Highlights
- Wii titles like The Last Story, Kirby's Epic Yarn, and Little King's Story have yet to be ported to the Switch, leaving fans to rely on unofficial channels or third-party resellers to play them.
- These games have unique gameplay mechanics and charming aesthetics that make them deserving of a Switch port, but technical difficulties, lack of developer interest, or rights issues have kept them trapped in the Wii's archives.
- The absence of these beloved titles on the Switch leaves a gap in the console's game library and deprives fans of the opportunity to experience these critically acclaimed and fan-favorite games.
NintendoWii titles are constantly ported and updated for the Switch thanks to fan demand. The Wii’s great design and vast game library made gaming accessible to even unlikely demographics. Yet some of the critical hits that fans fondly remember remain trapped in its archives with no clear plans for renewal.
Some titles are locked up due to studios focusing on other franchises. Others lost the rights to their games, while some are held up because of technical difficulties. A fair number simply aren’t on their developer’s radars or have spiritual successors taking their place. Without a port in sight, most titles live on through Youtube, unofficial channels, or third-party resellers.
10 The Last Story
Directed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, The Last Story earned praise for its successful blend of tactical action and stealth gameplay. Players commanded their AI teammates while they maneuver around the field and use melee, ranged, or magic attacks. They can also agro all enemies using Gathering to allow allies to carry out commands or unleash their special moves.
Its strong love story and political twists and turns use its tropes to the fullest. Within the structure, Zael, Calista, and the cast are fully fleshed out and feel like true companions. Technical limitations made its bustling settings feel like ghost towns, but a port to the Switch can make the world feel as lived in as it should be.
9 Kirby's Epic Yarn
The Kirby series continues its legacy on the Switch with Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, an update of the Wii title. But Kirby’s Epic Yarn only received a port to the 3DS and a spiritual successor in the form of Yoshi’s Wooly World for the Wii U.
What made Kirby’s Epic Yarn deserving of its own sequel was its graphical style and control scheme. Kirby is already charming, but the fabric and hand-crafted look of the game dialed up its cuteness. Its knitted look is also integrated into the gameplay, as Kirby could unravel textiles, ball up yarn, and pull buttons and threads to interact with the world.
8 Little King's Story
Little King’s Story and Pikmin comparisons are still made today because of their comparable gameplay. Players guide little Corobo after he finds a crown that permits him to control villagers, expand their village, and fulfill their wishes. The way villagers swarm objectives or enemies is reminiscent of Pikmin, but Little King’s Story is firmly its own game.
The RTS lets players take on different types of quests as they build Corobo’s kingdom. Time isn’t an issue, exploration is rewarded, and although some enemies are mere variations, they were charming and fun to defeat.
7 Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was Vanillaware’s hidden gem and the only game for the Wii. Also known as Oboro Muramasa, the game was another classic side-scrolling action RPG that featured gorgeous hand-drawn environments and fast combos. Players can cycle between three weapons and use their blade’s Secret Art to see co-protagonists Momohime and Kisuke through their journey.
Unfortunately, Vanillaware president George Kamitani admitted a Switch port is difficult due to unspecified issues. The company is also busy with ports of other projects, as well as an unannounced game. Atlus will publish the unnamed game that is reportedly at the end of its development cycle.
6 Trauma Center
Although fondly remembered by fans, Trauma Center’s poor performance and declining sales axed the series. There’s never been another series that has the same blend of surgical simulation and dramatic visual novel.
Players made full use of the DS and Wii to make surgery exciting and action-packed. Motion controls on the Wii allow players to suture wounds, mend bones, and scalpel out tumors, among other standard medical procedures. Aside from the precise and often-gory gameplay, the over-the-top drama around bioterrorism kept players engaged.
5 Red Steel
Ubisoft’s launch title for the Wii received a sequel in name, but not a successor for the Switch. Similar to Trauma Center, Red Steel uses Wii’s motion controls to its fullest capacity for its main gameplay.
Players can swing their controllers for melee or aim to use their guns. Accuracy and careful use of ammunition is encouraged along with slo-mo. In the sequel’s case, the Wii’s Motion Plus allowed for advanced melee combos that relied on the force and swiftness of the player’s motion.
4 Rock Band
Rock Band was not a Wii exclusive. But Harmonix’s multi-instrument spiritual sequel to the Guitar Hero series fit naturally into the Wii’s ecosystem. And with its competitors shying away from anything other than a VR peripheral, the Switch could stand a revival of the once-popular music game.
The franchise set the standard for band music games. It emulated the energy of playing in a rock band and covering major songs from every rock-related genre. Clones exist, but no true successor has come out to carry the same friendship-making, and breaking, energy as Rock Band.
3 Rhythm Heaven Fever
Rhythm Heaven Fever is yet another musical game that hasn’t seen a proper sequel in a decade. Aside from Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the 3DS, only references to its colorful characters made it to other games. Despite this, games like Rhythm Doctor and Bits & Bops are either inspired by or follow the same formula for euphoric rhythm mashing.
What made Nintendo’s rhythm game on the Wii iconic is its challenging, but fun beat-per-beat levels. Players were also able to play together to unlock more minigames and earn separate medals from the single-player mode. Lastly, its colorful cast of characters, cute and bizarre worlds, and superbly catchy songs sealed the game’s cult classic status.
2 Pandora's Tower
Back in 2011, fans united for a fan campaign called Operation Rainfall. The successful campaign showed Nintendo that games like Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora’s Tower had appeal outside of Japan.
Pandora’s Tower in particular persevered despite the Wii’s hardware limitations significantly affecting its graphical capabilities. Despite the hurdle, the game still earned acclaim for its story and multiple endings. Its action RPG elements, time counter, and gameplay integration of the main protagonist’s relationship with their love interest also had a unique appeal that other Rainfall games didn’t have.
1 Itadaki Street/Fortune Street
Itadaki Street was the brainchild of Yuji Horii, the Dragon Quest creator, and a game that originated as a minigame for Dragon Quest 3. Its Wii edition, Fortune Street in NA regions and Boom Street in PAL regions was the first entry to be published outside of Japan.
The board game featured characters from Nintendo franchises such as Mario and Donkey Kong, as well as Dragon Quest characters and creatures. Other than Monopoly-like mechanics, players can also buy and sell stocks of their controlled block. Players compete until they have the required amount of gold for the board’s win condition.
