Although less of a household name than the Nintendo 64, for a few years there existed a golden period for the Wii. The unique remote and nunchuck combination gave game developers ample opportunity to tell stories in compelling and engaging ways. It was never a dull moment waving the controllers around, trying (and sometimes failing) not to bump into tables. This allowed for an array of quality Wii adventure games to take the spotlight on the console.
Oftentimes we wonder which games are worth playing and investing our time into? The list we have compiled can serve as a good guideline for any adventure enthusiast out there. Happy gaming!
There’s an undeniable charm and a familiar sense of nostalgia when it comes to the Wii. Everyone’s first experience was a special one, and if you like adventure games, you were likely to find a gold mine of amazing titles lined up to play on this console. From the most popular Wii games like Super Mario Galaxy to some lesser-known (but no lesser in quality) titles like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, it’s hard to find a game that doesn’t cater to your unique playstyle and story preferences. There’s something for everyone out there.
What are the 30 best Wii Adventure Games?
Although this list shows only 30 of the best Wii adventure games, the genre is so widespread that we couldn’t possibly fit all of our favorites here. However, these games received wide critical and fan acclaim alike. For this reason, they made it onto our list. Yours may be a bit different from ours, though, so make sure to take it with a grain of salt!
#30 Flowerworks
This peculiar and somewhat calming game tells the story of Follie, our protagonist. She is on her way to meet her aunt when her ship crash-lands on the planet Elilia. Follie must now explore the planet, bloom flowers and recover the mystical Flowerworks seeds she lost in the crash to steer her ship back on course and deliver the seeds to her aunt. The game mixes a top-down world with arcade elements to create an interesting and immersive blend that will entertain you for hours.
#29 Coraline
Coming out just before the Coraline movie in 2009, this game has you taking on the role of the titular character. Coraline is on a quest to find her way back home from the colorful and fantastical Other World. Along the way, she meets a cast of interesting and sometimes bizarre characters. There are two distinct worlds to explore in the game: the dull Normal World and the peculiar Other World. The graphics of the game are inspired by the stop motion movie of the same name. It tells the story of the movie through an interactive adventure that will leave you amazed! While not as popular as other games on this list, it’s worth a spot because of the effort put into storytelling, character design, and graphics.
#28 Bolt
Another video game based on the movie of the same name, it follows Bolt the dog and his owner, Penny, on their adventures through the fictional TV show from the film’s universe. Bolt and Penny are on a quest to save Penny’s father from the evil Dr. Calico. They need to run, jump and solve puzzles in this platform-style adventure game. Bolt takes on the role of attacking and has superpowers, while Penny solves puzzles and uses stealth to get through the levels. This game is definitely an interesting peek into the fictional world that the movie characters star in, and we think it’s worth taking a look at.
#27 Safecracker: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure
Safecracker: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure is a single-player, well, puzzle adventure game that takes the player on a quest to uncover the last will and testament of a recently deceased billionaire. There are 35 safes to crack with varying design and difficulty. The family hires the player, an expert safecracker, to go through them all in the hopes of finding the safe containing the will. Needless to say, this game requires a lot of focus and out-of-the-box thinking. If you love puzzles, this is sure to be a satisfying game for you!
#26 Rabbids Go Home
Anyone who has had contact with the world of Wii gaming has probably seen the little critters called Rabbids. They speak gibberish, scream a lot, but most importantly, they look cute. In this particular installment of the Rabbids series, the creatures make an attempt to return home. They do this by collecting human objects and stacking them on top of each other to reach the Moon. The gameplay is pretty straightforward: two Rabbids push a shopping cart, aiming to collect as many objects as possible. Sometimes they also attack, mostly by screaming. You’ll need this to fend off the Verminators, the antagonists (or protagonists?) trying to take back all the stuff stolen from them.
#25 Spider-Man: Edge of Time
Spider-Man: Edge of Time is a perfect example of traditional meets futuristic. Peter Parker and his Marvel 2099 counterpart, Miguel O’Hara, join forces to save the two universes they’re living in. The plot is centered around time travel, as Miguel O’Hara tries to warn Peter Parker of his impending doom. Gameplay-wise, it has everything you’d expect from a Spider-Man game: web-swinging, web zipping, spidey senses, and more! There are also interesting abilities each Spider-Man has to offer to get through the story.
