Best Wii U Games in 2026: 25 Ranked, and Which Are on Switch

November 1, 2026

The best Wii U game is Breath of the Wild (Metacritic 96), and it plays on Switch too. The best one that never left is The Wind Waker HD (90). Nintendo sold 13.56 million Wii U consoles but 156.59 million Switch consoles. So Nintendo moved most of the Wii U’s best games to Switch.

We ranked 25. Fifteen now run on Switch. Three more have a Switch sequel. Seven never left, and the best two are Zelda games. Each pick is marked, and we show what still works after the shutdowns. Checked on 1 November 2026.

In a hurry? Jump to: quick picks · what still works · top 10 sellers · what other lists miss · the 25 · picks 16 to 25 · on Switch · Wii discs · worth buying? · no Wii U? · how to start · FAQ

Black Nintendo Wii U console, the home console that sold 13.56 million units — Image: Nintendo Wii U console by Evan-Amos, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Cropped and converted to WebP.

Quick picks: the best Wii U game for each job

You want	Play this	Metacritic	On Switch?
Best overall	Breath of the Wild	96	Yes (2017)
Best for four players	Super Mario 3D World	93	Yes (2021)
Best fighting game	Super Smash Bros. for Wii U	92	No. Switch has Ultimate.
Best action game	Bayonetta 2	91	Yes (2018)
Best that never left Wii U	The Wind Waker HD	90	No
Best karts	Mario Kart 8	88	Yes (Deluxe, 2017)
Best for building	Super Mario Maker	88	No. Switch has Maker 2.
Best long RPG	Xenoblade Chronicles X	84	Yes (2025)
Best for young kids	Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker	81	Yes (2018)
Best Wii U-only party game	Nintendo Land	77	No

Scores come from Metacritic’s Wii U list. We read it on 1 November 2026.

What still works in 2026 (read this first)

27 March 2023: the Wii U eShop stopped selling games, at 5 PM Pacific.
3 April 2023: download codes stopped working.
8 April 2024: online play ended. That closed the online modes in Mario Kart 8, Splatoon, Smash and Super Mario Maker.
Still works: you can download games you already bought again, and get updates. Nintendo says this should last for the foreseeable future.
Still works: every disc game, offline.
Not from Nintendo: Pretendo Network is a free fan project that replaces Nintendo’s old servers. On a Wii U it needs a modified console or an SSL bypass, and support depends on the game. Wikipedia explains it. We give no modding steps.

Dates are from Nintendo’s own support page. So this list leans on disc games and fun you can have in one room.

The 10 best-selling Wii U games, and where they live now

Nintendo posts lifetime sales for its biggest games. We lined them up against what you can play on Switch today.

#	Game	Wii U sales	Metacritic	Where to play it now
1	Mario Kart 8	8.46 million	88	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch (2017)
2	Super Mario 3D World	5.89 million	93	Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury on Switch (2021)
3	New Super Mario Bros. U	5.82 million	84	New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on Switch (2019)
4	Super Smash Bros. for Wii U	5.38 million	92	Switch has Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a new game
5	Nintendo Land	5.21 million	77	Wii U only. No Switch version found.
6	Splatoon	4.95 million	81	Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3 on Switch
7	Super Mario Maker	4.02 million	88	Super Mario Maker 2 on Switch
8	New Super Luigi U	3.07 million	77	Included in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on Switch
9	The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD	2.37 million	90	Wii U only. The GameCube original is on Switch 2 through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
10	Mario Party 10	2.27 million	66	Wii U only. No Switch version found.

The count:

4 were ported to Switch: Mario Kart 8, Super Mario 3D World, New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U.
3 got a Switch sequel instead: Smash, Splatoon and Super Mario Maker.
3 never left: Nintendo Land, The Wind Waker HD and Mario Party 10.

Same game, bigger crowd. The Switch has far more owners, so the ports reached a much bigger crowd:

Mario Kart 8: 8.46 million on Wii U. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 71.53 million. That is about 8.5 times more.
New Super Mario Bros. U: 5.82 million. The Deluxe version: 19.10 million. About 3 times more.
Super Mario 3D World: 5.89 million on Wii U and 13.47 million on Switch (as of March 2024). More than twice as many.

Sales are from Nintendo’s Wii U and Switch pages. The Wii U page was dated 31 March 2026 and the Switch page 30 June 2026. The 3D World Switch figure is from Wikipedia.

