There were a few excellent third-party releases on the Wii in 2011 (Bit.Trip Completeimmediately comes to mind), but for the most part, last year marked the end of an era for the console. The Wii didn’t even get the newSonicgame! WhenSonicwon’t even slum it on your console, you know that it’s over.
Still, thanks to a strong first-party lineup, the little white object of hardcore hatred had a pretty great year. There was a small but incredibly high quality library of releases, includingThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, and (in Europe)Xenoblade Chronicles.
Surprisingly, 2012 is looking just as good for the Wii. Depending on your tastes, some may say this year will be even better than 2011 (which isn’t saying a lot, but bear with me). Destructoid has been ticking off all our anticipated titles for the coming year, beginning with theXbox 360andPS3lineups, and now Tony Ponce and I are here to tell you which Wii games you should want the most (with a bonus Wii U section for pure overexcited speculation). Let’s get this show on the road!
Rhythm Heaven Fever(Wii)Developer: Nintendo SPD Group No. 1, TNXPublisher: NintendoRelease: June 27, 2025
Minna no Rhythm Tengoku(renamedRhythm Heaven Feverfor the US) was one of my favorite games of 2011; it’s the only game of 2011 that I’m sure I’ll be playing over and over for the rest of my life. I brought the game to several parties over the winter holidays, and despite the fact that I was playing to generally non-gamer crowds, the game still went over like gangbusters. It’s instantly fun, endlessly replayable, and packed with content, and it plays upon gaming’s greatest strength — the ability to use controls, visuals, and sound to create a seamless bond between the player and the game. That’s something that a lot of rhythm games do well, but I thinkRhythm Heaven Feverdoes it better than almost all the rest.
At itsbudget price, you would have to be a true hater of goodness and light to pass it up. If you think it looks too “weird” or “casual,” do yourself a favor by ignoring your own perception and relinquishing your judgment to me. Buy this game as soon as you can. You won’t regret it (unless they screw up the English localization again, in which case just import it).
The Last Story(Wii)Developer: Mistwalker, AQ InteractivePublisher: NintendoRelease: June 30, 2025 (EU)
Speaking of imports, I’ve already importedThe Last Story, and I can say that it stands alongsideSuper Mario GalaxyandSkyward Swordas one of the best-looking, most painstakingly crafted games in the Wii’s library. Sadly, my Japanese is crap, so I’ll be importing this game from Europe or, hopefully, picking it up in the US later this year. I need to know what the hell is going on!
Fans of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s prior games (Final Fantasy I-IX,Lost Odyssey, etc.) or anyone who loves inventive third-person action-RPGs owes it to themselves to check this one out. It’s not everyday that you get to witness one of the most influential developers in the history of the medium reinvent the genre that they helped create.
Dragon Quest X(Wii, Wii U)Developer: Square Enix, Armor ProjectPublisher: Square EnixRelease: 2012 (Wii) / TBA (Wii U)
We still don’t know a ton aboutDragon Quest Xother than the fact that Square Enix has been working on it forever, as well as how it aims to combine the strengths of MMOs with the traditional single-player RPG experience for something that will please both audiences.
The game is about one of two twins who is magically transformed into one of the game’s other races, sort of like the Melvin Van Peebles classicWatermelon Man, only less racist. That’s all well and good, but what I really want out ofDragon Quest Xis the opportunity to explore a huge, Akira Toriyama-created world alone or with friends, experiencing all its fine details and, in doing so, creating my own story.
Xenoblade Chronicles(Wii)Developer: Monolith SoftPublisher: NintendoRelease: April 2012
See what happens when a company digs out its ears andlistens to the fans? It was pretty much like pulling teeth with Nintendo, but nowXenoblade Chroniclesis on its way to the US. Sure, I could have imported the European version, but having a cheaper option is always nice.
I’m stoked, and I’m not even that big of an RPG guy! I’ve played severalFinal Fantasytitles, tried and failed to get into theTalesseries, enjoyedGolden Sun, and dabbled lightly elsewhere. Still, all the positive word of mouth from our friends across the Atlantic is making it really hard to not get overly excited.
La-Mulana(WiiWare)Developer: Nigoro, NicalisPublisher: NicalisRelease: 2012
Speaking of games that have been out in Japan forever, here’s indie platformerLa-Mulana. The game isfinished, having gone through some last-minute bug fixes following the Japanese release, and now is waiting on Nintendo of America to give the go-ahead. Who knows how long that will take. There isnon-console porton the way (PC, though a likely platform, isn’t actually specified), and it would be a laugh riot if it came out before the WiiWare version.
It’s no secret that my poison of choice is a nice, juicy 2D platformer with wonderful pixel art and a hefty amount of challenge. A game that tossesCastlevania,Metroid, and Indiana Jones into a blender and hits “frappé”? Obviously, it’s going to be a winner. If you want to play the game right now, theoriginalhas been available online for free since 2005. However, as withCave Story, I’m curious as to the extent of the changes and upgrades in the remake.
Retro City Rampage(WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade)Developer: Vblank EntertainmentPublisher:Vblank EntertainmentRelease: 2012
I feel bad for Vblank’s Brian Provinciano. I like to joke aboutRetro City Rampage‘s lengthy development, and I enjoy hitting Brian up on Facebook with such constructive comments as, “What are you doing right now? BREATHING!? When you should be WORKING!?” In all honesty, I don’t envy his situation. The game has been in the works for nearly a decade, back when it was known asGrand Theftendo. Since then, Brian has had to jump through so many hoops just to see his baby through. Next time I see the man, I have to treat him to a steak dinner or at least some froyo.
At one point,Retro City Rampagewas aGrand Theft Autoparody. I don’t know what it is anymore — it defies classification. It’s a love letter to 80s, an homage to videogames throughout the ages, and the debut of manyDestructoid editors as game characters. You ask Brian to include something in the game, and the guy will probably find a way to squeeze in that reference. If nothing else,Retro City Rampageis going to be huge.
Honorable Mentions:Rhythm Heaven Fever, The Last Story,Pandora’s Tower,Rodea the Sky Soldier
As for the Wii U, no real exclusives have been firmly announced for the thing yet, though we’ll be keeping a close eye for more news onPikmin 3,Smash Bros. Wii U / 3DS, andMiyamoto’s new secret project. Then there is the promise of an enhancedWii U version ofDragon Quest X,Batman: Arkham City,Darksiders II,Aliens: Colonial Marines, and many others.
I’d also be highly surprised if we didn’t get a compilation of some of the Wii U “experiences” that were on display at E3 2010. I’d love to see thatMetroid-themed multiplayer shooter,Mario-themed hide-and-seek,Rhyhm Heaven-style pirate game, and (Shannon’s favorite!)Measure Up, all crammed into oneWii Sports-style, minigame collection pack-in.
Then there isNo More Heroes 3, which Suda51 told meTO MY FACEis still headed to the Wii U. So while there is still a lot left to see confirmed, there is plenty to be excited about in 2012 for the wacky, wonderful world of Wii U.
Additional staff picks for the Wii / Wii U:
Chad Concelmo:Rhythm Heaven Fever,Pikmin 3Sean Daisy:LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes,Dragon Quest X,Darksiders IIAndrew Kauz:Dragon Quest X,Xenoblade ChroniclesTara Long:Retro City RampageKyle MacGregor:Retro City Rampage,Rhythm Heaven Fever,The Last StoryAllistair Pinsof:Xenoblade ChroniclesMax Scoville:Actual Wii U games that aren’t tech demos about birds and cherry blossomsJosh Tolentino:Xenoblade Chronicles,The Last Story
