You can have more than a “Wii” bit of fun with the best Wii games

Few video game consoles — if any — stirred up as much buzz as the Nintendo Wii. Before motion tracking software was considered standard fare and lazy shovelware began popping up left and right to take advantage, Nintendo looked to revolutionize the gaming landscape with the Wii (before the name was officially announced, the system was codenamed Revolution). Utilizing a two-piece “Wiimote” and “Nunchuk” control scheme, the Wii promised gamers an opportunity to experience a new kind of paradigm, to capitalize on the popularity of titles like Dance Dance Revolution and turn the human body into a game controller.

So, did it work? Well … kind of. Many of Nintendo’s first-party Wii titles earned praise, with several becoming staple party games which, to this day, maintain premium real estate in entertainment centers. Unfortunately, the Wii came along during a period of consolidation for game developers: As it became easier to cross-publish games on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, many developers looked at the Wii’s relative technical limitations and unique controls, and simply chose to ignore the platform. Despite a dearth of quality third-party support, the Wii was still home to an exceptional core set of games in its lifespan. Without further ado, we present our list of the best Wii games ever made.

Note: Games that were originally released on other consoles and later ported to Wii — Resident Evil IV, Ōkami, Bully, etc. — were not included.

Wii Sports

 When most people think of the Wii, they think of Wii Sports. A simple pack-in minigame collection, Wii Sports featured simple, motion-controlled approximations of tennis, golf, bowling, baseball, and boxing. Players use their created Miis (linked to your Wii profile) to participate in sporting events using the Wiimote and Nunchuk, either competing against other players or against the computer.

The games are simple, but also are very fun and incredibly intuitive. You could a put Wiimote in almost anyone’s hand, and they could figure out how to play in seconds. At the time, it was a perfect showcase for the Wii’s potential. In hindsight, it may be the pinnacle of success for the console. For a time, you could walk into any college dorm room or apartment in America and see a couple of bobbleheaded cartoons battling it out on screen.

Given how ubiquitous the title was, it should not surprise anyone that Wii Sports clocks in as the third-best-selling video game of all time.