25.
Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor is a sequel to the, initially, Japan-only N64 title: Sin and Punishment. The original game was only released in Japan in 2000, and didn’t see a western release till seven years later where it showed up on the European and North American Wii’s Virtual Console. The success and reaction of the VC release prompted Nintendo to announce a sequel, which was released in 2009. And boy, what a sequel it was. Improved graphics, sound and gameplay helped make Sin and Punishment 2 one of the most addictive, intense and unforgettable experiences the Wii has to offer.
24.
The unveiling of Metroid: Other M during Nintendo’s 2009 E3 press conference was a very notable one, and one that got many Metroid and Nintendo fans super excited for the latest adventure of Samus Aran. Developed by Team Ninja, Other M gave a new look and style to the Metroid series. New gameplay mechanics, characters, dramatic cut scenes and a fully voiced Samus offered up something a little different to what players had been used to from the series previous games. All these changes certainly divided a lot of people, and resulted in it getting mixed reviews upon release. Nevertheless, you lot obviously feel Metroid: Other M deserves more credit, and oprainfall gladly supports that.
23.
Another surprising game release, and one that came pretty much at the end of the Wii’s life. It was a surprise because it was the second main Kirby title to be released on Nintendo’s fifth home console. However, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land played more like the classic Kirby games you’ve grown to love, unlike the other Kirby Wii game which we will get to in due course. Return to Dream Land boasted four-player co-op, with the option of playing as Meta Knight, King Dedede or the rather underwhelming Waddle Dee. Enriched with the typical colourful graphics you would come to expect and topped off with its irresistible charm made Return to Dream Land a must for any fan of the pink puffball.
22.
The sequel/spin-off to Tales of Symphonia enters in at number 22. Dawn of the New World features an all-new cast and story, but also brings back characters from the previous game. As with other games of the series, DOTNW uses a unique battle system that fans continue to love. Top that off with its gorgeous anime style and splendiferous soundtrack, and you have an adventure that many a JRPG fan will adore. Despite the game getting mixed reviews upon release, it’s clear that Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World holds a special place in your hearts, and who can disagree with that?
21.
When Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars was announced for the western market, it was a pleasant surprise for many a gamer. Mainly considering that the casual gamer has probably never even heard of Tatsunoko, nor would they be able to pronounce it. It was certainly a big risk for Capcom and Nintendo, but one that emphatically paid off, as Ultimate All-Stars is a fantastical, insanely re-playable and downright fun fighter. Fusing an eclectic cast of characters from Capcom and Tatsunoko, over-the-top special moves and a pretty robust online component made this game a must-have for any fighter fan.
20.
The first of the two Kirby games to be released on the Wii was wildly different from the main series. Epic Yarn took Kirby on an adventure throughout Patch Land, where he was no longer his marshmallow-esque self, but, actually, made completely out of yarn. No longer able to inhale his foes or use his copy ability, Kirby had to rely on his abilities to morph into different objects, and his newly-acquired yarn whip to get through the many worlds of Patch Land. Epic Yarn offered gorgeously twee visuals and two-player cooperative gameplay, which obviously resonated with a lot of you to vote it into the top 20.
19.
For anyone that bemoaned the Wii for not having any “mature/hardcore” games should look no further than the No More Heroes series. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle took what worked well from the first game, and expanded on it. The second idiosyncratic adventures of Travis Touchdown unashamedly included violence, blood, innuendos, fart jokes and some of the best collection of retro style mini-games ever. Top that off with awesome gameplay of mixing standard button controls with motion control sword swipes, an over-the-top hilarious story, and you have one of the grittiest, funniest and most shocking games ever to grace a console.
18.
In 2005, Capcom released Resident Evil 4 on the Nintendo GameCube to worldwide critical acclaim. Considered to be the best installment in the franchise, it boasted an all-new control scheme, camera view and graphics that made every gamer’s jaw drop. Essentially it took the Resident Evil series in a whole new direction, which won favour with both fans and non-fans of the series. Not wanting to miss out on a good thing, Capcom took Resident Evil 4, and modified it to suit the Wii and its use of motion controls. What Wii owners got was the premium version of the game and another reason to delve back into the macabre world of the Los Ganados.
