Summary
During the mid-2000s, everyone in the gaming industry wasfocused on the big upgrade towards HD consoles, with the big ones being the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. But, as expected, Nintendo was the exception, and they did something completely different, known as theNintendo Wii, which changed the game with its revolutionary motion controls.
Despite its less powerful hardware, the Wii was the most successful console of its generation, with more than 100 million units sold. This was not just because of the motion controls; the console also had a huge catalog of quality titles to back it up. Many excellent video games were released yearly on the Nintendo Wii,from 2006 up to 2013, when it was finally discontinued.
One of Nintendo’s most brilliant ideas during this generation was to includea pack-in-game with every Wii they sold. That way, they could show off how the console’s motion controls worked in a fun & accessible way. That game wasWii Sports, and it quickly became one of the most beloved games on the console.
Five great mini-games (tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing) that utilized motion controls in clever ways were enough to convince the public that the Wii was the next big thing. This was a game so popular that entire families played it together, including people who had never touched a video game before.
After a successful launch year, 2007 saw the release of new entries in iconic Nintendo franchises, likeMetroid Prime3andFire Emblem: Radiant Dawn,but leave it to Mario himself to star in one of the best games on the Wii,Super Mario Galaxy. This was the plumber’s next highly anticipated foray into the 3D platforming genre.
Super Mario Galaxyis anadventure in outer space like no other, with intricately designed levels, fun power-ups, colorful environments, and one of the most beautiful video game soundtracks ever made. The best part is that Mario’s movement was also really smooth, which was impressive, because it used motion controls in subtle ways that never took away from the fun.
Because of its appealing crossover element, theSuper Smash Bros.gamesare system-sellers on every Nintendo console they’ve been featured on. As expected, the serids' third entry,Super Smash Bros. Brawl, was also very successful when it was released for the Wii in 2008. This was a natural evolution for the franchise, because not only did it feature several iconic characters from Nintendo IPs, but it also introduced third-party fighters, like Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake.
The roster was huge, and that wasn’t even the best new thing aboutSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.It also featured the Subspace Emissary, an actual story mode with boss fights and numerous cut scenes in which every single character interacts with each other. Aside from that, it kept the classic creative fighting system that made this series extremely fun to play with friends, whether it was on local or online multiplayer.
Thanks to its motion controls and huge array of colorful games, the Wii was very popular with kids, and it didn’t see many M-Rated releases in comparison to the PS3 and Xbox 360.There were some hidden gems in there, though, and one of them was released in 2009:MadWorld, by PlatinumGames.
To this day, this is still one of the most visually unique games on the market, since it’s designed entirely in black & white, with the sole exception of the enemies’ blood.MadWorldis a really fun hack & slash title that actually uses the Wii’s motion controls to perform violent finishers. To top it all off, it has a catchy soundtrack and a hilarious sense of humor, makingMadWorldone of the most creative & entertaining games in the Wii’s catalog.
Admittedly, the Nintendo Wii was losing a bit of steam during the arrival of the new decade, but it still saw some solid releases, likeSuper Mario Galaxy 2orKirby’s Epic Yarn. However, the most fun platforming game of 2010 wasDonkey Kong Country Returns, the highly anticipated return of the classicDonkey Kong Countryseries.
This time developed by the brilliant minds at Retro Studios,Donkey Kong Country Returnsmanaged to keep everything that made these games so great, like its fluid controls, beautiful music, clever level design, and tons of collectibles, all of them modernized them for a new audience. Of course, this also meant that it kept a high degree of challenge, because this was also a really hard game, which some players found very rewarding, and quite refreshing for its time.
Surprisingly enough, it would take 5 years for the Wii to get its own brand-newLegend of Zeldagame (Seeing asTwilight Princesswas initially developed for the GameCube), but it finally arrived in 2011 with the release ofSkyward Sword. With this game, Nintendo took the opportunity to try out theWii MotionPlus, a new device that allowed for more complex motion controls.
This ended up working well, as Link can use motion controls to perform many actions, from using his huge array of items to fighting with his sword, which made combat surprisingly precise and complex.Skyward Swordwas also praised for its story,as this game is situated at the very start of theLegend of Zeldatimeline, which felt like a breath of fresh air for longtime fans. WhileSkyward Swordwas divisive for many reasons, it doesn’t change the fact that this was an excellent adventure, and one of the best games of 2011.
2Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two (2012)
The Anticipated Sequel To One Of The Wii’s Classics
2010 saw the release of Disney’sEpic Mickey, a unique game starring Mickey Mouse and the forgotten character Oswald the Rabbit. As an exclusive, this game was perfect for the Wii’s demographic, and it had some really fun motion controls. Two years later, its sequel,Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two, was released. Only this time, it was a multi-platform title.
Epic Mickey 2kept a lot of what made the original so great, like the motion controls, the dark aesthetic, and the solid platforming. Only this time it introduced co-op, which motivated kids to work together in many fun ways. This was a decent game that could be enjoyed by the whole family, but it was received much more negatively than its predecessor, with most complaints being about Oswald’s clunky AI whenever there wasn’t a second person to play as him.
1Just Dance 2014 (2013)
The Wii Became A Dance Machine
By 2013, the Wii was already old news because everybody had already moved on to the next generation. Nintendo had already launched their next console, theWii U, and the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox Onewere about to be released. Nevertheless, there was one company who believed in the longevity of the Wii with one of their biggest franchises: Ubisoft and the belovedJust Danceseries.
Because of the Wii’s signature motion controls,this series of fun & colorful party rhythm gamesthrived on the system in a way that meant no other console could keep up with it.Just Dance 2014was released in 2013, and it was hugely successful, despite the fact that the Wii was discontinued that very same year. Ubisoft kept releasingJustDance games on the Wii up to 2019, because it was the best place to play this type of game. It is only appropriate that such a unique console went out in such a unique way, doing something great that no other system could replicate.
