When the Wii first launched back in 2006,the system’s catalog of games was primarily made up of platformersand action titles, so it took a little while for it to eventually branch out to other popular genres, and that included RPGs. Despite the genre being immensely popular at the time, Nintendo seemed a little hesitant to fully dive into the world of RPGs with their latest system, probably because these sorts of long and challenging titles wouldn’t be quite as accessible as most of their games, and also because they would probably make limited use of the Wii’s signature motion controls.
With this being said, Nintendo did eventually amass a pretty considerable collection of role-playing games during the Wii’s lifespan, and though not all were exactly smash-hits, there were still more than a few that fans of the genre look back on very fondly. Therefore, any RPG fans out there looking for a brand-new game to jump into should definitely keep reading to check if they missed out on any of these fantastic titles listed below.
7Opoona
Metacritic User Score: 8.0
Featuring art design by Shintaro Majima who’s well known for his work on theDragon Questseries,Opoonaisa light-hearted and incredibly fun RPGgame that follows the story of Opoona who is searching for his family whom he lost track of after a mysterious accident. As the plucky young man makes his way through the world, he’ll be confronted by a plethora of formidable monsters who can take quite a beating before they’re taken down for good.
The core battle system works in real-time, meaning players will need to be on their A-game at all times in order to avoid being mauled by merciless enemies who will gladly pummel Opoona if he takes too long to throw out an attack or use an item. Of course, in classic RPG fashion, it’s also heavily encouraged that players scour every inch of their environment to help out with these arduous battles by finding weapons and items. The art style might not be for everyone, butOpoona’ssurprisingly solid combat system and compelling story still help it stand out as one of the Wii’s finest, and most underrated, RPGs.
6Super Paper Mario
Metacritic User Score: 8.1
After the enormous success ofThe Thousand Year Doorback in 2004, Nintendo set out to work on a brand newPaper Mariogame as soon as possible, resulting in what many consider to be one of the best entries in the series;Super Paper Mariofor the Wii. On the surface, it may not seem as challenging or arduous as a lot of RPGs are known for being, but the colorful and vibrant art style can be very deceiving, asSuper Paper Mariocan be pretty difficult, especially since the combat has now moved to a real-time system rather than being turn-based.
When players aren’t jumping across platforms, speaking to NPCs, and collecting key items to progress through the story, they’ll be taking down all kinds of weird and wacky enemies to earn EXP to buff up Mario’s stats. With a lovable cast of characters, a very engaging story, and easy-to-learn core mechanics,Super Paper Mariois an excellent RPG that deserves all the praise that it’s received over the years.
5Pandora’s Tower
Anyone looking fora fast-paced action RPGto sink their teeth into definitely needs to try outPandora’s Tower, a unique and incredibly addictive game that puts players in the shoes of Aeron, an ex-soldier who is on a desperate mission to save his wife from a deadly curse. To do this, players will need to travel through thirteen different towers, scavenging resources and defeating hordes of enemies as they go to level up Aeron and his skills so that he’s able to take on the grueling bosses who appear at the end of each area.
Though the game is very action-heavy with a few platforming sections also thrown in to freshen things up from time to time, there are also plenty of RPG mechanics involved in the core gameplay, such as being able to upgrade weapon stats by defeating enemies, and a necessity to grind as much as possible. The game also features a pretty unique time mechanic which showcases how long it will be before Elena’s curse takes her over, making the gameplay, and overall story, very intense as a result.
4Arc Rise Fantasia
Metacritic User Score: 8.3
Arc Rise Fantasiathrows it back to theclassic RPGs of old, almost feeling like a game ripped straight out of the 1990s that was simply given a massive visual upgrade for modern systems. Set in the massive world of Fulheim which is packed full of mysteries to uncover, the game grants players a tremendous amount of freedom to explore the overworld in any way they want, whether that be heading to a dungeon to grind out EXP, or just stopping by a town to speak to pick up some items and side quests.
The combat, while very similar to the classic turn-based system that RPGs have become known for, also features a few extra mechanics that have been thrown in to mix things up too, such as how characters are able to actually move their turn order, or how everyone draws on the same pool of AP (Action Points). The story may not be too complex or over the top, but it’s still a lot of fun to follow, especially thanks to the gorgeous CG cutscenes and charming visual-novel-style sequences that play out from time to time.
3The Last Story
Metacritic User Score: 8.5
The Last Storyis an incredibly fun, memorable, and emotional game that tells a beautiful story which is completed by a rock-solid combat system that was actually pretty ahead of its time. Players take control of Zael, a young and naive mercenary who finds himself in the middle of a bloody war between the humans and beastly monsters known only as Gurak. The narrative ofThe Last Storyplaces a big focus onthe effects of war and how much destruction it can cause, especially to innocent civilians, and the general story is packed full of political drama and plenty of unexpected twists to keep things interesting right up until the very end.
Considering that the game was co-written by the grandfather ofFinal Fantasyhimself, Hironobu Sakaguchi, it’s not surprising that the story of this title is as memorable as it turned out to be, but the combat is also a huge highlight of the game too. Players will need to be strategic about how they plan out their attack strategies since blocking, dodging, and even using stealth are all effective ways to outplay an opponent, but it’s also important to focus on the Tension Gauge, which can be used for special moves, alongside leveling up each character’s abilities as much as possible so that nobody lags behind stat-wise.
2Xenoblade Chronicles
Metacritic User Score: 8.7
The very first entry in the now-belovedXenoblade Chronicles series, it’s fair to say that RPG fans were blown away by what this game had to offer when it dropped back in 2010. Not only were the visuals stunning for the time, especially with the world being a delicate blend between fantasy and sci-fi, but thedeep and complex storywas also something that had rarely been seen before in first-party Nintendo RPGs until then. Set during a perpetual war between the Bionis and Mechnonis, the game explores a ton of compelling themes throughout its lengthy run-time, such as the dangers of technology, and the endless cycle of revenge that can come from living in a violent world.
When taking on an enemy, players will be able to make use of Arts to help get a leg-up over their enemy, but there’s also an option to unleash a Chain Attack when its gauge fills up, along with an incredibly unique Vision mechanic where Shulk is able to actually see the enemy’s future attacks in some cases. There are also just a ton of things to do outside of combat, including learning more about party members through the Affinity system and filling up the extensive Collectopaedia by seeking out rare items scattered across the world.
1Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Metacritic User Score: 8.8
For people who haven’t played the series before,Fire Emblemcan initially seem like more of a strategy game, but in truth, it actually leans much more heavily into the RPG genre and simply uses an RTS formula for its incredibly tense and addictive gameplay. While all theFire Emblemgames have something unique that they bring to the table, the primary reasonRadiant Dawnstands out so much is because of how perfectly it manages to execute its difficulty, while also telling an outstanding story at the same time.
Because players are now able to save mid-battle and are also once again able to use abilities like powerful Dark Magic, it makes the game much more accessible than the classic entries, while still retaining more than enough challenge to keep the gameplay exciting. The game also features some of the best map design in the entire series, alongside a gigantic cast of well-written characters who the player can learn more about through their support conversations.Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawnis an exceptional RPG title that has stood the test of time as one of the best games in its respective series, which is certainly saying something.
