N-Europe's Top 50 Wii Games: The Results [NUMBERS 10-1!!]

[Cube]

 

 

Due to an overwhelming response from you our readers and members... what originally set out as a quest to find the Top 25 Wii Games, has evolved into a Top 50 Wii Games! This has enabled us to successfully showcase the wonderful range of games that the Wii has to offer on a much granded scale. Even with 50 games there are still some great titles that didn’t make it on to the list; but what is impressive and sure to be a good sign for the Wii U, is that the vast majority of the games that did are exclusive to the Wii!

 

So thanks again for voting, and let's begin counting down N-Europe's Top 50 Wii Games!

 

 

 

 

 

When the mighty Steven Spielberg mentioned that he was creating a unique game for the Wii, everybody was excited. When BOOM BLOX was finally announced (under the original name Block Party) people were initially disappointed, but many soon changed their mind then they played it: it turns out that BOOM BLOX was a unique, imaginative and fun puzzle game. The sequel, BOOM BLOX Bash Party added even more variety, new gameplay elements and an enhanced multiplayer, improving upon the original in every way.

 

Brilliant innovation, gave some good multiplayer fun with a decent single player; easily accessible to all and strangely satisfying.

 

One of the best takes on a puzzle game and a very, very clever and ''moreish'' experience, great fun.

 

 

 

 

 

From the success of Rock Band - which took the Guitar Hero formula and expanded it to a lead guitar, bass guitar, drum and vocals - came a version which focused on legendary music band The Beatles. Bringing along an impressive array of Beatles songs, along with even more released as DLC, it provides fans of The Beatles with the perfect music game.

 

Read our review.

 

This game and every single one of its DLC was and still is and will be for years be pure pleasure for me.

 

Take the popular plastic instrument rhythm genre and add the music catalogue of one of the world's most popular bands and you have one of the best music games available.

 

 

 

 

 

Appearing as the second helping of the epic trifecta of JRPG games that Nintendo of Europe decided to bring over here (much to the annoyance of North American gamers) was the Last Story. From the same brain that created Final Fantasy The Last Story merged the traditional RPG formula with that of 3rd person shooters and real time strategies, giving gamers a unique and magical experience.

 

Read our review.

 

Great story with some decent characters and a beautiful new real-time battle system second only to that of Xenoblades. Anyone who is a fan of JRPGs would adore this game. With any luck “The Last Story” might follow in the footsteps Hironobu Sakaguchi-sans other big game (you know what I’m talking about) and might not be so “final” either..

 

 

 

 

 

Often compared to WarioWare, this minigame collection takes on a humorous musical guise - where both the humour was hilarious and the music was brilliant - in which you mainly use the A button, with the occasional use of the B button. The minigames heavily required timing your button presses in time with the music. Beat the Beat is one of those games that is truly difficult to express in writing, and needs to be played to be fully understood.

 

Read our review.

 

Rhythm Paradise DS was excellent, but the precise controls here, along with the humorous 'missions' and catchy music made this version even better.

 

 

 

 

 

This entry into the popular WarioWare series brought the microgame gameplay to the Wii. It was filled with many different intuitive uses for the Wii Remote. The multiplayer is one area where the game shined: It allowed many players to compete in pass-the-remote games, including one great one that allowed a multitude of players to take turns playing microgames of ever-increasing difficuty, with only one each. Last player alive won. Fun times.

 

Read our review.

 

The perfect game for a right good laugh with friends or family alike that utilises the motion sensor Wiimote to its best ability Wario Ware : Smooth Moves is a game that never gets boring nor dated.

 

one of the most insane games in the Wii, and one that kept my housemates and I playing for a long time.

 

 

 

 

 

Fifteen years since the last game of the franchise, Nintendo decided to resurrect Punch-Out!! from the pit of unused franchises. Just like the original NES game, Punch-Out!! is about learning patterns and having quick reactions. It’s extremely challenging and requires to learn the tactics of all the characters - twice, the latter different and faster. It also faithfully retained the feeling of the original, creating a great sense of nostalgia for anyone who played the NES classic.

 

This is how you should produce a remake, it totally gave me that 8-bit-era feeling back!

 

 

 

 

 

After three successful minigame collections, the Rabbids decided to ditch both Rayman and the minigames in order to star in a brand new game - this time a platformer. The aim was the game was to collect as many objects as possible in order for the Rabbids to built a tower to reach the moon. You maneuvered a shopping cart, which had controls that were balanced so it was easy to use but still enabling difficult sections. It was filled with great humour for both adults and kids throughout the entire game.

