Favorite Wii games countdown #4: Wii Sports

For those of you who don't know, the game Wii Sports was the original pack-in game for Nintendo's brand-new Wii console. I don't know about anyone else, but this game had me pumped. It was the way Nintendo would show the world how motion control could be integrated into video games.

And I'll never forget the first time I played it.

It was a feeling unlike any I had ever felt. Here was a piece of content in my favorite medium that actually responded to my movement. It did so with polish, for that matter! Wii was a success! And the funny thing is, Wii Sports remains to this day one of the best examples of motion controlled gaming out there. I still play it once in a while, and I'm always surprised at how well it holds up. Long live Wii Sports!

Honorable Mention: Kirby's Return to Dreamland

To at least rent this game was a no-brainer for me. And that's just what I did. I had Mary over on the day that it came. I thought to myself, "What better time to break it out than while I'm playing video games with Mary anyway?" So I played Kirby's Return to Dreamland with Mary and my little sister, Ivy. It wasn't long before I knew I had to use Gamefly's "Keep" feature on this one. Kirby's Return to Dreamland is a great little platformer that is fun for anyone, but will especially charm the young 'uns.

A Game I Should Have Played: Super Paper Mario
The unfortunate thing is that I've never so much as laid eyes on a Paper Mario game before. I have, however, taken the first step towards playing these mysteries Mario RPG things: I have downloaded the game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars onto my Wii console. I'm on my way!

Favorite Wii games countdown #5: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The list of reasons why I like Twilight Princess so much could go on and on and on and on...but I'll just leave you with these thoughts:

1. Gameplay: Twilight Princess adds just a little bit of motion control to tried-and-true 3-D Zelda gameplay, yet it goes a long way towards immersing the player into the game world like no Zelda before it could. Who can ever forget the feeling of pulling Link's wooden sword out for the first time with actual movement? I know I can't. Thanks to Twilight Princess, we also know that pointing the Wii remote to use Link's items is far and away the best and most accurate way to use projectiles. Gameplay also succeeds in Twilight Princess on the dungeons, enemies, puzzles, and bosses front. Clever puzzles that are not too obscure adorn the dungeons in Twilight Princess. Though some may be a little on the easy side, many, if not all, dungeon bosses are unforgettable combat experiences. All in all, Twilight Princess has got fantastic gameplay going on for it.
2. Presentation: I am still in awe of the graphics in Twilight Princess. Considering it was developed for GameCube, I will always be in awe of the graphics in Twilight Princess. And that story! Those cut-scenes! The attention to detail! Hyrule and the stories it holds are brought to life like never before in Twilight Princess. Cherish it!

I would love to go on, but perhaps I'll save the rest of my comments for a full-fledged review on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. There's only one other Zelda game that can best this one in my list of favorite Wii games, and I think you know what it is, so stay tuned!

Honorable Mention: Wii Fit Plus

I think everything in this game except for the yoga is a polished success. Some highlights include the obstacle course, golf, skateboarding, bicycling, table tilt, hoola hoop...well, there's a lot more, so I'll just leave it at that.

A Game I Should Have Played: Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
I know very little about this game, but apparently I should know a lot more. Stylish and clever are two words that seem to come to my mind when I recall the few things I've read. Has anyone out there played this one? I'd love to hear what you have to say, so leave a comment!

Favorite Wii games countdown #6: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

If you've been keeping track of my list of favorite Wii games, perhaps you've realized that today's game, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, has officially trumped another great Super Mario game from yesterday, Super Mario Galaxy. I have to say that I do love NSMBW just a smidgeon more than SMG. You see, the classic, side-scrolling Mario style holds a special place in my heart. Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo is one of my childhood (and all-time) favorites. NSMBW is everything great about that classic formula all rolled into one.

And dare I forget to mention the multiplayer! Up to four people can gather for local multiplayer in NSMBW. You wouldn't think it could work, but it does in this game! Players can interact with each other any way they want. You can help your friends by picking them up or giving them jump boosts. Or you can hinder your friends by throwing them at enemies or into lava pits. New Super Mario Bros. Wii has served as a great little social tool for me and my friends on countless occasions. Simply put, it is a must-have for any Wii owner.

Honorable Mention: Wii Sports Resort
This game turned out to be a superb showcase of what Wii MotionPlus could do. Personally, I grew to love sword play and archery as great examples. After playing this game, I feel it's a shame that Wii MotionPlus has gone largely unused since.

A Game I Should Have Played: Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
I gotta tell you the story of my first go at a Wario Ware game. I had this friend in Junior High who had Wario Ware on her GameCube. Well, we played it one day. She let me go through a series of what are called "micro games", and I was phenomenal! I wasn't making any mistakes at all. I kept glancing back at her in between games, hoping to see that she was awestruck at my incredible gaming skills. Before long, however, I began to get suspicious. Something wasn't right about this. Finally I found out that this friend of mine had swapped the controllers while I wasn't looking: she had been controlling the game the whole time.

That and about fifteen minutes of Wario Ware on GBA have been my sole experience with the Wario Ware series. I would love to try out Smooth Moves for Wii some time.

Favorite Wii games countdown #7: Super Mario Galaxy

There's nothing like the Super Mario series on the planet. People thought Harry Potter was a big deal? 15 years of magic, my my! And then it all just...ended. Yeah, it was a big deal, but even bigger and more grand is the Super Mario series! 25 years, with no signs of slowing down, my my! Super Mario Galaxy is a reminder of the power that our favorite red-clad plumber can wield over us, even after so many years.

Who would have thought that Mario and space could fit together so well? Nintendo thought it, that's for sure. And they delivered. Galaxy feels like the Super Mario we're all familiar with, yet it also feels like an entirely new experience. Will the creators of Mario never run out of brilliant game design ideas? The world may never know.

Honorable Mention: MotoHeroz
I can't say I particularly like the single player mode in MotoHeroz very much. But I'll be hard-pressed to find such a good multiplayer experience any time soon. I played it with some friends just last night, as a matter of fact. It's been a long time since I've laughed so hard! The gritty, down-to-earth physics in this game make the interaction amongst vehicles one of the highlights of the whole experience.

A Game I Should Have Played: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
I know very little about this game. In fact, I don't even know what genre it's in. I have, however, heard that it's a pretty good game. I'll find out for myself...someday.

Favorite Wii games countdown #8: Rhythm Heaven Fever

I know music. I know rhythm. And I know that Rhythm Heaven Fever is a superb rhythm game. It's simple: A and B are the only buttons used. The rhythm is precise, varied, and intelligent. And the pure charm that Fever exudes rounds out an excellent experience.

I didn't mention this in my review of Rhythm Heaven Fever, but when I started the game up, I initially disliked it. The practice before the first mini-game seemed a little unfair to me. Once I got the flow, however, the game was just non-stop charm. I adore this game!

Honorable Mention: NBA Jam
What happened between us, NBA Jam? You were fun to me for, what, a day? Ya know, I suppose it was my siblings who tore us apart: I couldn't stand that they loved you so much more than other excellent multiplayer games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Ah, well...you're still a great little multiplayer game.

A Game I Should Have Played: Wii Music
I'm adding this game to my list not because it got great reviews, but because I wish I could have played it by now. As I've already stated, I love music. Someday I'll give Wii Music a shot.