Mass Effect 3: Special Edition

 Wii U
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 252 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 174 out of 252
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 252
  3. Negative: 52 out of 252
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  1. timbers_WSU
    Nov 21, 2012
    7
    This game is exactly the same as the 360/PS3 counterparts with a few exceptions. The frame rate runs smoother than the PS3 version I have but the color looks off. As in it looks good but looking side by side some parts of the level looks different on the Wii U. Not bad, just different.
    The Wii Pad is not really put to good use here and is mainly for inventory purposes and it kind of sucks    This game is exactly the same as the 360/PS3 counterparts with a few exceptions. The frame rate runs smoother than the PS3 version I have but the color looks off. As in it looks good but looking side by side some parts of the level looks different on the Wii U. Not bad, just different.
    The Wii Pad is not really put to good use here and is mainly for inventory purposes and it kind of sucks not getting 1 and 2 on the Wii U. The biggest problem is EA has the audacity to change $60 for this when you can get the trilogy on other platforms for the same price. Really EA? And you can't figure out why no one likes you.
    I can't hate on the game too bad and feel I should rate the game on its own merit, and they at least added a 20 minute comic at the beginning to catch Wii U owners up on the story. But EA has been doing a lot of stupid things lately so I am docking 3 points. The game itself is a 9. But for the price you are better off getting it on another system. But if all you have is a Wii U, then by all means.....Pick it up.    … Expand
  2. AwkwardTurtle42
    Dec 7, 2013
    7
    Mass Effect 3 on the Wii U is a good port and runs pretty well. The downside is that the first two games aren't available on the Wii U which means players are missing out on two-thirds of the story and a lot of the DLC.

    It's still a good game on its own but it feels a bit like catching the last few episodes of a TV series, the episodes might be good on their own but it's just a whole    Mass Effect 3 on the Wii U is a good port and runs pretty well. The downside is that the first two games aren't available on the Wii U which means players are missing out on two-thirds of the story and a lot of the DLC.

    It's still a good game on its own but it feels a bit like catching the last few episodes of a TV series, the episodes might be good on their own but it's just a whole lot better if you start from the beginning. It also includes the "Genesis 2" interactive comic which is a quick recap of the main storyline in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.

    It's nice that they tried to get players up to speed with the story and not just put Mass Effect 3 onto the Wii U anyway, but turning a 40 hour game into a 10 minute comic means that unfortunately a lot of things do get missed out.

    Considering that Mass Effect Trilogy was released on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC at the same time as ME3 launched on the Wii U and for the same price, the "Special Edition" doesn't really feel all that special. This is a shame since this could have been a good time to bring the whole series to a new fanbase and not lock fans out of the full story just because of the platform they have.    … Expand
  3. TheExtraGuy
    Nov 3, 2014
    7
    The two things that bring the Wii U version down is the fact that EA didn't even think to release the Trilogy along with this game, and they didn't even support this release with the rest of the DLC that came out for the other 3 platforms. I don't really have to mention the ending as I think everyone is well aware of it, but that's not the reason I gave it a 6.

    If you love the series    The two things that bring the Wii U version down is the fact that EA didn't even think to release the Trilogy along with this game, and they didn't even support this release with the rest of the DLC that came out for the other 3 platforms. I don't really have to mention the ending as I think everyone is well aware of it, but that's not the reason I gave it a 6.

    If you love the series like I do, you'll want to have this game on the Wii U just because it's the first Mass Effect game on a Nintendo system. Despite all the annoyances I have with the story not really being my own and a lot of the plot points I would have controlled in previous games just being waved off and unchangeable even with the interactive comic... I still enjoy the story! It's also the exact same gameplay as the other versions just with an added gamepad touch (pun sort of intended). It's used as a map screen mostly with a few hot keys and you can command your squad to take cover not the best use for it but you won't find it's functions on 360, PS3 or PC. I played mostly with the Pro Controller so I didn't utilise the gamepad that much. Speaking about the gamepad however, have you ever wanted to play Mass Effect 3 in bed? It's quite the experience lol You see, the gamepad does have it's brilliant uses.

    The online mode is somewhat baron and almost as dead as disco, you'll be searching for games for a long time unless you try to start one yourself and hope to god somebody joins, also I live in Australia so the lag was terrible as most of the servers I tried to join were in Europe. The multiplayer is fun for a bit but it gets repetitive and it feels really out of place for a game that's really a story driven experience more than anything. Sometimes it can get difficult as to where you can take cover without getting slaughtered, so it does get a little annoying when you can't find a place to take cover and you're constantly getting killed because you think you've found good cover but then an enemy decides to sneak up on you.

    Overall, not a horrid game at all, but it aint perfect. It's still the same executive meddled ME3 we all know. But as a Mass Effect fan who hates EA, I'm glad I have it in my collection, but I am pissed off that I can't play as the Shepard that I want and I can't stop my evil clone and have a party in my Citadel apartment with my crew!    … Expand
  4. Jessicaw
    Jun 22, 2020
    6
    Hands down one of the biggest disappointments in gaming for me. It had seriously amazing moments, like the thresher maw scene, but the story just didn't deliver like it should have.
  5. PhoneTheo
    Sep 5, 2023
    6
    This game is exactly the same as the 360/PS3 counterparts with a few exceptions. The frame rate runs smoother than the PS3 version I have but the color looks off. As in it looks good but looking side by side some parts of the level looks different on the Wii U. Not bad, just different.
    The Wii Pad is not really put to good use here and is mainly for inv

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Wii U Game of 2012
9
#9 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2012
4
#4 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    Nov 18, 2013
    60
    From the boring story, to the shallow single-player gameplay, to the dull characters, Mass Effect 3: Special Edition didn’t do anything for me to live up to its Wii U subtitle.
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  2. Games Master UK
    Jan 15, 2013
    89
    Still great, but the port should have had more. [Feb 2013, p.77]
  3. Cubed3
    Jan 14, 2013
    90
    Without doubt, Mass Effect 3: Special Edition is easily one of the best offerings on the Wii U right now, but it simply cannot be stressed enough that players must seek out the two previous games in the series before playing this one.
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