 

Rabbids Go Home, although a little unpolished, was a great game. I wouldn't mind another Rabbids platformer instead of a minigame collection.

 

Not the most polished game in the world, but it had me in stitches pretty much throughout the entire thing. Also, the "In Ze Remote" feature is undoubtedly the most creative use of the Wii Remote ever, by any developer... including Nintendo!"

 

 

 

 

 

Opoona is a cute little guy oozing with charm. After a disaster during a family holiday, Opoona gets separated from his family and has to find them on a highly detailed, beautiful word. It features unique gameplay using just the Nunchuck to play and the battle system - the Active Bon-Bon Battle System - is a joy to play. While overlooked by many gamers, Opoona delivered an immense atmosphere, beautiful music and immersive world which struck at the heart of those who played it.

 

This is another game where simply exploring is sooo satisfying - the cities are some of the largest I've ever seen in a traditional jrpg. It really has a unique vibe with great music and a clean cel-shaded style.

 

What really sets this game though other than graphics and simple gameplay is the FREAKING MUSIC! Seriously, even if you don’t buy the game, you MUST buy the music I mean just listen to it!

 

 

 

 

 

A direct sequel to Path of Radiance on the GameCube and the tenth game in the Fire Emblem series, Radiant Dawn took a “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach and focused on what the fans of the franchise wanted: more of the great Fire Emblem battle system with a new story. Radiant Dawn was also a very challenging game, requiring players to put a lot of thought behind their tactics.

 

Read our review.

 

This is the second best game in the series. Gameplay was refined to near-perfection, the soundtrack is orgasmic, the plot is actually quite good.

 

 

 

 

 

While Legends of Rock was the third iteration of the popular Guitar Hero franchise, it was the first to make it to a Nintendo platform. With the brilliant guitar controller - made better on the Wii due to the Wii Remote’s rumble - and a great tracklist, Legends of Rock is seen by many as the height of the franchise.

 

Read our review.

 

The Guitar Hero franchise has faded away, but in its glory days I played so much of this game.

 

 

So that's ten down and plenty more to go, join us next week for #40 - #31 as we continue our countdown of the greatest Wii games ever released.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Retro_Link

[Retro_Link]

Here's the link to the Main Site Feature if anyone wants to take a look http://www.n-europe.com/features/n-europe-top-50-50-41

 

I think it's all come together really nicely, so thanks again everyone who voted!

 

Let us know what you think of the list so far!

Edited October 1, 2012 by Retro_Link

[Wii]

Yes my vote at the last second for Boom Blox: Bash Party helped let it sneak into the top 50. Deserves better placing. I'll read the rest shortly.

[Dcubed]

Surprised that Punchout, Rhythm Heaven Fever and Fire Emblem RD scored so low! Thought they'd be up much higher.

 

Nice to see that Rabbids Go Home made it onto the list

[Jonnas]

I just had to use the word "orgasmic", didn't I?

 

I am pleased to see a Top 50 list! Sounds like the initiative attracted more lurkers than we thought

[Rummy]

Ah, saw the article yesterday didn't realise it had a thread too. Looks great so far, def looknig forward to the next 4!

[dazzybee]

Unbelievable work @Cube! Can't wait for the rest.

[Fused King]

I do wonder what the number 1 will be.

 

Awesome work guys

[Cube]

I do wonder what the number 1 will be.

 

Awesome work guys

 

It's Little King's Story!

 

It's not Little King's Story.

[Fused King]

It's Little King's Story!

 

It's not Little King's Story.

 

If that isn't a tease, it makes me most pleased and I will grant N-Europe a special place in my heart:heart:

[Cube]

Check the quote again.

[Fused King]

It's Little King's Story!

 

It's not Little King's Story.

 

Check the quote again.

 

[Captain Falcon]

Having had a look over the Fire Emblem review, I really have to say I'm staggered to see it given a 3/5 for audio. The game has such a varied, yet consistently high quality soundtrack that even if it's not fully voiced, which would be a massive undertaking, it still deserves more than a 3. I think the audio was perhaps the strongest component of the game.

 

So what's your excuse @darksnowman - did you have an ear infection making everything unclear or were you experiencing some technical difficulties with your speakers?

