2016 Holiday Guide: Best Wii U Games and Accessories

Nintendo will be moving on to the Switch in March of 2017. With that said, the Wii U still had some life in it for 2016 with several solid releases. Below, you can find the best Wii U games and accessories to buy on Black Friday or anytime during the 2016 holiday shopping period.

Best 2016 Nintendo Wii U Games

Big releases for the Wii U were unfortunately few and far between in 2016. Fortunately, there are a handful of notable games for the home console worth checking out.

Paper Mario: Color Splash

A lot of Paper Mario fans weren’t happy with the direction the series with Paper Mario Sticker Star. While not a return to the classic games, Color Splash does make some significant improvements when compared to its 3DS predecessor as the story is more engaging thanks to the charming characters. Not to mention that the battles are more meaningful as well. With beautiful visuals to boot, Paper Mario: Color Splash provides a nice send off, in terms of exclusive games, for the Wii U.

You can buy Paper Mario: Color Splash via this page on Amazon.

Pokken Tournament

Pokken Tournament is a fighting game, which is made by Bandai Namco Games (the same company behind the Tekken series), starring some of the most popular Pokemons. Players will be able to directly control the likes of Charizard, Mewtwo, Pikachu and more. What separate this Wii U fighter from others in the same genres are the phases as players can move freely around the battle zone during the Field Phase. They can then shift to Duel Phase to engage in combat. If you are a fan of Pokemon, then you shouldn’t miss out on this solid fighter.Purchase Pokken Tournament here. If you are planning to play multiplayer, we also highly recommend getting the Hori Pokken Tournament Pro Pad Limited Edition Controller as it is the same control method used in the arcade version of the game. You can purchase the officially licensed gamepad here.

Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard

One of the most polarizing Wii U games of 2016 is Star Fox Zero. The latest Star Fox game is a fast-paced shooter that is mainly on-rails. It also takes advantage of the Wii U gamepad as you can get a better aim via the cockpit view. Although the game is short, it does provide great replay value with branching paths as well as other challenges. If you are a fan of the Star Fox series, and don’t mind the motion aiming, then you will most likely enjoy Star Fox Zero.

The physical version of Star Fox Zero comes bundled with Star Fox Guard, a tower defense game where you use the Wii U Gamepad to switch security cameras in order to defeat invading enemies. Along with 100 missions, players can also create and share their own levels. Guard provides a fun diversion that is worth a look if you are looking for a change of pace from Zero.If you are interested, you can purchase the Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard bundle with this link.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

The last major Wii U game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, won’t be coming out until 2017. To shorten the long wait, we recommend checking out The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD. One of the better games in the series, Twilight Princess, has been remastered beautifully for the high-definition era. In addition to the enhanced visuals, a few tweaks have been made to streamline the gameplay while there are also some new contents as well. So, even if you played the original, there are plenty of incentives to try out the HD version.Buy The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, which comes with the Wolf Link and Midna Amiibo, via this page.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a crossover between Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei. With that said, you don’t need any knowledge of the two to enjoy this Japanese role-playing game. Gamers can expect a great battle system where you exploit enemy weaknesses in order to chain attacks in addition to some creative dungeon designs. There is also a great city to explore as you live as a Japanese idol outside of dungeons. If you enjoy JRPGs, then you should definitely check out this overlooked gem.Purchase Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE here.

Must Have Wii U Accessories in 2016

USB Ethernet Adapters

The Nintendo Wii U can only connect online wirelessly, which makes it less than ideal when playing online multiplayer games such as Matio Kart 8, Splatoon and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Fortunately, you can use an USB Ethernet adapter for a wired connection, which will lead to a faster and more stable internet connection. Not to mention that these accessories are quite cheap in price as well. You can find a list of compatible USB Ethernet adapter for Wii U below:

Wii U GamePad Protectors

Nintendo does not sell the Wii U GamePad as a standalone product. Not to mention that repairing the official controller is quiet costly. Thus, it is a good idea to be more protective of the GamePad.

A great accessory to use for this purpose is the Hori Wii U GamePad Protector. This case is designed to protect both the front and back sides of the controller from dirt, scratches as well as other general wears and tears. Furthermore, the user will still have access to all the buttons and ports of the GamePad.If you are interested, you can check out the various variations of the product with the links below:

External Hard Drives

The Wii U came with either 8 GB or 32 GB of internal storage memory installed. In both cases, there aren’t much space for gamers who are planning to download digital games and/or DLC packs. Thus, we also recommend buying an external hard drive for the Wii U as well.

The Oyen Digital MiniPro External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive has been made specifically to add more space for the Nintendo Wii U. You can check out the two available sizes of the products with the following pages: 1 TB version and 2 TB version. So, if you are looking for some Wii U products to buy during Black Friday 2016 or any other time during this holiday shopping season, then you should check out the items we mentioned in our guide above.