So I was at a store here, and...

[A Black Falcon]

Others might scoff at picking up a Wii U when the Switch seems to be the much more successful system, but frankly there are a LOT of great games on that thing. I've STILL got more Wii U games than PS4 games, for what that's worth.

So do you have a lot of Wii U games then, or few PS4 games? Either way, sure, I can see that. Nintendo does make a lot of the best games after all. :)

Third party support sucked, but if you just get it for playing Nintendo games, like a lot of the ones you just mentioned. I know you like Twilight Princess, so check out the HD remaster. The visuals didn't age nearly as well as Wind Waker, but it still looks pretty good. It looks like now's the time to get those Wii U games, since they're probably never going to be cheaper than at the dawn of a new console era when the previous one looks like a failure.

Are the remasters of WW and TP actually worth getting, considering that I have those games for GC? I haven't played WW in a long time, but I did start TP again a month or two ago, getting up to the Goron Mines in like eight hours. It's still one of the best games ever (in everything other than the issues I have with the story), and so amazing looking... but the GC version is great, is it really worth $45 for a version with presumably slightly better graphics, widescreen support, and the same controls apart from a map and inventory on the tablet? I don't know about that...

At this point, the Wii U looks like an incomplete or unrealized Switch to me, but it's still solid enough.

Yeah, this seems to be the basic idea of what the Switch is -- it's the Wii U, but fully realized. The Wii U has both a console and a tablet... but because the tablet is streaming video from the console, its range is very limited. For instance, if I go over to my computer down the hall from my TV (not that far really)... nope, the Wii U Gamepad loses connection, don't go that far. You basically can only use it in the same room and slightly beyond, so it really is not a portable. (This is one more drawback of the Gamepad that I should have mentioned above, but forgot last night.) In comparison the Switch is both tablet and console. It looks like the Switch is only slightly more powerful than the Wii U is, but it's got all that in the tablet alone, no console needed! So yeah, 'Wii U but better realized'.

I can only hope Miiverse gets brought over to Switch at some point, but that's one of the nicer features. Wind Waker HD benefits from it I'd say. I actually made the same choice you did and kept all my Wii software and saves on the original hardware. It's that lack of Gamecube controller support in my case. While that Gamecube component cable is ridiculously expensive, apparently there's now a few third party options in that regard, and due to heating issues I would recommend at least keeping those Gamecube memory cards unplugged when they're not in use rather than leave them in the Wii.

Not patching in support for the USB GC controller adapter into the Wii games which have GC controller support really was a mistake, why release that thing and then ONLY have it work with Smash? I mean, you can also use it on a PC for using GC controllers there, with the right driver, but still... I know many people (me included) strongly prefer to play Smash with a GC controller, but there is this other obvious use for the thing they should have included. Without it the Wii BC on Wii U isn't worth it for Wii owners, I agree.

The main reason I haven't picked up Mario Kart 8 DX is because other than Battle Mode and a couple characters (characters not really mattering as much in Mario Kart as in Smash Bros), it's pretty much the same game. I might pick it up JUST for that battle mode, but for now I'm still playing the Wii U version.

Well, it's got all the DLC included, puts back in the real Battle Mode (though without N64 Block Fort for some insane reasion!), and has, if I remember, King Boo, the two Splatoon kids, and one or two more characters playable, but is otherwise the same. If they release more new tracks for it in new Switch-only DLC or something I imagine it'd be more valuable for people who have the Wii U game, but who knows. It's selling incredibly well on Switch, so we'll see I guess.

Anyway, try to pick up a Wii U Pro controller. It makes any game that doesn't make any real use of the Wii U pad much easier to play. The Wii U Pro controller also comes with a nice long USB cable, if you prefer them corded like I do.

Yeah, I'll have to do that, once I find one at a sane price and not the $40 Gamestop wants for the things. Again I do think that the fact that you pretty much need to buy a (not included) controller even for single player is a negative about the system though, the original Wii was not like that.