The original code name for the Nintendo Wii was the Revolution, in that the console was posed to change the way people played video games. The motion-sensing technology of the system’s Wii Remote offered a new potential level of immersion.
Unfortunately, given the success of the platform, it would face a deluge of shovelware that would use the Wii’s unique control scheme for simple waggle controls, ensuring sore wrists. Some Wii games, however, did the Wii controller justice, by creating unique experiences that one would not find on any other console at the time. Some of these games are worth revisiting, even today.
8 The Conduit Allowed Players To Play Their Way
One way in which the Wii pointer controls opened up new potential is for precision aiming in first-person shooters. Being able to just point and shoot at enemies with a simple gesture adds a new level of skill, provided that the system’s sensor bar was set up properly.
The Conduit didn’t necessarily do anything previous Wii shooters hadn’t done. Instead, it offered up an obscene level of control customization options, from the sensitivity of the pointer to what area pointing the Wii remote would rotate the camera. It was designed so that anyone could play the game the way that was most comfortable for them. This game is worthy of a port to the Switch.
7 No More Heroes Was A Brawler With Attitude
With Nintendo as a kid-friendly brand, it didn’t really have a lot of M-Rated titles on its systems. Thankfully, No More Heroes hit the Wii to shake things up a little bit. The game follows potty-mouthed Otaku, Travis Touchdown, as he fights up the ranks of the most dangerous assassins with the use of his trusty beam katana.
The gameplay strikes just the right balance between traditional controls and motion controls. To strike foes, players, press a button, while tilting the Wii remote up and down to adjust Travis’s swing aim. At times, a prompt will come up to strike opponents with a swing of the remote. Also, through gestures with both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, it is possible to suplex rivals with a pro wrestling move.
6 Wii Sports Resort Was An Island Paradise
The Wii promised that groundbreaking motion controls. Unfortunately, the technology wasn’t quite there yet. With the dawn of the Wii Motion Plus add-on for the Wii Remote, one-to-one motion controls were finally possible.
Wii Sports Resort fulfilled the Wii’s original promise, bringing accurate controls to its compilation of mini-games, including table tennis and sword fighting, as well as playing fetch with a cute virtual pup. Another mini-game enabled players to position the Wii remote to direct a small plane as it flew around the Wii Sports Resort Island, almost as a tribute to Nintendo’s Pilot Wings games.
5 Busting Made Us Feel Good
This game is from the franchise that spawned the infamous line, “Don’t cross the streams.” With the release of Ghostbusters: The Video Game on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, developer Red Fly Studio built a unique Ghostbusting experience tailored for the Wii’s pointer and motion controls.
Using the Wii remote as the Ghostbusters’ particle beam is a no-brainer. Once the ghosts are weakened enough, they can be flung around with a couple flicks, then directed into a containment unit. If that wasn’t enough, then two friends could play together in co-op mode. Busting has never felt so good.
4 Holding The Wii Remote In Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Was Magic
Many devoted fans of Harry Potter have long dreamed of receiving their letter inviting them to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Until that happens, players will have to settle for the numerous Harry Potter video games. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for the Wii is not one to miss out on.
As the Boy Who Lived, aspiring witches and wizards got to explore all of Hogwarts, not only casting spells, but also attending Potions classes. With the Wii remote, dueling against fellow students was as simple as flicking the Wii Remote, and different motions yielded different results. In order to pour the right ingredients into a concoction, one had to physically tilt the Wii Remote to pour the flasks, but not too much, or else it would go up in a puff of smoke.
3 Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Brought The Prince To New Heights
An unfortunate trend for the Wii was that developers of multiplatform games would create a watered-down version for the platform that was inferior in almost every way to its sibling versions. Instead, Ubisoft Québec went above and beyond with the Wii’s last 3D entry in the Prince of Persia franchise, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the Wii, and created a unique story and gameplay experience that made it a worthwhile experience.
Throughout the game, players are aided in their journey by a mischievous genie, basically the Prince’s Cortana. Through the Wii remote pointer, she could manipulate the environment to help the Prince traverse it. She could freeze waterfalls to make pillars for the Prince to climb, place hand holds along walls for him to grab onto, or rotate panels on walls to solve puzzles. She could even play a role in the combat, freezing enemies to give the Prince a chance to strike. One could almost forgive the Prince for his emo phase with Warrior Within.
2 Red Steel 2 Slices And Dices
One of the launch titles for the Wii was a Ubisoft game called Red Steel, a first-person shooter which involved taking on the Yakuza. One of the big selling points was using the Wii Remote as a samurai sword in one-on-one combat. Unfortunately, it didn’t work quite as well as preferred.
That’s where its sequel, Red Steel 2, came in. Utilizing the Wii Motion Plus, the game brought the kind of sword-swinging power fantasy its predecessor promised. As a samurai cowboy in a Japan-flavored Western town, it was possible to slash, stab, and launch enemies into the air with a katana. The whole package was also presented in a slick cel-shaded art style that one would argue is the predecessor to GearBox’s Borderlands games.
1 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Brought Out The Dark Side
The first things Star Wars fans asked when it came to the Wii remote was, “Will I be able to use it as a lightsaber?” The Wii version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, which put players in the boots of Vader’s secret apprentice, Starkiller, answered that question.
While control of the lightsaber was not 1 to 1 precision with the Wii remote, this was the ultimate experience for those who wanted to unleash their Dark Side. Swinging the Wii remote as a lightsaber is a blast. By holding down a button and tilting the Wii remote sideways, Starkiller would be able to deflect laser blasts. The Nunchuk attachment got to participate in the action as well. Flicking it would send out a Force push, and tilting it up and down would slam enemies down on the ground, making for a fun game of “Stop Hitting Yourself.”