[Jonnas]

Now that you mention it, I also noticed that the lack of motion controls is listed as both a con and a pro! (It criticises the lack of Wii-exclusive controls while praising the fact that there isn't anything tacked-on)

 

Man, Radiant Dawn suffered the silliest arguments from reviews. None that mentioned actual flaws with the game (like needing the first game to understand the plot, or the lack of supports that fans love) or that played up its real strengths (like the music, accessible interface, or the fact that battles flow so much faster than other SRPGs)

 

Instead, most reviews chose to say "Standard SRPG that's pretty good. Kinda like other Fire Emblems. Pretty hard, though, and it doesn't use Wii-exclusive stuff at all", with minor variations here and there, often adding some unbelievable nitpick (I remember Gamespot criticising the plot for starting slow and basic, and that needing to beat difficult maps to follow it was a flaw. Another one criticised the lack of Miis, of all things!)

 

My biggest gripe, though, is saying it looks only slightly better than PoR, graphically speaking, due to the improved models and scenery. Completely ignoring the fact that, with the new art style (seriously) and faster battles, it looks and feels much better than before.

And that was a gripe back then because I could tell from videos. Now, I also know that they corrected a lot of gameplay-related flaws from PoR, too (like Skills, Forges and everything related to the Laguz). Instead, too much focus was usually given to something it never intended to have in the first place: Wii controls, the lack thereof.

 

 

I suppose I needed to get that out of my system. I got into Fire Emblem because an excellent review convinced me to try the GBA one, it's a shame that the series so mistreated in mainstream reviews.

[Cube]

 

Disaster does shooting. Disaster does jumping. Disaster does driving. Disaster does humanitarian rescue. Disaster: Day of Crisis does a lot of things and it doesn’t do them all phenomenally well, but what it does is string together wildly different sections that make sure you’re never bored. With a popcorn disaster flick plot and an arcade-like gameplay style with surprising depth and replay value, Disaster is one hell of a ride.

 

Read our review.

 

Quite possibly one of the most dramatic gaming experiences of all time with its movie like, disaster themed storyline, Disaster : Day of Crisis offers one of the most diverse and innovative styles of gameplay that I can think of.

 

It had me on the edge of my seat and had some great use of the Wii remote, please...do yourselves a favour, get this game before it's too late. You will not be disappointed!

 

 

Following on from the praise of the daytime sections in Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colours finally did what Sonic fans have wanted for a while - a game with just Sonic sections and no extra bloat. Even without the usual extra baggage, Sonic Colours remained a very decent length, with many varied missions and the unique wisp power-ups. Add to that some new writers with an entertaining plot which didn’t shy from insulting the franchise and recent games, you have the best Sonic has been in a while.

 

Read our review.

 

Sonic Colours takes a different approach. It keeps the extra characters well away and it tries a new trick of giving extra playtime by giving you extra content… content that you want - the same content that got you to sign up in the first place.

 

 

After Kirby’s Epic Yarn took Kirby in a new direction, Nintendo went back to the Kirby game that was announced for the GameCube way back in 2005. With the much-loved classic Kirby gameplay and added chaotic 4-player co-op, it gave us a second great dumping of Kirby after we were left hungry from the GameCube.

 

It brought in the optional companions, offered 4-player simultaneous drop in/drop out, and was beautifully vibrant with good sound and in places nice challenge.

 

Now, this game is quite cool single player wise, but holy s*** is the multiplayer fun.

 

 

Super Paper Mario is a game cursed to have an unfair reception due to its mixed lineage. People expecting a classic Paper Mario will not get a “pure” RPG experience and people expecting classic Super Mario won’t get that tight platforming. Yet, Super Paper Mario offers hilarious dialog and characters, beautiful, inventive levels and a very original system where you switch the view from 2D to 3D that makes for quite the clever puzzles and platforming. The key to enjoying Super Paper Mario might be to realize that it’s a spin off, not a sequel and there’s a lot to enjoy here.

 

Read our review.

 

This game is a masterpiece and could've been the best in the series if it wasn't for the battle system. Different dimensions ensured lots of artstyles, Bowser, Peach, Luigi and Mario coming together, and the story was as intriguing as it was witty.

 

 

A sadly overlooked game that perfectly marries tight jumps with puzzles that make use of the enemies and environment, Wario Land is a platformer that highly rewards those who learn the levels and the game to squeeze the most out of it. The gorgeous graphics also help, especially due to the fact that every frame of animation is hand drawn instead of using the now common skeletal animations. If you haven’t played it yet, it’s a mistake you should fix.

