Nintendo has officially shut down online servers for its Wii U and 3DS, which means the end of online multiplayer gaming for both consoles.
Mario Kart 7 (3DS) and the original Splatoon (Wii U) have been turned into single-player, or couch co-op experiences.
The first Super Mario Maker is also dead, meaning there is no way to browse or download player-created levels.
The 3DS was originally a follow-up to the DS, eventually becoming a success on its own, due to a range of popular game titles including, ‘Super Mario 3D Land,’ ‘The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds,’ ‘Kid Icarus: Uprising,’ ‘Fire Emblem Awakening,’ ‘Pushmo,’ and ‘BoxBoy!’
The Wii U is largely considered one of Nintendo’s biggest shortcomings. It was the follow-up to the Wii.
It provided gamers with two screens, the TV and a touchscreen tablet. This was supposed to lead to unique gameplay which gave the person holding the tablet a different task than those holding traditional controllers. Only a few titles explored this concept.
The Wii U also had its share of first party games, including ‘The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.’
It also brought with it ‘Mario Kart 8,’ ‘Super Mario 3D World,’ ‘Super Mario Maker,’ ‘Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze,’ ‘Pikmin 3,’ and ‘Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.’
Nintendo itself realised the console was a flop, however, the games were good, which led to various re-releases on the Nintendo Switch.
‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ was originally developed for the Wii U.
Some sources are claiming the design of the Wii U and its failure led to the popular Nintendo Switch console, as both allow portable play, however, the Wii U required users to be tethered to a bulky console.
The Switch has sold 140 million units as of last December, whereas the Wii U sold under 14 million units since it launched.
The online stores for the 3DS and Wii U were shut down last year.
