Having fun with the Wii again! [Archive]

Abednigo

01-03-2011, 07:01 AM

Who'd have thought after the crap that was Metroid: Other M that I would have fun with the Wii again. On the recommendation of a few here I got Super Mario Galaxy and yes, it is superb. I think I literally smile when I hear some of the classic Mario tunes (like the bonus level music). I read a review that said Mario Galaxy is more of a true spiritual successor to Mario 64, and I would have to agree. Super Mario Sunshine felt more like the Sonic Adventure of the Mario games to me. Mario Galaxy though feels like the next logical step in the Mario universe after Mario 64. I'm having a total blast with it.

My only minor complaint is some of the spherical planets can be a little disorienting when you're running around them (particularly the small ones). But I love playing it and I've got 11 or 12 stars now. I'm tempted to just buy Mario Galaxy 2 so I have it ready when I finish, but with Amazon Prime I can have it in 2 days so I can wait.

But dare I say my faith in Nintendo is restored? I think I just need to realize that Nintendo can't really provide a deep (grown up) narrative experience like an Uncharted or a good RPG. But for games like Mario Galaxy, they're champs.

I'm almost tempted to get Kirby's Epic Yarn now. Anything else you all would recommend? It's weird that I'm back to the Wii so easily with a single game.

boratika

01-03-2011, 07:12 AM

Anything else you all would recommend?

Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Clark

01-03-2011, 07:13 AM

My entire family loves New Super Mario Bros. Fun, fun game.

Abednigo

01-03-2011, 07:16 AM

Donkey Kong Country Returns.

That's in my Amazon cart. I've been tossing the idea around of getting it. Retro Studios made it, which is what initially turned me on to getting it. Plus the good reviews.

Btw, when I first played Mario Galaxy, my 21 month old son was in the room watching me. I goomba hit me and he said, "Uh oh!" LOL!

axion

01-03-2011, 07:16 AM

Widgetcraft

01-03-2011, 07:18 AM

Yeah, the Super Mario Galaxy games are excellent, some of my favorite platformers of all time. You definitely have to get Donkey Kong Country Returns, that game has blown me away; very challenging, very slick.

Abednigo

01-03-2011, 07:24 AM

I've heard great things about the new Donkey Kong which I would own if I had the money. Are you looking for specifically Nintendo first party games or any fun ones?

Some others I would recommend are the Boom Blox games, both extremely fun by yourself and great party games. Super Paper Mario is fun as well (more like an RPG/Mario mix). Also Super Smash Bros. is a great multiplayer game. Oh and of course New Super Mario Bros., it's hilarious with multiplayer.

As for less arcadey games, I would recommend the new Goldeneye, Resident Evil 4, and Metroid Prime Trilogy. Also Tiger Woods 10 or 11 if you're into golf games, lots of fun.

Just fun ones. I had RE4 for the GC and played through most of it. I also played through the MP games (well, most of the way). I do most of my gaming on the PS3 and have Red Dead and LBP2 coming from contests I won. With the disappointment that Metroid: Other M was, I was looking for something to rekindle my Nintendo fan status, which was all but shattered after Other M.

It looks like it'll be a toss up between Mario Galaxy 2, Donkey Kong Country and Kirby's Epic Yarn. I'll have to look into Super Paper Mario though. That looked interesting too. I gotta be careful not to overdo it though. I have enough PS3 games to last me awhile and I don't want to have a stack of Wii games that will sit unplayed. :)

muddi900

01-03-2011, 07:39 AM

NSMB is the coop side-scroller to play. The only thing it has over Supe Meat Boy.

Also, check Lost Winds on WiiWare

axion

01-03-2011, 07:55 AM

Yeah my buddy got NSMB and it is really fun playing together as you accidentally (or purposefully) kill each other and it is actually really funny.

biosc1

01-03-2011, 10:45 AM

If you at all like Harry Potter and/or Lego games, get yourself Lego Harry Potter. It's probably the one Wii game that I've consistently played over the last couple of months. Great use of the motion controls and great humour in the telling of the story.

Savok

01-03-2011, 10:57 AM

Galaxy 2 lacks the magic of the first, even though there's nothing really wrong with it as such.

