Nintendo investigating Wii U memory corruption error

A ‘system memory’ error that has reportedly left some users with a bricked Wii U console is being investigated by Nintendo.

The company told Joystiq that it is aware of reports concerning error codes 160-0103 and 160-1710 that can "affect the ability of the system to function properly" for a "small percentage of consumers playing Wii U".

The issue was first spotted by Super Smash Bros players whom, under a very specific set of circumstances, encountered the message "there is a problem with the system memory".

Some were able to resume playing after a reboot although others were left unable to use their machines at all, being unable to get past the error.

Subsequent reports also linked the errors to Hyrule Warriors, Mario Kart 8 and other titles, with many theories pointing the finger at the hardware’s flash memory.

Nintendo urges those suffering from the problem to contact customer support.

UPDATE: Nintendo has issued the following statement to MCV:

"A small percentage of consumers playing Wii U may experience error codes (160-0103 and 160-1710) that could affect the ability of the system to function properly. We are investigating this issue now. Until the solution is available, anyone that experiences these error codes can call the Nintendo contact centre at +44 (0) 345 60 50 247 for help and repair."