It’s been five years since the Wii was first released, and in the five years, it has had some great games. Yeah, it’s not been the best system we’ve ever seen, but it still has some games that many of us will remember years after we’re done with this generation. Having given us the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and some other excellent titles, I think we can all safely say that, despite the shovelware and lack of third party titles, the Wii is still a system that’s worth buying.
So here is a list that compiles the twenty five best games of the Wii released in its life cycle of 5 years. Enjoy the list, and give us your feedback in your comments below.
25. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
Having missed out on the first game here in the western markets, we had practically no clue as to what we should expect out of Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. When we played it, we were all blown away- it had intense action that would drop the jaws of the hardcorest of shooter fans, it had a breakneck pace that thrilled at every twist and turn, it had great boss battles and unforgiving difficulty that presented a challenge like no other. It’s not a game that everyone would enjoy, but those who do enjoy it will enjoy it like no other game.
24. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
If you haven’t heard of this game, let us tell you that it is one of the best games ever made for the Wii. Yes, the name sounds weird, but who cares about that? It’s the content that matters. This is a game that takes full advantage of the Wii’s unique control system and provides and meaningful gameplay experience. It has beautiful graphics and some amazing puzzles, which will really make you think a bit. If you want to get the best out of the Wii’s motion controls, this game is a must buy.
23. Little King’s Story
It’s a niche title, basically, and it does have issues, none of which are negligible. But once you get down to actually playing the game, you simply cannot deny that it’s probably one of the most charming and most fun games ever. It’s RTS-RPG hybrid gameplay is a ton of fun, and even though the story is weak, you feel strangely attached to the game and the world. It has a great visuals style, and some of the best boss battles you’ll ever see in any video game. If you have a Wii, you definitely shouldn’t miss this game.
22. Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
A fighting game from Capcom as a Wii exclusive is one of the absurd things you may have heard, but it’s true and it is also one of the best games on the platform. Clearly Capcom saw something here on the Wii, which others didn’t. They were right. There are plenty of well-designed characters here, offering a lot of replayability and if you own a Wii, this game is a must have.
21. MadWorld
Some of you might call it over-the-top, but I don’t- for me, MadWorld is one of the most hilarious and fun games on the Wii. The exaggerated violence is as much fun to look at as it is to wreak, the running commentary in the background provides more than just a few laughs, and the stylish red-black-white visual style is simply genius. If you can take all the violence, you should definitely buy MadWorld.
20. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex Edition
While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reinvented FPS genre somewhat, its impact is somewhat lessened here on the Wii. But that doesn’t mean it’s a different game altogether, no. It’s one of the best FPS games ever made for the Wii. It also looks and runs pretty well, which is a pretty big achievement in itself. The controls are a little bothersome, but if you have a classic controller for the Wii, prepare to be amazed.
19. No More Heroes
The Wii does not have much of what many would call ‘mature’ titles, but few like No More Heroes and the aforementioned MadWorld come under that category. So for owners of the Nintendo console, such games are a novelty. And No More Heroes is not just a novelty, it’s an excellent game all around that you shouldn’t miss for any reason. The free roaming structure is great, and the katana beams (those weapons which look like lightsabers) were an awesome innovation. You’d be stupid to miss this game.
18. Monster Hunter Tri
This game features an incredible amount of content. While Capcom captured Japan with the Monster Hunter franchise on the PSP, this Wii version is no slacker either. With a decent single player offering and a beefy multiplayer offering, this is a huge time sink if you are into action-RPG games. It’s a little complicated to master but once you do, prepare to get addicted, as this game will provide you an in-depth combat system.
17. Mario Kart Wii
People say that after Mario Kart DS, the Wii version of the fabled kart racing franchise was a disappointment. To an extent, it was. It just didn’t feel as chaotic and randomly fun as MKDS did, and the online wasn’t half as good. Bikes were a good addition, though. But if you look at it as a game on its own and do not compare it to the DS game, you’ll see that it’s still a great, enjoyable game, especially with the wheel accessory. You’ll have a ton of fun playing it, so if you’re one of the few Wii owners who doesn’t have this game, you should definitely go ahead and buy it.
16. GoldenEye 007
Activision might own the James Bond license, but they really did a great job here. While you cannot expect radical technical improvements, the game manages to look splendid on the Wii. While it was a little tough to control using the Wii Mote, if you had a classic controller pro, this FPS game was pure nirvana. When you compare this with the other offerings on the Wii, this is one of the best games ever.
15. Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!! is one of the best games you will play on the Wii, and not just because it’s great for the nostalgic players. While it does have excellent classic gameplay from the NES era, it has something for everybody- it is accessible enough for newbie gamers to enjoy it, and hardcore enough for fighter fans to appreciate it. It’s also a ton of fun, and the controls are excellent, not to mention the fact that it has excellent two player modes. So if you own a Wii, there’s no way you should miss Punch-Out!!
14. Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Who doesn’t love Kirby? Epic Yarn had some creative design decisions as you could manipulate the background to clear the level, and it made the entire level feel like a painting. It’s a solid platformer, with pleasing visual aesthetics and some great sound design. It also features 2-player co-op which is a lot of fun as well. If you own a Wii, this is a must buy game.
13. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. on the Wii marked the main series’ return to the 2D age, with classic old-time gameplay- something fans had been clamoring for since the last few years. And when it got released, we weren’t disappointed. It consisted of the classic, superb gameplay we all had come to love over the past two and a half decades, a hilariously fun multiplayer mode, excellent replay value and level design and challenging difficulty that was highly reminiscent of the classic Mario era. It was a wet dream for all Mario fans, and it isn’t just one of the best games on the Wii- it’s one of the best games this generation on all systems.
12. Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Donkey Kong games have a big legacy on the Nintendo platforms and the Wii version which was released pretty late in its lifecycle lived up to its name. Although, it is not challenging as its counterparts, there were some amazing platforming on offer here. Lot of secret routes and an impressive replayability meant that this was one of the best platformers on the Wii.
11. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess may not have been as “revolutionary” as people expected it to be, but I never quite got why people were so disappointed. Everyone wanted it to be a throwback to Ocarina of Time, a return to the glory days of 3D Zelda, and it was panned exactly because of those reasons, that it did nothing new, that it was too similar to OOT. For me, that is why is was so good, because I always wanted Zelda to go back to OOT just once. And when it did, it blew my mind. Twilight Princess is a long-drawn, epic tale that shouldn’t be missed by any fan of the series.
10. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
The Gamecube version of this game was known as the better version over its PS2 counterpart, and again, the Wii version of the game is the most recommended one due to its amazing motion controls in spite of being the technically weaker one. The Wii Mote actually enhanced the gameplay in such a way that it is the only way to play this masterpiece of a game. If you own a Wii, you need to try out this game.
9. Okami
There are few games that can be called modern classics. Shadow of the Colossus is one. Ico is one. Maybe you could call Metal Gear Solis 4 a modern classic. Okami, though, is definitely a modern classic. It was a brilliant game on the PS2 to begin with, but when it was remade for the Wii, it became even better, something that none of us thought was possible. The motion controls added greatly to the overall experience, and the visuals style, the amazing production values, the awesome level design and brilliant music were just as good as ever.
8. World of Goo
This puzzle based Wii Ware game was critically acclaimed, and for a good reason. Initially released on the PC, it went on to become a huge success while eventually finding a home on the Wii. The game was developed by three people and is one of the best puzzle games ever. You will be hardpressed to find its equivalent on the Wii or any other platform.
7. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Sure, compared to Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, it’s sort of a disappointment, but when you get past your pre-conceived notions and biases, you realize that Corruption is an excellent game, one that- despite changing the direction of the series a little bit and focusing on action more than exploration and puzzles- anyone will be crazy to call a bad title. It’s an excellent game, and a must have for all Wii owners and Metroid fans. Considering the alternative for the latter is Other M, I’d say you don’t have much of a choice.
6. Wii Sports Resort
People laughed when this game was announced, but it didn’t last too long, as Wii Sports Resorts is one of the biggest selling games of all time. With a phenomenal commercial success along with a decent critical success, it’s quite easy to understand why this game had a fast mass market adoption. It’s fun. That’s right, when it came out it offered so many different game types along with motion control functions that it blew people away.
5. Super Mario Galaxy
Back in 2007, before the release of Wii’s first Mario title, the series was in the dumps. Super Mario Sunshine for the GCN had disappointed one and all and brought down the name of the series, and the franchise had never been in a worse condition. When Super Mario Galaxy was released, it was as if the backlash against Mario had never happened. The success it got- critically and commercially- was astounding and unprecedented. It was a thoughtful, imaginative game that did enough of new things to keep the series fresh yet did not alienate long time fans. And that is why SMG is not only of the best Wii games, but also probably one of the best games we will ever play in the recent future.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Zelda franchise always had a convoluted timeline, but Nintendo was clear here that this game takes place before all the Zelda games. Featuring believable characters, an immersive world and combat that utilizes the effective motion plus, this one is a keeper. We gave it a glowing review, which you can read over here, but considering the love and attention Nintendo gave to this game, it is a fitting send off to the Wii.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblade Chronicles is a beautiful, beautiful game. It has sky-high production values, addictive, deep gameplay, a great story, and a gorgeous world that you’ll want to keep exploring. And chances are that you probably will keep on finding new places and new collectibles, considering the sheer size ad magnitude of the game. Where many JRPGs have tried to adopt the WPRG ways and “evolve”, Xenoblade Chronicles has held on to the essential Japanese Role Playing Games conventions and mechanics dearly, while shedding the unneeded and unpolished ones. The release of this game marks the rebirth of the JRPG genre, or at least the beginning of the rebirth.
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of the most unique and unexpected games to have come out for the Wii. Imagine most of the popular Nintendo characters going mano-e-mano with each other, with over the top flashy attack moves. Yes, it is epic. It has plenty of customization options, weapons, and items and features some of the most addictive gameplay ever. It’s one of most the critically acclaimed Wii games, and is also regarded as one of the best games of all time.
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is quite easily the most enjoyable single player game on the Wii. And no one in their right mind would deny that- Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a masterpiece of a game, on that will be remembered as one of the gems of this generation, one that people will list in their top 10 lists even 10 years from now. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is, quite simply, gaming at its finest, and it does everything right. It’s quite easy to find flaws in even the best of games, usually, but we couldn’t find one single flaw in Super Mario Galaxy 2. That’s how good it is. If you don’t have it yet, you should go and buy it right now. You owe it to yourself.
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