Little King's Story, like a Pikman RPG with an almost unique story and style. Has some of the best boss fights ever. Made by an all-star team, no one seems to know it exists, so much so they had to close shop.

biosc1

01-03-2011, 11:00 AM

I would second Little King's Story. What little I played seemed quite charming. I need to sit down and put a real effort into it.

Serapth

01-03-2011, 11:30 AM

Mines still boxed up in my closet, probably for good. Easily, in my opinion, the worst console purchase of my life. That said, I'm not a huge performer.

OldJadedGamer

01-03-2011, 01:01 PM

Donkey Kong is pretty tough and will push your patience. But my Wii has gotten a lot of use this last part of the year with Donkey Kong, Epic Mickey, Sonic Colors, and Kirby's Epic Yarn.

destoo

01-03-2011, 02:47 PM

I think I just need to realize that Nintendo can't really provide a deep (grown up) narrative experience like an Uncharted

Nobody could provide deep grown up narrative experiences like Uncharted before Uncharted.
Expect carbon copies soon.

J Arcane

01-03-2011, 03:33 PM

Purple Santa

01-03-2011, 03:39 PM

I'm almost tempted to get Kirby's Epic Yarn now. Anything else you all would recommend? It's weird that I'm back to the Wii so easily with a single game.

You do want to play Kirby's Epic Yarn. My own pick would be Epic Mickey. It might be a slight controversial choice since the game isn't as polished as one would hope. Despite not having the polish of a Mario game, it's a very good game. I'd say rent it if you rent or wait for a price drop but it's a game I would say if you are enjoying a renaissance with your Wii, go play it.

Widgetcraft

01-03-2011, 04:08 PM

I think I'll leave the deep grown up narrative experiences to filmmakers and writers, and play games instead, thanks.

Yeah, games by definition are meant to be engaging interactive experiences... not passive narratives. If you can get a good story across in the course of a game, that's great... if not, I don't really care so much as long as the gameplay is still solid, because that is what I'm there for.

How is Mario Galaxy if you hated Mario 64?

That is such an alien opinion to me that I couldn't possibly begin to answer it. You may as well declare that you're part of a hive mind of brain eating ants from Alpha Zetti-6, and would like to know whether or not you'll be able to appreciate the subtle humor of Ren & Stimpy.

destoo

01-03-2011, 05:13 PM

I read a review that said Mario Galaxy is more of a true spiritual successor to Mario 64, and I would have to agree. Super Mario Sunshine felt more like the Sonic Adventure of the Mario games to me.

To be fair, Sunshine seemed more like a sequel to Luigi's Mansion.

pomeroy

01-03-2011, 06:37 PM

To be fair, Sunshine seemed more like a sequel to Luigi's Mansion.

I would totally play an actual sequel to Luigi's Mansion.

LarsenNET

01-03-2011, 06:51 PM

Luigi's Mansion was a lot of fun. I fear we will never see a sequel.

Savok

01-04-2011, 04:15 AM

I loved Luigi's Mansion. Sunshine was fucking awful.

That is such an alien opinion to me that I couldn't possibly begin to answer it. You may as well declare that you're part of a hive mind of brain eating ants from Alpha Zetti-6, and would like to know whether or not you'll be able to appreciate the subtle humor of Ren & Stimpy.
Pretty much that. Galaxy is... better? I don't know, you're on another plane of existence there, J.

score

01-04-2011, 06:54 AM

I would of thought the ghost pulling mechanics of Luigis Mansion would lend themselves quite well to motion controls.

Ravenlock

01-04-2011, 10:00 AM

I second many of the recommendations in here, and throw a little extra support behind GoldenEye 007 if you like shooters and/or have fond memories of the N64 title. They did a really great job with that, and it's pretty much the best FPS on the system at this point.

Epic Yarn is wonderful. Not a hardcore challenge or anything, but just full of joy. Haven't tried DKC yet, but want to.

Abednigo

01-05-2011, 01:15 PM

I think I'll leave the deep grown up narrative experiences to filmmakers and writers, and play games instead, thanks.

How is Mario Galaxy if you hated Mario 64?

Because I hear "spiritual successor to Mario 64" and I think "well, I'm not gonna like this game".

I say "spiritual successor" because it had a lot of little touches that Mario Sunshine was missing for me. I can't really put my finger on it. And I feel like I did when I played Mario 64. But the way it plays is different with the galaxies. Yes you have a central hub, like the castle was in Mario 64, but it just feels bigger with the galaxies and the levels/worlds within them.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is really tempting me. The videos look amazing, and I absolutely loved the SNES games.

