Wii (video game series)

Wii is a series of simulation games published by Nintendo for the game console of the same name, as well as its successor, the Wii U. After a seven-year hiatus, the game Nintendo Switch Sports, described officially as "a new iteration of the Wii Sports series," was announced, the first game to drop the "Wii" from its title.[1] These games feature a common design theme, with recurring elements including casual-oriented gameplay, casts consisting mostly or entirely of Miis, and control schemes that simulate real-life activities.

Wii
Genre(s)Simulation
Party
Developer(s)Nintendo EAD
NDcube
Ganbarion
XING
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Platform(s)Wii
Wii U
Nintendo Switch
First releaseWii Sports
November 19, 2006
Latest releaseNintendo Switch Sports
April 29, 2022

The Wii series was conceived by Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto to package and sell similar Wii Remote prototype games in a single package.[2]

Gameplay

The Wii uses motion sensors in its Wii Remote 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 game.[3] However, in Wii Chess, on the menus and in actual gameplay, the control scheme makes use of the D-pad on the Wii Remote instead of the Wii Remote Pointer.

Games

Wii has become one of the best-selling video game franchises, with each Wii game selling millions of copies. Wii Sports in particular is regarded as the fourth best-selling video game of all time, as well as the best-selling single console game of all time.[4] By June 2009, Wii Fit had helped the health game genre to generate collective revenues of $2 billion, most of which was grossed by the game's 18.22 million sales at the time.[5] The largest subset of the franchise is Wii Sports.[6]

Wii Sports
Game Console Release date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Sports Wii
  • NA: November 19, 2006
  • JP: December 2, 2006
  • AU: December 7, 2006
  • EU: December 8, 2006
 The first game in the series and a launch game for the Wii console. The game was 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 one of the best-selling video games of all time, as well as the best-selling single console game of all time. 76.28%[7] 76/100[8] 82.85 million[9]
Wii Sports Resort
  • JP: June 25, 2009
  • AU: 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 initially sold separately, it was later bundled with the Wii console. It features nine brand new sports while only two sports reappear from its predecessor, Wii Sports, which was bowling and golf, and one sport, table tennis, was originally in Wii Play, making it a total of twelve sports games overall. 82.65%[10] 80/100[11] 33.08 million[9]
Wii Sports Club Wii U Tennis & Bowling
  • JP: October 30, 2013
  • NA: November 7, 2013
  • EU: November 7, 2013
  • AU: November 8, 2013
Golf
  • WW: 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.

It was originally titled Wii Sports U.

 68.69%[12] 68/100[13]
Nintendo Switch Sports Nintendo Switch
  • WW: April 29, 2022
 The first game in the series to replace the Wii title. n/a 72/100[14] 9.60 million[15]

Wii Play
Game Console Release date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Play Wii
  • JP: December 2, 2006
  • AU: December 7, 2006
  • EU: December 8, 2006
  • NA: February 12, 2007
 A launch game for the Wii in Japan, Europe and Australia, it features nine minigames used to teach the user how to use the Wii Remote, including Shooting Range (inspired by Nintendo’s Duck Hunt) and Table Tennis. Wii Play was bundled with an extra Wii Remote and is one of the best selling video games of all time.[16] 61.64%[17] 58/100[18] 28.02 million[9]
Wii Play: Motion
  • NA: June 13, 2011
  • EU: June 24, 2011
  • AU: June 30, 2011
  • JP: July 7, 2011
 Includes twelve minigames and 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%[19] 60/100[20] 1.26 million[21]

Wii Fit
Game Console Release date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Fit Wii
  • JP: December 1, 2007
  • EU: April 25, 2008
  • AU: May 8, 2008
  • NA: May 21, 2008
 The first game to use the Wii Balance Board peripheral, which it was bundled with. As a fitness-oriented game, it measures a user's weight, telling the user their health based on body mass index, and features minigames for the user to exercise or to improve posture. 81.18%[22] 80/100[23] 22.67 million[9]
Wii Fit Plus
  • JP: October 1, 2009
  • NA: October 4, 2009
  • AU: October 15, 2009
  • EU: October 30, 2009
 An enhanced version of Wii Fit. 80.83%[24] 80/100[25] 21.13 million[9]
Wii Fit U Wii U
  • AU: December 7, 2013
  • EU: December 13, 2013
  • NA: January 10, 2014
  • JP: February 1, 2014
 Announced at E3 2012 as a title for the Wii U console. 76.08%[26] 72/100[27]

Wii Party
Game Console Release date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Party Wii
  • JP: July 8, 2010
  • NA: October 3, 2010
  • AU: October 7, 2010
  • EU: October 8, 2010
 Players partake in various party games, similar to the Mario Party series.[28] It is the first game in the series to not involve Shigeru Miyamoto in development. 70.44%[29] 68/100[30] 9.32 million[9]
Wii Party U Wii U
  • NA: October 25, 2013
  • EU: October 25, 2013
  • AU: October 26, 2013
  • JP: October 31, 2013
 Developed by the same team behind the original Wii Party.[31] 64.68%[32] 65/100[33] 1.35 million[34]

Other titles
Game Console Release date Description GameRankings Metacritic Sales
Wii Chess Wii WiiWare
  • EU: January 18, 2008
  • JP: September 30, 2008
 A chess game playable in either single player or online mode. The game was released as WiiWare in Japan, and the physical release was exclusive to the European market. The game was never released outside Europe and Japan. 67%[35]
Wii Music Wii
  • JP: October 16, 2008
  • NA: October 20, 2008
  • AU: November 13, 2008
  • EU: November 14, 2008
 Players use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to simulate playing instruments. 64.34%[36] 63/100[37] 2.65 million[38][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
  • AU: February 14, 2013
Wii U Panorama View
  • NA: April 26, 2013
  • JP: April 27, 2013
  • EU: April 27, 2013
  • AU: April 27, 2013

References
  1. Nintendo Switch Sports - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch. February 9, 2022.
  2. Kohler, Chris (April 5, 2017). "Q&A: Design lessons learned from a decade at Nintendo's EAD". Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
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  5. Kris Pigna (2009-06-28). "Health Games Generate $2 Billion in Worldwide Sales". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
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  38. As of March 2009.
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