

The N64, GBA, and DS selection are where the real value comes from since many of the NES and SNES games are now available on Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online service. There are even some Wii games that can only be obtained on the Wii U eShop now, though those aren’t technically part of the Virtual Console. The real loss, once the Wii U eShop closes, will be the Virtual Console, which features Game Boy Advance, DS, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and a number of other systems.

However, this is one of the last great Nintendo titles that isn’t just featured on Virtual Console or a remake that players should experience, especially if they are a fan of Xenoblade or good open-world action role-playing games. With Xenoblade Chronicles 3 set to release this July and the series only gaining popularity, it is likely Xenoblade Chronicles X will eventually make its way to the Switch or a future Nintendo console at some point. Wii U games you need to grab before the eShop closes Affordable Space Adventures So if you want to give this oddity of a console another chance to try some of those excellent experiences, here is a selection of games you might not play anywhere else (until they get ported elsewhere). And while developers, including Nintendo, have been consistently porting many of the best Wii U games to the Switch over the last several years, a lot of hidden gems exclusive to the console or that play best using the GamePad will be lost to time. Just like with the 3DS, once the eShop closes, you won’t get many of these games again easily, and many will be gone for good.

29, but that could leave you with leftover funds and comes with more steps than just buying the games. Nintendo eShop cards can still be used to add funds through Aug. On May 23 this year, both storefronts will stop letting users add funds from external payment options like debit cards. March 2023 is the date set for the actual eShop shutting down entirely, but players have an even smaller window available to make their final purchases on both the 3DS and Wii U-though it will still be possible to redownload games and DLC, receive software updates, and play online on Wii U and 3DS for the “foreseeable future” after that. Nintendo plans to close the system’s eShop entirely in March 2023, along with the 3DS, meaning players will no longer have access to the digital storefront or the hundreds of games that have been launched for the unique system. Nintendo discontinued production in January 2017, two months before the Switch even hit store shelves. The Wii U has already been on life support. However, that doesn’t mean the system doesn’t have an entire library full of great exclusives that might be disappearing forever in March 2023 when the eShop closes. It is no secret that Nintendo’s Wii U was a commercial failure fairly soon after it launched in November 2012, putting the company in a tough spot on the console market.
