The 35 Best Wii Games of All Time

Do you remember where you were when the Nintendo Wii first dropped? Gamers and the sort of folks that have never touched a controller in their lives flocked to the system that promised quality motion controls. For the first few months of the game's lifecycle, the Wii captured millions of people's attention with Wii Sports (a whole lot of TVs got cracked by those Wii Remote's cause people went a little too hard on that bowling minigame!). And during the entirety of the console's lifespan, the Wii put forth a strong lineup of games that offered highly satisfying experiences across different genres. It's about time we get all nostalgic about the most fun we've ever had by bringing up the 35 best Wii games of all time.

RELATED: The 30 Best Wii U Games of All Time

At launch, Wii owners hit the jackpot since they got to play an entirely new Legend of Zelda game. And this time, Link's latest foray into saving the Hyrule Kingdom took a darker and more sinister turn. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess features the traditional dungeon layout fans have come to enjoy, plus the added element of a corrupted realm that lets players explore it as a wolf gave the overall gameplay a nice change of pace. The added Wii Remote motion controls gave the game's sword combat an extra edge since you could swing the remote in real-time to take down the opposition.

Link's follow-up adventure to Twilight Princess took a decidedly brighter turn as players got to soar through the skies of the floating island of Skyloft.The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword goes all-in on motion controls by relying on the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to perform all types of coll actions during combat. Holding up the Wii Remote to lift up the Master Sword and gather up energy for a powerful blow never gets old. The long traditions that The Legend of Zelda series relies on are all here and accounted for, which should be taken as a plus. Skyward Sword will forever stick out as one of Link's main series triumphs.

Super Mario Galaxy truly pushed the 3D platforming treks of the mustachioed plumber to a whole new level. Mario could now rocket off to various planets within a vast galaxy that offers all types of fun challenges. The strong gravitational pull of those planets made navigating them so unique as players can run sideways and even upside down. The way that the same traversal method factors into boss fights is particularly entertaining. Super Mario Galaxy innovates the 3D platforming genre in the same way Super Mario 64 did upon its debut.

It just wouldn't be right to mention the first game in the Super Mario Galaxy series and completely omit its equally amazing sequel. Super Mario Galaxy 2 retained everything that made its predecessor so memorable, plus it brought in Yoshi for even more exciting methods of maneuvering around each planet. All of this sequel's other new elements, such as the new powerups (especially the Spin Drill!) and the fruits that change up Yoshi's properties, are part of the reasons why Super Mario Galaxy 2 improves on what came before it in every single way possible.

Shout out to developer Retro Studios for injecting a much-needed sense of freshness into Metroid with its switch from side-scrolling gameplay to first-person exploration. The Metroid Prime trilogy features all the dark corners, dangerous alien foes, and hidden secrets that past Metroid games focus on. And they all feel amazing within the confines of a first-person shooter that makes blasting enemies with charged laser blasts and missiles such a joy. Metroid Prime Trilogy takes three excellent games, attaches motion controls to them, and breathes new life into each game for new & old fans alike.

Retro Studios has to get all the credit in the world for reviving Donkey and Diddy's platforming antics in one of the most must-play games on the Wii. Donkey Kong Country Returns returns to the charming and sometimes demanding side-scrolling stage routes fans remember from the SNES Donkey Kong Country games. With this Wii series installment, Donkey and Diddy get to peruse gorgeously animated locales and engage in some classic hop and bopping. The new animal allies, clever boss fights, and stages that appear as beautiful silhouettes make this Wii platformer a bonafide banger.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl marks the third game in the series that's all about getting a bunch of Nintendo mascots together to duke it out during battle royales. The gameplay that propelled the series to mainstream prominence in the first place stays intact here, but the craziest aspect of this platform fighter is its special guest characters. Minds were blown back then when everyone found out that Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake joined the fight, which finally made some dream video game character fight scenarios come true. The game's amazing soundtrack, enjoyable new roster members, and surprisingly enjoyable single-player campaign push Super Smash Bros. Brawl to uncontested greatness.

