The greatest Wii games not made by Nintendo

Okay, folks, let's get this train rolling again!



Nintendo's an amazing company when it comes to developing unique and entertaining titles. However, they're not the only ones who've got a good grip on making games for the Wii. A few third-party developers have really mastered developing for Nintendo's latest console, and here are a few of their games that really showed what they can do.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition

Resident Evil 4 was a great game when it debuted on the Gamecube back in 2005, and it was made even better when ported to the Wii this passed June. Featuring all the additional content from the Playstation 2 version and Wii-enhanced controls, it has been called the definitive version of Resident Evil 4.

Resident Evil 4 stars Leon S. Kennedy, a newly recruited secret agent of the United States government. Leon's initial mission is to travel to a remote location in Spain and rescue the US President's kidnapped daughter, Ashley Graham. Upon arrival near Ashley's last known location, Leon encounters a bizarre village of apparently insane people. Using his skills acquired from his short service on the Raccoon City P.D, Leon fights his way through the vast groups of villagers. A mission that once began as saving just one person suddenly evolves into a fight for the very survival of the human race.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is an epic action-adventure title with a whole lot of adventure, tons of puzzles and many a chainsaw-wielding psychopath. The Wii remote lends perfectly to all aspects of this game, from aiming a gun to swiping a knife to running from an Indiana Jones-style boulder. All the special features formerly exclusive to the Playstation 2 port of the game have all been graphically overhauled with the Gamecube's superior textures and models, bringing them to life like never before. However, there's still little that can be done for Ashley's incessant "HEEEELP! LEON!!!!"...

In the end, Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is a great example of how to port a game to the Wii, and an even better example of excellent Wii development overall.

The Godfather: Blackhand Edition

Yes, I know, I mention this game a lot here at One Duck's Opinion. But you know what? That just goes to show how amazing I think it is. I wouldn't repeatedly mention a game if it were no good, would I?

Anyways, The Godfather: Blackhand Edition is, of course, based on the Godfather movies, which are in turn based on the novels written by Mario Puzo. The player takes the role of Aldo Trapani, a man who, as a boy, saw his father murdered by Done Barzini right before his very eyes. From that point on, he swore he'd claim his revenge. Nine years later, Luca Brasi of the Corleone family recruits Aldo into the mob as a favour asked by Aldo's mother, Sarafina. From that point on, Aldo works his way up the Corleone family hierarchy, often participating in key scenes from the Godfather movie trilogy.

Aldo also has a secondary storyline all his own, featuring romancing Marty "Monk" Malone's sister, carrying out hit contracts and ultimately rising to the rank of Don. Aldo's personal storyline meshes beautifully with the core narrative, and it's sometimes hard to tell what's original and what's new.

The Godfather: Blackhand Edition is a port of the XBox, XBox 360, PS2, PSP and PC game The Godfather: The Game. In addition to all the features existent in the original version of the game, Blackhand Edition adds in exclusive motion-controls. Using the Wii remote and Nunchuk, players can jab, grab and toss their opponents as if Aldo's hands were their own, allowing for amazing immersion into the game. The pointer function of the Wii remote can be used to aim the gun, and shaking the Nunchuk loads a fresh clip into your firearm.

Also added to the mix are extra hits, missions, an additional rival family and blackmailing police. The Blackhand Edition has been widely considered the best version of the game, and it's truly one of my favorite Wii titles.

Rayman Raving Rabbids

Rayman Raving Rabbids is probably the zaniest, craziest, most insane video game ever created. The game starts off normally enough, with Rayman sharing a picnic lunch with his little pal Globox. Suddenly, their meal is interrupted by bizarre rabbit-like creatures called Rabbids. They promptly kidnap the picnickers and toss them into a prison. As it turns out, the Rabbids are planning to take over Rayman's world by capturing all who defy them. Oblivious to Rayman's status as a hero, they frequently let him out into their colosseum and force him to complete various insane trials.

This is where the gameplay comes in. Each of these trials plays out like a mini-game, and you often have to use the unique motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii controls to pass these bizarre missions. From pumping carrot juice to running across a beach to firing a plunger gun, the Wii remote and Nunchuk do it all. Slowly, after performing several days worth of trials, you begin to earn the trust and respect of the Rabbids. Your living quarters become less barren and more comfortable, and the jail guard stops treating you so roughly. Day by day and trial by trial, Rayman slowly becomes a celebrity among the Rabbids. But he must not become too comfortable. After all, these guys are trying to conquer the world! So secretly throughout his stay in the dungeon, Rayman formulates an escape plan...

Of course, the story really isn't what's important here. What's important is how incredibly fun and hilarious all the mini-games are. The Rabbids' constant screams are a never-ending laugh riot, and the controls are almost always a perfect fit for the situation. Rayman Raving Rabbids may be little more than a collection of mini-games, but it's one insanely great collection.

Nintendo makes some amazing games for their consoles, but third-party developers can also do one heck of a job themselves. What are some third-party Wii games that you just can't get enough of?

The Duck Has Spoken.