Under The Radar: Wii Titles Worth Your Time

Read on for our picks...

Boom Blox

Steven Spielberg teamed up with EA to create a family-friendly title involving Jenga-style gameplay. Even for a title that involves a top Hollywood director, there's no elaborate storyline or over-the-top cinematics. Players will simply have access to three modes: single-player, multiplayer, and a level creator that are all pretty solid across the board. The game offers 300-plus puzzles, 60 of which can be played in four-player matches cooperatively or competitively, then add custom levels to the mix for even more play time. Boom Blox beats Jenga hands down.

A Boy and His Blob

The premise here is simple: there's a boy. He has a blob. Hence the title of this 1989 NES remake. Said blob performs spectacular transformations with the aid of jelly beans (15 total) that will help the young lad traverse the game's 40 levels. While levels are stunning and have cutesy appeal, this is no kids game. Puzzles truly test your wits and can be infuriating at times, but look at that little face, you can't be mad at the boy or his blob for too long. If you're looking for a fun challenge you'll find something to love here. If you experience any moments of fury note there's a "hug button" that causes the pair to engage in a sweet embrace. Awwwwww.

Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors

RPG fans digging into a Dragon Quest game can typically expect a 60-plus hour adventure rich in side quests, a complex story, more battles than you can shake a wooden sword at, and, of course, a wordy title. You'll find none of that in Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (except for the wordy title). Players take on the role of Blade in this simplified RPG using only the Wii remote to destroy an evil power. The game is a great entry-level RPG since everything is streamlined into an easily digestible package. Swords is an action-packed quest with all the familiar RPG elements that only takes eight hours to complete. While the Wii controls be a bit spotty, the overall experience is satisfying nonetheless.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies

The Geometry Wars series first got its start as an easter egg tucked away in player garages in Project Gotham Racing 2. Its popularity quickly spread eventually making it a standalone title on XBLA. Wii users now get a taste of the action with Galaxies, which offers 10 galaxies to explore packed with 64 levels, plus double the amount of enemies offered in its Xbox counterpart, and two-player co-op and competitive play to boot. Visuals are not quite as crisp as they were in the 360 version (HD), however that's the least of our concerns as the retro-inspired survival gameplay is just as addicting as ever.

Klonoa

Ol' floppy ears first debuted back in 1998 on the original PlayStation gaining a cult following of platforming fans in Door to Phantomile. This Wii remake simply goes by "Klonoa," and though the title has been tweaked, all of the classic puzzle platforming from the original source material is still present (with the added bonus of a fresh paint job). Even though it took just over a decade to get a remake, Klonoa is just as much of a fun platforming experience as it is a nostalgia trip for fans of the series.

Little King’s Story

Follow Corobo, a young boy who is king of the Alpoko region with tremendous control of the land. You can command folks in your kingdom to perform tasks, ensure your villagers are happy, dig for treasures, make money, and work on upgrading your town. Little King's Story takes the best of Harvest Moon, Pikmin, and Animal Crossing for a unique adventure. Spotty controls and blurry visuals aside, the lengthy journey as king is well worth taking on.

MadWorld

Stop reading this and go play MadWorld. Seriously. While this game has received critical acclaim, it didn't push quite as many units as we hoped. This title certainly earned the huge "M" on the front of the box as it may very well be the most violent, bloody experience on the Wii. MadWorld encourages violence via chainsaw and can turn anyone into a virtual executioner. Even though the game sports a unique monochromatic art style that looks freshly torn out of a sketch book, the extreme violence and gore is still enough to make even the most hardened gamers squirm. If you can stomach watching an ocean's worth of blood spill in one sitting, this game is for you (assuming you are of appropriate age. Sorry, kiddies.)

Marble Saga: Kororinpa

Kororinpa, like its predecessor, is pretty simple: safely navigate a marble through a maze and collect gems. There's actual narrative to be had here surrounding an ant whose colony is in peril, blah blah blah, you're best off ignoring it. The real treat comes in the form of gameplay. Kororinpa includes more than 150 levels in seven areas that make full use of the Wii's technology. In fact, 30 of the levels are designed for use with the Balance Board. You'll have access to online leaderboards for bragging rights and get the chance to use a level editor to design your own unique stages. This is where I'd make some sort of pun about losing your marbles, but I'll spare you...this time.

MySims

EA's Wii offering features cutesy avatars that are less Sims and more Mii-like in appearance. You're a builder tasked with improving the state of your town by erecting new structures, interacting with townsfolk for fetch quests, and more. No girating with other Sims at the club in this family-friendly title. Even though MySims is a little more linear and structured than other Sims titles out there, it's still worth a look for fans of Animal Crossing-esque games.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

This samurai-inspired, 2D action title showcases the true power of what the Wii can be visually capable of. You'll often find yourself staring at the beautiful backgrounds as you traverse the stunning Japanese countryside. Combat in Muramasa is quick and puts your reflexes to the test, and thankfully responsive controls keep up with the pace. Character progression and regular backtracking sets Muramasa back a bit, however enjoyable (and attractive) combat sequences are enough to give this one a look.

Order Up!

Amid the well-received Diner Dash and Cooking Mama, food-related games seem to be a recipe for success. Order Up! is a suprisingly fun restaurant sim where players work their way to the top across a chain of eateries. You'll take orders, prep dishes, count money, and most importantly meet your goals. You're also timed during certain tasks as you use motion controls to flip, chop, grill, and grate your way to success. A solid casual game from start to finish aimed at Facebook's Café World demographic.

This is just a portion of games that didn't get quite as much lovin' as we think they deserve, so this is where you come in. Have you gotten a chance to play any of these titles? What are some of your forgotten gems for the Wii? (If you don't have a Wii, don't fret. We plan on creating an under the radar list for other consoles as well. Our first installment was on the Xbox 360. Read here.)