 

Read our review.

 

This game is an absolute gem. It really is. The wonderful 2D sprites were a joy to behold and it was nice to nice a developer not giving up on the 2d platforming genre. The gameplay was frantic as ever when dealing with Wario, as it was one mad dash through the level after the next. The game really kept you on your toes as you tried to work out the best way to get the treasure and then get the hell out of there in time.

 

 

If we could look at it in a vacuum, Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City is quite the game. Loads to collect, fish, capture, plant, buy, sell and all the other relaxing activities you might expect from Animal Crossing. But therein lies the rub, all it does is not only what we expect from it, but also what we’ve already done at least twice before. Still, with a much improved online mode and a few additions and upgrades, Let’s Go to the City proved itself an addictive, albeit very familiar Animal Crossing.

 

Read our review.

 

My second most played Wii game and I only played it for about six weeks, clocking up 122h! AC is such a basic concept yet it is completely addictive when you get into it. Add the online aspect with the community on here and there were many a good night of fishing and hide and seek had.

 

 

While it was initially a disappointment that the Wii ended up getting a on-rails version of the horror game Dead Space, Visceral and Eurocom created a wonderful experience filled with plenty of scares, action and a great plot set before the first game with interesting characters. The on-rails gameplay also allowed for extra oomph to go into the graphics - Dead Space Extraction looked gorgeous with some amazing lighting.

 

Read our review.

 

It shocked me. So good, so incredibly difficult to put down. Tense, but action packed in the right moments.

 

 

Guitar Hero is a well behaved music student playing the notes laid out on the tab before him. No deviation is allowed, everything outside of what the teacher wrote cannot exist and is not in fact music. Wii Music is a self taught Jazz musician toying with the notes, experimenting with the instruments and playing with sound to see what he can create. The problem is that he went on stage too soon, his skills weren’t sharp and the instruments weren’t tuned. But the soul is still there and sometimes it’s more fun to play free Jazz with your friends than Simon Says.

 

In the words of Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha and any other whore-like celebrity, haters can go [censored] themselves. Wii Music was misunderstood. I've had so much fun on this game, especially back in my old college days having jam sessions with friends.

 

 

The only WiiWare title to make our Top 50 and it is well deserved. Made by only two guys, World of Goo shines brightly among the underlooked WiiWare catalog due to its ingenious physics puzzles that make fantastic use of the Wii Remote complemented with an impeccable presentation, beautiful soundtrack and some minimalistic but very witty text. It might not be an exaggeration to say that with World of Goo, 2D Boy might have been one of the driving forces behind the indie gaming explosion we’re seeing right now.

 

Showed perfectly that just because it's a downloadable title doesn't mean it can't hang with the big boys. Puts many a retail title to shame.

 

 

Shoot hundreds of monsters flying around you while a war breaks out in the back, that enemy in the distance fires at you but you dodge, while a soldier on the opposite of the screen fires a rocket at you. You counter it, send it back to him with a kick for a big explosion when suddenly a gigantic ship appears above you, you lock-on to all its weapons, charge and let go a barrage of lasers that brings down the ship.

 

This isn’t a boss, a mini-boss or even a special event, this is just a regular part of a regular level. Sin & Punishment 2 is Arcade shooting at its finest, chaotic action, a screen filled with endless enemies and a need for fast reflexes and precision that only the Wii Remote allows.

 

I'm not usually into hardcore arcade-style shooters, but this one is special. I was really disappointed when the original S&P never made it over to PAL N64s. Its re-release on Virtual Console helped to heal some wounds. Nintendo further impressed me even more with Star Successor. Fast-paced and a huge challenge with chunky and loud graphics.

 

Tune in next week as we charge through the next ten games in our Top 50.

[Retro_Link]

Some absolutely FANTASTIC games and we're only at #40-31!

[Lens of Truth]

There are loads of these games that I wished I could've crammed in to my vote, so I'm really glad to see them! Reminds me as well I need to play Kirby's Adventure/ Return to Dreamland.

 

Great read guys!

[Dcubed]

The superior Kirby game got robbed But otherwise, no real complaints. A fine list

[are1981]

It is nice that you put so much work into this! I enjoy reading this! Sadly I never voted.