How we picked these 25

The pool: disc games on Metacritic’s Wii U list, plus Nintendo’s top sellers.
The cut: a score of 80 or more, or a top-10 Nintendo seller, for picks 1 to 15. Scores from 73 to 80 fill picks 16 to 25.
Ranked by: critic score first, then how well the game works today.
Checked: sales on Nintendo’s investor pages, shutdown dates on Nintendo’s support page, and Switch releases on Wikipedia and Nintendo store pages.
Compared: on 1 November 2026 we read 24 Wii U pages that rank for this search, including GamesRadar, IGN, Digital Trends and Collider. We kept every game that most of them agree on.
Not claimed: we did not play these games for this update. The scores are the critics’, not ours.

What other Wii U lists miss

Many Wii U pages are old. Some are wrong. Here is what we found:

Old dates. Of the 22 pages with a visible date, 9 were last updated before online play ended on 8 April 2024.
Wrong server news. One November 2026 buyer’s guide says Nintendo Network services continue operating. Nintendo’s support page says online play ended on 8 April 2024.
Old port news. One 2026 page says Xenoblade Chronicles X has yet to reach Switch. The Definitive Edition came out on 20 March 2025.
Mixed-up answers. On 1 November 2026, Bing’s answer box listed Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a Wii U game. Deluxe is the Switch version.
No Switch column. Most lists name a game’s Switch port in a sentence, if at all. We mark every pick.

The 25 best Wii U games, ranked

Picks 1 to 15 get a full entry. Each shows its score, its sales or release date, and whether it is on Switch.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Metacritic: 96 · On Switch: yes, it launched on both in March 2017 · Switch sales: 34.06 million (30 June 2026)

A huge open world. You can climb almost anything and go almost anywhere.
Most players ended up on Switch, so that is where the game lives now.
Our advice: play it on Switch, then move on to Tears of the Kingdom.

Skip it if: you already played it on Switch.
Best for: anyone who wants just one game from this list.

2. Super Mario 3D World

Metacritic: 93 · Wii U sales: 5.89 million · On Switch: yes, 2021, as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Up to four people can play at once, each as a different hero.
The levels are short, so it is easy to pick up and put down.
The Switch version adds Bowser’s Fury, a second game.

Skip it if: you want a big open world. Try Breath of the Wild.
Best for: families and couch co-op.

3. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Metacritic: 92 · Wii U sales: 5.38 million · On Switch: no port. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a newer game.

Eight people can fight at once in 8-Player Smash.
Online play ended on 8 April 2024. Same-room play still works.
If you only own a Switch, get Ultimate. If you own a Wii U, this is still a great party game.

Skip it if: you want online battles, or you own a Switch and can get Ultimate.
Best for: groups with a few controllers.

4. Rayman Legends

Metacritic: 92 · Wii U release: 3 September 2013 · On Switch: yes, Definitive Edition on 12 September 2017

A 2D platformer for one to four players.
It is not a Nintendo game, but it scores as high as Smash.
Easy to share. Anyone can jump in.

Skip it if: you only want Nintendo characters.
Best for: platformer fans and friends who want to team up.

5. Bayonetta 2

Metacritic: 91 · Wii U release: 24 October 2014 · On Switch: yes, 16 February 2018

Fast, stylish action. You play a witch who fights with hair, guns and kicks.
It is rated M for Mature, so it is not for young kids.
Same game on Switch, so you do not need a Wii U for it.

Skip it if: you want a game for young kids.
Best for: teens and adults who like fast action.

6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

Metacritic: 90 · Wii U sales: 2.37 million · On Switch: no HD version found

A cartoon-style Zelda where you sail a boat across a big sea.
The GamePad shows your map and items, so you open fewer menus. Off-TV Play lets you play on the GamePad alone.
A new Swift Sail makes sailing faster than in the GameCube original.
The original GameCube game is on Switch 2 through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, since 5 June 2025. That is not the HD version.

Skip it if: you dislike long boat trips between islands.
Best for: Zelda fans. It is the best reason to own a Wii U.

7. Mario Kart 8

Metacritic: 88 · Wii U sales: 8.46 million · On Switch: yes, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in 2017 (71.53 million sold)

Karts drive on walls and ceilings. Up to four people can race on one TV.
Online races ended on 8 April 2024.
Deluxe sold about 8.5 times as many copies as the Wii U original.

Skip it if: you want online races, or you own a Switch and can get Deluxe.
Best for: any party, any age.

8. Super Mario Maker

Metacritic: 88 · Wii U sales: 4.02 million · On Switch: no port. Super Mario Maker 2 (28 June 2019) is the sequel.

