Nintendo may have dropped the ball with the Wii U hardware, but the company developed and published some excellent games during that era. In the years that have followed, Nintendo has released most of these as souped-up Switch versions.
This strategy has worked well for the most part, injecting new life into old games and sharing an excellent back catalog with a huge number of people. But there are still some games missing that I’d like to see.
6The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
I know what you’re thinking, does aremasterof a game that initially marked the transition from GameCube to Wii really count? I’d say so, considering how hard it is for most people to play what is arguably one of the bestZeldagames ever made. I’m probably biased since this was the firstZeldagame I really clicked with (having not owned Nintendo consoles when I was younger), so I’d really love to experience the magic again.
For the uninitiated,Twilight Princesswas originally released in 2006, bridging the gap between Nintendo’s outgoing purple cube and the incoming motion-controlled must-have. It controls a lot like the N64 classicOcarina of Time, with the usualZeldaarsenal of sword, shield, bow, boomerang, and bombs to play with. On the Wii, the game had some motion controls that allowed you to hack at the air to attack.
The plot tells the tale of a teenage Link who, on attempting to save Ordon Village’s abducted children, encounters a form of corruption known as the “twilight.” He soon encounters Midna, a fairy-like creature who promises to help him as long as he does as she says. From here it’s a case of removing the twilight from Hyrule’s various regions until the job is done. Oh and did I mention you play through a large portion of the game as a wolf?
With the arrival ofThe Legend of Zelda: Wind Wakeron Nintendo Switch Online, we could yet see the GameCube version ofTwilight Princessarrive on Switch 2 via emulation. I’d take anything at this point.
5NES Remix 1and2
TheNES Remixseries marked the start of something new for Nintendo. This is a collection of vintage NES games, remixed and freshened up, with a long list of challenges to work through. The first entry features 16 games includingIce Climber,Super Mario Bros.,Donkey Kong, andThe Legend of Zelda. The second showcases 12 classics with hits likeSuper Mario Bros. 3,Metroid,Dr Mario, andWario’s Woods. A spin-off was released on the 3DS calledUltimate NES Remix, and none have yet to arrive on the Switch.
The closest Switch owners have isNintendo World Championships: NES Edition, which scratches the same itch but falls short in a few key areas. To start with, theNES RemixWii U series features a total of 28 games, whereasWorld Championshipsonly pulls from 13. There are no online leaderboards in the Switch release, something that was unlocked inNES Remixvia “Championship Mode” by owning both compilations. The challenges inWorld Championshipsalso feel a little stale in comparison, lacking the more exciting remix aspect seen on the Wii U.
Nintendo could easily repackage bothNES Remixtitles as a single product, sell it for a reasonable price (maybe even as just a digital download), and offer a rejuvenated online experience for all players. It could make for an on-brand pack-in forNintendo Switch Online Expansion Packowners, considering how seriously the company is taking its classics these days.
4Yoshi’s Woolly World
Yoshi’s Woolly Worldis a charming little platformer that didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Gameplay-wise, it’s an accessible and cutesy romp that sees you take command of a woven Yoshi with a few tweaks to the usual formula. Eggs are replaced with balls of yarn, which could be used to defeat enemies, collect power-ups, and reach different parts of the level. Throughout the game, you’ll encounter various transformations that let you do things like fly through the level, with mini-games to enjoy between courses.
By all accounts,Woolly Worldis afine3D platformer. What made it so special was the art style, since everything looks like it has been crafted from wool. This includes our eponymous mascot but also enemies, power-ups, and perhaps my favorite part of all: green pipes. The effect is striking, even on the disappointing Wii U hardware, and demonstrates that good art trumps raw power any day (a lesson that Nintendo learned a long time ago).
I’d love to seeWoolly Worldreceive the remaster treatment on the Switch 2. A higher render resolution would allow us to really appreciate the level of detail that went into the game, plus additional hardware overhead to avoid some of the stutters that marred the original version would be great. It would also be nice not to have to reach for a Wii U any time I wanted to relive it.