#24 Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Although it’s a slightly different format, the Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 game tells the story of the first four books quite well. Players can cast spells, collect, explore, make potions, and solve puzzles to progress. Revisit the Hogwarts castle and explore the different areas as Harry tries to get through the first four years at the school of witchcraft and wizardry. It’s a nice little trip down memory lane or otherwise a great way to get acquainted with the storyline enough to read the Harry Potter books or watch the movies.
#23 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie is perhaps one of the most famous detective novel writers. She has also created beloved characters such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Knowing this, it’s no wonder her 1939 novel And Then There Were None has gotten a video game retelling. This is only the first of her novels to achieve this. Murder on the Orient Express and Evil Under the Sun also make an appearance on Windows and the Wii console. In this first installment, the murder mystery features eleven characters, including the player character Patrick Narracott. Through pointing and clicking, Patrick tries to solve the mystery of Shipwreck (Soldier) Island. The game is very reminiscent of Nancy Drew’s mystery adventure games, which we’ll get to talk about later.
#22 Sonic and the Black Knight
The premise of this game is fairly simple. Upon making her escape from an evil black knight the granddaughter of Merlin, named Merlina, summons Sonic to protect her. To do so, Sonic must rely on a talking sword and not just his speed. This brings to mention an interesting game mechanic: swordplay. Sega decided to utilize the motion sensors featured in the Wii remote to make this possible. Players could swing the Wii remote to simulate swordplay and earn Sonic his knight ranking. This ranking was based on the feedback of the virtual audience. Though it looked promising, the game received mixed feedback and the game was ultimately delisted in 2010 as part of Sega’s efforts to increase brand value.
#21 Klonoa
Klonoa is a video game centered around the titular character published for the Wii in 2008, for the franchise’s 10th anniversary. Essentially, it’s a remake of the 1997 PlayStation version, and it follows the same story. Although the fact might make you raise an eyebrow, the director of the original game and other former members of the development team put their efforts into remaking and adapting the game for the Wii console. The story features Klonoa as he attempts to save the dream world, called Phantomile, from Ghadius, the game’s main antagonist who plans to turn Phantomile into a world of nightmares. Interestingly, the game’s levels are represented from a 2.5D perspective. This means that while the game’s surroundings are 3D, the gameplay itself takes place in a 2D perspective. You can also unlock levels, outfits, and mirrored versions of each stage, which differs from the original game.
#20 Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
Zack & Wiki is perhaps one of the lesser-known games on this list. This isn’t due to it being a bad game, though, but rather that it was essentially a commercial failure. Despite this, it received many positive reviews from critics. Zack and his monkey friend Wiki find the skull of the pirate captain Barbaros which talks to them. Barbaros makes them a trade offer: find the pieces of his cursed body in exchange for guidance to Treasure Island and his pirate ship. The gameplay features a unique combination of point-and-click and gesture mechanics. This means you essentially have to mimic actions such as pulling levers and turning keys. It definitely makes for a fun adventure game, so the reasons why it wasn’t very popular among Wii gamers at the time remains a mystery to us.
#19 Donkey Kong Country Returns
Donkey Kong is one of Nintendo’s more prominent characters along with his partner-in-crime Diddy Kong. In Donkey Kong Country Returns you get to experience playing both as they try to defeat the Tiki Tak Tribe. Released in 2010, this game marks the first appearance of a Donkey Kong game on the traditional home console since 1999 when Donkey Kong 64 came out. It has since been hailed as one of the best-selling games on the Wii console. This is mainly due to the amazing graphics, level design, and gameplay. This game reminds us of the traditional design of Donkey Kong games, taking us on a vine-swinging banana-collecting adventure to retrieve the stolen goods.
#18 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Our hero Samus Aran returns to discover the origin and prevent the spread of the mysterious Phazon corruption. This comes as a result of fending off the Space Pirates, during which her doppelgänger Dark Samus infects her. The controls are pretty easy. Players can jump and attack with the remote while moving and selecting enemies with the Nunchuck. The music, graphics, and story are what make this game so good and deserving of a spot on the list.
#17 Endless Ocean
If you have thalassophobia, keep scrolling. Endless Ocean is for those who love exploring and reaching new undersea depths. Look for shipwrecks and sunken treasures in a calm environment (no shark attacks, we promise) and help Katherine find the White Mother, a unique whale her father set out to search for many years ago. This game has actually proven quite calming and even exciting to explore. It allows the player to experience wreck diving, cave diving, and other forms of underwater exploration. If you’re into open-world exploration, definitely give Endless Ocean a shot!
