Key conclusions
- According to user reports, reboot your Wii U to prevent memory corruption issues.
- Some Wii U consoles may experience memory failure due to lack of power.
- The Wii U community is working on a solution to the memory crash, but it's not an easy fix.
Nintendo Wii U owners may have to start booting their consoles again due to possible system death. The Wii U has been around since 2012, so it's understandable that it's lifespan could come up.
Some consider the system an overall failure compared to its successful predecessor, the Wii, due to the extreme difference in sales between the two consoles. Not to mention, the platform also had a smaller list of available games than its contemporaries, with most of them now available on other systems as well. Many now think that Wii U games should be ported to the Switch 2, so owners may have even less reason to naturally boot their consoles. However, a new report may cause Wii U owners to double-check their system.
Relatives
Nintendo fans were given credit for keeping the game alive before the 3DS and Wii U servers were shut down
Nintendo fans are coming together to create the SpotPass Archive Project, which preserves 3DS and Wii U game content after the server is down.
A tweet by Patrick B of Retro Blast encouraged users to immediately plug in their Wii U. Based on their experience, the system encountered memory corruption because it had been without power for a long time. While the other error codes were said to be different for some users, all of the codes meant that there was a problem with the system memory. The Wii U's memory chips were manufactured by Toshiba, Samsung, and Hynix, with the latter allegedly being the most prone to failure. With Nintendo previously stating that they are out of spare parts for the Wii U, gamers who have experienced a memory failure on their system may be out of luck. However, it is important to note that Nintendo has not commented on the situation. There is still the possibility that other factors can cause these errors.
How can Wii U owners fix the problem?
Retro Blast advised owners to play games and download apps after booting the system because the effects can sometimes be delayed. The user also shared a possible solution called NAND-AID by Twitter user voultar. NAND-AID is a physical ENIG interface that replaces a failed eNAND and acts as a replacement. It looks like the platform could survive as the Wii U community could come up with a lot of creative solutions to the problem. However, at the moment the solution is still not as simple as plug and play as it deals with internal chipsets.
However, this seems like a valid concern for many console owners in the modern era. Retro Blast questioned why consoles like the N64 from 1996 are more durable than the Wii U, which was released over a decade ago. With the modern features that come with new systems, the possibility of additional problems may also increase. Those who collect older consoles like the Wii U may need to check their systems and take them out of the display cases every now and then.
Nintendo Wii U
The Nintendo Wii U was the original successor to the Nintendo Wii and featured upgraded motion controls as well as a new controller that featured a tablet-like touchscreen interface. It was part of the eighth generation of the console wars and went toe-to-toe with the Xbox One and PS4.
- Marco
- Nintendo
- Original release date
- November 18, 2012
- Original MSRP (US Dollars)
- $299 Deluxe Sets: $349
- Weight
- 3.3 pounds