[Josh64]

Fantastic read, also some great games. Reminds me just how amazing the Wii is. It also reminds me that I still NEED Wario: Shake Dimension!

[Mokong]

Made a video blog going through my Top 10 Wii games...the list is the same as the one I used to vote for this but with added extra me talking

 

 

Bit of a long one, but considering the uncut video was nearly 40mins long I think I did well to cut it down to what it ended up at, haha.

[Dcubed]

Soooooooo guys. What's happening with the rest of the countdown? Is it still gonna finish before the Wii U comes out?

 

Looking forward to seeing the rest of it still!

[Cube]

Just a bit of a delay. It will definitely be finished before the Wii U is out in Europe.

[SirToastaLot]

Looking forward to it!

Great work so far, and many thanks for quoting me. :awesome:

[Cube]

After a short delay, our top 50 Wii Games countdown continues, with a fair share of shooting games in this section.

 

 

After the crazy period he went through hanging out with the Rabbids, Rayman took a long, hard look at himself and decided that he needed to reevaluate his life. He decided to quit the Rabbid circus and go back to his roots - 2D platforming. He picked up some wonderful artists along the way, too, resulting in some stunning hand-drawn graphics. Throw in some spot-on platforming, glorious music, 4-player co-op and a huge dash of insanity, and you have a triumphant return for Rayman.

 

Zany. That word sprang to mind when I thought about describing this game. Exactly the kind of thing you would expect from the Rayman universe and Ubisoft. Crazy-ass experimental music, as well as freakishly funny enemies and bosses.

 

The best 2D platformer on the Wii (oh, controversial!!!). Beautiful to look at, with level design and gameplay flowing effortlessly together. Not often that Ubisoft gets one up on Nintendo at their own game.

 

 

The Wii’s first online game (in Europe, anyway), Mario Strikers Charged Football brought us our second helping of Mario Football. In some ways is was as much a brawler as it was a football game, with tackles that would make Roy Keane shake his head in disgust. Mario Strikers Charged had a surprising amount of depth, and proper use of your players - and not the title characters - could lead to some crushing victories with over 100 goals. Extremely fun, unique and a complete blast in multiplayer.

 

Read our review.

 

Combining Football with the world of Nintendo was a bit surreal at first. I enjoy my football and I love Nintendo but could taking the beautiful game to a Mario Kart style make over work? Yes it did. Despite the over the top action and power ups provided by the Mario universe the game still managed to be competitive, tactical and of course fun. Plus it was the first Wii game with an online mode which worked pretty well even with the dreaded Friend Code system.

 

This was a cool game, albeit frustratingly hard.

 

 

After the ******* release of The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return ******* showed that there was a ******* audience for this ******* classic rail shooter, SEGA decided to create a new ******* entry into the ******* franchise. With a new ******* insane story and a ******* awesome dual-wielding game mode (you can also invite another ******* player to use the second ******* weapon), HotD: Overkill not only ******* matched the quality of the ******* old-time shooters, but it ******* surpassed it in every way. The ******* game also features the occasional ******* use of the ******* F-bomb.

 

Read our review.

 

Fun gameplay with plenty of enjoyable dialogue and set pieces. Feels like revisiting a favourite movie every time you play it.

 

B-movie parody with an awesome soundtrack, not for the squeamish or timid (excessive use of the 'F' word and doing that 'F' thing to your mother).

 

 

Wii Sports introduced gamers to the Wii Remote with five simple yet wonderful games. Wii Sports Resort not only did the same for Wii Motion Plus, but also expanded on it. This time with 11 sports set around Wuhu island - a place which has since appeared in many Nintendo games - all focusing around the new Motion+ attachment. Swordplay finally brought the sword controls everyone wanted when they first saw the Wii Remote - a system which was the basis for the Skyward Sword.

 

Another fan favourite, Archery, produced an astonishing degree of control allowing for precise aiming without relying on the Wii Remote’s pointer and the return of Bowling and Golf allowed players see the different Wii Motion+ provided.

 

Read our review.

 

The best motion controlled game I've played, ever. This is what the Wii is all about and I can only wonder how much longer the Wii would have lasted in the lime-light had it have had Motion + from the start. My favourite part? The first time you play and your Mii jumps out of the plane, grabbing onto other falling Mii's and taking photo's before a synchronised landing on the (soon to be regular Mii spot) Wuhu Island.

