A British gamer has voiced a controversial opinion, claiming that the first year of the ill-fated Wii U console offered a more enjoyable experience than the inaugural year of the highly successful Nintendo Switch 2.
A Year of Disappointment for Switch 2
In a reader's feature published by GameCentral on 7th December 2025, the gamer, named Taylor Moon, expressed deep regret over their Switch 2 purchase. While acknowledging the console will likely prove its worth in time, they described its first-year lineup as a major letdown.
Moon contrasted it with the incredible first year of the original Switch, stating that despite numerous first-party releases, none resonated. Mario Kart World was labelled boring and inferior to its predecessor, while Hyrule Warriors and Kirby Air Riders felt too familiar. Although Donkey Kong Bananza was deemed the best title, it failed to generate the excitement of past 3D Mario adventures.
The final straw was the critical reception for Metroid Prime 4, which convinced Moon not to buy it, citing reviews that suggested the game had "made all the wrong decisions."
The Surprising Strengths of the Wii U Launch
Moon argues that the Wii U's first year, while also sparse on exclusive hits, was ultimately more compelling. A key advantage was significantly stronger third-party support at launch, with titles like Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2, Assassin's Creed 3, Batman: Arkham City, Mass Effect 3, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
This support dried up quickly, but it provided a more convincing library early on. The Wii U also boasted exclusives like the clever roguelike ZombiU and New Super Mario Bros. U, which featured a praised co-op mode.
The Nintendo Land Factor: Innovation vs. Iteration
The core of Moon's argument, however, hinges on one title: Nintendo Land. This mini-game collection is described as a masterpiece of asymmetric party gameplay that fully utilised the Wii U GamePad's unique features.
Games like Animal Crossing: Sweet Day, Luigi's Ghost Mansion, and the standout Mario Chase (described as "video game tag") provided hours of fun with friends and family. Moon contends that this one brilliant game justified the entire console and its new gimmicks at launch—something they feel no Switch 2 title has achieved.
This leads to a broader criticism: the Wii U was filled with ambitious, if flawed, Nintendo ideas like the Miiverse social network, while the Switch 2 feels like a safe iteration with only a webcam as its major new addition.
In conclusion, while the Wii U was a commercial failure, Moon's first year with it is filled with great memories of innovation and social play. The Switch 2's first year, in contrast, is seen as a functional but forgettable disappointment that played it too safe.
