For a great many, theNintendo Wiihelped change the game with its intuitive motion controls and a lineup of appealing games that drew an expanding audience of gamers and non-gamers. Players were giddy over the thought of seamlessly swinging the ergonomic Wiimote like a tennis racket or even a virtual lightsaber.
Not surprisingly, it was the console’s mass-market hits likeWii Sports,Wii Fit, andMario Kart Wiiwhich tend to hog the spotlight, as these were accessible titles that utilized the motion controls to their advantage. And of course, Nintendo’s usual heavy hitters likeSuper Smash Bros. BrawlandThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princesswere a draw for their core audience.
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But amidst these two major groups, there are several lesser-known and forgotten gems by first, second, and third parties alike. Given the Wii’s densely populated library of fun, often unique titles, there’s no shortage of them — but here are some of the best.
10A Boy And His Blob
With its simple, cartoony visuals and puzzle-platforming gameplay,A Boy and His Blobfeels akin to a modern indie game despite its ‘09 release. Like its NES predecessor,this reimagined revampfell under the radar amidst Wii’s heavy-hitting platformers.
As the title gives away, the game stars a young lad and a blob-like creature who must work together to traverse obstacles and solve puzzles. His blob companion consumes magic jelly beans, which cause it to transform into various objects used to progress in the game.
The delightful art style and clever game design make this an interesting alternative toMarioon Wii, despite being greatly overshadowed by the star plumber.
9Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros’ Treasure
Thetough puzzle gameplayand third-party origins of this Capcom romp meant that its hype and appeal were somewhat limited on Wii. Still, those whodidunearth this hidden gem were pleased to find some truly charming art design and some of the best usage of Wii’s motion control.
In one sense,Zack & Wikican be described as a colorful, well-crafted point-and-click adventure. Yet the game adds spice with refined motion-based actions like tree-sawing, along with creative, dynamic scenes that resemble a virtual escape room.
8Sonic Colors
It’s odd how little this game’s mentioned even among theSonicfandom, given that it’s often viewed as one of the few great3D games featuring the hedgehog. Though technically,Sonic Colorsshiftsbetween 2D and 3D perspectives and usually finds a nice balance between the two.
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The game’s colorful, celestial theme resemblesSuper Mario Galaxy, though it still taps into that thrilling, fast-paced gameplay Sonic is known for. Though it’s not flawless,Colorsremains one of the better post-90sSonicromps among many fans.
7WarioWare: Smooth Moves
When one thinks of the Wii, it’s usually those fun, colorfulparty and social gamesthat come to mind. ThinkWii Sports,Wii Play,Mario Party, andMario Kart. Still, this quirky title tends to get unjustly lost in the shuffle.
It’s partly understandable, asWarioWare’s weird themes and rapid-fire microgames aren’t for everyone. But those willing to embrace the absurdity of virtual nose-picking and fake barbell squats often found a laugh-out-loud great time inSmooth Moves. The amusing use of Wii’s motion controls serves to make the seemingly simple games pop.
While games whiz by in the blink of an eye, the fast-paced action and slew of competitive and co-op modes ensuredhoursof fun at parties.
6Muramasa: The Demon Blade
In an era stressing 3D graphics, motion control, and gaming peripherals, Vanillaware decided to go back to basics with this stylistic action game for Wii. But don’t let the button mashing and flat aesthetic fool you.Muramasaproves deceptively fun and in-depth, as the few who managed to notice it ‘09 discovered.
Its RPG elements, Japanese folklore, and charming storybook visuals set the stage for a rich, memorable experience in its 12-hour journey.
5Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
Being overshadowed by the similarBayonettaand coming from a Japan-only predecessor, this rail shooter never quite took off in the West.
Regardless,Star Successoroffers some thrilling action that makes solid use of the Wiimote’s pointer controls. The fun, frantic arcade experience isreallyamped up when locking and loading with a friend and equipping a couple of Wii Zappers for good measure. It lives on now only as an obscure Wii relic and holdout on the abandoned Wii U Virtual Console.
4Red Steel 2
Despite being viewed as inferior by most Wii gamers, the originalRed Steeltends to overshadow this more distinct and interesting sequel. Rather than just hone the “rough-around-the-edges” RS formula, Ubisoft veers in a very different direction with this 2010 follow-up. The result is a thematic blend of East and West — and gameplay that shifts betweenrefined FPS gameplayand nuanced swordplay.
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Fans and critics alike have regardedRed Steel 2for its great use of Motion Plus - and for its more timeless, comic-style visuals.
3Little King’s Story
This charming console strategy romp has since found new life on Steam some years after its quiet debut. For some Wii gamers though,Little King’s Storyremains one of the best third-party efforts for the console even in its original, non-HD form.
Little King’s Storyoffers a fantastical, in-depth alternative forPikminfans. Studio Cing and Town Factory task players with managing a kingdom and leading a band of fighters and citizens of different trades — like farming and hunting. The management-sim gameplay is complemented by exploration, rewarding progression, and fun combat.
This is also one of Wii’s more robust titles, taking close to 25 hours to finish the core campaign.
2Rhythm Heaven Fever
Take the cartoony, bite-sized games ofWarioWareand adda rhythmic element, then you might haveRhythm Heaven Fever. The game can be likened to a rhythmic playground with its slew of delightful, often weird beat-based romps. Nintendo tests your mettle and sense of rhythm with an unforgiving scoring system and unique minigames ranging from dance cues to sword hacking.
Released at a time when Wii was waning,RHFreminded players of the console’s knack for fun party games — particularly when playing with a friend.
1Mario Strikers: Charged
It’s not too often that agame bearing the iconic “Mario” nameis forgotten — though that largely seems to be the case with this soccer party game on Wii.Strikers Chargedbuilds on the fun formula ofStrikerson GameCube, with addictive soccer gameplay and added elements like the game-changing “Super Ability.”
MSCeven takes advantage of the Wii’s internet function with a surprisingly solid ranked online mode.
