When comparing Wii U vs Nintendo 3DS, the Slant community recommends Wii U for most people. In the question“What are the best latest generation gaming consoles?” Wii U is ranked 3rd while Nintendo 3DS is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Wii U is:
Nintendo has some of the best hot-seat multiplayer games outside of the world of first-person shooters. With New Super Mario Bros. U, Super Mario 3D Land, Nintendo Land, and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. U, Mario Kart 8, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Nintendo already has some of the best hot-seat multiplayer options of the next gen consoles.
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Pros
Pro Multiplayer games
Nintendo has some of the best hot-seat multiplayer games outside of the world of first-person shooters. With New Super Mario Bros. U, Super Mario 3D Land, Nintendo Land, and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. U, Mario Kart 8, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Nintendo already has some of the best hot-seat multiplayer options of the next gen consoles.
Pro Nintendo's world class exclusives
The best feature of the Wii U and all Nintendo devices is Nintendo games. Nintendo is one of the best developers in the world, and have an unbeatable track record for incredibly fun, clever, and polished games, and as always, they're only available on Nintendo platforms.
Pro Fills the gap for PC gamers
If you have a PC, you already have most of the things that Playstation 4 and XBox One offer. Many games for those platforms will receive PC ports, often with better graphics, better controls, and more options.
The PC, however, tends to be weak when it comes to local multiplayer, and in genres like platformers and fighting games that benefit from a standardized, gamepad-like controller. These are the exactly things the Wii U excels at - the Wii U's controls allow for interesting and flexible multiplayer games, with symmetric or asymmetric gameplay, using classic gamepad, motion controls, or some combination of the two, and Nintendo's highly regarded exclusive franchises provide a solid collection of content in these genres.
Pro Extra screen on the gamepad
The gamepad's extra screen allows for some cool unique features. It allows you to play games off screen, allowing you to keep playing if someone else wants to use the TV.
Pro Great for streaming media
The Wii U has applications for Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube. While pretty much every device supports those services, what makes the Wii U unique is that the gamepad is a much better interface for choosing media than fumbling with the controller.
A great feature for YouTube is that it allows you to search for the next video to play on the gamepad without interrupting the video on screen, making it the best platform for YouTube parties.
Pro Cheaper than competitors
Cost less than most consoles, which makes a good choice for those on a budget or not looking to break the bank.
Pro Free online multiplayer
The online multiplayer is free, which is great for those not looking to have any type of monthly or yearly fee attached to their gaming console in order to get online gaming.
Pro Highly portable
The 3DS is small and wireless so you can take it on plane rides or with you to school.