Wii (video game series)

Wii
Genres Simulation video games
minigame compilations
music video games
fitness games
web mapping
Developers Nintendo EAD Group 2
Nintendo EAD Group 5
Nd Cube
XING
Publishers Nintendo
Platforms Wii
Wii U
Platform of origin Wii
First release Wii Sports
November 19, 2006
Latest release Wii Sports Club
July 25, 2014

The Wii game series is a series of fifteen physical simulation video games for the Wii and Wii U consoles. These games feature a common design theme, especially in their casual gameplay style and Mii integration. The series features control schemes that simulate real life activities with various combinations of the Wii Remote, the Wii U GamePad, and the Wii Balance Board.

Gameplay

The Wii uses motion sensors in the game controllers to allow gameplay that incorporates physical movements by the player to control action within the game. For example, in the Baseball game included in Wii Sports, the player holds the controller like a baseball bat and swings it in order to hit the ball in the on-screen game.[1]

Games

The Wii series has become one of the best-selling video game franchises, with each game in the Wii series selling millions of copies. Wii Sports in particular is regarded as the best-selling video game of all time.[2] Wii Fit, within 18 months by June 2009, helped the health game genre generate collective revenues of $2 billion, most of which was grossed by Wii Fit's 18.22 million sales at the time.[3] The largest subset of the franchise is the Wii Sports sub-series.[4]

Wii Sports

Game Console Release Date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Sports Wii NA November 19, 2006
JP December 2, 2006
AUS December 7, 2006
EU December 8, 2006
 The first game in the series and launch game for the Wii console. The game was sold bundled with the console in all regions except Japan and South Korea. Wii Sports is known for starting a new development direction for Nintendo involving simple gameplay, simple graphics, and motion control. It is currently the second best-selling video game of all time.[5] 76.28%[6] 76/100[7] 82.54 million[8]
Wii Sports Resort JP June 25, 2009
AUS July 23, 2009
EU July 24, 2009
NA July 26, 2009
 Successor to Wii Sports. It is one of the first titles to require the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which was bundled with the game. Though the game was originally a standalone title, it is now bundled with the Wii console. 82.65%[9] 80/100[10] 32.58 million[8]
Wii Sports Club Wii U Tennis & Bowling
JP October 30, 2013
NA November 7, 2013
EU November 7, 2013
AUS November 8, 2013
Golf
INT December 18, 2013
Baseball & Boxing
NA June 26, 2014
EU June 27, 2014
Retail
EU July 11, 2014
JP July 17, 2014
NA July 25, 2014
 A remake of the original Wii Sports game, it now requires the Wii MotionPlus accessory. Initially, it was only available on the Nintendo eShop with each sport needing to be bought separately. A retail release with all five sports has also been released. 74.60%[11] 68/100[12]

Wii Play

Game Console Release Date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Play Wii JP December 2, 2006
AUS December 7, 2006
EU December 8, 2006
NA February 12, 2007
 The next game in the series was a launch game for the Wii in Japan. It features a compilation of nine minigames, such as Shooting Range or Table Tennis, that are used to teach the user how to use the Wii remote. Wii Play was bundled with an extra Wii remote and is one of the best selling video games of all time.[13] 61.64%[14] 58/100[15] 28.02 million[8]
Wii Play: Motion NA June 13, 2011
EU June 24, 2011
AUS June 30, 2011
JP July 7, 2011
 This sequel to Wii Play is the most recently released game in the subseries. It includes twelve minigames, and it is bundled with the Wii Remote Plus, which is required to play. The minigames were created by various developers, including Good-Feel, Skip Ltd., and Arzest Corporation. 61.89%[16] 60/100[17] 1.26 million[18]

Wii Fit

Game Console Release Date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Fit Wii JP December 1, 2007
EU April 25, 2008
AUS May 8, 2008
NA May 21, 2008
 The first game to use the Wii Balance Board peripheral, wherewith it was bundled. As a fitness-oriented game, it measures a user's weight, telling the user his or her health based on body mass index, and provides minigames for the user to exercise or to improve posture. It is currently the third-best-selling console game of all time of those not packaged with a console. 81.18%[19] 80/100[20] 22.67 million[8]
Wii Fit Plus JP October 1, 2009
NA October 4, 2009
AUS October 15, 2009
EU October 30, 2009
 An enhanced version of Wii Fit. 80.83%[21] 80/100[22] 21.03 million[8]
Wii Fit U Wii U AUS December 7, 2013
EU December 13, 2013
NA January 10, 2014
JP February 1, 2014
 The next entry in the Wii Fit subseries which was announced at E3 2012 as a title for the Wii U console. 75.75%[23] 71/100[24]