#16 Disney Epic Mickey
If you’re a casual Disney fan, you’re probably wondering who in the world is Oswald? Either way, you’ll get a chance to meet him in Disney’s Epic Mickey, and for good reason. You might expect a Disney game to be cheerful, but the setting features a post-apocalyptic landscape called the Wasteland. It’s a place where “forgotten things” like obscure Disney characters go, created by the sorcerer Yen Sid. You’ll find it bears a striking resemblance to Disneyland, as the Wasteland is based on the Disney theme park. Oswald works with Mickey, albeit reluctantly, to rid the Wasteland of the Blob and repair the damage Mickey has done. The game was an effort to explore Mickey’s mischievous personality, as all too often we only know him as the cheerful Disney representative.
#15 Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space
The thing about Telltale games is that you can expect an interesting story no matter how bizarre it may be. The game is a sequel to Sam & Max Save the World and tells the story of the events one year after the first game in episodes. Sam and Max face a possessed Santa, a group of aquatic Ocean Chimps, zombies, and mariachis who collect souls for Hell. If you’re looking for a wild ride, this is the game to play. Needless to say, a LOT happens. The gameplay is pretty fun, though. You can explore the environment and solve puzzles to advance the story, and it even has a fast travel system! Talk about advanced for a 2010 Wii game. Interestingly enough, the game is also getting a Windows, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One remaster in December 2021.
#14 Endless Ocean: Blue World
Otherwise known as Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep, this game is a sequel to Endless Ocean. Unlike the first installment, this game has a bit of a thrill to offer. Where Endless Ocean was a calm sandbox exploration sort of game, Endless Ocean: Blue World also features some dangerous creatures. Some prominent changes in gameplay include the Pulsar tool, selling artifacts to afford aesthetic items and upgrades to their diving gear, as well as co-op multiplayer! The story doesn’t follow the events of the Endless Ocean, either. Rather, the player searches for Valka Castle. This sunken castle can give clues as to why a certain two pendants owned by the owner of the R&R Diving Service, cause the sea’s inhabitants to act aggressively. You also face quite a few obstacles and dangers along the way.
#13 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright is one of the more obscure games on this list. It’s more of a visual novel, but a great adventure game nonetheless. The story features the titular character as he defends his clients in court through four cases. The gameplay features both investigation sequences during which Phoenix gathers evidence and courtroom trials. The courtroom trials are his chance to present the evidence and cross-examine witnesses. It’s definitely an interesting game to check out if you’re into visual novels.
#12 PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure is a spin-off from the Pokémon series. Pikachu and his friends must restore the 14 pieces of the Sky Prism which protects the PokéPark and restore the peaceful state. Players battle Pokémon to befriend them and gain their abilities. You can also befriend Pokémon by playing various mini-games. It’s a simple, nostalgic, and ultimately wholesome homage to the Pokémon series.
#11 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Skyward Sword is an installment of The Legend of Zelda series exclusive to the Wii console. The story is composed of the basic plot elements where Link has to rescue Zelda, who has been kidnapped and taken to the Surface. The exciting part is that this game is the first one in the Zelda timeline which explores the origins of the iconic Master sword. You can control Link using the remote and Nunchuck, as well as the mandatory Wii MotionPlus peripheral. What makes this game really special for us, though, is the live orchestra used to perform the tracks. Music can add so much charm to a game, and that especially rings true for this game.
#10 PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond
Usually, the second installment of a game series is a chance for the developers to right the wrongs from the first game. This rings especially true for PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond. While the first game itself was fun, PokéPark 2 introduces a more engaging story and multiplayer capabilities for certain mini-games. In this instalment, Pikachu and his friends must save PokéPark from the dangers of Wish Park, which was essentially designed as a trap for the inhabitants of PokéPark. Pikachu and Oshawott must free their friends gradually by defeating the leaders of each attraction in Wish Park. This ultimately brings them to Darkrai, the leader of Wish Park, and the four friends must face him to save PokéPark.
#9 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
You can’t mention Nintendo without mentioning Zelda. A Link to the Past is a fun sort of prequel to the original two Zelda games. It introduces the iconic elements of the Zelda storyline such as the Master sword and parallel worlds. The overhead perspective returns on the Wii port, as well as most other mechanics and features from the original game. As with nearly all other games in the franchise, it received great critical acclaim, dubbing it one of the greatest games of all time. And to be honest? We can definitely see why.
