Eidtorial Note: With the news that Nintendo will be shutting down production on the Wii, Logan J. Fowler looks back at the best of the best of Nintendo’s little white box…
I kind of wanted to do this when the Wii U was officially released, but I think now is a better time than ever to list what made the Wii so good. I admit, the system had its fair share of flunks, and the market was flooded with cheap games that made quick use of the Wii’s motion sensor controls. However, there were some games that really stood out, and here’s what I thought were undeniably awesome Wii games. Honorable Mention: Wii Sports You can’t mention the Wii without Wii Sports. The fact that it came free was a good idea, as the game utilized what made the system what it was. The graphics weren’t the key element, as the game itself brought people together. Hell, even my mom and dad played it when I first got it, which goes to show how revolutionary it was. It was simple too and fun, which makes all the difference. Despite the boxing game being funky, Wii Sports was definitely a great time.
5. Kirby’s Epic Yarn – Different from every Kirby game out there, the aesthetic of this game just makes it be placed in the top five. Cute and cuddly Kirby becomes an arts and craft session as he molds into yarn, and the hero that gobbled everything up is now morphing into vehicles, lassoing items, and wobbling his way into our gaming hearts. The level design is gorgeous and adorable, the music fits the scene, and I’m sorry, seeing that little pink puffball turn into a tank has to be one of the most glee inducing things ever. Hal Laboratory changes up the formula for the Kirbster and pulled it off with adorable flying colors.
4. Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure – Developed by Capcom, this puzzle and adventure game pitted a boy and his monkey against a fetch quest to help out the titular Barbaros. Once their mission is complete, Zack and Wiki will discover treasure beyond their wildest dreams. Lost in the shuffle of the Wii library, this game is the “best game you haven’t played.” Capcom knows a thing or two about game developing, and Z & W is no exception. In addition, the gorgeous cel shaded graphics are accompanied by cutesy sound effects and, in true Capcom style, awesome music. A treasure all its own.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 – When I reviewed Super Mario Galaxy 2 way back when, I said it was better than the original. But time has proved otherwise. I still REALLY enjoy this game, especially with the addition of Yoshi, the new (albeit gimmicky) power ups, and the music is still amazing. But it hasn’t had the lasting impression on me that the first one did, and the sequel having no reference to the first makes it almost seem like Super Mario Galaxy 1.5. Truthfully, the game just feels like levels that didn’t make the cut. Whatever way you look at it though, SMG 2 is a fun time, and is definitely better than a lot of other Mario entries as of late.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword – This is the game the Wii was meant for. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was the last major game on the system, and it finally made up for five years of promises that Nintendo said the system would do. Using the Wii motion plus, you controlled Link and his every single move. Every motion you made, Link followed. Not only was the control superb, the game kicked off the Zelda timeline with a beautiful story, great music, and wonderful graphics. The back tracking may have dragged the play time down a little bit, but minor gripes aside, Skyward Sword is the best entry in the Zelda series to date. No take backs.
1. Super Mario Galaxy – Beautiful graphics, great game play, and a superb soundtrack prove why Super Mario Galaxy was, and still is, amazing. Using space as his playground and gravity as an element of surprise and skill, the game doesn’t epitomize how the Wii should’ve worked, but it still was a damn good time every minute you booted it up. Colorful bad guys, creative level design, and the return of power ups brought a smile to my face whenever I played this gem of an adventure. A true successor to Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy was just another wonderful addition to the series of Mario games that came before it, and definitely the number one reason to own a Wii system.
While there has been a lot of great games for the system, these are definitely the ones that brought me my fondest memories of the Wii. As Nintendo shuts its doors on production, I would just like to thank them for all the time spent, and all the memories that this gamer remembers so fondly. It’s been a good run.
