Nintendo has just released its latest piece of console magic with the Wii U. While it’s been popular enough to have trouble staying on store shelves, there is a vitriolic group of gamers who only wants to see the Wii U burn forever in console hell. So why are these people so full of hatred? Could it perhaps be due to the fact that they don’t really understand the technology?

We here at Cheat Code Central decided to don our investigative journalism hats to find out, so we headed to the infamous cesspool of hate, filth, and poorly reasoned arguments that is Facebook. (Yes, Cheat CC has a Facebook, and you should probably hit the “like” button.)

So here are some of the things our Facebook users have said about the Wii U, followed by clarification from those of us who have actually used the thing. (These are actual comments by actual Facebook users.)

“Graphics, Games everything. It's Trash.”

First of all, I don’t know why so many words in this comment are capitalized. Also, I have a feeling this person doesn’t know that this is actually an HD console, with specs that, for the most part, top the PS3’s. In fact, I’ve seen Pikmin 3 in action, and it looks fantastic. That’s not to mention that we’ve already seen some pretty impressive lighting effects from the Wii U’s launch lineup. And this is just the beginning. As developers learn the system better, they’ll be pushing the graphical envelope.

Oh, and the games are fine. New Super Mario Bros. U is incredible, and ZombiU is pretty darn cool. Plus we’re seeing some really great titles like Assassin’s Creed III and Mass Effect 3 making their way over to the Wii U. And, as I already mentioned, this is just the beginning. Writing off the Wii U’s game library this early in its lifespan would be completely foolish.

“Wii blows they have u pay soo much for a system Wit hardly any great titles out there too kid friendly and lame ...”

Do you mean the Wii or the Wii U? Because neither console is costly, all things considered. The Wii currently retails for $129.99 for a black console that comes with Wii Sports, and $79.99 for a refurbished console (on GameStop’s website.) The Wii U retails for $299.99 for the Basic Set and $349.99 for the Deluxe. And it just launched. Remember when the PS3 launched at $599.99? A $300 price tag at launch is actually pretty reasonable, especially considering the fact that those controllers have to cost a pretty penny to manufacture.

And the Wii U’s lineup is surprisingly not kid friendly. I mean, sure, there’s New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land, but there’s also ZombiU, Black Ops 2, and Assassin’s Creed III, all of which are rated M. And don’t forget that Bayonetta 2 and Mass Effect 3 are on the way. The Wii U is definitely pushing for a more hardcore audience than the original Wii.

“I hated it before it even came out, just because it was a Wii.”

That seems incredibly rational…

“the wii doesn't have a controller like a Playstation 2 or 3 or an Xbox or like the classic Atari systems”

Wait. So this person is saying the Wii U doesn’t have a controller, or that the controller isn’t like that of the PS2, PS3, Xbox, and classic Atari? Because, yes, it actually does have a controller, and it also has a controller called the Pro Controller, which is very similar to an Xbox 360 controller. And have you ever seen a classic Atari controller? It was nothing like the PS2, PS3, or Xbox controllers. It was more like this stick with an orange button on the pedestal.

“The graphics is ninja booty”

I don’t know what this means, but it made me laugh.

“because they made black ops 2 for that piece of scrap metal instead of the regular Wii”

So this person hates the Wii U because it has better graphical capabilities than the Wii and was more suited for handling a game like Black Ops 2 than the original Wii? Should we just back-port future Call of Duty titles to the NES? Would that make you happy?

Also, this person should probably have used the phrase “scrap plastic” instead of “scrap metal.”

“Are you joking? Most of the "hardcore" crowd (Read: Microsoft and Sony fanboys) decided it was horrible years ago, it could've been God's gift to gaming and they would've been "Meh.". Anyone I've talked to who actually owns the system has loved it, everyone who has said things like "The screen is garbage" or "It's very uncomfortable" has just seen pictures or read the specs.”

There are actually some valid points here.

“I heard it was heavy and bulky.”

Well, you heard wrong. The controller is barely a pound. If that’s too heavy for you, your arms are probably so small that they make you look like a T-Rex. And, as someone who’s already been forced to endure incredibly long gaming sessions with it to get my reviews turned in on time, I can say that it’s actually pretty comfortable to hold for extended periods of time.

“I don't have one nor would I get one but the concept is ridiculous. What's the point of having a little control screen as well as it being on your tv. And the control buttons seem outta reach Specialy the left and right sticks”

Well, the point, as far as I can tell, was to take the same sort of functionality (two screens) that made the original DS so much fun, and bring it to a home console. And there have already been some pretty cool uses for the tech. ZombiU uses the GamePad touchscreen for a minimap, for example, which is really convenient.

Also, the controller feels fine. The buttons aren’t hard to reach at all, and I don’t even have enormous hands.

“If u have to ask Y we hate it then u really know it sucks! i dont need to answer a dumb question like this...”

I feel so enlightened by your well-thought-out analysis. Wait, my response was probably sarcasm.

Now, one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about the Wii U right now is that they think it’s a handheld console. It’s getting compared to the PSP a lot, actually. Here are some examples:

“System is to big and it looks like a PSP had sex with the PS Vita.”

“It's the same damn thing as a psp and all.”

“psp is better than wii if u hack the psp”

“It's copied off the ps vita”

“just a really oversized game boy.....you dont need a tv to play it soo why make it like they did....duuuumb”

The Wii U is a home console, like the PS3 or Xbox 360. It’s not a handheld device, even though the controller looks like one. If you don’t believe me, I’ve included a picture of my Wii U so you can see what the console actually looks like:

That controller on top of it is the previously mentioned Pro Controller.

Now, there are legitimate reasons for people to dislike the Wii U. For example, there is no onboard hard drive, and the system memory is embarrassingly small, especially considering how valuable storage is in this age of downloadable content. There was also that whole snafu with the massive day-one update that we had to download before we could even play with it.

But most of the reasons people have been giving us (on our Facebook page, anyway) for hating the Wii U are based on simple misunderstandings of the technology. Now, Nintendo can be held at least partially responsible for this, as they’ve not been incredibly good at explaining this device to consumers. Still, it’s never a good idea to hate something before you’ve actually taken a few minutes to understand it.

After providing you with some insight into what the console actually is, do you still hate it? If so, tell us why in the comments. Just remember, those comments could find their way into a future article some day.

By

Josh Wirtanen

Editor / Social Media

Date: November 28, 2012

*The views expressed within this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not express the views held by Cheat Code Central.*