Platform guide
All Mario Wii U games
Twelve Mario discs came out for the Wii U in Europe between 2012 and 2016. The console sold badly, which cuts both ways when you buy one now: print runs were small, but seven of the twelve games were later remade on the Switch. Five never were — and those are the reason to own a Wii U at all.
The short answer
Only on the Wii U: Mario Party 10, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Paper Mario: Color Splash and the two Mario & Sonic Olympic games. Better on the Switch: Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World. Best first buy if the Wii U is your console: Super Mario 3D World.
Every Mario Wii U disc, in release order
| Game | Year (EU) | What it is | Since then |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Super Mario Bros. U | 2012 | 2D platformer — launch title | Switch, as New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019) |
| New Super Luigi U | 2013 | 2D platformer — standalone disc | Included in the Switch Deluxe version |
| Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | 2013 | Sports — crossover | Wii U only — never re-released |
| Super Mario 3D World | 2013 | 3D platformer | Switch, with Bowser’s Fury added (2021) |
| Mario Kart 8 | 2014 | Racing | Switch, as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) |
| Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker | 2015 | Puzzle | Switch and 3DS (2018) |
| Mario Party 10 | 2015 | Party — board game | Wii U only — never re-released |
| Yoshi's Woolly World | 2015 | 2D platformer — Yoshi | 3DS, as Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World (2017) |
| Super Mario Maker | 2015 | Level creator | Succeeded by Super Mario Maker 2 on Switch |
| Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash | 2015 | Sports | Wii U only — never re-released |
| Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | 2016 | Sports — crossover | Wii U only in this form |
| Paper Mario: Color Splash | 2016 | RPG — Paper Mario | Wii U only — never re-released |
The five that are still only here
Mario Party 10, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Paper Mario: Color Splash, and the Wii U versions of Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games have never been re-released on anything. For those five, a Wii U disc is the only way to play them, and their prices reflect it: Color Splash in particular has climbed steadily, because it is a full Paper Mario that most people never played.
The opposite is true of Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World. Both were remade on the Switch with real additions — Deluxe brought back the proper battle mode, and 3D World arrived with Bowser’s Fury attached. If you own both consoles, buy those two on the Switch. If the Wii U is what you have, the discs are considerably cheaper and the games are the same underneath.
Do not buy a Wii U without the GamePad
The GamePad is not an accessory on this console, it is half of it. Super Mario Maker is built around drawing levels on its screen, Mario Party 10 gives the Bowser player their own view on it, and several games use it as the only display. Replacement GamePads are scarce and expensive — often more than a whole console with one included. If you are buying a Wii U alongside these games, check that the listing says the GamePad is present and charges.
Or buy one that has already been checked
Every disc we sell is play-tested on real hardware and listed exactly as it is, with the case and manual described honestly. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries.
Browse tested Wii U gamesQuestions we get asked
How many Mario games are there on the Wii U?
Twelve discs in Europe, from New Super Mario Bros. U at the 2012 launch to Paper Mario: Color Splash in 2016. That count includes the Yoshi, Captain Toad, Mario Party and Mario & Sonic titles. It leaves out Nintendo Land, Wii Party U and Game & Wario, which are not Mario games, and the eShop-only releases such as Dr. Luigi and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars — the Wii U eShop closed in 2023, so those cannot be bought at all any more.
Which Mario Wii U games are still only on the Wii U?
Five: Mario Party 10, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Paper Mario: Color Splash, and the two Mario & Sonic Olympic games (Sochi 2014 and the Wii U version of Rio 2016). None of those has ever been re-released, so a Wii U disc is the only way to play them — and that shows in what they cost.
Which ones should I buy on the Switch instead?
Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World, if you have both consoles. The Switch versions add real content — Deluxe has the battle mode Mario Kart 8 shipped without, and 3D World comes with Bowser’s Fury attached — and both are easy to find. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe likewise bundles New Super Luigi U with it. Buy the Wii U discs of those three only if the Wii U is the console you own, in which case they are usually cheaper.
Which Mario Wii U game should I buy first?
Super Mario 3D World. It is the best game on the console, it works just as well with one player as with four, and the Wii U disc is far cheaper than the Switch version. Then Super Mario Maker, which is a very different thing on Wii U than the 3DS version — full-size level building on the GamePad screen.
Do I need the GamePad?
Yes, for practically everything. The Wii U GamePad is not an optional accessory: Super Mario Maker is built around drawing on it, Mario Party 10 uses it for the Bowser player, and Nintendo Land-style asymmetric modes need it. A Wii U without a working GamePad is close to useless, so check that a console listing includes one — replacements are scarce and expensive.
Do Wii games play on a Wii U?
Yes — the Wii U has a built-in Wii mode that plays Wii discs with Wii Remotes. It cannot play GameCube discs. So a Wii U covers this list plus every Mario Wii game.
Do you ship Mario Wii U games across the EU?
Yes — tracked shipping from the Netherlands to all 27 EU countries, no customs charges inside the EU, and 30 days to return an order. Your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
One console back: all Mario Wii games — which a Wii U also plays — or the GameCube ones. The whole series in order.
Dutch reader? Wii U-games — het hele aanbod in het Nederlands.
