Wii Buyers Guide for Holiday 2010 – Part 2

Weve looked at the best of recent and the rest of 2010 - Now lets look at the past and the future So in Part 1 of our feature we covered the best games on the Wii from this year, there were quite a few. However, if you’ve been out of the Wii loo...

Weve looked at the best of recent and the rest of 2010 – Now lets look at the past and the future

So in Part 1 of our feature we covered the best games on the Wii from this year, there were quite a few. However, if you’ve been out of the Wii loop for a while you might have missed some of the best games for the console. You could have also got a Wii at launch, left it aside and be wondering “What have I missed?” or “what’s coming up?” That’s what this part is for.

Let us begin!

	Super Mario Galaxy With beautiful graphics, compelling music and perfect gameplay, Super Mario Galaxy was a roaring hit on the Nintendo Wii in 2007. Expanding on the framework set by Super Mario 64 in almost every way, Galaxy took an old formula and blew it out in every way possible. Whether you’re traversing a floating garden and chasing bunnies, jumping from planetoid to planetoid in search of star pieces or confronting the colossal Bowser, the game never ceases to amaze. Superseded only by this year’s excellent sequel, Super Mario Galaxy is a must-buy for any Mario lover, or indeed, anyone who likes to have fun. Read our review now!
	The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Advertisement Taking fan demand to heart, Twilight Princess was an excellent adventure game which, while not quite scaling the dizzy heights of the seminal Ocarina of Time, was still a blast in its own right. When a shroud of Twilight covers the green fields of Hyrule, it is up to a young farm boy named Link to restore the light and defeat the evil. We’ve all heard this story before, and the game borrows heavily from earlier entries in the venerated franchise, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The overworld is phenomenal and the main story will last you at least 25 hours; that doesn’t include finding every secret either, of which there are plenty. Puzzles abound and secrets lay around every corner; highly recommend for any adventure or even RPG fan. Read our review now!
	Super Smash Bros. Brawl Although the delays were unbearable, every day of wait was worth it. A staggering roster of Nintendo characters from past and present unite for an all-out 4 player battle royale, with guest characters Solid Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog. If that wasn’t enough, there is also a varied selection of stages and a soundtrack consisting of 250+ unique tunes from every franchise represented, and then some. If you can find a friend to play with, and get through the rather clunky interface, online is usually pretty solid as well. It is a testament to the strength of the gameplay that I still play it regularly with mates and continue to discover new strategies and secrets in the game. Absolutely unmissable. Advertisement Read our review now!
	Metroid Prime Trilogy What needs to be said? Three fantastic games in one sleek, sexy package; all equipped with great motion control. Retro Studios was given the honour of dragging Samus into the third dimension and bridging an entire generation gap – in fact, the last time we saw Samus before Metroid Prime was in Super Smash Bros. for the N64. However, Retro did an admirable job and delivered an immersive experience that was unlike anything I’d ever played before, which was followed up by two more hits. Now the first two Gamecube games have been bundled up with Corruption on the Wii, all with 16:9 and pointer support. As if three 20 hours+ adventures weren’t enough, there are also a variety of unlockable goodies, including concept art (which is very much worth browsing), soundtracks and in-game bonuses like the Fusion Suit and a screenshot tool. Unfortunately, Nintendo Australia discontinued this phenomenal package, so your best bet is to look through an online retailer. Trust me, it will be worth it. Read our review now!
