While its legacy is divisive, the Nintendo Wii is one of the most successful consoles of all time. Its unique way of gameplay mixed with classic Nintendo titles made it memorable, yet the machine’s lack of power compared to the competition and consistent content droughts made it hard for fans to stay loyal. Still, to this day, we still see games making their way to the system.
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Most recently, it was announcedShakedown: Miamiwill be released on the Wii, but it is hardly the only strange title we’ve seen make its way to the system. In fact, Nintendo’s motion-based system is home to a lot of ports, many of which seem out of place for one reason or another. So, let’s take a look at some of the strangest.
10Pikmin & Pikmin 2
ThePikminfranchise got its start on the NintendoGameCube. Created byShigeru Miyamoto, players take control of Captain Olimar, as he crash-lands on a strange new planet inhabited by colorful little sentient plants who only want to help. What makes this game unique in Nintendo’s library is its gameplay that blends traditional real-time-strategy with almost open-world gameplay and a timer, making each level very intense.
Yet, the games were perfected when ported to the Wii. Replacing the button and control stick gameplay with the Wii remote, the games play better. Despite being high-profile ports, however, it appears that these re-releases don’t get held to the same standard as theMetroidPrime Collection, and that’s a shame.
9Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Developed by Infinity Ward and published byActivision,Call of Duty: Modern Warfarewas a genre-defining title when it released in 2007. With striking visuals, a captivating campaign, and groundbreaking multiplayer, the game received almost universal praise from players and critics alike. In 2009, the game was ported to the Nintendo Wii asCall of Duty: Modern Warfare - Reflex Edition. While nowhere near as influential as the original title, the game plays really well despite running on inferior hardware. It’s an interesting entry in the Wii’s library, regardless.
8The Beatles: Rock Band
While theRock Bandfranchise gave payers a much-needed alternative toGuitar Herowith new instruments and different songs, it really made an impact withThe Beatles: Rock Band. Taking the best songs from the highest regarded band of all-time, the game was a love-letter to the band and still holds up as one of the best titles in the series. While most players remember playing it on their Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, the game did make its way to the Nintendo Wii as well. Unlike many other games that were released on multiple platforms, the Wii version doesn’t suffer by playing on less-powerful hardware. While not HD, the game still looks visually striking.
7Dragon’s Lair
Advanced Microcomputer Systems' 1983 laserdisc classic,Dragon’s Lairholds a special place in the hearts of many gamers. The strikingly beautiful quick-time event-laden title is equal parts beloved and revered. Despite this, however, it took decades before the games were ported to more modern consoles, and the Wii was one of them. This came in the form ofDragon’s Lair Trilogy, which also released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2010. For players who love classic games, this is definitely one to get for the collection.
6Just Dance 2019
Ubisoft’sJust Dancefranchise has been one of the most successful video game properties over the last two console generations. It’s so popular, in fact, that the French publisher continues to release it on theNintendo Wii. This isn’t too surprising when you consider that the game always sold better on the Nintendo platform, but considering Nintendo launched the Wii’s successor in 2013, it’s astonishing that games are still making their way to the platform.
5Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
The Nintendo 64 has one of the most influential libraries of all time. So, it’s rather surprising that Nintendo has been so stingy with remastering the classics from the console. While we got 3DS remasters ofThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask, there haven’t been many that got the console treatment. With that said,Kirby 64: The Crystal Shardsmanaged to make its way to another console in theKirby Dream Collection. With no real upgrades on the original title, this is a faithful port of a fantastic Nintendo 64 game.
4Madden NFL 13
Considering how poorly Nintendo’s relationship with EA turned, it’s astonishing to look back at the Wii’s library and see a plethora ofMadden NFLtitles. It holds an interesting place in history, as well. The following titles in the franchise did not appear on a Nintendo console. Interesting enough, it’s also the first game in the series to feature an orchestrated soundtrack, instead of a collection of popular songs, which drew heavy criticism from long-time players. Still, despite it being on what is essentially previous-generation hardware, the game plays well enough.
3Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario All-Starswas a beloved collection of the classicSuper Mariotitles on theNintendo Entertainment System(NES), updated for theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System(SNES). Playing better than their original counterparts with updated visuals, the package also included the JapaneseSuper Mario Bros. 2.The collection was later ported to the Wii as part of Mario’s 25th anniversary.
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Yet, whileSuper Mario All-Starsis a fantastic compilation, this release was criticized for the lack of any real update. Even the controller layout on the menu screen was still for the SNES paddle. Regardless, it’s hard to find a series of titles with this level of quality, even if it wasn’t updated for a decade.
2Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4is one of the most ported games we can think of. It’s not hard to see why either. The game is fantastic, is full of colorful characters, and features some fantastic, genre-defining gameplay. Yet, arguably the best version of the game released on the Nintendo Wii in 2007. With a slight visual update, the real upgrade came in the form of the control scheme. While normally, motion controls hinder a title,Resident Evil 4: Wii Editionutilizes the Wii-remote and Nunchuk perfectly.
This just complimented an already strong game as players battle their way through rural Europe as Leon Kennedy who is tasked with saving the President’s daughter. The game walks the line between horror and action but does so gracefully, and with the Wii versions control scheme, there was an added level of intensity.
1Scarface: The World Is Yours
Developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Games,Scarface: The World Is Yoursoriginally released on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 in 2006. While it didn’t set the world on fire in terms of reception and sales, theGrand Theft Auto: Vice City-esque game was a sequel to the 1983 classic film. A little less than a year later, the game released on the Nintendo Wii, and it really stood out. While, again, it wasn’t regarded as an all-time great title, many enjoyed its intense violence, open world, and drug dealing mechanic made the game feel out of place on the more family-oriented Nintendo console.
Looking back on it,Scarface: The World Is Yourslooks incredibly dated, even for its time, and it didn’t get cleaned up nearly enough for the Wii. Still, it’s incredibly fun to play, and it has a killer soundtrack, making it a really fun experience.
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