As one of Nintendo's most successful video game consoles, the Wii was revolutionary for going against its competitors. While its rivals sought to explore the graphical capabilities of their consoles and deliver maximum technical sophistication, the Big N bet on a video game with an innovative motion-sensing controller, changing the entire concept of interaction. It was a bold and risky move, but the strategy worked, and Nintendo Wii became a sales phenomenon and the most popular console of the seventh generation. But among all the titles released, which stand out the most? To save you the work, we selected some of the best Nintendo Wii games! As always, remember that this is a selection, and if a game you like was left out, tell us in the comments. NOTE: They are not in “order of importance.”
15 – Ōkami
Okami had already delivered a fantastic experience on PlayStation 2 thanks to its engaging story, good gameplay, charismatic characters and beautiful stylized visuals that instantly turned it into a classic.
What was already good became even better in its Wii rerelease thanks to the motion sensor, which provides a more immersive experience, as well as support for widescreen televisions that makes the graphics look even more beautiful. Despite not being a console exclusive, it deserves to appear on this list.
14 – Red Steel 2
Produced by Ubisoft, Red Steel 2 is a first-person game with beat 'em up elements in which characters can shoot or attack with a sword. It makes good use of the console's graphical capabilities, offers an excellent setting, has an infectious frantic pace and a good soundtrack, leading the vast majority of people to consider it superior to the first game.
Despite receiving approval from the public and media, the game was a commercial failure, selling around 270,000 copies when Ubisoft had planned for one million.
13 – Monster Hunter Tri
The third entry in the successful Monster Hunter series is deservedly one of the Wii's most popular games. Developed by Capcom, the action RPG excels in every area: first-rate graphics, a soundtrack that perfectly suits the circumstances, sensational gameplay and local and online cooperative modes as addictive as single-player. It was one of the few games to receive a perfect score from Japanese magazine Famitsu.
12 – Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
Developed by Treasure, this title is a sequel to a Nintendo 64 game released exclusively in Japan that later received a worldwide version through Wii's Virtual Console. As a rail shooter, Sin & Punishment has all the hallmarks of Treasure's games: it is addictive and frantic, with explosions, shooting “in every direction,” giant monsters, a soundtrack that follows the adventure's intense pace and graphics that hold their own.
Beyond that, Treasure cared about variety, and it can be played with Wii Remote + Nunchuk, Classic Controller, GameCube controller and even Wii Zapper. The only thing that might drive some players away is the high difficulty level, which offers a challenge even on easy mode. Ultimately, this is one of those games many people will play countless times even after completing it 100%.
11 – Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. became one of the Big N's most successful franchises, and this title raises the qualities of its two predecessors to “stratospheric” levels. For anyone unfamiliar with it, Smash Bros. is a fighting game in which you must knock your opponent out of the arena, and the combatants are Nintendo's iconic characters.
The Brawl version is visibly ambitious, with 39 characters, including two “non-Nintendo” figures, Sonic and Solid Snake; 41 stages; cutting-edge graphics; perfectionist gameplay; addictive multiplayer; “tons” of extras; and an adventure mode that tells a small story this time.
Even the soundtrack featured only major names from the gaming world, such as Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage 2), Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger), Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts), Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) and others. Smash Bros. is always synonymous with entertainment, and Brawl is no exception.
10 – Donkey Kong Country Returns
Exciting fans of the Super Nintendo trilogy, Returns comes from the wave of retro games that began with New Super Mario Bros. and aims to reach players from the 1990s. Since Rare, developer of the original games, is now a Microsoft subsidiary, Returns was entrusted to Retro Studios, known for producing Metroid Prime.
And did they ever hit the mark with Returns. Although it introduces few new ideas and is a traditional platformer typical of 2D games, it is perfectionist in every technical area and fulfills its role as a nostalgic “trip into the past.”
9 – The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Zelda series is one of the most acclaimed and prestigious among both critics and the public, and most of its games are excellent and extremely entertaining. It is true that the praise sometimes sounds somewhat exaggerated, reflecting the sentimentality of a portion of players more than the actual quality of the games. Even so, the franchise's influence on the video game world is unquestionable, and its technical excellence means its titles appear on practically every list of the best games for almost every Nintendo console. Skyward Sword is no different.
Chronologically, this is the first game in the series, showing the origin of several elements in Zelda mythology, such as the Master Sword, as well as why the Triforce has a negative side. The story is also excellent and makes you want to shed tears at some moments. The game is also filled with side missions, first-rate graphics and music, and offers the best interaction between Wii Remote Plus and the motion sensor, with frightening precision.
On the negative side, there is little variety in the environments, making it somewhat repetitive because you will return to the same places to progress. It is also highly linear, has too many tutorials and a low difficulty level. But do not worry! Its strengths far outweigh its flaws, and Skyward Sword is another classic in the Zelda series.
8 – The Last Story
Directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, famous as the lead creative mind behind Final Fantasy from I through X, and featuring music by Nobuo Uematsu, revered for composing for the same series, the game should appeal to fans of titles focused on story and charismatic characters.
In terms of gameplay, it is an action RPG with tactical and suspense elements, fulfilling its role well and proving addictive. Beyond that, it has dramatic moments that bring countless players to tears, as well as a spectacular soundtrack. Do you like Final Fantasy from the Squaresoft era? You will like The Last Story!
