Nintendo's new console is here - here's why its last one was secretly a work of genius

Pity the poor Wii U.

When the game console was introduced in 2012 as Nintendo's successor to the smash-hit Wii, expectations were high that the Japanese game company would once again create a monster hit.

Instead, the Wii U has been a huge flop, selling just over 13 million units in the past four years. The original Wii sold about 84 million consoles in the same period.

Today, the final nail is in the Wii U's coffin with the release of the Nintendo Switch - a unique hybrid TV/portable console that's already getting positive reviews.

So let's look back at the Wii U, why it never took off, and why it doesn't really deserve the bad rap it's gotten over the years.