 

Where Wii Sports started, Wii Sports Resort took over. Channeling all that was good about the original game as well as WaveRace 64 and Pilotwings, it's the wonderful feel good vibe that creates an experience that is somehow warm and familiar from the moment you turn it on. It's funny how WuHu Island felt familiar to me, even though I had never been there before!

 

Finally, a full realisation of the controls that we were all promised with the Wii back in 2006, and it's exactly what I wanted. The sword fighting game is the best Star Wars Lightsaber game ever made

 

All the other sports are also fantastic and hide an incredible amount of depth that is cleverly hidden beneath the surface. It's a game that anyone can play but only few will ever master - the perfect representation of the console!

 

 

A lovely platformer with a charming gingham style. Kirby’s Epic Yarn was pure craft, with everything made out of wool, fabric, buttons and stitches. The swallow-or-spit Kirby gameplay never appeared in this game, with Kirby’s more unique transformations taking place at set locations in stages. Even so, all of Kirby’s main moves involved little transformations - instead of a run animation, Kirby turns into a cute ickle car.

 

Kirby’s Epic Yarn oozed charm from start to finish and even the most stern adults would have a hard time not smiling while playing this.

 

Read our review.

 

Another beautiful, unique game. I know it didn't start its life as a Kirby game, but it fit in his universe perfectly. Loved the narrator, not the most challenging of platformers, but in a way, that was a good thing, as I never got frustrated with the game, it was just pure FUN!

 

It's not the greatest Kirby game but it IS the Wii's greatest 2D platformer.

 

 

I could just reword what people have said about this game, but N-Europe member shin_kagato has explained what makes this game great so well that you may as well just read his words:

 

I love survival horror games, Resident Evil has lost that edge, its a great game even now, but its more action horror. Silent Hill has been really ropey since Konami dissolved Team Silent and i had no hope that we would ever see a great game in the series. Then this one showed up and it reminded me what it was about Silent Hill that was scary, it wasn't the monsters, it was never the story, it was the town, that thing was the real enemy and this game knows it! So the game has a subroutine constantly running in the background that remembers key events and how you react to them, at the very beginning you fill out a questionnaire about yourself at a psychiatrist and this changes the types of enemies you meet and even how some of the games characters look and act when you find them. It also remembers things like which door you choose first, if you venture into the girls bathroom, lots of seemingly unimportant events that shape the games world around you. For instance, I met Cybil, the cop who helps you out in the game, she was a bit of a hardass, had short blonde hair but was helpful. I witnessed someone else playing it and she not only had a totally different physical appearance, she was a different character! In previous titles you could carry weapons, guns etc which have been completely scrapped in this game. When you see a monster in this game, you run and run fast! The feeling of panic and fear as you see creatures scrambling over walls to get to you, attracted to the light of your torch, its something i haven't felt since the original PSX game all those years ago. Its not a long game, but it will really make you think about the choices you made and may even force you back in to see how things change if you do something different.

 

Read our review.

 

A game that will stay in my mind for a long time. It has also ruined/made better one of my favourite Elvis Presley songs. "That scene" is one of the best memories I will take from this generation.

 

 

Having already made the gorgeous 2D action-RPG Odin Sphere on PS2, Vanillaware seemed like a natural fit for Wii - a system not being able to match others in power, but boasting its fair share of artistically wondrous gems. Muramasa: The Demon Blade was the result of the project, and it thankfully played to the studio's established strengths - a sumptuously stylised 2D slash 'em up romp through feudal Japan. It may not have the deepest gameplay system, but the action is slick and addictive. With dozens of enchanted swords to collect, each with their own unique powers, there's plenty of incentive to play through both main characters' campaigns - if experiencing one of the most beautiful worlds on Wii isn't enticing enough.

 

Brilliant art style that shows with careful design HD can infact be completely unnecessary to make a gorgeous game.

 

TEH VISUALS!!!!!!

I nearly s*** myself a new one when I saw this game in motion, sweet mama-mia does that game look good! Again, because I study Japanese, this game was finger licking good, helped greatly by the Japanese voices Muramasa also has one hell of a soundtrack mixing traditional instruments from Japan with all sorts of different funky beats. This game is also one of those games which makes you feel badass when you defeat that boss, or kill those 100 enemies. I mean, you can collect over a 100 swords, each with its own slick powers, ready to cut, slice and fill your screen with awesome effects! However, I must confess that I've only completed one path with the ninja known as Kisuke and I have yet to take the path of the princess Momohime. Come to think of it, the fact that I have another campaign waiting for me doesn't make me feel sad in the slightest

 

 

GoldenEye had a lot to live up to: a reimagining of one of the most loved first-person shooter games of all time, and not something completely unrelated with the name slapped one (like EA attempted). This new GoldenEye rewrote the story into a more modern day setting, with Daniel Craig at the helm.

