aspro said:

Thanks for all the infos.

So increasing the SD card would do nothing for Wii U functionality and an external USB drive and bigger battery for the gamepad is suggested.

If I don't intend to download much DLC or E-store stuff could I skate by with the onboard 8 gb?  I mainly intend to Wii-Use this for disc-based games.

The updates for games will suck dry your tiny HDD, very quickly and remember to download big or even Wii games, a single game might fill up that 8gb version. USB sticks, or static media like using an SD card via USB adaptor aren't reccomended as data will have to be written and re-written on a regular basis.

edgecrusher said:

I've got a ton of games on the Wii U and I still have 20 gigs left on the storage. It doesn't eat up space for game installs like the other consoles do....its designed more like the systems of the past.

I've also never had much issue with the Gamepad's life. It lasts a good 5 hours and that's if you're playing something that drains it badly, like Zombi U. And if you're playing for 5 hours straight you need to take a break anyway. Honestly, the PS4 pad needs to be charged just as much as the Gamepad.

I've started having to clean out the fridge with my 32gb U. Sometimes there are awesome sales for full games and if you get one it sucks up 8gb or something. I had to delete alot of stuff to get Metroid Prime trilogy on it. It's a shame you can't buy a game on the eshop but choose to download it at a later date. You have to download it immediately and so you have to clean out the fridge in time to take advantage of the sale.

gamingeek said:

It's a shame you can't buy a game on the eshop but choose to download it at a later date. You have to download it immediately and so you have to clean out the fridge in time to take advantage of the sale.

Not 100% true (though about 75% true). You can buy most retail games at store.nintendo.com. Once you buy them you get a download code for it that you can use at a later today. Unfortunately they don't offer much other than full retail games (not indies or VC titles), and the code has to be entered within 30 days or so. Still it will let you get the bigger games when they go on sale without a committment to immediately install it.

Ravenprose said:

The Wii U does not support USB 3.0; only 2.0. I highly recomend reading Nintendo's Wii U Storage FAQ. There's also a link there to compatibility tested USB HDDs.

I don't know how entirely accurate that is. Nintendo has never been great at updating their specs. Nintendo UK lists some 3.0 devices. But fair enough point.

Nintendo's site says this (but I've overwritten flash drives hundreds of times and never had an issue).

10.    Can I use a Flash/Thumb drive as an external storage device?

Because these devices have a limited number of rewrites and are not suited to long-term storage of important game data, we do not recommend the use of Flash/thumb drives as an external storage device solution. For best results, we recommend using a hard drive with its own power supply that connects to the Wii U via the USB port on the console.

Commercial Flash memory has a limit on the number of times you can write over it and we don't recommend flash memory devices for long-term storage of important save data.

Ravenprose said:

Flash drives do work with Wii U; I've seen videos of people using them on YT. As far as their life expectancy, no idea.

I picked up a couple of 32 giggers for $12 total, so that should set me up.

Flash drives are fine for storage, and you're okay playing old VC games off of them as well. If by chance you have some full length digital games though you might want to leave those on the Wii U harddrive and swap them back onto a flash drive when you're not using them.

aspro said:

robio said:

It's kind of borderline. You could probably get by though if you have a large size USB 3.0 stick.

Okay, I must have missed that, now I re-read. So you can just use a USB stick, that should work, htey make them plenty big these days.  Will check for compatibility on Nintendo's site.

robio said:

Also I think you can get by without the external battery for the pad. I do fine without it. I think I've run out of juice 3 times in 2 and a half years.

And for me it's not going to be a "daily driver" console.

I have the 8GB SKU not premium.  As Supreme said basically the HD on it is for Nintendo updates and saves.  You can't really download anything on it.

If you get an external HD, make sure you get a y-cable as it needs power from both USB ports or it won't work.

1 Game?  ZombieU.  You can get it for a song and no one else mentioned it so ...

Also, haven't bothered with bigger battery for the pad.  When it runs out I plug it in.  I'm old enough to have played with wired controllers so it's not an issue for me.

Zombi U is a cool game but it wont last you long. 10-15 hours? Maybe.

Received. Ebay seller included 8 GB SD card (probably forgot it), so that's a bonus.

Bad news: None of my Wii games play on it (fucking region locked bullshit).

Good news: I now have a AU region Wii (as part of the Wii U), so I will be able to go hoboing and get all the decent Wii games released since I moved in 2008.

I have a couple of acutions going on Bayoneta 2 and Zombieu right now.  Games are DAMN expensive here, even on the grey market.

No More Heroes (but certainly not the sequel!)

Red Steel 2 - great use of the Wiimote+

Family Ski or its sequel - great use of the Wiimote/nunchuck.  best winter sports simulation this side of 1080° Snowboarding on N64.