Do you know a Wii U owner and want to get them an accessory that won’t be a complete dud? Then look no further than our list of five accessories that any Wii U owner would be happy to find under the tree this year.
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB USB 3.0 Port. Hard Drive – ~$80.00
Give the gift of digital gaming to your favorite Wii U owner. Digital games are the way of the future. They lead to less issues with supply, less hassle than going to the store, and the eShop is (almost) always open. Not only that, but the virtual console offers a lot of great games you can’t easily find otherwise. Unfortunately, the paltry 8 and 32gig models for the Wii U restrict many from enjoying the convenience and benefits of going digital. Remedy that with an External HDD.
The Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive is reliable and comes at a very low price. It also has all the space a Wii U owner could ever realistically need. Just make sure to pick up a Y cable for extra convenience.
Wii U GamePad High Capacity Battery – $32.00
The biggest flaw of the Wii U‘s game pad is that the battery life is roughly three to five hours when not connected to the AC adapter. The official Wii U GamePad High Capacity Battery can boost that up to eight hours to accommodate those longer sessions that are surely coming this holiday season.
It’s highly advised you purchase it from the Nintendo online store, as third party batteries are often duds and retail outlets can charge upwards of $50.00 for the same item.
Buy it online at the Nintendo Store.
Wii U Pro Controller – $49.99
The Wii U game pad is a great controller with unique functions, but its great bulk can be a lot to heft around if the features aren’t being used, especially for children. It’s also not ideal for high speed action games like Bayonetta 2. Thankfully, the Wii U Pro Controller provides options for games that don’t require game pad exclusive functionality. It’s well made, very light and extremely durable. Oh, did we mention that the battery can hold a charge for over 80 hours of use? Don’t be surprised if you only have to charge it once a month. The only knock against it is that many will take time to adjust to the placement of the right stick, but after a little while it may just become your favorite controller.
Buy it on Amazon.
Amiibo – $12.99
The amiibo is Nintendo‘s entry into the “toys to life” world of smart toys. Each amiibo figurine contains data that can be scanned into compatible games for benefits. Currently the only compatible games are Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors, and Super Smash Bros., with more titles sporting amiibo compatibility down the road. As it stands now though, Smash players see the largest benefits of ownership.
In Smash, amiibo are scanned into the game and made into Figure Players. These FPs can be trained and given customized stat bonuses to create your own co-op friend or a terminator to battle against in sparring matches to improve your skills. The speed at which they learn is impressive and they really can be trained to have their own style. Check out our amiibo write up for more info.
You can check out a catalog of Amiibo figures to choose from on Amazon.
GameCube Controller Adapter For Wii U – $39.99
The GameCube Controller Adaptor for Wii U currently supports only one game: Super Smash Bros. It’s still an investment worth considering as many Smash players still prefer to play the game on the GameCube controller, after all, Smash has supported the GameCube controller since 2001. Maybe down the road Nintendo will release GameCube title through the virtual console, but until then this is a purchase for Smash fans only.
That said, it’s a gift any Smash playing Wii U owner would love above all else. Sadly, the stock is incredibly low, and people have been buying them to sell on ebay for prices upwards of $100. If you actually do find one at retail it will cost you $19.99, and you should snap it up on sight as it likely won’t be there later.
Until then, you can snag the actual controller itself on Amazon for $39.99. The adapter is also on Amazon as well, with various prices as expected.