 

While clearly influenced by Call of Duty (it even ran on the same game engine), GoldenEye still managed to keep to it’s roots, with many sections that could be completed using stealth instead of an all-out attack. The Wii Remote controls were also incredibly well made, with a ton of options and great sensitivity. It’s a surprise that the collector’s edition came with a Classic Controller Pro, considering how much better it plays without it.

 

Read our review.

 

The best single player FPS campaign I've played. The motion controls made this game what it is, so instinctive and fun to play; tilting the nunchuck to lean round a corner... yes please! The opening levels of Dam and Facility interspurced with an incredible title sequence made for one of the best starts to any game ever!

 

It is also sad that this didn't spark a wave of high quality Wii shooters. The controls are perfect and it is worthy of the title.

 

The best single player campaign mode in an FPS this generation.

 

 

Miyamoto had always dreamt of a multiplayer Mario platformer and it seems it was worth the wait. New Super Mario Bros. Wii landed on Nintendo consoles in late 2009 and was the ultimate showcase for local multiplayer gaming. Would you help out your friends to complete the stages or would you be a savage foe? Many nights were spent throwing friends off of ledges and bouncing off their heads and that was the beauty of it - Despite your head bopping differences, you'd all come together in the end to thwart Bowser and his pesky children. The pure gameplay and frantic multiplayer made it a huge success but the fun didn't stop there. Whilst the core gameplay was based on four players there was still a classic Mario title nestled within, boasting eight new worlds and the return of the Koopa Kids. New Super Mario Bros. Wii spelt the return of local multiplayer gaming and pulled it off magnificently.

 

Read our review.

 

This game made my former girlfriend put the Wii in the living room and invite GIRLFRIENDS over to come and GAME(!!!)

 

For the 4 player carnage but I also love 2D Mario games so had to make my top 10 because of this.

 

My girlfriend is a Professor Layton player, her son is a COD player, neither of them have really played a Mario game seriously but i was able to have both of them play this with me and it was like they had been playing Mario games their whole life! The game itself is full of colour, the soundtrack is very catchy and its good to see a proper follow up to Super Mario 3/world. That said, playing it in one player is fine, but it doesn't quite match up to the previous titles in the series until you add those human players, then it becomes a ridiculous, fun, crazy and unpredictable mess in the best possible way. If you are looking for that one game to bring players of every level together, this is it! Forget Wii Sports, there is too much sitting around waiting for a turn, this is the game that everyone can play together and all have fun at the same time.

 

 

While it may not have stood up graphically to its HD brothers on other systems Call of Duty: Black Ops on the Wii still provided Wii gamers with plenty of bang for their buck. Treyarch were one developer that really seemed to show good support and respect for the Wii and no game showed that more than Black Ops. While the single player was the standard CoD fair everyone knows Online is where CoD games really come to life and Treyarch were able to streamline the Wii online experience and show how an online system on the Wii could be done right. No Friend Codes, proper voice chat with friends and non-friends alike via a headset and not the limited WiiSpeak. Add it all together with spot on Wii Remote controls and even the option for Classic Controller use for those unwilling to give up their dual sticks, Call of Duty: Black Ops on the Wii showed you don’t need HD graphics to have great gameplay.

 

Read our review.

 

Excellent and addictive online multiplayer, which became even more memorable thanks to countless gaming sessions with the N-E clan.

 

Treyarch raised the bar with COD:MWR, but they totally smashed it with Black Ops. Whilst the single player is solid but unremarkable, online is where it is at. A whole new online system, no friend codes and voice chat via headset. This is how online should be done on the Wii. The full multiplayer experience is in; combat training, wager matches and four player co-operative Zombies. This game is a must for any Wii shooter fan or for anyone that likes COD but wants to try out the perfectly balanced pointer controls. The shear amount of modes and the huge amount of content will keep you going for hundreds of hours.

 

Next time, we'll delve into the top 20 with another list of ten exciting games - which ones will just miss reaching the top 10?