Nintendo has released a software update for its languishing Wii U console, its first in nearly two and a half years. The console has made the big jump from version 5.5.3 to... 5.5.5.
Nintendo just released the first Wii U update since 2018
More stability
More stability
is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.
The patch notes are frustratingly vague, so it’s hard to tell exactly what changed. “Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience,” the patch notes read. I can’t say I ever experienced crashes on my Wii U back when I had one, but I guess more stability is good for the likely few people still using the console.
Nintendo has largely abandoned the Wii U in favor of the hugely popular Nintendo Switch and has ported over many of the older console’s best games, including Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pikmin 3, and most recently, Super Mario 3D World.
There are still a few Wii U exclusives worth keeping it plugged in for, such as The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, and Xenoblade Chronicles X. But given how readily Nintendo has brought its best Wii U games over to the Switch, there’s a chance they could get ported, too, further rendering the Wii U obsolete.
At least the Wii U is a little more stable now.
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