Wii Party

Game Console Release Date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Party Wii JP July 8, 2010
NA October 3, 2010
AUS October 7, 2010
EU October 8, 2010
 Players partake in various party games, similar to the Mario Party series.[25] It is the first game in the series in which Shigeru Miyamoto was not involved in development. 70.44%[26] 68/100[27] 7.94 million[18][28]
Wii Party U Wii U NA October 25, 2013
EU October 25, 2013
AUS October 26, 2013
JP October 31, 2013
 Developed by the same team behind the original Wii Party.[29] 64.68%[30] 65/100[31] 1.35 million[32]

Other titles

Game Console Release Date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Chess Wii EU January 18, 2008
JP September 30, 2008
 This is a chess game released in Japan and European territories for the Wii. It is called Wii Chess in Europe but in Japan it is a WiiWare title called Tsūshin Taikyoku: World Chess. 66.80%[33]
Wii Music JP October 16, 2008
NA October 20, 2008
AUS November 13, 2008
EU November 14, 2008
 Focused on using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to simulate playing instruments. 64.34%[34] 63/100[35] 2.65 million[36][37]
Wii Karaoke U Wii U JP December 8, 2012
PAL October 4, 2013
 Pre-installed on every Japanese Wii U. 69.00%[38] 68/100[39]

Software

Game Console Release Date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Street U Wii U JP February 7, 2013
NA February 14, 2013
EU February 14, 2013
AUS February 14, 2013
Wii U Panorama View Wii U NA April 26, 2013
JP April 27, 2013
EU April 27, 2013
AUS April 27, 2013

References

  1. ↑ Davis, Ryan. "Wii Sports Review". Gamespot.com. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  2. ↑ Tom Ivan (May 8, 2009). "Wii Sports The Best Selling Game Ever?". Edge. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
  3. ↑ Kris Pigna (2009-06-28). "Health Games Generate $2 Billion in Worldwide Sales". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
  4. ↑ Kyle Orland (January 28, 2011). "Super Mario Galaxy 2 Sells 6.15M Worldwide, Wii Sports Series Passes 102M". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
  5. ↑ Reisenger, Don. "'Wii Sports': Best-selling, but not best of all time". CNet. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Wii Sports for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Wii Sports for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Nintendo Top Selling Software Sales Units: Wii". Nintendo. 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
  9. ↑ "Wii Sports Resort for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Wii Sports Resort for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Wii Sports Club for Wii U". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Wii Sports Club for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Financial Results Briefing for the Six-Month Period ended December 2009" (PDF). Nintendo. October 31, 2009. p. 11. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Wii Play for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Wii Play for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Wii Play: Motion for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Wii Play: Motion for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Financial Results Briefing for the Q3 Fiscal Year" (PDF). Nintendo. 2012-04-27. p. 6. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  19. ↑ "Wii Fit for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Wii Fit for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Wii Fit Plus for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Wii Fit Plus for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Wii Fit U for Wii U". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Wii Fit U for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  25. ↑ Harris, Craig (October 3, 2010). "Wii Party Review". p. 1. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  26. ↑ "Wii Party for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Wii Party for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Financial Results Briefing for the Nine-Month Period Ended December 2011" (PDF). Nintendo. 2012-01-27. p. 6. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  29. ↑ Wii U Party Will Get The Family Together This Summer
  30. ↑ "Wii Party U for Wii U". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Wii Party U for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  32. ↑ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wiiu.html
  33. ↑ "Wii Chess for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Wii Music for Wii". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  35. ↑ "Wii Music for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  36. ↑ As of March 2009.
  37. ↑ "Financial Results Briefing for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2009: Supplementary Information" (PDF). Financial Results Briefing for the 69th Fiscal Term Ended March 2009. Nintendo. 2009-05-08. p. 6. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  38. ↑ "Wii Karaoke U for Wii U". GameRankings. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Wii Karaoke U for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 10, 2014.

External links