The side-scrolling formula that Super Mario Bros. pushed to the limelight during the golden era of the NES steadily improved once it made its way over to the SNES. New Super Mario Bros. provided a new and improved take on that 2D platforming template, then New Super Mario Bros. Wii made it available on Nintendo's motion-controlled machine. Most of the fun derived from this side-scroller comes from its new suits Mario and Luigi can don - there's so much fun to be had just from using the Propeller Suit to go airborne by shaking the Wii Remote. Making your way through this game's vibrant worlds with four players is still an undeniable joy.

Yeah, so the motion controls attached to this kart racer weren't all that great. But when you hop into this game with traditional controls, Mario Kart Wii fulfills its potential as one of the finer entries in the franchise. As far as the best tracks go, Moonview Highway, Coconut Mall, Maple Treeway, and DK Summit provided us with untold hours of fun. And being able to race with your customized Mii's and compete online also provided two cool elements here that made Mario Kart Wii so hard to put down back in the day.

Wii Sports literally took over the world when it came packaged with the Wii at launch. Chances are you went to plenty of people's houses back in 2006 and always got caught in a night full of motion-controlled sports competitions. The most fun we had with this minigame collection regularly came from swatting balls in tennis, landing knockouts in boxing, and pulling off strikes in bowling. Wii Sports is one of the most iconic video games of all time due to how much of a phenomenon it was at the time of its release.

Development studio Monolith Soft is at its peak of popularity these days thanks to its continued greatness tied to the Xenoblade Chronicles series. The debut entry in that JRPG classic arrived on the Wii and kicked off another fan favorite of gamers that love the sub-genre as a whole. The monumental journey Shulk, Reyn, Dunban, and more embark on is filled with strife, hope, great loss, and even greater triumphs. Xenoblade Chronicle's unique implementation of a real-time action-based battle system adds even more to the satisfying package this fulfilling Wii JRPG provides its players.

Super Paper Mario is still one of the trippiest games that have ever been released on the Wii. The way in which it combines 2D and 3D platforming was clever at the time of its release and it still holds up as a fun method for level exploration and even active combat encounters. Just like Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario is joined by a whole host of Mushroom Kingdom inhabitants who all harbor unique abilities that give players way more to see, find, and do. Super Paper Mario is the perfect mix of platforming, RPG mechanics, and visual splendor.

Back on the N64, Sin and Punishment arrived as another one of the development studio's Treasure action-packed shooters. Sadly, it only launched in Japan at the time of its original release. Fast forward to 2010 and you have yourself a global release of the sequel that's bigger and better in every way. Sin & Punishment: Star Successor follows Isa and Kachi as they eliminate a massive army of beasts in an on-rails shooter format similar to Star Fox and Panzer Dragoon. The much improved visual presentation mixed in with the game's motion-controlled quality shooting/melee mechanics makes this sequel a must-play for action-fueled gamers.

At first, there was the cultural gaming phenomenon known as Wii Sports. And while its sequel didn't have quite the same impact as its predecessor, Wii Sports Resort still served as a welcome upgrade to the motion-controlled sports hit that was all the rage. The more responsive controls made playing through each minigame more beneficial to gamers looking for a bit more active participation in their games. The addition of swordplay, wakeboarding, canoeing, and more makes Wii Sports Resort the ultimate minigame collection for sports fanatics.

One of the best Wii games of all time is an unexpected crossover fighter that pits two Japanese media juggernauts against each other for a lofty clash. The gaming icons of Capcom come to blows with the old-school anime greats of Tatsunoku in a 2v2 fighter that pretty much laid down the blueprint for Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is so awesome due to several factors - its roster full of popular and underrated characters from both sides, its charming anime art style, and its tight fighting game mechanics that pleases combo-happy gamers are among those factors. This is the only game that'll let you put Chun-Li from Street Fighter and Jun the Swan from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman onto a team, which will forever be goated.

What lends The Last Story an air of JRPG royalty on the Wii is its attachment to its director/co-writer Hironobu Sakaguchi, who's known as the legendary creator of the Final Fantasy series. Thanks to the passionate fan campaign known as "Operation Rainfall", this game made its way over to American shores. What's on offer here is a classic action RPG that gives players command over the sword-swinging Zael while his party members assist him. The action-packed combat provides most of the game's positive attributes (it especially excelled in its online multiplayer setting!), but its likable cast and quality musical score also deserve praise.

