wraggster
March 9th, 2007, 16:43
via wiifanboy (http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2007/03/08/the-best-and-worst-so-far/)
We've had enough time now with the Wii to discover some real gems (how many hours have you put into just Wii Sports so far?) ... but like any system, there are also a few duds, particularly within the launch window. If you're looking to expand your collection, or if you're one of the Wii-less trying to figure out how to budget when your day comes, we're here to help you find the best and the worst of the Wii so far.
First up? The five best games according to metareviews of those titles released so far:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metascore: 95%
Maybe everyone doesn't agree -- and we know some of you aren't terribly enthused by the Wii's premiere launch title -- but reviewers on the whole had nothing but praise for Link's latest epic adventure. And with the sales the title has boasted, unless you have been living firmly under a rock, it should be no surprise that this is tops on many Wii lists.
2. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
Metascore: 83%
There's nothing like a game that encourages players to use the Wiimote to pick their noses. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves deserves the second slot on this list if only for all the comedic fodder and raised eyebrows it brings to this series of tubes we call home.
3. Madden NFL 07
Metascore: 81%
We've seen such mixed player reviews on this one that we're surprised it pulls in at number three. For football fans, the Wii's Madden NFL 07 seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, and enough reviewers loved it to make up for those who didn't.
4. Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Metascore: 80%
While we didn't find this particular edition of Trauma Center quite as soul-crushingly difficult as the DS version, we were definitely pleased with the move to the Wii. We're not surprised to see this one here at all, particularly after watching random people encourage others to buy it, sight unseen.
5. Rayman Raving Rabbids
Metascore: 76%
There are a lot of things that bunnies can't do, but we'll tell you what they can do, and that's rock your socks. While Super Monkey Ball has a few gems (though they're in the rough), and Wario Ware is a fun, frenetic challenge, Rayman Raving Rabbids shows us exactly why minigames are just so good on the Wii. This one has it all.
While we can mostly agree with the above as a representation of the best the Wii has to offer right now, we have to say ... as great games go, those scores seem a little low overall. Since the SSX Blur debacle, there have been some rumbling questions about reviews for Wii games in particular. Is the system so different that the old reviewers have trouble adjusting? Do you think the above scores are fair ... and are there other games that you think are better overall?
It's not all about reviews and scores, though. Sometimes, a game just has a certain something that defies all logic and reason, and even we here at Wii Fanboy are not immune. We'll even own up to our guilty pleasures.
Alisha: I can't deny it -- I spent a ridiculous amount of time playing Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam. I didn't even particularly like the game at first, but I'm what you might call a Tony Hawk obsessive devotee, so I had to give it a fair shot, and it quickly grew on me. I found the controls much more engaging than Excite Truck (which is somewhat similar in control style), and it's definitely fun for multiplayer races.
Dave: Elebits, because I never really grew out of loving to play hide and seek. That and I get evil fun from trashing the neighborhood capturing those poor, defenseless, cute little guys.
Frankly, we're shocked. Shocked! That Dave seemed like such a nice fellow.
But what good is a list of the best without a little something to balance it out? While we love the Wii like ice cream, we're not above admitting that not everything has been exactly spectacular. So which three games have racked up the worst reviews so far?
1. Far Cry Vengeance
Metascore: 38%
At first, it seemed like everything was gonna be okay ... and then ... well, the review scores are worth a thousand words. So far, Far Cry Vengeance sports the worst scores of any Wii game, and serves as a good lesson that sometimes, graphics do matter.
2. GT Pro Series
Metascore: 41%
Once we saw the first screens from GT Pro Series, it quickly became the game everyone loved to hate, and for good reason. We've seen better pictures slapped onto refrigerators with a magnet before.
3. Rapala Tournament Fishing!
Metascore: 42%
Fishing may seem like a natural fit for the Wii, but this isn't the game to prove it. Shoddy controls and subpar graphics mean that not many are nibbling at Rapala's hook.
So there you have it -- the top contenders and the bottom of the barrel. With a lot to look forward to in the coming months, we doubt that the top five will remain static until the end of the year. Is it possible that something could take the top spot away from Twilight Princess? 95% is tough to beat, but we'd be willing to bet that Trauma Center and Rayman at least will slip off this list ... and that's a little sad, because those games deserve the attention they've gotten so far.
