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Nintendo's Wii U video game console may be a flop - but it's also an underrated work of genius

Nintendo's Wii U video game console may be a flop - but it's also an underrated work of genius

The Wii U's whole sales pitch is that its primary controller, the Wii U Gamepad, is also a touchscreen "tablet." But it stops working entirely if it gets too far from the console, so don't get any big ideas.

Nintendo's Wii U video game console may be a flop - but it's also an underrated work of genius

It means two big things: First, that games can get touchscreen controls — games like "New Super Marios Bros. U" for the Wii U let one player touch the screen to freeze enemies or hold moving platforms in place.

It means two big things: First, that games can get touchscreen controls — games like "New Super Marios Bros. U" for the Wii U let one player touch the screen to freeze enemies or hold moving platforms in place.

Second, it means that you can actually play many Wii U games on the smaller screen by itself, no TV required. It's a handy thing if you live somewhere where television time is hard to come by.

Second, it means that you can actually play many Wii U games on the smaller screen by itself, no TV required. It

Each Wii U only supports one Gamepad controller. Otherwise, you can use the traditional Wii remotes you may still have sitting around...

Each Wii U only supports one Gamepad controller. Otherwise, you can use the traditional Wii remotes you may still have sitting around...

...or the Wii U Pro Controller, made to look and feel more like a traditional video game controller.

...or the Wii U Pro Controller, made to look and feel more like a traditional video game controller.

Some clever Wii U games take advantage of this for multiplayer games. Early Wii U title "Nintendoland," for example, has a fun minigame where one player would use the Gamepad to be an invisible ghost, and chase the other players who were using the TV.

Some clever Wii U games take advantage of this for multiplayer games. Early Wii U title "Nintendoland," for example, has a fun minigame where one player would use the Gamepad to be an invisible ghost, and chase the other players who were using the TV.

Other games used the touchscreen to great effect. The recent "Super Mario Maker" for Wii U lets you design Super Mario levels on the touchscreen and share them across the Internet.

Other games used the touchscreen to great effect. The recent "Super Mario Maker" for Wii U lets you design Super Mario levels on the touchscreen and share them across the Internet.

In a lot of ways, the Wii U was incredibly forward-looking. The whole idea of so-called "second-screen gaming" was ahead of its time. Even the Microsoft Xbox One recently got the ability to "stream" games over the network to Windows 10 laptops and tablets. So what went wrong?

In a lot of ways, the Wii U was incredibly forward-looking. The whole idea of so-called "second-screen gaming" was ahead of its time. Even the Microsoft Xbox One recently got the ability to "stream" games over the network to Windows 10 laptops and tablets. So what went wrong?

This tablet controller presented a big headache for developers, who were slow to make games that really took advantage of the possibilities of the touchscreen.

This tablet controller presented a big headache for developers, who were slow to make games that really took advantage of the possibilities of the touchscreen.

Even some of the Wii U's best titles, including stylish run-and-gun paint shooter "Splatoon"...

Even some of the Wii U

...cross-franchise brawler Super Smash Bros. for Wii U...

...cross-franchise brawler Super Smash Bros. for Wii U...

...and platform jumper Mario 3D World all fail to make a great use of the "tablet" part of the Gamepad controller.

...and platform jumper Mario 3D World all fail to make a great use of the "tablet" part of the Gamepad controller.

It also doesn't help that the Wii U hardware itself is only marginally more powerful than the original Wii, which was released in 2007.

It also doesn

This means that more graphics-intensive modern games like "Star Wars: Battlefront" are difficult to pull off on the Wii U, adding further complexity beyond the controller problem. And a lot of game publishers simply don't bother. It means most of the best Wii U games come from Nintendo itself.

This means that more graphics-intensive modern games like "Star Wars: Battlefront" are difficult to pull off on the Wii U, adding further complexity beyond the controller problem. And a lot of game publishers simply don

And the name "Wii U" itself ended up being confusing to a lot of would-be buyers, who didn't understand it was a separate console, not an accessory or add-on for the original Wii.

And the name "Wii U" itself ended up being confusing to a lot of would-be buyers, who didn

Nintendo's critical leg up, though, is that it's probably the best single games publisher in the business. And blockbuster franchises like "The Legend of Zelda," "Super Mario" and "Animal Crossing" can only be found on Nintendo platforms like the Wii U.

Nintendo

So despite those technical shortcomings, and a limited library, the Wii U has a lot going for it. For starters, games like "Super Smash Bros." and stellar racing title "Mario Kart 8" are still some of the best times you can have with friends sitting on a couch.

So despite those technical shortcomings, and a limited library, the Wii U has a lot going for it. For starters, games like "Super Smash Bros." and stellar racing title "Mario Kart 8" are still some of the best times you can have with friends sitting on a couch.

And games like the recent release "Yoshi's Wooly World" are both completely adorable and super fun for two players.

And games like the recent release "Yoshi

It's especially good to see Nintendo stay focused on playing games with people in the same room, after games like this year's "Halo 5: Guardians" for Xbox One removed that ability altogether.

Nintendo's also done something cool (and compulsively collectible) with its "Amiibos," tiny plastic figures of video game's most famous characters. Tap an Amiibo against the Wii U Gamepad, and it unlocks bonus features and content in a growing selection of Wii U games.

Nintendo

So give Nintendo a little credit here. Maybe the Wii U didn't reinvent video games. But Nintendo saw the rise of touchscreen and two-screen gaming coming, years before the idea hit the mainstream. And while it may not have the deep library of Microsoft or Sony, Nintendo still has some killer games coming out for it, like the forthcoming new entry in the "Legend of Zelda" series.

So give Nintendo a little credit here. Maybe the Wii U didn

This Black Friday, you'll be able to buy a Wii Ubundled up with copies of the both-excellent "Super Smash Bros." and "Splatoon," for as little at $249.99 at Target and Walmart. At that price, you should definitely take a look. You might be glad you did.

This Black Friday, you

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