#8 Kirby’s Epic Yarn
What’s a Nintendo-based list without our favorite little round ball of gluttonous cuteness? Kirby’s Epic Yarn sees him turned into, well, yarn, and sent to a world made of fabric. He must help Prince Fluff in stopping Yin Yarn, the main antagonist. Unfortunately, in this game, Kirby cannot eat enemies to gain their abilities, but he instead morphs into various items to get through the game. You beat the levels through platforming, and can even be joined by a friend as Prince Fluff. It’s a fun and cute twist on the Kirby series and definitely worth checking out if you want a light-hearted adventure game.
#7 The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Building on the parallel worlds concept the Zelda games are famous for, Majora’s Mask takes Link to Termina. Link must save this world from the danger of the moon falling into it in three days. One of the key features is also the masks Link uses which can transform him into different creatures. It also brings back the beloved Ocarina, Link’s instrument which he uses to progress the game by playing songs. Majora’s Mask is widely considered as one of the best games ever made, and we agree. That’s why it ranks so high among our list of best Wii adventure games of all time.
#6 The Dog Island
If you’re an animal lover, ready your tissues. This heartwarming game sees our protagonist, a dog, go on a quest to find a special flower to cure their sick sibling. Although it’s a perilous journey, players have an array of controls to avoid the threats posed by the game’s various enemies. To find the special flower, the dog must become a sniff master. This can be achieved by finding items such as fruits and vegetables, which are needed to progress the game. The Dog Island combines cute and wholesome into an adventure worth experiencing.
#5 Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
Nancy Drew is yet another product of detective novels turned into video games. Though not the first in the series of Nancy Drew games, it is the first – and only – game to feature on the Wii console. It follows the titular protagonist as she tries to uncover the mystery of the wild wolf plaguing Icicle Creek Lodge. Several peculiar accidents have happened at the lodge, all featuring a white wolf on the scene of each accident. The gameplay involves interrogating suspects, solving puzzles, and looking for clues to find and apprehend the culprit, which is always the most exciting part. If you’re into point-and-click mystery adventures, definitely consider checking it out. The culprit might surprise you!
#4 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Well, you know Zelda and its convoluted timeline. Nintendo just can’t get enough of the parallel worlds concept with this franchise. For this reason, Link embarks on yet another quest, this time saving Hyrule from the Twilight Realm, a parallel dimension that threatens to engulf his homeworld. Instead of Navi, his usual sidekick and hint-giver, Link is accompanied by Midna. He also must assume the form of a Hylian, an elf-like race characteristic of the Zelda series, and a wolf. The game has received a lot of praise and even a spot on the list of the greatest video games of all time. It’s no wonder, considering it was Nintendo’s best-selling Zelda game all the way up until Breath of the Wild caught up in 2018.
#3 Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy is an action-adventure game that has Mario save Princess Peach from Bowser. As the title suggests, it incorporates different galaxies and areas where Mario can collect Power Stars, complete missions, and defeat bosses in his quest to get to the Princess. Its unique feature is the gravity-defying exploration system which plays with the laws of physics. Once you collect all the Power Stars, you unlock a hard mode version where you can play as Luigi. The fact that this game is appealing to gamers of all ages, and the evident amount of effort and love poured into it is what makes this game not only one of the best Wii adventure games, but also one of the best games of all time.
#2 Xenoblade Chronicles
Fantasy joins forces with science fiction to bring us Xenoblade Chronicles, the first installment in the series. Shulk, our main protagonist and a native of Bionis, discovers his ability to wield the legendary sword Monado during an attack on his colony. He then starts his path on a revenge quest with his friend Reyn against the Mechons, a machine race native to the Mechonis. The gameplay is focused on open-world exploration split into separate areas. The battle system is action-based and happens in real-time. This was designed as a creative way of implementing Shulk’s ability to see the future, which helps him out in battle. The game has been praised for its original and complex storyline, as well as the creative battle system and well-handled quests.
#1 Ōkami
If you’re a fan of Japanese folklore, then you definitely know the story of Amaterasu. She is a Shinto sun goddess who saved the world from darkness by taking the form of a white wolf. Amaterasu journeys on a quest to defeat Yami, the main antagonist, and is joined by Issun, a wandering artist. Issun serves as the comic relief and a guide to the white wolf during her endeavor. The graphics take inspiration from the sumi-e painting style popular in East Asia. This makes for astounding scenery and a unique change from the usual graphics portrayed in video games. The player also uses the Celestial Brush, a mechanic to help progress through the game’s puzzles and battles. All these unique elements of the game combine to make what we think is the best Wii adventure game of all time.