Post Holiday Buy Guide: Wii Shop

[Macawmoses]

Hey guys. This is another 8th Circuit article of mine. Please read it and comment about any of the games, or the writing itself. In order to promote use of the site, I WILL NOT BE POSTING ALL OF THE IMAGES so to see it how it was meant to be, click below.

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Without further ado:

What's this? A Holiday Buy Guide after Christmas and during Hannukah. That's what. While the other guides had you buy solid content, such as Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 or Kanye Wests' latest album, you can't exactly ask for these titles. Instead, you likely received a Wii Points Card (maybe two or three), and will now need to know what to purchase with it. Never fear, the 8th-Circuit has you covered!

The even numbers will feature Virtual Console games, while the odd numbers will be WiiWare titles. As much as I'd like to include numerous other titles, I just can't put them all in. So instead, I opt to give you a sampling of different values for different folks. Enjoy.




12. Ice Hockey (NES) - 500 Points

Ice Hockey was among numerous simple sports titles on the NES. The difference between it and those, though, is quality. It's a title that defined the NES, in my eyes, as it offered amazingly intuitive play for such a simple (and early) title. While it's nothing compared to NHL 2009 on the XBox 360, Hockey Fanatics will surely love the customization. Those that aren't fans of hockey should still be able to pick it up and play. For 5 dollars, you certainly get your moneys worth.






11. Tiki Towers - 500 Points

And then there is another 5 dollar option, Tiki Towers. Just released this past week, it offers a cheap substitute to World of Goo. Building structures with blobs is fun, but at 15 dollars, not everyone will be game. So, build structures with monkeys out of bamboo for a third of the price. While you're at it, enjoy quirky tunes and looks, and you have a great way to spend your day.





10. Star Fox 64 (N64) - 1000 Points

"It's quiet....too quiet" is just one quote you'll remember and likely abuse from this title. As an on rails shooter, it shines. It's a challenging game with branching paths, and oe of the best of its era....and today. While you don't get the bulky Rumble Pack that made Star Fox shine, you do get the quirky characters, memorable writing, and down right awesome game that any Nintendo fan can approve of.








9. Mega Man 9 - 1000 Points

Capcom answered the prayers of many when they revealed Mega Man 9. It was the first time in years they would choose not to bastardize the series, taking it back to its roots. And boy are those good roots. The Blue Bomber takes on all new Robot Masters, but they're only part of the challenge. Their levels are destructive, and you'll surely go through lives like crazy. Oh right, there's downloadable content if you can't get enough of this Retro burst, from an extra level to a hard(er) mode, Mega Man 9 has it all.








8. Sonic 2 (Master System) - 500 Points

The Master System took a lot of flack for its titles, but they're not terrible. Recently released, Sonic 2 offers a cheap way to play one of the fast paced Sonic titles. Far from the best in the series, it still plays nicely, and looks pretty. Ok, that's the least of your worries, but really, the Master System had a few gems, and Sonic 2 is one of them.








7. Defend Your Castle - 500 Points

Just a month ago there would be no way this would appear on any list of mine. But oh do times change, as I actually sat down and played. I played for hours. Picking up and tossing armies of stick men is just too much fun...and so is watching them splat. While Defend Your Castle certainly is a fun title as a flash game, I wouldn't pay 5 dollars to play it. Put it on Wii, and add motion controls, and the gameplay becomes more fun than I ever imagined. Then there is multiplayer, which makes it all the more worth while. Pick it up, before it picks you up.








6. Air Zonk (TGX) - 600 Points

Bonk, the clumsy caveman. His Hudson debut was hilarious and fun. But take a similar formula, but put in the future.....and add shooting. That is Air Zonk. Add a solid shooter formula with stylish and cute graphics, power ups, and the fact you have a Caveman strapped to a jet pack, and Air Zonk is gold. It's short and easy, but not too short or too easy. For those of you after a simple shooter, Air Zonk flies again.






5. Art Style Orbient (Rotohex and Cubello, too) - 600 Points Each

All three Art Style titles are worthy of positioning on this chart. They really are. Skip made three brilliant puzzlers, and they made them cheap. Of the three, Rotohex has you create a mosaic out of triangles, Cubello has you firing squares at a rotating Rubik's Cube, and Orbient features circles and gravity. Those don't sound compelling, I know, but all three are original puzzlers that will keep you coming back for more. Be warned, though, that one or two may not be for you, but at least one will. I'm personally not a huge fan of Cubello, it's good, but it doesn't hold a candle to Orbient. Fellow reviewers have placed Rotohex above the rest, while others have put Cubello there. All three are good, but to each their own.






4. Samurai Shodown II (Neo Geo) - 900 Points
Fighting games weren't fighting games until Samurai Shodown came around. Then, they made it better. In fact, the sequel destroyed the first. Combination moves, brutal sequences, and brilliant graphics are all features. If you're after a non Smash Bros/Castlevania fighting experience on Wii, Samurai Shodown II is your best bet. In fact, it's probably the definitive Neo Geo title.








3. LostWinds - 1000 Points

This relatively short adventure packs quite the punch graphically and in terms of the story. Offering some of the freshest looks on Wii, LostWinds follows a boy and his wind spirit. Yes, that's it. The gameplay is top notch, offering unique twists AAA Wii titles have yet to make use of, but better soon. The best part of this mini adventure is the price tag, though. At only $10, it offers a solid title to get you through that economic slump.




2. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES) - 800 Points

Mario's first venture into Role Play turned out to be his best. The wide cast of characters, unique battle system, and amazing music make it a title that should be branded as "timeless". SMRPG brings so many great features to the table, but above all, it brings a deeper story to the Mushroom Kingdom than "Your Princess is in another castle!" Nintendo teamed up with Square to make this gem, and if you don't have it already, this is the one Virtual Console title you shouldn't miss.





1. World of Goo - 1500 Points

Take the aforementioned Tiki Towers, replace everything with goo, and there is your game. But it's oh so much more; it's a drama, it's a comedy, it's a....dramedy? Whatever World of Goo is, it is the best of them. The fancy vector graphics and beautiful scores add to a unique and deeply satisfying game. World of Goo shows just what Iwata and Miyamoto were talking about with the "Revolution" and later WiiWare. It'll test your brain, and it'll assuredly test your heart.

So there are 6 WiiWare and 6 Virtual Console titles you probably shouldn't miss. There are others, like Dr. Mario Rx, Magnetica Twist, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King. In terms of the Virtual Console, I limited myself to one of each system, but don't miss out on hits like Sin & Punishment or Super Mario Bros. 3. The titles on the list, as well as numerous others, define their era. You can't go wrong with any of them.

-Mackormoses

[WiiGuy]

World of Goo is a great game to download, it's definitely worth the 1,500 points

[Doodle]

I'm getting a Wii Points Card today.
I'll probably pick up Tiki Towers and Mega Man 9. But that still leaves 500...hm...

[Macawmoses]

Megaman has DLC I'd recommend using the remaining 500 on. The hard mode, Protoman, and an extra level are all great.

[Doodle]

HARD mode? But it's already hard. ;_;

[Macawmoses]

HARD mode? But it's already hard. ;_;

Part of the fun :3

[SkyMyl]

HARD mode? But it's already hard. ;_;

You think it's hard? Wait until you try Protoman Mode. =D