6 years.... quite a long time to last for an underpowered console that's entire purpose was designed around a new kind of controller. Granted, we all grew to pretty much hate waggle and ultimately deemed that motion controlled games are destined to be a novelty rather than the future of gaming, but that's really besides the point. And sure the console really was all but dead last year, but that's also besides the point. The point is another great console is passing away into the realm of "old consoles" and now it's time to pay a little tribute to it.



The Best!

Super Mario Galaxy

I'll admit that SMG2 is a better game on a level by level basis. But Galaxy has two things going for it (aside from being the original) that make me give it a higher spot.  The space station hub was one of the best hubs I've come across, and the way how it slowly comes to life after being in the dark really makes it feel special. Plus Rosaline and the Luma's story fits the Mario universe like a glove. Oh yeah, and there's killer fucking level design.

Rune Factory Frontier

Frontier is a game that does a whole lot and one of the best gaming mash-ups you'll ever find. Farming sim, monter trainer, dungeon exploring, dating sim, and more. It doesn't do any of those things perfectly, but they're all done very well and the final result is a game that allow you to do whatever the hell you want. Plus the game feature the best fantasy village gaming has ever seen, that constantly stays evolves as time goes on and feels totally alive. Best in-game village since Majora's Mask's Clock Town.

Wii Sports Resort

The best pick-up and play mini-game collection ever. It's a game that anyone could play and the result was fun for just about everyone. And to me the reason why it's one of the best game ever - it's the game that I played with my dad and my son. 3 generations playing one game. Can't say that about many games, and can't put a price on that experience.

Mario Kart Wii

It may have been the only good online experience that Nintendo created, but they did an aweome job with this one. 12 racers at once and no sign of lag. Great new tracks, great collection of older tracks and they never looked better. Sure it may have been a bit easier than it needed to be, but screw it, the game is as fun as it gets.

Trauma Team

I was never a huge fan of the original Trauma Center games, but Trauma Center injected the variety of storylines and gameplay that the series needed. In addition to the classic surgerical gameplay, they had paramedic work, forensics, and more. The result was a game that always managed to stay fresh. So much greatness that you can even forgive that lame ass superhero storyline.

Twilight Princess

The best 3-D Zelda ever. The game suffers from a slow start, but if you can make it to the third dungeon you will get to play through the greatest dungeons/labyrinths the series has ever put forth. Hyrule never looked better and everything in it feels natural like its always belonged. Good times indeed.

No More Heroes

Can we all just agree that Travis Touchdown was the greatest new character of this generation. He rides the line of cool hero and douchebag right down the middle and we love him for it. As for the game, it's a got that kind of style and WTFness that only Suda51 can come up with. Memorable bosses, great fights, and a way to make you look forward to mundane tasks like coconut collecting. Excellent stuff.

Punch Out!!

This is how you remake a classic. The formula still worked so they just injected more peronality, more fighters, and a title defense mode that make everything feel new all over again. It should be the model for every company remaking an 8 bit game to follow. Plus it's one of the few core games that actually found a great way to make use of the balance board.

Order Up!

Poor Order Up. A game that never caught a break due to being mistaken as another mini-game casual piece of crap. In truth it was a hardcore game wearing a casual game's clothes. Made by Supervillian Studios, a team with a wicked sense of humor, this game combined cooking, restaurant management, the Enter the Dragon, and Star Wars.

Fortune Street

Had this game been made from the ground up for the Wii and not been a DS port I'd probably have more reason to rank it higher. As it is, it's the best board game I've ever played on a console and that's saying a lot. It's Monopoly evolved with Mario and Dragon Quest themes. Brilliance.

The Worst

Every console has its share of shit games and the Wii was no exception. In fact, it probably had its share and the share of a few other consoles.  Here's my top 2 choices for worst game. One for the regular releases and one for the WiiWare releases.

Baroque

It would have been easy to just pick one of the forgettable shovelware mini-game collections that the Wii was plagued with during the middle year of it lifespan, but I wanted to choose something that actually attempted to be a game. And that's why I went with Baroque.  If you were to say I "didn't get" Baroque, I wouldn't argue with you. It was a high concept story with high concept story-telling. It has something to do with scientists experimenting on gods and warping reality in the process, and the story only progresses when you die. But if you were to say it was good, I'd kick you in the nuts.  The game is dreary, boring, completely unfocused and is less fun than rusty nipple clamps. Fortunately, no one ever said this game was good, so everyone's nuts are safe.


Harvest Moon: My Little Shop

Every gamer is guilty at one time or another or playing a game they know to be bad simply because it's part of their favorite franchise. And in this case My Little Shop is my particular sin. It's like they tried to make a children's game that even kids would think it far too easy. The game is actually designed to be played for about 10 minutes every day, so the idea of progressing the game at your own pace is right out the window. If you want to play more than 10 minutes, then all you can do is do the same task over and over...and nothing else. Yes! You can make juice 400 times!!!! Somehow they found a way to make Harvest Moon even more repetitive. Plus there's DLC so you can buy more boring ass jobs.

