Nintendo's Wii was a pretty appealing system for developers who were working on third-person shooter games at the time. On the one hand, the Wii wasn't as obsessed with realistic graphics as the Xbox 360 or the PS3, which meant these games could have fairly unique art styles and visual aesthetics to set them apart. Of course, there was also the motion controls, which were seen as groundbreaking for the time, especially for shooter games where they could add an extra layer of immersion to the experience.
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Needless to say, there were plenty of fun and memorable third-person shooter games for this beloved system, and while not all of them made much of an impression, there's still a handful which have been met with much more praise, and are well worth checking out for any fans of the genre. Here are the very best third-person shooter games that arrived on the Wii throughout its lengthy life span. Before jumping in, it should be noted that games which could be considered on-rails in their movement, but which still take a third person camera angle, will be eligible and considered for the list.
6 Chicken Little: Ace In Action
No Score Available
- Release Date: December 2006
- Platforms: Wii, PlayStation 2, DS, PC
- Developer: Avalanche Software
Rather than controlling the titular character seen in the movie, Chicken Little: Ace in Action sees players fill the shoes of Ace, a big and bulky version of Chicken Little who comes equipped with his own mini-arsenal of weapons. Though the game plays like a traditional third-person shooter, what makes it so much fun is how varied the levels are in terms of gimmicks.
One moment, Ace will hop into a tank to decimate any robotic enemies who stand in his way, while the next, he'll be flying around space blasting ships and asteroids to pieces as he goes. Each mission feels drastically different from the one that came before it, and with 24 of them to play through, it results in a fun thrillride which doesn't take itself too seriously and is a blast to play through.
5 Bionicle Heroes
Metacritic User Score: 6.0
- Release Date: April 2007
- Platforms: Wii, Xbox 360, DS, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PC
- Developer: Traveller's Tales
Each mission in Bionicle Heroes contains several Toa Masks players can pick up by doing a little exploring. These unique items allow players to change characters on the fly, and since each of these Bionicles have their own weapons, it provides a fresh and fun spin on the regular third-person shooter formula. It also allows the game to get creative with the level design, since players will need to use specific mask powers to access specific areas, almost like using a HM move in the Pokemon games.
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Bionicle Heroes also features a hub area known as the Matoran Enclave where players can purchase new upgrades, providing a satisfying progression system which makes exploration for extra resources well worth it. The game is admittedly on the shorter side clocking in at roughly 5 to 6 hours long, but there's still a ton of fun to be had here.
4 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Metacritic User Score: 6.6
- Release Date: November 2010
- Platform: Wii
- Developer: Next Level Games
Most shooter games on the Wii take a fast-paced run-and-gun approach to their gameplay, but Ghost Recon is a lot slower and more tactical, and as a result, it's also a lot harder to beat. The game also has quite a peculiar movement system, since it doesn't technically allow players to move around in the open. Instead, they will need to bounce between cover and be cautious about when to pop their head out from cover to take a few pot-shots at nearby enemies.
There's a nice mixture of mission types here that helps the game from ever becoming stale or predictable, with the stealth missions being a particular highlight because of how intense they can be. Missing a single shot, or firing at the wrong body part, can result in a game overscreen pretty quickly, so a lot of patience is required when taking on these missions. There's also co-op functionality, which works surprisingly well, and makes the game quite a bit easier as a result.
3 Rogue Trooper: Quartz Zone Massacre
No Score Available
- Release Date: December 2009
- Platforms: Wii, Xbox, PlayStation 2, Switch, PlayStation 4
- Developer: Rebellion Developments
Based on a planet called Nu-Earth which is in the middle of a raging conflict between the Norts and Southers, Rogue Trooper: Quartz Zone Massacre is an action-packed experience which is full of epic battles and firefights to take part of. Though the protagonist, Rogue, only starts off with a bulky assault rifle and a handgun, players will be able to acquire extra weapons and attachments as they progress through the story. This allows Rogue to get his hands on some utterly devastating guns, one such example being the electric beam rifle which can decimate an enemy with a single shot.
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While Rogue is able to fire off his weapons while behind cover, or while on the run, there's also an option to lay down covering fire which can be used to separate enemies into smaller groups, making them easier to pick off. Rogue Trooper: Quartz ZoneMassacre also has a great story which contains a few twists and turns, and actually provides a fairly harrowing insight into the mindset of soldiers during wartime, and how expendable they can feel when throwing themselves into the line of fire.
2 Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
Metacritic User Score: 8.4
- Release Date: June 2010
- Platform: Wii
- Developer: Treasure
Though Sin & Punishment: Star Successor is technically an on-rails game, it does still play like a third-person shooter and allows players to freely move around the screen while they fire away at the myriad of monsters they'll encounter along their journey. However, protagonists Isa and Kachi also possess a blade which can be used to deflect projectiles, encouraging players to switch between weapons on the fly to rack up as much damage as possible.
The game also stands out for its bright and vibrant visual style, which allows the beautiful environments to pop out from the screen. There's even a combo multiplier in the top right of the screen which can net players bonus score if they manage to keep a combo going without taking a hit in the process. Overall, an incredibly fun game which both looks and feels amazing.
1 Resident Evil 4
Metacritic User Score: 9.1
Capcom's decision to introduce a third-person camera angle for Resident Evil 4 was a risky one, but it was a choice that ultimately paid off, and paved the way for many other survival horror games going forward. Being able to follow Leon's journey from an over the shoulder perspective helps to make the gameplay feel more intimate and intense, especially considering how ruthless the Ganado enemies are.
Speaking of the Ganado, players are able to aim their crosshair with the Wii's motion controls to inflict damage on specific body parts of their targets. So if an enemy was shot in the leg, they would hold onto their knee in pain, giving Leon an opportunity to pull off a roundhouse kick while they're stunned. The motion controls are also responsive and extremely fun to use, to the point where many consider this the best version of this survival horror classic due to how immersive it is, thanks to the Wii's flagship gimmick.
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