Oh, we’re a fickle bunch, us gamers. Recent weeks has seen a distinct wave of ‘meh’ sweep the Wii community, as people realise they’ve completed Zelda, they’re bored of Wii Sports, and still can’t be arsed to take the Wii Play disc out of its box.

What, they ask, are we supposed to do with this shiny white console? Is it wrong to be bored of Wii already? To which the answer is this: hang on in there, brothers and sisters! It’s true that the Wii world has been a bit lack-lustre recently, but there are plenty of reasons to stay true to Nintendo’s console. Here’s 35 of ‘em.

1. Super Mario Galaxy. The Fat Man returns in this much-delayed Triple-A adventure, that we all hoped would be a launch game, but wasn’t. I won’t give you the ‘best Mario game ever!’ blatherings, but suffice to say, it’s hotly anticipated. (more info)

2. Online play! Proper multiplayer over-the-network goodness is on the way this year. We think. Which will at least give us something to do with our Wii Friends other than send them comical celebrity Miis.

3. Mercury Meltdown Revolution. All-new version of the innovative puzzler that’s been designed specifically for Wii. You’ll need super-steady hands to play this one well (i.e. knock that ‘bottle of vodka a day’ habit on the head). (more info)

4. Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party. For those of us who worship at the (boogying) feet of Rayman Raving Rabbids’ dancing minigame, DDR: HP promises to bring the dancefloor mania into our living rooms. Yes, this does mean moving the furniture out of range. (more info)

5. Animal Crossing for Wii. Everyone must buy this. It’s the law.

6. MySims. EA has given its Sims franchise a radical overhaul just for Wii (and DS), with more cartoony visuals, and a host of characters to interact with. Sure, it now sounds a bit more like Animal Crossing, but that’s no bad thing. Also, EA making original titles for Wii is hella good news. (more info)

7. Super Smash Bros Brawl. All your favourite Ninty characters, beating the living daylights out of one another. (more info)

8. Sonic And The Secret Rings. His last game was rubbish on other consoles, but everything I’ve heard and seen about …Secret Rings makes it sound like a scorching return to form for Sega’s blue hedgehog.

9. EA’s mystery disco game. I wrote about this the other day. It still makes me want to don platform shoes and a big Afro wig. Fingers crossed it doesn’t turn out to be some blogger having a retro joke. (more info)

10. It’ll get you fit. Wii does improve your fitness. Experts say so. As long as you’re not scoffing bucketloads of KFC while playing, obviously. Anyway, it’s a good excuse for firing  up Wii Sports every so often in the coming months.

11. Heatseeker. Codemasters’ jetfighter game looks stunning. Favourite feature: the ImpactCam that lets you follow the path of a missile to its inevitably explosive conclusion.

12. Cooking Mama: Cook Off. Actually, I may be needing those buckets of KFC. Once Cooking Mama touches down for Wii, I won’t have time to do any slicing’n’dicing in the real world. (more info)

13. Line Rider. Wii version of the now-legendary web Flash game, due to be published by InXile Entertainment. If you haven’t seen this slice of stick-figure innovation, go here and play the online version. Then start saving.

14. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07. Because I’ve exhausted Wii Sports Golf, and want a meaty challenge to sink my putter into. That sounds a bit rude, actually…

15. Rapala Tournament Fishing. Why? It’s fishing! With a Wii-mote! Do you need to ask?

16. Elebits. We’ve had to wait for Konami’s delayed launch title, but it still looks like being one of the more original Wii games available. Making full use of the Wii-mote, this sees you collecting electrified critters called Elebits. One of those quirky games that’ll hopefully take off sales-wise.

17. Mario Party 8. Wii has already proved its value as the ultimate party console (i.e. friends come round to play it and won’t leave, even when you poke them with sharp sticks). Mario Party 8 will hopefully take this to its logical conclusion. (more info)

18. Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. Because what Wii needs is an invasion of killer zombies who moo like cows. This should supply it.

19. More Wii hacking. The web is already full of people finding new, innovative and sometimes-illegal uses for their Wii. Whether it’s improvising their own sensor bar, controlling robots with their Wii-mote, or turning the Wii browser into a tabbed app of Web 2.0 goodness, the Wii community has already gone far beyond Nintendo’s expectations. And there’s plenty more to come.

20. Brothers In Arms: D-Day. We’re still waiting for the truly definitive Wii first-person-shooter. This military romp could be it.

21. Mario Strikers Charged. Can football games really work well on the Wii? While we await versions of FIFA and Pro Evo, Mario Strikers Charged sounds like it’ll supply more cartoonish soccer thrills.

22. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. Y’know what, I still don’t get this Final Fantasy lark. Too much sentimental rubbish innit. But millions of people disagree with me. This point’s for them. *shifts into cloying anime sequence demonstrating my generosity of spirit*

23. More Virtual Console games. You can’t say Nintendo isn’t spoiling us with a succession of retro joys. VC should go from strength to strength this year, especially if they get more GameCube titles on there.

24. SSX Blur. Snowboarding with a Wii-mote can’t fail. (more info)

25. The Destiny Of Zorro. Nor can swishing a sword about while dressed in a mask. Except in the real world, obviously. But I’ve put that court case behind me now. (more info)

26. Metroid Prime 3. Hardcore Ninty fans are hanging on through the lean times in anticipation of this. Let’s hope it lives up to expectations. (more info)

27. Big Brain Academy and Nintendogs. How will Nintendo bring these classic DS titles to Wii? Will they be straight ports, or take advantage of Wii’s unique features? And will you be able to feed Miis to your Nintendog? All of these questions should be answered this year.

28. Indie developers will make an impact. They haven’t been able to get dev kits for Wii, but that should change. One strong reason to hold onto your Wii (arf, etc) is to see what leftfield games pop up further on in the console’s lifespan.

29. Wing Island. I’m a sucker for flight games. Even if none of them will ever live up to Pilot Wings. If that gets announced for Wii, it’ll replace this point, obviously.

30. Manhunt 2. Because Wii needs at least one game that makes Daily Mail readers foam at the mouth in outraged disgust. Not that this is a hard task.

31. NBA Live 07. The Wii-mote is the first thing that’s made me even consider buying a basketball game. Get set for a feast of poor hand-eye co-ordination once this touches down. Yes, I know touchdowns are a different American sport…

32. Harvest Moon: Tree Of Peace. If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be playing a DS game that concerns farming and finding a wife, I’d have told you to eff off back to your Archers omnibus. Yet that’s what’s happened. If you’re as bumpkin as me, the Wii version of Harvest Moon will be an essential purchase. (more info)

33. More Wii channels. We put together a list a few weeks ago. Hopefully Nintendo’s boffins printed a copy out…

34. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Not because I’m a big fan of pulling people’s spines out of their noses. But because it’s rumoured to be the first online Wii game. Oh, alright, the nose thing does appeal a little bit. (more info)

35. Pokemon Battle Revolution. For The Kids. Well, the ones who haven’t sold all their Pokemon stuff to buy Heelys, obviously.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 at 6:11 pm by Stuart Dredge
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