Eliwood’s Top 5 Wii Games of 2009

The Wii may not have had a ton of high profile or highly anticipated games in 2009, but there were still plenty of great games this year. In addition to my top five, I couldn’t help but give a nod to a completely overlooked game from early this year.

Unsuspecting victims soon learn what happens when you cross a ninja.

Honorable Mention: Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

This game went completely under the radar, but it was a surprisingly fun stealth game that came out early in the year, when fans were crying out for hardcore titles. Despite being part of a long-running franchise, Shadow Assassins seemed to creep past audiences like only a ninja can, missing the attention it deserves.

Multiplayer is a welcome addition to Punch-Out.

5) Punch-Out!!

A classic series on the NES and SNES, Punch-Out on the Wii offers the same boxing action of the original with several significant additions. Little Mac has never been better, and with additions like harder difficulty modes, practice modes, and challenges to complete, Punch-Out is packed full of replay value. The most amusing addition, though, has to be the multiplayer mode, pitting two boxers against one another to pummel the other into submission. With outstanding visuals as well as addicting and challenging gameplay, it’s no surprise that Punch-Out is one of the best of the year.

So many zombies, so little time.

4) Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles

On-rails light gun shooters don’t exactly have the best reputation, but Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is a fantastically tense, frantic, and entertaining ride through RE2, Code Veronica, and an all new mission in South America. The game has undergone a lot of little tweaks from its predecessor, Umbrella Chronicles, for better and for worse. It’s not a long game, but it is cinematic and fast paced, testing your aim while the camera shifts suddenly from one view to another. With impressive graphics and replay value, Darkside Chronicles has plenty to offer the zombie-shooting enthusiast.

Easily one of the most beautiful games of 2009.

3) Muramasa: The Demon Blade

The first thing you’ll notice about this game is how visually striking it is, using amazing 2D visuals with superbly animated characters in lush, detailed environments. With a beautiful soundtrack inspired by Japanese music, the presentation alone would earn it top marks, but the gameplay is equally fantastic. This side-scrolling action-RPG pulls you in with simple, addicting gameplay, but the nuances and variations in combat and sword-forging is what creates the wonderful depth to the game. Two playable characters offers a lot of game time, and though the story is a little flat, multiple endings for both characters fleshes out the game well, making a truly beautiful and addictive game.

Jack's ready to paint the town red.

2) MadWorld

MadWorld may be the antithesis of what people usually consider Wii games to be: it’s violent, it’s bloody, and it has a lot of visceral gameplay. It also has a surprisingly insightful and interesting story, with a far more rounded protagonist than you might expect. The result is a thrilling action game with truly interesting cutscenes that explore humanity’s reaction to violence. Beating enemies to a pulp is satisfying, and the impressive stylized visuals only add to the appeal of the game. Though the game is shockingly short, everything about the game is executed with extreme quality, making it one of the best mature-focused Wii games available.

Classic side-scrolling Mario; what better way to end 2009?

1) New Super Mario Bros. Wii

New Super Mario Bros. Wii, like its forebear on the DS, aims to return Mario to his fantastic side-scrolling roots, and NSMBWii is a huge success in that respect. The gameplay is classic, the graphics and music are beautiful, and to top off the package, four-player multiplayer adds an element of mayhem to the mix. Putting four characters on the screen changes the game a lot more than you would expect, often transforming relatively simple stages into harrowing adventures. That’s not meant as an insult, though; the multiplayer is frantic, exciting, and fun, providing a group experience unlike any other on the Wii.