The Monster Hunter IP may have gotten started on PlayStation 2, but it truly reached another plateau of popularity and fun factor once it reached Nintendo consoles. This entry in the still-ongoing series is the third home console installment and it's still one of the very best. Monster Hunter Tri threw in underwater navigation and combat, which added another cool layer to all the monster hunting this game is all about. Hopping online to link up with three fellow Guild hunters and attempting to take down a rampaging Diablos was an awesome affair during this game's heyday.

Little Mac is on the same level as Rocky Balboa - DON'T DEBATE US, FAM! His boxing exploits finally made the move to 3D in this Wii reboot of the beloved Punch-Out!! series. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk plus the Wii Balance Board turned all the onscreen punching, bobbing, and weaving into one of the best physical experiences Nintendo's motion-controlled console has to offer. Climbing the ranks to win the world title and then defending it against past foes who have adopted new gameplans afforded us countless hours of boxing fun that is unmatched on the Wii.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn sticks to what it knows, which is traditional strategy RPG battle mechanics with no need for Wii motion controls. And to be quite honest, that's not an issue whatsoever. This game's focus on different factions leads to situations where players have to acclimate themselves to varied unit abilities and approaches to victory. It always feels so good to use a battle unit with an elevation advantage and land an even more powerful blow in the process. As the sequel to Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn excels - challenging strategic battles, an addictive weapon forging system, and amazing music handle their job well here in propping up this Wii Fire Emblem release.

The WarioWare franchise features a whole bunch of games that are simply a fever dream. When the series finally popped up on the Wii, the addition of motion controls did so much more to make certain minigames even more enjoyable. WarioWare: Smooth Moves' unorthodox "microgames" leads to so many moments of hilarity, especially with 11 other players during its hot seat multiplayer mode. Our favorite sets of microgames will always be from The Chauffeur, The Diner, The Remote Control, and The Mohawk.

The Wii's slate of digital-only WiiWare releases is filled with memorable experiences that rely on varied concepts that step out of the norm of regular gameplay. A strong example of that successful format is World of Goo, a puzzle-focused title that challenges players to build numerous structures made out of goo in order to reach each stage's pipe exit. The large lineup of levels that are featured in this game is filled with all types of fun scenarios that truly get your brain's gears turning. That unlockable "Obsessive Completion Distinction Flag" mode really struck a chord with our obsessive-compulsive side, we must say!

We're going to stay in the WiiWare category for this next top-tier pick on our list of the best Wii games. Cave Story is all about blasting everything that tries to eliminate you while you're delving deeper into the cavernous interior of a floating island. The Metroidvania formula works like a charm here right alongside the pixelated art design that makes this game look & feel like a long-lost SNES game. The premise is simple - shoot, level up, and explore. But the sheer scope of the world you must fully explore is massive and an immense joy to make your way through.

It feels so gratifying and wholesome to hop into a game that lets you play as a young king that must please the citizens of his very own kingdom. Little King's Story stands out for its illustrious art style, celebrated real-time exploration elements that let you command your citizens to do your bidding during battle, and amusing city-building mechanics. This is one of those Wii games that offers a leisurely experience that makes everyone that plays it feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Our minds will always be blown by the fact that lauded film writer, producer, and director Steven Spielberg is the actual designer behind the Boom Box series! While those games aren't on the level of impactful films such as Jurassic Park and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, they're still whimsical physics-based puzzle games that deserve a lot more love than they originally got. Boom Box Bash Party is the second game in the series that updates the original's formula via a new slingshot mechanic, new block shapes, new biomes, and the same fun block-blasting gameplay we loved from before. Shout out to all the folks that uploaded their custom-created stages, by the way!

When Dead Space was a twinkle in Electronic Arts' eye, it got movies and even spinoff games. This Wii motion-controlled first-person shooter not only offered a fun take on all the necromorph blasting, but it also expands upon the first game's narrative with meaningful prequel details worth checking out. Dead Space: Extraction is one of those Wii games that replicates the same fun experience of classic light-gun arcade games and features a plot that's super engrossing. Shame on all of you folks that didn't drive this game's sales when it originally dropped!

WarioWare brings the random minigame madness, while Rhythm Heaven Fever does that with a more musical take on that winning formula. The simple act of tapping one button or holding two buttons works extremely well when attached to various playable scenarios that look and play great. The cartoonish visuals still spring off the screen wonderfully and the assorted rhythm-based tasks presented here are hella entertaining. Hitting a hole-in-one, playing badminton in the sky, and helping a bunch of lobsters hop in unison are all immensely enjoyable.

