-U comes only with the gamepad, no other controllers. You would have to buy regular Wii remotes, and possibly other accessories as well, for multiple people to play. That can get pricey.

[humpty]

I know the Wii-U version of Lego Dimensions is the only platform that doesn't do split screen when you have two players. I have the game on Xbox one and split screen can be annoying so the bonus of not having it is nice. One player would see their screen on the gamepad while the other player would see theirs on the tv.

[spa]

My sister has 2 boys 6 and 3 and they have a Wii-U which is nice since the games are age appropriate and they have so many things that work with it now like the skylanders and I THINK pokemon?