[MindlessInsanity]

To clear up a few misunderstandings, I told my mom over and over, explaining to her why not to get the Wii U. She being the non-gamer she is, couldn't comprehend my Xbox 360's controller "buttons and sticks" so she thought she'd get this. (using childhood image brainwashing, Nintendo=automatically good." Because you know, buttons and sticks on a Wii U giant pad with a screen is way less complicated than it's clones. Also the backwards compatability is asinine. I'm never getting rid of m original Wii. It can read Wii discs just fine, but you HAVE to attach the sensor back to one of its ports and use the Wii's controllers. Also, unlike the Wii, it's incapable of reading GameCube games, which all I ever used my Wii for. Along with that the games are total crap. The port of Assassins Creed 3 is just awkward with the controls. For playing the Xbox for so long I'm used to letters being in a certain place, Wii U the letters are the same, sure, but it's in a different spot, so if say I want to choke someone cold, I'm more likely to jump on them or something that'll get me detected. Also, AsCred4 on Xbox is so much more fun. The pamplet my mom got from shameless advertiser brags about the "1080p graphics" and I suppose that's only on TV's and crap because the GamePads the only thing I can use to play because my vision is total crap. Also the library, weather it be a crappy game like Pacmans' ghostly adventure, or a late import like Watch_Dogs, it's just boring. Seriously, Watch_Dogs sold so little on Wii U. Want to know why? It was on 6 other platforms 5 months before it's release. 360,XBONE PS3, PS4, and PC. I'm sick of hearing my Mother getting games and saying "I'll play it, believe me, I want to." She's been like this for a while. 2 years ago she bought her own Wii saying she'd use it, (even though there was nothing wrong with my current Wii, not even memory usage) and according to her, she's used it only 2 times.

[MindlessInsanity]

One of the big reasons it doesn't sell well is because of the lack of third party support, but hey, Smash 4 is great and I'm cool dying while playing it.

also mario maker.

Hey kids, do you like Mario? Do you like Super Mario Maker?Do you like free things? Do you like being able to share your levels with anyone around the world? Well here's just that, on PC!

http://www.pcmariogames.com/super-mario-flash-2.php

No, really, I've played this for months now, it works, and it's fun.

[Piewarrior27]

To clear up a few ... -snip- ...Wii, not even memory usage) and according to her, she's used it only 2 time

You don't get a nintendo console for third party games, though; apart from perhaps a few games (like monster hunter or professor layton or whatever,) nintendo consoles are bought for nintendo games. Ports of other games to it are pretty much always crap. The wii u is also more casual and less complicated than the xbox or what have you, as it's aimed towards all age groups rather than gamers. Comparing the wii u to the xbox in the ways you did hardly works, as, though they are both consoles, they seek to acheive different things; you wouldnt rate a minivan and a sports car using the same criteria.
Also, about the mario maker, the wii u game is pretty slick and easy, and it has plenty of cool features. I havent played the one you've linked, and have only seen prople play mario maker, but having an official platform for it is nifty.

How is the backwards compatibility on Wii-U?
Is it Wii level with Gamecube support and all those old gems on the virtual store or just play Wii games?

Also how is the homebrew scene these days? Is Wii-U a fully fledged media center with HDD support for loading emulators etc?

The wii u only plays wii u and wii games, but as meow said, it does use the gamecube controllers with an adaptor, and some gamecube games are on the virtual console (I think). The e store kind of sucks though, it's pretty over priced and while it has plenty of the older games (nes and snes and stuff), it's only just getting games from newer consoles (some N64 and 3ds games have been added quite recently). The homebrew scene is pretty much nonexistant, as nintendo shoves out new updates quite regularly fixing exploits, but there is a small community who try to get into it, I think. I doubt the homebrew and emulating scene will get big on the wii u until nintendo moves on to their next console and stops patching things, but it's slowly getting bigger as the console ages and people find more about it.

[Bu1ld0g]

Ahh that's a shame, homebrew on Wii was awesome and almost always 5 minutes behind any update to spoil the fun.
Besides, it's not like I don't own almost every single game from the Wii Virtual store in original physical form on their original consoles. *Yeah I have a slight collecting addiction.

To be fair, homebrew was mostly used for HDD storage of games instead of having to run them direct off the disc. Although I understand Wii-U has an internal (possibly upgradeable?) HDD this time round.

[krinbros]

One of the big reasons it doesn't sell well is because of the lack of third party support, but hey, Smash 4 is great and I'm cool dying while playing it.

also mario maker.

Hey kids, do you like Mario? Do you like Super Mario Maker?Do you like free things? Do you like being able to share your levels with anyone around the world? Well here's just that, on PC!

http://www.pcmariogames.com/super-mario-flash-2.php

No, really, I've played this for months now, it works, and it's fun.

Ok, but a console game compared to a flash game is obviously superior, it plays very well and the level of customization is amazing, but whatever, to each his own. Even if Nintendo's lagging a little, I'll still give my money up for them, and when that fails, it's onto the PS4 and MGSVTPP.

[eah]

2D platforming mario games have forever suffered from un-replayability

I strongly disagree with you there, trying to get/beat the high score or open up other routes on Super Mario World was always the main challenge over simply completing the game. I still play SMW & Yoshi's Island 20 years later, on the original cartridges too. But that was back when Ninty were "fun"

Well, I was trying to be dramatic. I still think mario maker is going to be much more appealing to fans than the "new super mario bros" they keep releasing.

[MindlessInsanity]

LQTM. Wii U broke. Just turned it on to play ascred3 and it just froze. We looked into it and it's definitly broken. Well that was a nice 170$ and 20 hour investment of me and Ma's time. I think I've convinced my mom my 32$ 360 is infinitely better.

[Bu1ld0g]

Is it under warranty? Or if bought 2nd hand, how long ago?
Consumer rights cover pre -owned items within a certain time frame.

[Meowrocket]

LQTM. Wii U broke. Just turned it on to play ascred3 and it just froze. We looked into it and it's definitly broken. Well that was a nice $170 and 20 hour investment of me and Ma's time. I think I've convinced my mom my $32(?) 360 is infinitely better.

FTFY and where are you getting a $32 xBox 360...?

[MindlessInsanity]

LQTM. Wii U broke. Just turned it on to play ascred3 and it just froze. We looked into it and it's definitly broken. Well that was a nice $170 and 20 hour investment of me and Ma's time. I think I've convinced my mom my $32(?) 360 is infinitely better.

FTFY and where are you getting a $32 xBox 360...?

"good"Will, and the Xbox has never acted up. I swear it was a miracle. A mom must have been mad and donated it and I was there on the right day of the right hour during a blue moon on Friday the 13th while all the planets are aligned. Seriously, that must have been the best deal I've ever made
Also Bu1l no, we're gonna return it to the guy we got it from.