We've had enough time now with the Wii to discover some real gems (how many hours have you put into just Wii Sports so far?) ... but like any system, there are also a few duds, particularly within the launch window. If you're looking to expand your collection, or if you're one of the Wii-less trying to figure out how to budget when your day comes, we're here to help you find the best and the worst of the Wii so far.
First up? The five best games according to metareviews of those titles released so far:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metascore: 95%
Maybe everyone doesn't agree -- and we know some of you aren't terribly enthused by the Wii's premiere launch title -- but reviewers on the whole had nothing but praise for Link's latest epic adventure. And with the sales the title has boasted, unless you have been living firmly under a rock, it should be no surprise that this is tops on many Wii lists.
2. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
Metascore: 83%
There's nothing like a game that encourages players to use the Wiimote to pick their noses. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves deserves the second slot on this list if only for all the comedic fodder and raised eyebrows it brings to this series of tubes we call home.
3. Madden NFL 07
Metascore: 81%
We've seen such mixed player reviews on this one that we're surprised it pulls in at number three. For football fans, the Wii's Madden NFL 07 seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, and enough reviewers loved it to make up for those who didn't.
4. Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Metascore: 80%
While we didn't find this particular edition of Trauma Center quite as soul-crushingly difficult as the DS version, we were definitely pleased with the move to the Wii. We're not surprised to see this one here at all, particularly after watching random people encourage others to buy it, sight unseen.
5. Rayman Raving Rabbids
Metascore: 76%
There are a lot of things that bunnies can't do, but we'll tell you what they can do, and that's rock your socks. While Super Monkey Ball has a few gems (though they're in the rough), and Wario Ware is a fun, frenetic challenge, Rayman Raving Rabbids shows us exactly why minigames are just so good on the Wii. This one has it all.
While we can mostly agree with the above as a representation of the best the Wii has to offer right now, we have to say ... as great games go, those scores seem a little low overall. Since the SSX Blur debacle, there have been some rumbling questions about reviews for Wii games in particular. Is the system so different that the old reviewers have trouble adjusting? Do you think the above scores are fair ... and are there other games that you think are better overall?
It's not all about reviews and scores, though. Sometimes, a game just has a certain something that defies all logic and reason, and even we here at Wii Fanboy are not immune. We'll even own up to our guilty pleasures.
Alisha: I can't deny it -- I spent a ridiculous amount of time playing Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam. I didn't even particularly like the game at first, but I'm what you might call a Tony Hawk obsessive devotee, so I had to give it a fair shot, and it quickly grew on me. I found the controls much more engaging than Excite Truck (which is somewhat similar in control style), and it's definitely fun for multiplayer races.
Dave: Elebits, because I never really grew out of loving to play hide and seek. That and I get evil fun from trashing the neighborhood capturing those poor, defenseless, cute little guys.
Frankly, we're shocked. Shocked! That Dave seemed like such a nice fellow.
But what good is a list of the best without a little something to balance it out? While we love the Wii like ice cream, we're not above admitting that not everything has been exactly spectacular. So which three games have racked up the worst reviews so far?
1. Far Cry Vengeance
Metascore: 38%
At first, it seemed like everything was gonna be okay ... and then ... well, the review scores are worth a thousand words. So far, Far Cry Vengeance sports the worst scores of any Wii game, and serves as a good lesson that sometimes, graphics do matter.
2. GT Pro Series
Metascore: 41%
Once we saw the first screens from GT Pro Series, it quickly became the game everyone loved to hate, and for good reason. We've seen better pictures slapped onto refrigerators with a magnet before.
3. Rapala Tournament Fishing!
Metascore: 42%
Fishing may seem like a natural fit for the Wii, but this isn't the game to prove it. Shoddy controls and subpar graphics mean that not many are nibbling at Rapala's hook.
So there you have it -- the top contenders and the bottom of the barrel. With a lot to look forward to in the coming months, we doubt that the top five will remain static until the end of the year. Is it possible that something could take the top spot away from Twilight Princess? 95% is tough to beat, but we'd be willing to bet that Trauma Center and Rayman at least will slip off this list ... and that's a little sad, because those games deserve the attention they've gotten so far.