• 794 votes
• 550 Wins
• 240 Losses
• 69.6 accuracy
• 485 points with a sliver off of experience
• 96 cm away from popular opinion

Archangel3371 said:

The only thing that really matters are your stats for the Wii Voting Channel. As of today mine are:

• 794 votes
• 550 Wins
• 240 Losses
• 69.6 accuracy
• 485 points with a sliver off of experience
• 96 cm away from popular opinion

Wow I forgot that existed.

What other features for the wii did we totally forget about? Miis were great for a while but I ignored them after a year or so.

Do you guys remember the Virual Console. Remember the anticipation every single week to see what we get. Remember Leo's mega post. That was like 4 years ago.

Ravenprose said:

What's this nonsense about putting the Wii away? I still play it! I've been playing Epic Mickey this week.

That reminds me you liked Nyx. Go download Dive: The Medes Island Secret. They use the same game engine, and while they're different games they kind of have a similar vibe. I think you'd like it.

Dvader said:

Do you guys remember the Virual Console. Remember the anticipation every single week to see what we get. Remember Leo's mega post. That was like 4 years ago.

Um. Vader. That was S-I-X years ago!

Click!

phantom_leo said:

Um. Vader. That was S-I-X years ago!

Click!

I meant before it stopped being a thing. We havent talked about it in like 4 years.

Edgecrusher's Top Wii Games:

• Super Mario Galaxy series

Such great times with these games....they really brought me back to how I felt playing the great platformers on the N64 actually. They had that kind of magic.

• Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The only reason I don't include Skyward Sword is because, well, I haven't played it yet. But TP was a great game. Now that I think about it, it really is the best Zelda in terms of design. Playing this as a launch game on a totally new controller was a weird experience. In some ways I think it detracted from it because I was not used to the controls, but in other ways it really added to it. My favorite part of the game was that haunted mansion where you have to snowboard down the hill. Reminded me of Final Fantasy 7.

• Metroid Prime 3, Trilogy

MP3 may be my favorite game on the Wii...and it was also a game that didn't quite feel like it even belonged on the system. These are just games that feel like they belong on more advanced hardware, and it always felt to me like Retro were really trying to force the Wii into making this game the way they wanted to make it. As far as level design and detail, this is probably the best it got on the console in terms of a more realistic experience. Some of these environments were jaw dropping, even for a Wii game. I can only imagine what they would look like on the Wii U. Then you have the incredible Trilogy pak, with MP1 and 2 thrown in with Wii controls and achievements. Awesome.

• Goldeneye

This game was a real question mark that ended up much better than I hoped. While I still don't think it captured the pure magic of Rare's classic, I don't think that's even possible anymore. This game really stood on its own with great level design and controls, and one of the best paced single-player campaigns of the generation for FPS's. Hats off to Eurocom for this one.

• Donkey Kong Country Returns

Retro shocked everyone with this one, though after what I said about Metroid feeling out of place maybe its not such a surprise that they decided to try their take at a more family friendly platformer. What WAS surprising, is how they just completely nailed it & made a better DK than Rare ever made. Outside of some annoying waggle, this game is like a dream.

• Metroid Other M

I almost forgot about this one. Probably the most controversial big game on the console...a game with a very love/hate relationship among fans. I am one of the lovers....I thought this game was the best thing that has happened to the side scroller, along with Shadow Complex on the 360, in a long time. The whole story debacle is overrated....sure, it should have been better, but it didn't ruin the game; the gameplay is awesome. Another game where the controls were a bit strange and could have been better without having to change how you were holding the pad, but overall, a great game & one I'd like to see a sequel to.

• Resident Evil 4

Well, as lacking as the Wii was in the AAA adult market, it DID in fact have the best Resident Evil ever made. Sure, its a port of a Gamecube game, but what the fuck...its still the best version of this game you can buy. Capcom was one of the first companies to absolutely NAIL Wii controls...and it was a great sign of things....that would never come. This version of the game also sold really well, so why they decided to not at the very least release a few Resident Evil side story games designed in the same style is beyond me. Um....yay lightgun games?

• Zack & Wiki

Speaking of Capcom, this game is truly one of the Wii's forgotten treasures. A title that really brought back some of gaming's carefree ,lazy afternoon quirky adventure fun to me. Anyone who hasn't checked out this puzzle based game, go find a copy. Its great stuff.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Punch Out!, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

Well that's pretty much my favorites. I have no doubt that Xenoblade, The Last Story, and Monstaer Hunter 3 would also be in here, but I just have yet to play them. Enjoy.