Rediscovering our Love of Nintendo with the Latest Games for Nintendo Wii U

~Mom Central received product from Nintendo to facilitate this review. All opinions are entirely our own.

As a child of the ‘80s, I have fond, nostalgic memories of my first Nintendo console. Growing up, I loved playing games like Super Mario Brothers (the first one!) and Duck Hunt, complete with the gun. I wonder if my skills of clay shooting would be better or worse now? As more games for the Nintendo NES console were developed – such as Mario Brothers 2, 3, and one of my all-time favorites, Duck Tales, I enjoyed playing different games and the fun and challenges they allowed. Then I moved on to the Super Nintendo console, where I thought the graphics were just out of this world, and was introduced to what would become my favorite Nintendo game, Mario Kart. I used to LOVE playing Mario Kart – whether it be two player with my dad or a friend – or racing solo against the likes of Bowser and the Princess.

After Super Nintendo, I hadn’t moved on to other gaming consoles. Where friends and family moved on to try some of the other console systems, they just weren’t something I fully adopted and stuck to playing games on my smartphone.

Enter Nintendo’s Wii U console. Nintendo Wii U features a Miiverse where users can get tips from other players and share their Wii experiences. Families can connect on the Miniverse so you can identify which games they are playing. The system also connects to WiFi and allows you to download games directly from the Nintendo eShop. Parental controls and passwords are in place, so no need to worry about your kids going overboard on downloading new games! The Wii U comes equipped with the Wii U GamePad, featuring its own volume controls and mini screen for optimal game play.

Playing Super Mario Kart 8 on Wii U

The first game I tried on the Nintendo Wii U was Super Mario Brothers U. I was so excited to relive the fun and nostalgia of playing in Mario worlds with familiar friends and foes, but now with enhanced graphics. The game feels so fresh and new while evoking the comfort and nostalgia of our treasured Mario games. Our challenge? Bowser has invaded Princess’ castle and has used a giant mechanical arm to toss Mario, Luigi and Toad across the land! The team must defeat Bowser and the Koopalonigs to save the Princess and reclaim her castle, which was transformed into an evil reflection of Bowser.

I was most excited to try the new Mario Kart 8, which is just released on the console this Spring. I can’t believe that there have been EIGHT variations of the Mario Kart game! With about 30 courses, enhanced Power-Ups stations, and cool new defensive strategies like the Super Horn and unstoppable blue shell, this is not your ordinary racing game! Up to four people can race together on the Miiverse, so you can even race friends and family in other locations. I love how you can check out racing profiles and identify the perfect vehicle for your character of choice.

A fun feature I love is the Highlight Reel which shows you a play-by-play of the races. The visuals are just gorgeous, and one of my favorite courses is Cheep Cheep Beach, which just reminds me of racing through a Bimini vacation. There are also new courses designed to feature antigravity racing, allowing players to race upside down or up vertical surfaces! I love the Twisted Mansion (complete with spooky ghosts) where all of a sudden, you are racing up the walls! Underwater racing is also a pretty cool feature that we all enjoyed. There are three levels of play, which make Mario Kart 8 a great came for players from casual to pro.

I enjoyed revisiting my Olympic Fever by playing Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, where Mario, Sonic, and our other favorite characters compete in the Winter Olympic sports. You choose your country, character, and sporting event, as well as your number of players. When creating a curling team, for example, you can select up to four characters – each with their own role within the game. There’s both singles and pairs’ figure skating, biathlon, and more. The game does a great job of providing clear instructions for play, such as how to do 360 degree turns in the slopestyle event, and how to spin and spiral in figure skating, where you can even select your own program music. It’s a great way for family members of all ages to get an introduction of new sports, while enjoying the excitement of the Olympic Games all year long.

More Wii U games

Wii U has much more to offer beyond just the familiar Mario games. In Pikmin 3, players control three explorers who land on a foreign planet and use the plant-like Pikmin creatures to navigate their way through the land. There is also the Wii Fit U, which comes equipped with the Wii Balance Board and Fit Meter that can help track your fitness progress both using the game and on your own. The Balance Board measures your BMI, tracks your weight, fitness goals, and calories burned. You can choose to work out with a male or female Wii fitness trainer, who will comment on your balance and flexibility during strength training and yoga poses, and provide tips for improving your workout. You also can take part in fitness-focused games, such as the core luge. After doing the luge run on the board, I could certainly feel the abs workout that I just took in, while having a lot of fun trying to stay on the course!

And for those of us who do want to revisit our gaming youth of the ‘80s and ‘90s, games like the original NES Mario World and coveted Super Mario Brothers 3 are available for download for only $4.99 on the Nintendo eShop!

To learn more about the Nintendo Wii U, visit nintendo.com.