	New Super Mario Bros. Wii If you didn’t get your Mario fix amongst other big name games on the Wii, then give yourself a retro flashback with this solid offering from Nintendo. Looking back on the time-honoured art of jumping from platform to platform while avoiding grisly deaths, NSMBWii brings back the old-school joy we haven’t felt since Super Mario World on the SNES. Koopas, mushrooms and a very angry fire-breathing turtle – almost everything is as you remember it. Except the visuals, of course, which are given a fresh coat of paint and look simply great at a smooth 60 frames per second. Bring three friends along and co-operate with them; or, sabotage their efforts and reap the rewards (or punishment!). As well as working through the main story mode, there are also multiplayer options available, so there are hours of fun to be had with this great title. Read our review now!
	Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure A criminally overlooked game, Zack & Wiki is an extremely enjoyable puzzler which is best enjoyed with a stiff drink as to not become infuriated. Not to say the game is unfair, but some of the puzzles will have you tearing your hair out and depending solely on the game’s forgiving hint system, at the cost of a piece of your gaming ego. Not stopping at having a great sense of humour and charming cel-shaded visuals, Zack & Wiki also has an array of interesting motion controls which allow you to interact with the world around you and solve a variety of complex challenges. Published by Capcom, it is the one Wii game I desperately hope will see a sequel before the console runs its course. Read our review now!
	Dead Space: Extraction Proving that the Wii has an ability to cater for audiences of mature games, Dead Space: Extraction is home to a very full-on experience with no shortage of drama and action (not to mention gore). Although Dead Space fans balked at the lightgun game, branded a ’guided first-person experience’ by the team at Eurocom, the game proved to have merit. With key points like advanced facial animation, gripping story and in-depth shooter mechanics, Extraction scared my pants off and had me coming back for more gruesome action. A great entry in its own right, Extraction stands as both a great prequel and a fantastic stand-alone game. Recommended for any horror/sci-fi fans or anyone who enjoys a good old alien shootout. Read our review now!
	de Blob With a funky soundtrack and vibrant visuals, there is much to love about the very unique de Blob. Coming from our own sun baked shores, de Blob was developed by little known studio Blue Tongue Entertainment, which was acquired by THQ in late 2004. Good turn for them, because as we’ve seen with the recent closing of Brisbane-based Krome Studios, it’s hard to succeed without support. And succeed Blue Tongue did, with a diverse array of platforming challenges for a colourful blob who is trying to start a revolution and bring colour back to the residents of the now dystopian Chroma City. Although the game doesn’t vary too much in terms of gameplay, what is there is very solid. You’ll have a great time completing missions and challenges; and if you really can’t get enough of it, there’s a brand new sequel headed our way early next year! Read our review now!
	Punch-Out!! Anyone remember Punch-Out? A popular game on the NES, with a sequel for the SNES, the games focused on a diminutive pugilist named Little Mac, who worked his way up boxing circuits to become world champ. Although many doubted the simple pattern-recognition gameplay could hold up in this day an age, Next Level Games was able to craft a very nostalgic trip down memory lane while still feeling fun and fresh. The cartoony visuals of the SNES game translate especially well to this next-gen reimagining, with the cel-shaded visuals performing very well on the Wii. It’s also insanely addictive and surprisingly difficult as you progress through the circuits. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed the originals and is looking for a fun, arcade-y experience. Read our review now!
	Little King’s Story A strategic RPG, this little gem is a slow-burner that sees you building a kingdom over the course of the game, all while laying conquest to the countryside. Although world domination is your ultimate goal, you must rebuild the kingdom from scratch by finding money, building infrastructure and giving the people employment. Forming jobs for your populace allows the kingdom to begin to prosper – each job has a part to play. In the field, combat takes its cues from Pikmin, with your little lord flanked by a group of hand-picked soldiers. Even though the game is unfortunately a bit harsh on the saving aspect (there is no autosave, it must be done at the safehouse), it is still a very solid RPG and a considerable time sink. Every RPG fan should give this a good go. Read our review now!