Back on the NES, Excitebike pretty much ruled young gamers' lives when it came time to shred some dirt and pull off some death-defying motorbike leaps into the air. Excitebots: Trick Racing goes to the absolute extreme with that concept in the best way possible with a garage full of animal-themed robot racers that zip across gorgeous outdoor expanses. The massive jumps you'll take in this game, plus the motion-controlled maneuvers you'll utilize to gain more speed and air add so much life to this wacky racer. The additional Poker Race mode and all those random minigames that this racer offers also go a long way toward making us wish it got a Nintendo Switch re-release.

The 1989 original got the ultimate re-imagining with this Wii release that goes above and beyond to make everything look, play, and sound that much better. A Boy and His Blob presents a kid-friendly puzzle platformer that oozes plenty of charm and presents cute blob forms that come via different types of various jelly beans. The crisp animated visuals and simple yet incredibly absorbing stage playthroughs this game offers still resonate with us. A Boy and His Blob is a great introductory title for the young gamers in your life.

It had been an excruciatingly long wait before Ubisoft's limbless platforming mascot got another try at putting out another quality game. In 2011, he sprung back into action in one of the finest 2D platformers ever released. Rayman Origins in its purest form is a well-designed platformer filled with amazing co-op mechanics, hilarious hijinks, and some of the cleanest 2D animation ever presented in a Rayman game. Finding all those hidden Electoons around each level really tugged at our hearts since we love collect-a-thon platformers so much.

One of the best Wii games is a little-known Capcom puzzle adventure that totally deserves another chance to cook on modern-day consoles. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure plays like one of those throwback PC point-and-click adventure games. The motion controls make all the treasure hunting more interactive and interesting - using Wiki to change assorted wildlife into usable objects to accomplish various tasks in an endearing cartoony world works so well. Ay Capcom, can we get a sequel?

There was a ton of hype surrounding the first Red Steel and how it was going to be the Wii's first true killer app. Sadly, its overall execution via a bland storyline and less-than-stellar motion controls kept it from achieving legendary status. It wasn't until its sequel that the series truly realized its lofty potential. Red Steel 2 delivers far more adequate swordplay and gunplay that takes full advantage of the Wii Motion Plus Accessory. The East meets West theme also pushed this sequel's plot to a far more intriguing level that its predecessor.

Okami is among the long list of games that have been ported countless times than we care to admit. Even still, this wonderful Capcom action/adventure game deserves to be played by as many people as possible. Especially on the Wii, as this version allowed players to perform Celestial Brush motions with fitting motion controls. The alluring visual animation and charm of everything else Okami has to offer to solidify this quality Wii port as one of the best Wii games of all time.

The No More Heroes series is one of those beloved unconventional action games from the highly lauded Japanese game designer, director, and writer Goichi Suda aka "Suda51." The second entry in the action-heavy franchise delivered even more bouts of wild humor, epic boss fights, impactful wrestling moves, and fun side jobs. No More Heroes 2 also gets its proper placing among the gamut of best Wii games thanks to its adequate motion controls and a host of minigames that incorporate various genres encased within 8-bit retro experiences.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade comes from the action RPG/beat 'em up hybrid development studio Vanillaware, who's also known for its work on Odin Sphere and Dragon's Crown. This Edo period-based Japanese epic is an amalgamation of striking visuals, a memorable OST, and a combat system that's all types of hype. Landing the flashiest of melee-based combos with Momohime and Kisuke against ninjas, demons, and a whole bunch more feels so damn good.

Do you know what's arguably the best version of Resident Evil 4? The Wii port, which makes all the third-person aiming and shooting so much more precise thanks to masterful motion controls that improved upon an already perfect game. Besides its evolutionary third-person gaming elements, Resident Evil 4 deserves praise for giving fans a more mature and battle-hardened version of Leon S. Kennedy. Taking control of him was a blast as you were forced to fend off crazed villagers and a whole assortment of bio-weapon threats. Escorting Ashley to safety can be an infuriating endeavor at times, sure. But that part of the game is still not enough to dull the shine of this prominent Resident Evil series installment.

ONE37pm may receive affiliate revenue from some of the links in this article.