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Nintendo Power: Wii Essentials, a list of the best Wii games

Kazerei

Banned
In the June 2012 issue (#279) of Nintendo Power, one of the featured stories was called "Wii Essentials", which listed the top 30 Wii retail games available (plus some download games). I thought it was a pretty good overview of all the great games the Wii has to offer, although I disagree with a few of the choices. Most importantly, Resident Evil 4: Wii edition is a huge omission. I would've also liked to see Boom Blox Bash Party, Monster Hunter Tri, and Okami up there. Here's the Nintendo Power list:

The Must-Haves
Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Little King's Story
Mario Kart Wii
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Rayman Origins
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom
Xenoblade Chronicles
mustw0rwq.jpg


The Should-Haves
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Dead Space: Extraction
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Klonoa
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
No More Heroes 2
Punch-Out!!
Sonic Colors
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
should0aoei.jpg


The Nice-To-Haves
Disney's Epic Mickey
GoldenEye 007
The House of the Dead: Overkill
Kirby's Epic Yarn
MadWorld
Metroid: Other M
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Rhythm Heaven Fever
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
nicetoelrhh.jpg


WiiWare Essentials
Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth
Cave Story
Contra ReBirth
Mega Man 10
World of Goo

Virtual Console Essentials
Final Fantasy III
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Revenge of Shinobi
Super Mario World
Super Metroid

So GAF, let's reflect on the Wii library. While it doesn't have the volume and variety the HD twins have, in contrast the Wii provides the types of games you wouldn't find anywhere else. The one genre it clearly excels at is platformers, from Nintendo and third parties as well. It has some pretty good action/adventure games too, and a number of quirky fun titles. I'm also impressed with the Virtual Console offerings, which includes almost all the 8-bit and 16-bit games you could ever want. In sum, the Wii turned out to be a great console to own with a unique library of games.
 

Busaiku

Member
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is definitely the absolute must have.
And Sin & Punishment Star Successor that low is a travesty.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Eh, buy Rayman Origins on an HD console.

And SMG2 > SMG1.

Edit : I see more color on those boxes than the PS360's entire library. It's nice.
 

OnPoint

Member
No love for Bit.Trip in the WiiWare category?

For shame, Nintendo Power.

Sorry to contribute to the 'my favorite is missing? wahhhh' list
 

Pie and Beans

Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
shitpiece Madworld on there and no Monster Hunter Tri is an injustice I cannot support.

Looking back on it Wii really had quite a small total of must haves compared to most consoles I've owned previously, but thats to be expected. It didnt really survive long enough as a viable traditional game platform to get those late gen masterpieces other formats enjoy.
 
Pretty great list. (Pleasantly surprised to see TatsuCap, Sonic Colors and, HoTD: OK on there. CV: ReBirth, too)

Not entirely sure I agree with Other M on it, though.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
I do think that it's good, as a system winds down, to reflect on its games like this. I think trying to come up with a canonical sort of list is an impossible thing, but an admirable thing to try to do. I think presenting it as an unranked--well, sort of unranked--"must have" list rather than a stupid top 50 list is a good thing. So, congrats Nintendo Power.

As for the actual choices, I think they're quite safe. It feels like they tried to hit most genres and audiences, but there are really no games here that should surprise or shock anyone. There are no curveballs. That's unfortunate. I'd include Order Up on a top 30 or top 50 list. I'd probably include Disney Guilty Party. Maybe EA's Smarty Pants as well. I can't imagine anyone in this thread has played any of those three games, or even heard of some of them. I don't mention them as inarguable choices or anything, but rather as a representation of some of the tier of games no one thinks about and that might merit a spot. As a journalist trying to be exhaustive, I don't think any writer should feel pressured to include titles no one has heard of, but nor should they feel scared to if those games' quality merits it. I'd also nominate Another Code R, Ghost Squad, and EA Sports Active as pretty credible "outsider" candidates.

I also dispute a few of their choices. I simply don't think it makes sense to put forward a multiplatform game for which the Wii version is not even arguably the best version--so Bully, Rayman Origins, and probably GoldenEye 007 would be removed on those grounds.
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Lacking list is lacking. Overkill can't be recommended over the other SEGA lightgun shooters, even if they're ports.

Way too few WW and VC games also.

It basically looks like something they came up with in 15 minutes rather than a piece worthy of the system's 6 years.

WTF no Monster Hunter Tri...
 

Kai Dracon

Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
NSMB Wii and Sin & Punishment 2 should be moved up one tier but otherwise, it's actually a good list. Galaxy 1 is probably put ahead of 2, just because it did it first and many forget that a lot of people do like Galaxy 1 better than Galaxy 2.

And LOL at the the trolling by putting Other M on the list, good on them. It's a well done action adventure game, one of the highest quality on Wii.
 

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Tatsunoko and Galaxy 2 should switch places. Goldeneye and Sin & Punishment should be higher. Not enough games on the WiiWare or VC lists.
 

Aeana

Member
I guess I wasn't the only one who looked for Trauma Team. That game really can't catch a break.
At least Klonoa is there.
 

gerudoman

Member
What's the point of including last gen ports like Bully but not Okami or RE4? NMH is arguably better than Desperate Struggle, at least should have been included in the nice-to-have list...

And it's a shame that one of the best 2D platformers of the decade, Wario Land Shake It! hasn't been included in any list. Come on, even a lazy remake like Klonoa is a should have!
 

Nibel

Member
SMG2 (!) on should-have lists? Are you fucking trolling OP? :lol
It destroys its predecessor in every category
 

Aeana

Member
SMG2 (!) on should-have lists? Are you fucking trolling OP? :lol
It destroys its predecessor in every category
Do you understand that the list is from Nintendo Power and not the OP's opinion?

If there's any troll, it's Metroid Prime Trilogy being on the top list when you can't buy it anymore.
 

-Eddman-

Member
I would have shifted No More Heroes 2 with the first one. Other than that, a good list, but lacks Wario Land Shake It and Guitar Hero 3 if they're including multiplatform titles.
 
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