Honourable Mentions (we tried to list them all!) Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition Okami Boom Blox: Bash Party Beatles Rock Band Super Paper Mario No More Heroes MadWorld Muramasa: The Demon Blade A Boy and His Blob Trauma Centre: Second Opinion Mario Kart Wii Wii Sports Resort
What’s Next? If you still haven’t digested all of that, there is still much around the corner for the avid Nintendo fan. There’s going to be a lot to look forward to next year, when Nintendo is sure to be sending off their home console to make way for the inevitable successor. If you’re chomping at the bit to see the Wii 2, take comfort in the following games which you’ll be playing before you know it.
	The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Dodgy E3 demo aside, Skyward Sword is looking to be a cracker of a title. With a new premise for our hero garbed in green, and a fresh visual style that borders realism and cel-shading, this writer is very much looking forward to where Miyamoto and team take the legendary fable. Nintendo has promised near 1:1 control for the title, which should allow for some very creative swordplay, especially with boss strategies. It’s also nice to see, in my opinion, enemies who can block one way, forcing the player to strike in the exposed areas. We’ve also seen two new items; a whip which attacks enemies from medium-range and a mechanical, flying beetle used to fetch items and presumably interact with other game elements from a distance. Not much else is known about the game apart from Link’s origin from a floating land called Skyloft and the mystery of the waif-like figure resembling the Master Sword, seen in the first ever piece of concept art. We await more news of the game eagerly (read: frothing at the collective mouth).
	Kirby’s Epic Yarn Although it has already been released in American and Japan, Europe and Australia are yet to receive the next title staring the little pink puff. With a delightful aesthetic, Epic Yarn is a very unique game in which it threads the graphic style with the gameplay seamlessly (see what I did there?) Developed by Good-Feel, the same team behind personal favourite Wario Land: The Shake Dimension, Epic Yarn features solid platforming action. Although Kirby no longer has the ability to inhale enemies, due to the nature of his being, he is able to utilise the Metamato’s power to transform into several different forms at will. Kirby interacts with the levels in a way befitting cloth and stitiching, literally changing the fabric of the world. It’s a very cruisy experience, not to mention joyful and simply a pleasure to observe. It’s perfectly suited if you can’t be bothered with high difficulty of have a younger sibling who would prefer something that isn’t too taxing. Look forward to it early next year.
	De Blob 2 From the aforementioned Blue Tongue studios comes the sequel to their breakout hit, de Blob 2. Continuing with most of the mechanics that made the original game so enjoyable, de Blob 2 also features a wide array of new abilities. Blob can now perform a powerful dash attack which breaks obstacles and kills foes. Power-ups are also available for the player to pick up, including a magnetic Wrecking Ball which allows Blob to traverse vertical surfaces, and the Hazmat Suit which shields Blob from spikes and flames, among other pick-ups. Blob also earns ’inspiration points’ throughout his journey, which can be traded for upgrades at the Idea Emporium. Blob can now also enter the buildings which triggers a 2D platforming sequence much like the games of yore. It’s looking very exciting and is set for a February 22 release.
	Conduit 2 If you still can’t settle for your FPS fix after GoldenEye 007, then High Voltage Software has you covered with the highly anticipated Conduit 2. Sporting a very Halo-esque theme, the game is clearly hoping to appeal to the type of gamer that enjoys the futuristic war shooter. High Voltage promises to work on areas that were criticised in the original game, which received poorly performing reviews. Such areas include art and story. The multiplayer modes are also slated for online and split-screen functionality, securing this game as a direct competitor for GoldenEye 007. Hopefully this game can live up to the lofty expectations of the original – but since the game engine is now completed, HVS has assured us their attention is focused solely on the game itself. Let’s hope they pull through this time, things seem to looking up already.
	Mario Sports Mix Square Enix is set to deliver another sport compilation for Mario and friends next year, with Mario Sports Mix delivering ice/field hockey, dodgeball and basketball to our screens. Square Enix is also incorporating the inclusion of their own characters (such as White Mage, Cactuar and Slime from Dragon Quest), as well as the option to play as your Mii. With the solid standard set by Square Enix in the production of Mario Hoops 3-on-3 for the DS, it is safe to expect Sports Mix to perform very well in a social environment, with straightforward pick-up-and-play controls and a user-friendly presentation as givens. It’s also heartening to note that online functionality will be included, with two players on the same console able to matchmake two-on-two matches on the internet. Look for Sports Mix in Q1 2011.

Well that just about wraps it up for Nintendo this Christmas. As you can see, if you’re struggling to find enjoyment with your current catalogue of Wii software, there is definitely something out there that piques your interest, whether it’s a proven Wii classic, a new contender or still in the development pipeline. After all, finding great games that you enjoy is only a matter of looking, and with this guide doing the hard part for you, it’s almost a given that you’ll be hammering into a great game very soon.

So pick up your wallet, head down to your favourite game store (online or storefront) and start picking up some new software, because there’s never been a better time to buy into the Wii market. Good luck and a very Merry Christmas to all our readers!

Ben Robinson

Based in the South West of WA. I enjoy most genres and platforms of games, but my favourites are platformers and the Super NES, respectively. I also indulge in reading of DC/Marvel comics and fantasy literature, as well as PC building. I work as an accountant but manage to be an interesting person as well!