Top 5 Wii Games of 2010

Many of you may not be familiar with Tatsunoko, but that shouldn’t stop you from experiencing the best fighting game of the year. This game is a part of the Capcom VS. series of games which include X-Men VS. Street Fighter, Marvel VS. Street Fighter and Marvel VS. Capcom. The gameplay is very similar to the former VS. games but this time the graphics are done in 3d with a beautiful cell shaded style. There is a great selection of characters from the Capcom Universe including mainstays like Mega Man and Ryu as well as newcomers Viewtiful Joe and even Frank West from Dead Rising. The Tatsunoko* characters are made up of some of the most beloved anime characters in Japan including Ken and Jun from Gatchaman (known as G-Force in the US) as well as Tekkaman. The tag team battles and multiplayer mini games are a blast and the chaotic on screen action is like watching a crazy anime themed fireworks show. [Amazon]

The Donkey Kong Country games from the SNES days were always some of my favorite platformers. Donkey Kong Country Returns keeps the lineage of great gameplay going as it is one of the best of its kind. In fact I would say that Donkey Kong Country Returns, developed by Metroid Prime creators Retro Studios, to be a more well rounded and enjoyable experience than any of the Rare developed games starring the big ape. The one thing that can be frustrating is that it quickly ramps up in difficulty so this may not be the best game for younger players. The two player co-op is a fun addition and there are many levels and secrets to explore. If you are looking for a deep and challenging 2d platformer will not be disappointed. [Amazon]

Kirby’s Epic Yarn has the most unique visual style of any game released this year. With the entire world seemingly consisting of yarn and cloth, it has a sort of stop motion feel to it and is an incredible sight to behold. The game takes the 2d gameplay of earlier Nintendo games and perfects it with incredibly tight controls and seemingly unlimited items to collect. One of the great things about this game is that it rarely gets boring. There are different enhancements presented at every level that offer variations on the core gameplay. Actually, one could even call this game “relaxing”, with the chilled out music and soft pastel aesthetic. This is a game that any age will enjoy, it is unlike Donkey Kong Country in that it is not difficult in the slightest (which could be good or bad depending on your preference). The 2 player co-op is enjoyable and is much like New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It’s one of the system’s best games and definitely one of the years best looking titles. [Amazon]

Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor comes from one of my all time favorite game developers: Treasure. If you have ever played Gunstar Heroes, or Guardian Heroes or Bangai-O then you are familiar with their work. They are made up of former Konami game designers who worked on Contra 3, Super Castlevania IV and some of the best Konami Arcade games. Its fitting then, that Sin and Punishment 2: Star Successor brings back memories of more challenging action games from the 90’s. The story, like many of the best action games, is crap. Which isn’t important. The gameplay is where the real meat and potatoes are, it plays much like Panzer Dragoon and its rail shooting perfection. It also has some of the most jaw dropping art direction ever put into a video game, you will have to play certain levels multiple times because there is so much to take in. I have seen this game in bargain bins in every major store, sadly like most of Treasure’s games it has been overlooked. If you enjoy shooters of any kind do yourself a favor and pick up this diamond in the rough. [Amazon]

Super Mario Galaxy was a great showcase of what Nintendo, at its best, is capable of. Super Mario Galaxy 2, like the first one, makes every other 3d platformer look amateurish.  The level of insanity that is present in this game’s level design will make your head spin, yet the controls and camera are always incredibly tight. Given that, the difficulty can become high but the genius of the Super Mario games is that there are always multiple ways to make progress through the game. The addition of Yoshi and new costumes adds much needed variety to the series and while I still prefer 2d Mario to 3d; this game still won me over with it’s amazing level design and tight controls. It deserves to be in every Wii owner’s library and I can’t wait to see what Miyamoto does next with Zelda in 2011. [Amazon]

One of the best games for the Nintendo 64 gets updated with better graphics and more precise controls. The single player story has been enhanced and updated with new Bond Daniel Craig. The gameplay is still old school fast paced run and gun style action. The multiplayer is a blast for anyone who remembers playing the original with friends late into the night. Speaking of multiplayer, all of the craziness from the N64 version, including paintball, big head mode, and even big hand mode are included. Characters from the original are available here as well though the multiplayer maps have been changed a bit. Being one of the few first person shooters on the Wii, and one of the better multiplayer experiences on any platform this year, make it a no brainer for old school gamers. However, if you aren’t familiar with the game play styling of early “run and gun” FPS games like Goldeneye or Perfect Dark; you might be disappointed in the lack of intelligent AI and more strategic multiplayer elements offered by the likes of Call of Duty and Halo. [Amazon]