Despite the Wii’s reputation as a gimmick console in its day, it had arguably more great traditional releases than either of its successors. Some titles made better use of its unique mechanics than others, but all the games on this list kept their inclusion to a minimum.
Whether it was as major as No More Heroes utilizing the Wii remote in just about every aspect of its design, or Mario Kart’s Wii wheel changing perceptions, every Wii game found its own way to best use its strengths, whether it waggled or not. Here are the best Nintendo Wii games the console has the offer.
10 No More Heroes
While this game’s sequel may have improved the game on a technical level, the clearer story goals and gameplay loop of the original No More Heroes wins its place on this list. The original No More Heroes was a technical marvel given its limitations. While the draw distance in game is quite terrible, and the environments themselves are not particularly detailed, the fact that it functions as an open world that can be freely driven around on Nintendo Wii hardware is nothing short of miraculous.
While the first two games were ported to PS3 at the time, and have since had Switch and PC ports, nothing will replicate the game’s great use of the Wii remote’s motion sensor, tilt, and speaker at a time when those features were often ignored.
9 Warioware: Smooth Moves
Warioware: Smooth moves may be best remembered as the Wii launch title that wasn’t Twilight Princess or Wii Sports. Aside from Wii Sports, Smooth Moves did an excellent job utilizing the Wii remote. While the game itself gets tedious at times, bouncing between the Wii remote and nunchuck, it did a good job not over-relying on the attachment, and it largely functioned without it. Most fans of the series will have the GameCube title, Mega Party Games, higher on their list. Smooth Moves is still a solid inclusion to the Wii library and is worthy of being on anyone’s top ten list.
8 Kirby’s Return To Dream Land
Another late Wii title, Return to Dream Land is considered an underrated Wii title because of it. Clearly Nintendo felt the same, given the recent announcement of a remake releasing in 2023. The ability to play as Kirby staples such as Dedede and Meta Knight, as well as simultaneous 4 player co-op, were welcome additions for those that had waited 11 years for a traditional home console Kirby after Kirby 64 in 2000.
With the long delay between series releases, many players were just happy to have a traditional Kirby experience after weird outlier titles like Kirby’s Epic Yarn or Canvas Curse. Hopefully with the remake on the horizon, more people will have a chance to appreciate this particular Kirby title.
7 Punch-Out!!
The revival of Punch-Out as a valued Nintendo property was a strange one. Following 1994’s Super Punch-Out!! for the Super Nintendo, it took another 15 years until the Wii title released, after a joint development between Next Level Games and Nintendo’s internal development team. The idea of creating a new title in the series was entirely on the part of Next Level, as they were pitching ideas for a new title after they had finished the Mario Strikers sequel on the Wii in 2007.
The gameplay was faithfully brought into the modern era on behalf of developers that clearly had a lot of love for those original two titles. While there have been no rumblings of a continuation in the years since, it’s safe to say the inclusion of Little Mac in 2014’s Smash Bros would never have happened if not for the success of the Wii title 5 years earlier.
6 Rhythm Heaven Fever
Following the Japan exclusive Rhythm Tengoku on the GBA and Rhythm Heaven on the DS, 2012’s Rhythm Heaven Fever is the idealized version of the series’ gameplay. Each level with its own rules and timing, players must match the game’s pitch by following the prompts on screen. These prompts can range anywhere from stabbing pea’s with a fork or matching a pro wrestlers responses to interview questions. Rhythm Heaven Fever released somewhat under the radar, being a later Wii title, not releasing in the West until early 2012.
The title’s fan following in the years afterward led to a 3DS release with Rhythm Heaven Megamix in 2016. Despite the series’ renewed interest in recent years, there has been no news on a continuation of any kind. The series will likely always be best known for the cult title on the Wii just months before the Wii U was released.
5 Super Smash Bros. Brawl
While Smash Bros. Brawl’s popularity and standing among fans has changed greatly in the years since its release, it’s important to remember just how unbelievably hyped Brawl was leading up to its release in 2008. The addition of major third party characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake led to rampant speculation over potential roster inclusions. The flood gates had been opened forever in regard to roster requests in the future. The slow drip feed of info for the game along with the games delay led to substantial hype for its release.
4 Mario Kart Wii
The most fascinating thing about Mario Kart games is that most people will have a different answer when you ask them which is their favorite. While the Gamecube’s Double Dash had its unique two-to-a-kart gameplay, along with new items to accentuate that, Mario Kart Wii did not innovate too much beyond that.
Aside from its introduction of multiplayer through the now defunct Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Mario Kart Wii will be best remembered for its inclusion of the Wii Steering Wheel, the most creative piece of plastic Nintendo ever offered alongside one of its titles.
3 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
It’s hard to explain just how much was riding for the series with Twilight Princess back in 2006, but at the time Zelda was in a much different place. 2002’s Wind Waker, while a masterpiece in its own right, could not have come at a worse time for Nintendo. The infamous 2000 space world demo showcasing the series potential with the Gamecube’s hardware set expectations high for a realistic Zelda title. Once Wind Waker was announced the following year, many were unhappy with the artistic direction. No matter how good it was, many would never accept losing out on the realistic Zelda fans felt they were promised.
Twilight Princess was intended to be the make-right on that initial trailer back in 2000. Twilight Princess may not rank as highly as Wind Waker on most fans’ list of the best Zelda titles, but what it represents for Nintendo’s history and the future health of the series is arguably more important.
2 Wii Sports
What more can be said about Wii Sports at this point? There has never been a more perfect launch title in the history of the medium. You could argue that the Wii would have never been the enormous success that it was without Wii Sports. The ability to recreate a bowling motion, swinging of a bat, or holding a golf club illustrated the Wii’s goals as a system better than any major first party title could have.
1 Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2
Both games are so similar that it feels strange to separate them on a best-of-the-console list. Both individually could warrant being on this list in whatever order. Placement really comes down to personal preference. While the first Mario Galaxy features a far more fleshed out story, which introduced Rosalina and the Luma’s for the first time, 2’s simplified menu system filters players through different stages and mechanics more easily. Many of the new mechanics from the first, such as the Bee Mushroom and the Spring Mushroom, were carried over into the sequel. 2’s only real major mechanical addition was Yoshi, who does not offer many gameplay changes from his inclusion.
Ultimately both titles are strong enough to be featured on top of anyone’s top 10 list; it just comes down to how you feel about having a story in a Mario game, really.
