The Wii U did not have the best track record in Nintendo's line of consoles, failing to meet expectations both financially and critically. That being said, the Wii U is far from being a bad console, and though its line-up of first-party exclusives isn't big, what's there is worth playing.
Nintendo of America just announced on Twitter that the Wii U and 3DS eShops will no longer allow users to purchase new games starting in late March 2023. For those that still own a Wii U, now is the perfect time to dive in and grab games that didn't quite make the cut a few years ago. With some of Nintendo's best first-party games, there's quite a few stand-outs that fans should consider picking up in the next year or so.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
While Wii U owners will still be able to pick up and play physical copies of Xenoblade Chronicles X after the eShop shutdown next year, buying it straight from the eShop is usually easier than tracking down a copy in the wild. Although its main narrative is disconnected from the original Wii title, as well as the Switch sequel and upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Xenoblade Chronicles X is worth a play for fans of the franchise, or fans of the open-world RPG genre as a whole.
Star Fox Zero
Though it was criticized a fair amount upon launch, Star Fox Zero is definitely a good game to pick up for any Wii U owners who have a particular fondness for the space-faring fox. While it may not add too much to the classic Star Fox formula, Star Fox Zero gives fans a good-looking - albeit short - experience.
It should be noted that Star Fox Zero controls like gyro-aiming can be a little frustrating. With a bit of perseverance, Star Fox Zero is a solid re-imagining of the original Nintendo 64 game, and is definitely worth picking up - even if players just want to play the bonus Star Fox Guard tower-defense game that's included.
Game & Wario
Another Wii U game that garnered a mixed reception on launch was Game & Wario, the eighth game in the franchise. While some critics believed that the title's collection of micro-games was a little uninspired, others believing that most of the micro-games really showcased the features of the Wii U to the best of their ability. Game & Wario is certainly one to pick up for those who want a game that really makes use of the Wii U's unique hardware.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD
Despite rumors that they will make it to Switch, official ports for The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD are still unconfirmed, and the only way to play these high-resolution versions is on Wii U. Their quality-of-life improvements, along with visual touch-ups, make these Zelda titles a perfect starting place for any gamer who hasn't had a chance to jump into the series yet.
Virtual Console Games
With Nintendo not bringing back the Virtual Console idea for Switch, Wii U owners should take full advantage of this gigantic catalog of some of Nintendo's best games while they can. For Pokemon fans, the original Game Boy Advance and DS Mystery Dungeon games are a great choice, along with the Pokemon Ranger series. For Zelda fans, The Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass are both available on the Wii U's Virtual Console.
On top of these Game Boy and DS games, the Wii U Virtual Console is also home to a range of NES and SNES titles that still haven't been brought over to the Switch. Earthworm Jim and Battletoads, for example, are some classics that can be played on Wii U, but aren't yet available on Switch.