While the Switch has been a huge success for Nintendo thus far, its predecessor, the Wii U, will be remembered as one of the company’s biggest sales flops. But while a number of the console’s best titles, such as Mario Kart 8 and Bayonetta 2, have since been ported to Switch, the system is still home to some great exclusives, making it something of a collector’s item. If you’re looking to pick up a new one, however, be prepared to shell out a lot of money.
As pointed out by Twitter user RSGabe (via Nintendo Soup), prices for brand-new Wii U consoles have skyrocketed on Amazon. The Deluxe 32 GB model with the pack-in launch title, Nintendo Land, is listed for $789 as of this writing, while the New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U bundle is currently going for $879. Even the basic set, which features a white 8 GB console and no pack-ins, is listed for an exorbitant $729.
If you don’t mind picking up a second-hand system, however, you’ll be able to get a Wii U for much cheaper than that. Refurbished consoles can be found for roughly $100 on Ebay, while used systems start at around $140 on Amazon.
The Wii U first launched in November 2012 and would go on to be Nintendo’s poorest-performing home console to date, selling 13.56 million units worldwide over its lifetime. Nintendo officially ended production of the console in January 2017, two months before the launch of the Switch. The hybrid system has fared much better, surpassing Wii U’s lifetime sales in just 10 months.
Despite its poor sales, Wii U amassed a solid library of exclusive titles, such as Super Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3, and Xenoblade Chronicles X. As previously mentioned, a number of the system’s best games have already been re-released on Switch, the latest of which is New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, which combines the base game along with the New Super Luigi U expansion. It hits the console on January 11.
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