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The Wii U actually holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest “standard game console controller.” The criteria appears to be controllers that were bundled with the console, so arcade sticks and other peripherals aren’t being considered. When the Wii U launched, its major feature was its GamePad. This tablet-controller hybrid would allow for dual-screen gaming similar to the DS or 3DS, as well as a dedicated screen for non-TV play. However, there’s better uses for your old Wii U now.
The Wii U Game Pad comes in at a whopping 1.1 pounds, or 500 grams. With a screen, the wireless tech and controller all onboard, it’s easy to get up there. For comparison, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 controllers came in at 0.6 and 0.5 pounds, respectively. Prior to this, Microsoft’s first controller for the original Xbox, dubbed “The Duke,” was the previous heaviest at 0.9 pounds.
Since entering the record, no standard game controller has come close. Nintendo moved to its far lighter Joy-Cons for the Switch and Switch 2, while the DualSense on the PS5 only gained 0.1 of a pound. As controllers have — for the most part — been solved, including in terms of accessibility, it’s unlikely that something as heavy as the Wii U’s Game Pad will come around again.
The Wii U GamePad was divisive
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In 2015, the now deceased director of “Devil’s Third,” Tomonobu Itagaki, wrote on Facebook about how he didn’t like the tablet controller. While “Devil’s Third” was a critical and commercial flop, Itagaki said that the game was something to be played for a “long time” and found the controller too heavy for marathon gaming sessions. He also critiqued the analogue stick placements, with the ergonomics being divisive online.
Problems also arose at launch, as there was confusion over whether or not it was another Wii accessory to keep the flagging console going. Nintendo even had to issue a press release confirming that the Wii U was, in fact, an entirely separate console. Some titles that were ported and released on the Wii U were also criticized, as they didn’t take advantage of the GamePad properly, often not including it at all, even for inventory or menu options.
The Wii U’s GamePad is also a pain point for fans of Nintendo’s returning franchises on the system at the time. “Star . Zero” was lambasted for its control scheme, which heavily relied on the GamePad for aiming and piloting between two screens. However, an earlier title, like “ZombiU,” introduced a panic-inducing system where the inventory was managed live on the tablet, but the game would still play on the main TV. Some people have also figured out how to bring the Wii U GamePad to PC.
