Console Showdown 2010: Part 1 - Wii Feature at IGNWii owners always have plenty of exclusives to choose from, but the flipside of that is that they miss out on HEAPS of games that come to both PS3 and 360. Still, in this category the Wii performed well in 2010. The game of the year for Wii – and highest scoring exclusive across all three platforms – was Super Mario Galaxy 2, with perfect 10s from the US and UK teams and a 9.7 from yours truly in Australia. Donkey Kong Country Returns, GoldenEye 007, Monster Hunter Tri and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom round the list out, while the Wii's dominance is a little bittersweet for gamers in Australia, as we're still waiting for Kirby's Epic Yarn (as is Europe), and Sakura Wars won't be coming out here at all.
Even so, the Wii delivered considerably more top tier titles in 2010 than last year. In 2009 only New Super Mario Bros. and Little King's Story scored 9.0 or above. This year? Well, just take a look at the list. It's also good to see first person shooters and fighting games getting a little love, albeit with only a single standout title representing each. The strongest area for Wii was – unsurprisingly - platformers, with a side of action gaming.
WiiWare also delivered a few solid titles – nothing too outstanding, with only 8.0s and 8.5s, but they round out the selection nonetheless.
9.0 or Above
Donkey Kong Country Returns (9.0 US)
GoldenEye 007 (9.0 US)
Kirby's Epic Yarn (9.0 US)
Monster Hunter Tri (9.5 AU / 8.8 US / 9.3 UK)
Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (9.0 US)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (9.7 AU / 10 US / 10 UK)
Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All Stars (9.0 US)
8.0 - 8.9
Disney Epic Mickey (8.0 US)
Just Dance 2 (8.0 US)
Lost in Shadow / A Shadow's Tale (8.5 UK)
Metroid: Other M (8.5 US)
No More Heroes 2 (8.8 US)
Red Steel 2 (8.4 AU / 8.6 US / 8.5 UK)
Sonic Colors (8.5 US)
Downloadable - 8.0 or above
And Yet It Moves (8.0 US)
Cave Story (8.5 US)
Chess Challenge! (8.0 US)
Chronos Twins DX (8.0 US)
Hoopworld (8.0 US)
The Magic Obelisk (8.0 US)
Rage of the Gladiator (8.5 US)
All three systems had some great exclusives this year, but if we had to choose one winner – and we do – this category goes to the Wii.
This year the system really came through for core gamers, with games like Monster Hunter Tri and No More Heroes 2 leading the charge, backed ably by GoldenEye, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Sakura Wars, Red Steel 2, Metroid: Other M and Lost in Shadow.
And on top of those titles you have the return of Donkey Kong Country and a second lesson in peerless platform game design in the form of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Bravo, Wii!