Abednigo

01-06-2011, 06:38 AM

Donkey Kong Country Returns went from temptation to purchase. I couldn't help but feel like a kid watching the videos online with the hidden areas and the classic gameplay. It looks like a lot of fun (even if it is challenging).

Has it truly happened? Has my bitterness towards Nintendo really been quenched? Am I actually thinking of getting Zelda: Skyward Sword when it comes out? Yes. Yes I am.

Ravenlock

01-06-2011, 06:54 AM

Welcome back to the fold. ;)

Abednigo

01-06-2011, 07:15 AM

Welcome back to the fold. ;)

I wasn't gone long. :)

I'm surprised how excited I am to check out DKCR. Watching the videos I thought, "I have to play this. It looks like serious fun!" Then I think about Mario Galaxy and want to run home and play that more too.

I think what did me in a few months ago was how they forcibly turned (or tried to turn) Metroid into a serious, dramatic game. Metroid was always dramatic and tense with the sense of isolation you felt in a strange alien world. All the drama just ruined that. It wasn't the kind of game I wanted from Nintendo. I like dramatic games, but Nintendo sucks at them. But something like Mario Galaxy, that's where they shine.

I'd love to see Metroid in the hands of Retro Studios again, but as a 2D side-scroller. What Other M should have been.

It's nice to be excited about Nintendo and the Wii again.

Savok

01-06-2011, 08:55 AM

As I've said before, Other M is the worst game made for several generations at least. There is nothing redeemable about it.

axion

01-06-2011, 09:09 AM

Another suggestion I have for you is Muramasa the Demon Blade. Although I haven't played it myself I know there are people on here who have and love it.

Ravenlock

01-06-2011, 09:20 AM

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about Muramasa, that's absolutely a don't-miss game. Stunningly beautiful and really fun to play.

Stmfuller

01-10-2011, 06:14 AM

Kirby is easy, my 5 year old plays it with more success than she plays with the original super mario brothers. My wife (generally a non-gamer) played through it though and enjoyed it. I don't know if that's a glowing review though.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a good pickup. challenging is a good word for it.
Goldeneye is quite a bit of fun (except for close to the end of the game...arrrgghhh!!!). I played through all the single player and did a little bit of online too. all are fun.
I did not play Mario Galaxy 1, but I really have/am enjoying 2.
Epic Mickey was fun despite some (arguably) game-breaking issues. it's a solid 7-7.5 though. worth checking out.

If you and yours have any interest in casual games, Wheel and Jeopardy are currently making the rounds in my house as the games of choice (and they're fun to boot). We tried press your luck, family feud, and the price is right...those games are awful...stay away. I'm stilling waiting on an acceptable game of monopoly though. the two that are out have such annoying flaws they're almost no fun to play at all.

JayVe

01-10-2011, 07:26 AM

How is Mario Galaxy if you hated Mario 64?
I hated Mario 64.

Mario Galaxy is delightful, charming, and pure joy pressed onto a disc.

I enjoyed Mario Galaxy 2 even more due to the sheer deviously clever creativity of the level design.

JayVe

01-10-2011, 07:29 AM

Metroid was always dramatic and tense with the sense of isolation you felt in a strange alien world. All the drama just ruined that. It wasn't the kind of game I wanted from Nintendo. I like dramatic games, but Nintendo sucks at them. But something like Mario Galaxy, that's where they shine.

Nintendo typically focuses solely on gameplay. Realism goes out the window. Storytelling takes a back-seat. Controls, interface, and gameplay are where developers spend their effort, and it shows.

The only good dramatic Nintendo game that comes to mind is Eternal Darkness... which was amazingly awesome... but the gameplay was kinda meh. Developed by Canadian developer, Silicon Knights... not by Nintendo's internal teams.

Abednigo

01-10-2011, 07:53 AM

I played through world 1 of Donkey Kong Country Returns and part of world 2. The difficulty ramps up pretty fast. It's great fun finding the hidden areas.

And like any good old school game, I tend to get to a point and die, then get a little further past that part and die again, then get further still and die again. I can't imagine replaying some of these levels to get all the letters and puzzle pieces. I can't wait to see how much crazier the levels get later on.

Definitely glad I picked this up.