You build your own Mario levels with the GamePad.
Course uploads ended on 31 March 2021. Since 8 April 2024, you cannot play other people’s courses online.
Our advice: on Switch, play Super Mario Maker 2.

Skip it if: you want to play other people’s levels. That part is gone.
Best for: kids who like to make things.

9. Pikmin 3

Metacritic: 87 · Wii U release: 4 August 2013 · On Switch: yes, Pikmin 3 Deluxe on 30 October 2020

You lead tiny plant creatures to carry fruit and fight bugs.
You plan each day, so it is part puzzle and part strategy.
Deluxe adds a new prologue and epilogue, story co-op and all the Wii U DLC.

Skip it if: you want fast action, or you own a Switch. Deluxe has more in it.
Best for: people who like to plan.

10. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

Metacritic: 86 · Wii U sales: 1.17 million (December 2022) · On Switch: no version found

A darker Zelda. Link can turn into a wolf.
The Wolf Link amiibo unlocks the Cave of Shadows, a dungeon only in this Wii U version.
It runs at 30 frames per second, like the original.

Skip it if: you want a lighter Zelda. Try The Wind Waker HD.
Best for: Zelda fans who liked the GameCube and Wii game.

11. Xenoblade Chronicles X

Metacritic: 84 on Wii U, 87 on Switch · Wii U release: 4 December 2015 · On Switch: yes, Definitive Edition on 20 March 2025

A giant sci-fi RPG. You explore an alien planet and pilot big robots.
It is a very long game. Expect dozens of hours.
A Switch 2 Edition came out on 19 February 2026.

Skip it if: you do not have dozens of hours to spare.
Best for: RPG fans who want a long solo game.

12. New Super Mario Bros. U

Metacritic: 84 · Wii U sales: 5.82 million · On Switch: yes, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on 11 January 2019 (19.10 million sold)

Classic side-scrolling Mario. Easy to learn.
The Switch version also includes New Super Luigi U, a harder and faster game.
It supports up to four players.

Skip it if: you want a big 3D Mario.
Best for: young kids and first-time players.

13. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Metacritic: 83 · Wii U release: 21 February 2014 · On Switch: yes, 4 May 2018

A 2D platformer that can be hard.
The Switch version adds Funky Kong and Funky Mode, which makes it easier.
A good pick if you finished Mario and want more.

Skip it if: hard platformers make you angry. Pick the Switch version and use Funky Mode.
Best for: platformer fans who want a challenge.

14. Splatoon

Metacritic: 81 · Wii U sales: 4.95 million · On Switch: no port. Splatoon 2 (2017) and Splatoon 3 (2022) are sequels.

You shoot ink to cover the ground, as a team of four.
The online battles were the main point, and they ended on 8 April 2024. The one-player mode, Octo Valley, does not need online play.
Our advice: buy Splatoon 3 on Switch.

Skip it if: you want online battles. They ended.
Best for: people who already own the Wii U copy.

15. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Metacritic: 81 · Wii U release: 5 December 2014 · On Switch: yes, July 2018 (also on 3DS)

Captain Toad cannot jump. Every level is a small puzzle box you spin around.
The levels are short and calm.
Same game on Switch.

Skip it if: you want fast action.
Best for: young kids and puzzle fans.

Picks 16 to 25: the next ten

Scores run from 73 to 80. Each one is worth it if you already own a Wii U.

#	Game	On Switch?	Why play it
16	Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Metacritic 80 Wii U: 24 Jun 2016	Yes: Encore, 17 Jan 2020	A role-playing game that mixes Fire Emblem heroes with pop idols.
17	LEGO City Undercover Metacritic 80 Wii U: 18 Mar 2013	Yes: 4 Apr 2017	An open-world LEGO cop game. Good for kids and parents together.
18	Yoshi’s Woolly World Metacritic 78 Wii U: 16 Oct 2015	No. A 3DS version came on 3 Feb 2017.	A soft, yarn-style platformer.
19	The Wonderful 101 Metacritic 78 Wii U: 15 Sep 2013	Yes: Remastered, 19 May 2020	A big team of heroes you can draw into weapons.
20	Nintendo Land Metacritic 77 Wii U: 18 Nov 2012	No (Wii U only)	Party mini-games based on Nintendo series. It sold 5.21 million, helped by bundles. Best with friends.
21	ZombiU Metacritic 77 Wii U: 18 Nov 2012	No. It reached PS4, Xbox One and PC as Zombi on 18 Aug 2015.	A scary survival game. Not for young kids.
22	Hyrule Warriors Metacritic 76 Wii U: 26 Sep 2014	Yes: Definitive Edition, 18 May 2018	Zelda heroes fight huge armies.
23	Pokkén Tournament Metacritic 76 Wii U: 18 Mar 2016	Yes: DX, 22 Sep 2017	Pokémon in a 3D fighting game.
24	Paper Mario: Color Splash Metacritic 76 Wii U: 7 Oct 2016	No (Wii U only)	A paper-craft adventure with a card-based battle system.
25	Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Metacritic 73 Wii U: 20 Feb 2015	No (Wii U only)	A clay-style Kirby game you play with the GamePad stylus.

