Now that you have some Wii U games to play, you can play them faster

Mario Kart 8's launch seems to have reignited a lot of people's passion for the Wii U - including Nintendo, which has pushed out a new system update with a very welcome quick start feature.

The Wii U's v5.0.0 system software is rolling out now, so get your console online to grab the latest update.

Along with Nintendo's usual and always welcome "improvements to system stability and usability", there's one major addition that is likely to draw applause: a quick start menu.

Yes, that's right: every time you switch on your Wii U to play Mario Kart 8, you can get it going almost immediately, bypassing the regular menu loading screens and navigation. Just press the power button on the GamePad or the Wii U's home button to access the new menu.

I'm going to hazard a guess here most of you use your Wii U primarily for playing games, rather than as an entertainment hub as, say, Xbox 360 owners tend to - Nintendo's got some good entertainment support going, but not on the same level as Microsoft and Sony (yet) - so you'll probably appreciate this feature.

The other major change is that notifications will be displayed on the GamePad when the Wii U is off - presumably so you can find out there's a system software update waiting for you before you sit down for a gaming session. A chime will alert you to the notification, and if you miss one, you can review them from the new quick start menu.

Further streamlining the update process, after this firmware hits, system software will install automatically after downloading in standby mode. So with a little luck you might never have to wait for one again.

The system's come a long way since launch thanks to slow but steady system updates. If you're still a Wii U unbeliever, do check out Dave's list of the best Wii U games - the oft-criticised console has some rad titles, despite its quieter release schedule.

Thanks, Kotaku.