Nintendo didn’t have an HD console like the PS3 and Xbox 360. However, they still made bank with the Wii during this generation for a few key reasons. Part of the success can be attributed to the Wii’s innovative motion controls. It felt intuitive to control a lot of the early games such as Wii Play and Wii Sports.
Those two games alone helped usher in a new wave of Nintendo fans. It brought together families as no other console did before it. As great as the family-friendly games were, there were also plenty of hardcore titles to get into. Where are these obscure Wii titles now and can they ever come back like in a Switch remaster?
8 The Conduit
The Conduit was an original first-person shooter exclusive to the Wii console. Players assumed the role of an undercover agent inside the White House, trying to stop an invasion from going down with aliens. There were two games in this series, with the finale of the sequel leaving things on a mighty cliffhanger.
It involves George Washington and Abraham Lincoln coming out of a portal and inviting the player to come with them. It was a great setup for a game that never was. Perhaps an HD collection could reignite some passion in this series to get to that third game.
7 Fragile Dreams
Fragile Dreams was an action RPG with a horror element. Players would explore the ruins of a lost civilization, picking up random items along the way to use as weapons. It felt like a clash between Silent Hill because of the dark aura and horrific monsters and the Mana games because of the action mechanics and designs.
The game never got a sequel and has remained a Wii exclusive ever since. There aren’t that many horror RPGs so the more chances players get to try one out, the better.
6 The Last Story
The Last Story was like Mistwalker’s version of what Final Fantasy was for Square. It was their last-ditch attempt at making a hit. This is funny considering Hironobu Sakaguchi helped create Final Fantasy and established Mistwalker as a studio to continue his work more independently.
Unfortunately, The Last Story did not spawn a giant franchise like Final Fantasy. However, that did not spell the end for Mistwalker although they were dormant for a while. This action game has some tactical mechanics as well, making for a unique RPG setup. It too is trapped on the Wii for now though.
5 Madworld
Madworld has to be one of the Wii’s most visually distinct action games. It’s all in black and white, mirroring Western-style comics like Sin City. Madworld was centered around a game show wherein the player had to make it through a series of challenges to win their freedom back into society.
The overall theme was like an early 80s movie complete with intense deaths and cheesy lines. It did get a sequel via Anarchy Reigns, but it’s a bit different in gameplay and art style. Madworld is worth preserving more than Anarchy Reigns although hardcore fans would assuredly not object to a collection.
4 Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Muramasa: The Demon Blade technically did get one remaster already via its PS Vita port. It wasn’t a full HD upgrade but it did look visually better than the Wii original. However a proper remaster gets made, it needs to be done posthaste.
This is a Metroidvania with two different campaigns centering around a male ninja and a female princess who is basically a ninja too. There are tons of swords to collect in this ever-evolving world of feudal Japan. It’s one Metroidvania that would do great today thanks to the resurgence of the genre with indie hits like Hollow Knight.
3 ReBirth Castlevania
During the Wii era, Konami made a short-lived series that was exclusive to the Wii’s digital service. There were three games in the ReBirth collection including Castlevania, Contra, and Gradius. All three of those games were remakes of certain entries in their respective series.
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, for example, was based on a Game Boy game. Since that digital service is now closed, it is impossible to play any of these games without emulation and that is a real shame.
2 Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People was a five-episode adventure game series from Telltale. It followed the formula they set up in their later Walking Dead games. Things were not as linear but it was a more streamlined adventure game experience than some of the older PC titles such as anything from LucasArts like Grim Fandango.
All five episodes retained the humor of the wildly popular web series with tons of inside jokes for fans. It did get ported to the other consoles of this generation but they never made it past the PS3, for example.
1 Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Capcom has made a name for itself by being synonymous with the fighting game genre. They have tons of original hits under their belt including Street Fighter. They also have a plethora of crossover fighting games like Marvel vs Capcom. Then there is Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars which was also a crossover game but one that didn’t make a huge splash in the West.
Tatsunoko is a Japanese anime brand that produced shows such as Gatchaman and Tekkaman which were not huge hits overseas. That might be why it didn’t gather a huge following on the Wii. However, as a fighting game, it’s still very well executed.