Status for Nintendo Land, Paper Mario: Color Splash, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse and Yoshi’s Woolly World comes from Wikipedia and Nintendo Everything’s April 2024 list. We found no later port.

Commonly listed, but not in our 25

These show up on other lists. Here is why they are not ranked.

Shovel Knight (88): it appears on half of the lists we read. It came out on Wii U on 26 June 2014 and on Switch on 3 March 2017. It is a multi-console game that now lives on Switch.
Star Fox Zero (69): below our cut. It appears on 3 of the 18 lists where games are named in headings.
Big multi-console games such as Assassin’s Creed III (85), Mass Effect 3 (85) and Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut (88), plus Skylanders and Need for Speed Most Wanted U (86). They are better known on other consoles.
Download-only games. Since the eShop closed, you cannot buy a download-only game on a Wii U.
Mario Party 10 (66): a top-10 seller, but its score is low. It never reached Switch that we found.

Wii U games you can now play on Switch

Think of it like a house. Nintendo moved most of the Wii U’s best rooms next door. Here are the 15 of our 25 that moved.

Wii U game	Switch version	Year	What to know
Breath of the Wild	Same game, both consoles	2017	Launched on Wii U and Switch together
Mario Kart 8	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	2017	71.53 million sold
Rayman Legends	Definitive Edition	2017	Up to four players
Pokkén Tournament	Pokkén Tournament DX	2017	Same fighter on Switch
LEGO City Undercover	LEGO City Undercover	2017	Same open-world game
Bayonetta 2	Bayonetta 2	2018	Same game on Switch
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze	Tropical Freeze	2018	Adds Funky Kong and Funky Mode
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker	Treasure Tracker	2018	Also on 3DS
Hyrule Warriors	Definitive Edition	2018	Same battles on Switch
New Super Mario Bros. U	New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe	2019	Includes New Super Luigi U
Pikmin 3	Pikmin 3 Deluxe	2020	New prologue and epilogue, story co-op, all DLC
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE	Encore	2020	Same role-playing game on Switch
The Wonderful 101	Remastered	2020	Also on PS4 and PC
Super Mario 3D World	Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury	2021	Adds a second game, Bowser’s Fury
Xenoblade Chronicles X	Definitive Edition	2025	Switch 2 Edition followed in February 2026

Switch sequels, not ports: Smash Ultimate, Splatoon 2 and 3, and Super Mario Maker 2.

Never reached Switch: The Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Yoshi’s Woolly World, Nintendo Land, ZombiU, Paper Mario: Color Splash and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. We found no Switch or Switch 2 release as of 1 November 2026. Nintendo can announce one at any time, so check the eShop first.

Own a Switch? Our best Nintendo Switch games list shows what to play after these.

Your Wii U also plays Wii discs

A Wii U can run most Wii discs in Wii Mode. Put the disc in and start it as normal.
You will want a Wii Remote. You need one to move around the Wii Menu. The GamePad can show the picture, but Nintendo says its special Wii U features are not available in Wii Mode.
It cannot play GameCube discs. Nintendo lists them as not supported.
Wii online services are long gone, so think of Wii Mode as offline play.

Details are on Nintendo’s Wii Mode page, its disc list and its compatibility page. For the best Wii and GameCube games, see our Dolphin games list.

Is a Wii U worth buying in 2026?

Our view: a Wii U is a second console for Zelda fans and collectors. It is not a first console.

Buy one if you want:

The Wind Waker HD or Twilight Princess HD. We found no Switch version.
The games that never reached Switch, like Nintendo Land, Paper Mario: Color Splash and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse.
A box that also plays Wii discs.

Skip it if:

You own a Switch. Fifteen of our 25 picks are there already.
You want online play. Nintendo ended it on 8 April 2024.
You want to buy games as downloads. The eShop is closed.