7 – Xenoblade Chronicles
If you think Wii has games only for casual audiences and that the most passionate gaming fans were left aside, that is because you have not yet tried Xenoblade Chronicles! Regarded by many as the best JRPG of the previous generation, Chronicles is a “step forward” for games in the genre. In principle, it has every element that captivates fans of the style: an epic story, good graphics for Wii, an excellent soundtrack, entertaining scenes, good pacing between adventure and plot, character training and so on.
What impresses is how it leaves its “comfort zone” on several levels. First, the story seems predictable but surprises you with highly unusual twists. Second, it innovates by bringing open-world elements to a JRPG, meaning you can do what you want, go where you want, explore enormous environments, complete countless side missions and so on. Third, the battle system is inherited from action RPGs, similar to Final Fantasy XII, but with something new: one character has the gift of seeing the future, allowing you to anticipate enemies' “deadly” attacks and creating new strategic possibilities. Finally, it also breaks from the save-point system and does not have the slowness common to games in the genre. Making good use of Wii's capabilities and representing an evolution of JRPGs, it is essential for anyone who calls themselves a passionate video game fan.
6 – Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros Treasure
Developed by Capcom and directed by Eiichiro Sasaki, one of the principal figures behind Power Stone for Dreamcast, Zack & Wiki is a point-and-click puzzle game. Impressively, it manages to appeal even to people who “turn up their noses” at the genre, primarily because it is good in every area: Wii Remote use is extremely precise and perfectionist; the puzzles are creative, intelligent and highly logical; the cartoon graphics are more than charming; the little story is entertaining; and it even innovates within the genre by introducing a system of stages and secret puzzles.
It is no coincidence that it appears on every list of the Wii's best games, receiving universal acclaim from the public and critics. Commercially, however, it was a disaster, selling around 300,000 copies and “burying” the possibility of a sequel. A shame!
5 – No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
Do you enjoy dynamic, humorous games with sexual innuendo, deaths involving “liters of blood” and action in the best hack-and-slash style? Then you will love No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. Arriving during the console's final stretch in January 2010, this Ubisoft classic is superior to the first No More Heroes in every area!
The action is frantic and filled with light effects, with simple, precise controls and charismatic customizable characters, who can even work out if you want. It also has some optional 8-bit platforming minigames that enrich the experience, making the overall game entertaining and enjoyable. It is true that it has some bugs, but they do not “scratch” the shine of this production. Unfortunately, like Zack & Wiki, the game suffered from poor sales, selling around 200,000 copies by the end of its launch year.
4 – Dead Space Extraction
This became popular for combining survival horror with the rail-shooter genre, in which you control a reticle and must shoot horrifying creatures using a large arsenal of weapons. Depending on where you shoot, you can tear off an enemy's head, sever a leg and so on.
It stands out, however, because of its good character development, something unusual for the genre, bringing us an engaging and immersive story. There is no single protagonist, and the characters alternate throughout the story in a highly unpredictable yet interesting way. Anyone who likes “shooting games,” or anyone who likes a good story, should definitely try Dead Space Extraction.
3 – Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Following Capcom's long history of crossovers that addict nine out of ten fighting-game lovers, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is no exception and is another excellent addition to the series. For those unaware, Tatsunoko Productions is a traditional animation studio founded in the 1960s that became famous in the West through the Speed Racer anime.
Regarded by many as the Wii's best fighting game, it has 26 selectable characters, 13 from each universe; beautiful three-dimensional visuals filled with colors and lights; gameplay that maintains the crossover tradition, remaining frantic and featuring “devastating” special attacks; a good soundtrack; and everything you imagine a good game in the genre should have. The only reservation is that many people do not adapt to Wii Remote and prefer using Classic Controller or the GameCube controller. Do you love Marvel vs. Capcom? You will probably love Tatsunoko vs. Capcom!
2 – Sonic Colors
SEGA's eternal mascot had a successful career on Wii: no title sold fewer than one million copies, and most of his games on the console received public approval, whether for their technical qualities or entertainment value.
Sonic Colors, however, is easily the blue hedgehog's best game for the console and is regarded by many as the best platformer alongside Mario Galaxy 2. Marking the return of the brilliant Takashi Iizuka to the franchise, its good reputation comes from undeniably excellent gameplay, with great stage design, speed and platforming balanced in just the right measure, impressive graphics, easily among Wii's best, varied mechanics thanks to the alien Wisps that give the blue hedgehog new abilities, a beautiful soundtrack, several extras, an exciting final stretch, a beautiful ending, extremely well-made video scenes and a competent, entertaining multiplayer mode.
For these reasons, its greatest flaw is precisely the adventure's length, since it is so addictive that completing the main mode leaves you feeling “is it over already?” The game also suffers from the absence of a good story and the failure to use the series' classic characters, meaning there is no Shadow, Silver, Knuckles or Amy. Only Sonic is playable, Tails appears in the little story in a supporting role and Dr. Eggman is the villain. Even so, this is one of the best, perhaps the best, platform games on Wii.
1 – Super Mario Galaxy 2
Breaking the tradition of releasing only one mainline Mario game per console since Super Nintendo, the Big N decided to give us a sequel to the acclaimed Super Mario Galaxy. This time, the idea was to take every successful element of the first and maximize it for an even more epic experience.
The result? Visuals rich in detail, creative environments and perfectionist gameplay, as well as the impressive ability to appeal to both newcomers and experts. Its main triumph, however, is the excellence of its stage design, which is as creative as, or even more creative than, the first Galaxy.
The game is naturally not without faults, and the difficulty level during its final stretch can frustrate impatient players, while at some moments it becomes very similar to the first game. Even so, this is one of the best, perhaps the best, platform games on Wii.