No Wii U? Your options in 2026

Switch: 15 of the 25 picks, plus the Switch sequels. This is the easy way. The Switch cannot play Wii U discs, so it only gets the ports.
Switch 2: the original GameCube Wind Waker is on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (Nintendo’s page). Xenoblade Chronicles X has a Switch 2 Edition.
PC: Cemu is the main Wii U emulator. Its official page says it is only for 64-bit Windows, Linux and macOS.
Android: there is no official Cemu for Android. A community port exists, but Held Games calls it early and unofficial. It names flagship handhelds like the AYN Odin 3, AYN Thor and Retroid Pocket 6, and says many games glitch or crash. Treat it as a test, not a plan.
The legal line: use only games you own. We will not link to game or key sites.

Want 3DS games too? Nintendo closed the 3DS eShop on the same day. See our DS and 3DS guide.

How to start in 2026: a 5-step plan

Pick your console. A Switch covers 15 of the 25 picks. You only need a Wii U for the Zelda HD games and a few extras.
Buy discs, not downloads. The eShop is closed, so a download-only game cannot be bought new.
Check what copies really sold for. Prices move. Look at completed sales, not asking prices.
Test the GamePad. Many games use its screen. Check the sticks, the screen and the battery before you pay.
Plan for offline play. Choose games with same-room play: Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, Rayman Legends and Smash.

Bottom line

If you own a Switch, you do not need a Wii U. Fifteen of the best 25 games are already there, and three more have a sequel. If you own a Wii U, start with The Wind Waker HD, then Super Mario 3D World with friends. If you want one game tonight, make it Breath of the Wild.

Do this next: open the eShop on the console you own. On Switch, download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Breath of the Wild. On a Wii U, put in a disc, and check that any games you bought still download.

Sources and dates

Wii U and Switch console sales: Nintendo investor relations, as of 30 June 2026.
Wii U game sales: Nintendo, as of 31 March 2026. Switch game sales: Nintendo, as of 30 June 2026.
Critic scores: Metacritic, read on 1 November 2026.
eShop and online dates: Nintendo support.
Release dates and a few sales figures: Wikipedia pages for each game, and Nintendo store pages.
Wii Mode: Nintendo support, disc list.
Page comparison: 24 Wii U pages that rank on Bing for this search, read on 1 November 2026. Google blocked our automated check, so Google’s own order is not verified.
Found a mistake? Tell us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Wii U game?

Breath of the Wild is the top scorer on Metacritic's Wii U list at 96, and it is also on Switch. The best Wii U game that never got a Switch version is The Wind Waker HD at 90.

What is the best-selling Wii U game?

Mario Kart 8, at 8.46 million copies as of 31 March 2026, according to Nintendo. Super Mario 3D World is second at 5.89 million.

Can you still buy Wii U games?

Not from Nintendo. The Wii U eShop stopped selling games on 27 March 2023, and download codes stopped on 3 April 2023. Disc games can still be bought used. If you already bought a game, Nintendo says you can download it again.

Can you still play Wii U games online?

Not on Nintendo's servers. Nintendo ended online play for Wii U and 3DS software on 8 April 2024. Offline and same-room play still work, so Mario Kart 8, Smash and Super Mario 3D World are fine with friends in one room.

What is Pretendo, and does it bring Wii U online play back?

Pretendo Network is a free fan project that replaces Nintendo's online servers. It is not made by Nintendo. On a Wii U it needs a modified console or an SSL bypass, and support depends on the game. Check Pretendo's own game list before you rely on it. We do not give modding steps.

Are Wii U games on Switch?

Many are. Fifteen of our 25 picks have a Switch version, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Pikmin 3 Deluxe and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Smash, Splatoon and Super Mario Maker have Switch sequels. Seven picks, including The Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD, have no Switch version that we found.

Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a Wii U game?

No. Mario Kart 8 came out on Wii U. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the Switch version from 2017, and it does not run on a Wii U.

Can a Switch play Wii U games?

No. A Switch cannot run Wii U discs or downloads. Some Wii U games were ported to Switch, which is why we mark every pick.

What are the best Wii U games for kids?

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario 3D World are good first picks. Super Mario 3D World supports four players. Bayonetta 2 and ZombiU are for older players.

Can you play Wii U games on Android?

Not in any official way. Cemu, the main Wii U emulator, is only for 64-bit Windows, Linux and macOS. A community Android port exists, but Held Games calls it early and unofficial, and says it only suits flagship handhelds. Use only games you own.

Does the Wii U play Wii games?

Yes. A Wii U can play most Wii discs in Wii Mode with a Wii Remote. It cannot play GameCube discs.