3Art Academy: Home Studio
It’s a shame that theArt Academyseries hasn’t seen a new release since the 2016 Disney-themed 3DS exclusive. 2015’sHome Studiomarked the first time the series came to a home console, relying on the tablet-like Wii U GamePad for touch input. The series has also earned its fair share of fans with portable releases on the 3DS.
Art Academyis more than just Nintendo’s take on a digital canvas, it’s an educational tool. Fans of the series fell in love with the lessons that enabled them to learn basic drawing techniques in the game and take them into the real world. Given Nintendo has embraced concepts likeLABOon the Switch, it’s strange to seeArt Academy(or evenMario Paint) left to languish.
I’ve pickedHome Studiobecause it seems like the most fittingArt Academytitle to quickly slap on the Switch 2, but even I know it’s unlikely to happen. That said, some sort ofArt Academyrevival that puts the Switch 2 touchscreen to good use in portable mode could be a hit. Even in tabletop and TV mode, the title could be theperfect fit for the Switch 2’s new-fangled mouse support. Bonus points if Nintendo implements some proper social features to share your creations too!
2Star Fox Zero
Star Fox Zeromight be one of thosebad games that are worth a second chance. I say “might” because I wouldn’t know, since the effort involved in fishing out my Wii U (yes, I bought one) and tracking down a copy of the original game seems too much. We’re not quite talkingkusogelevels of badhere, but it’s no secret that the lastStar Foxgame was a commercial flop that received middling reviews.
The game was criticized for a variety of reasons, including being a rehash ofStar Fox 64that feels stuck in the past. The controls, which rely heavily on the Wii U GamePad, force the player to split their attention between the screen they’re holding and the TV on which the action takes place. In addition to the somewhat schizophrenic approach to input, the game was described as “awkward” to play.
Zerocould present Nintendo with the perfect opportunity to patch up the game, fix some of the most glaring issues (notably the controls), and actually do something with it. While there’s no hiding the fact that this is a fairly generic space shooter, it could be a generic space shooter that controls well and features iconic Nintendo characters. This could lead to a brand newStar Foxgame, or at least let Nintendo assess how much interest is left in this once-beloved franchise.
1Devil’s Third
However you slice it,Devil’s Thirdis an incredible video game. The game itself has a storied past, originally beginning life as an Xbox 360 exclusive to be published by Microsoft. The game was then shifted to publisher THQ and set for a multi-platform release but then the publisher went bankrupt. Eventually, Nintendo picked up the pieces, going on to publish the game as a Wii U exclusive in late 2015.
There was good reason for Nintendo to be interested.Devil’s Thirdis the project of legendary Japanese producer Tomonobu Itagaki who earned his stripes with directing and producing roles on respected Tecmo franchises likeDead or AliveandNinja Gaiden. The game itself is a fairly straightforward action adventure with cover mechanics and features melée and projectile combat. It includes a whole multiplayer mode, with a built-in level editor and everything.
Unfortunately,Devil’s Thirdquickly earned the nickname “Devil’s Turd” following a series of poor critic reviews and lackluster reception among Wii U owners. The game was criticized for being “offensively bad” byDigital Spyfor its bugs,microtransactions, and bizarre design decisions. Fans and critics alike panned the game for its outdated design, repetitive combat, underwhelming visuals, uninspired writing, and at times hilariously bad voice acting. The multiplayer aspect lasted a little over a year, with servers shutting down in December 2016.
Make no mistake, this is a bad game. But why should it be a bad game that I have to reach for my Wii U to play? I can’t be alone in thinking a limited digital release would be a fun curio for those willing to wade waist-deep into the quagmire. We could even fix the pay-to-win multiplayer elements, or just omit them altogether.
Realistically, I’d be happy with aTwilight Princess HDrelease if I had to pick a single game on this list.Art Academyshould come back, but as a fresh title that’s designed from the ground up for the Switch. AndYoshi’s Woolly Worldfeels like an easy win during those months when Nintendo needs something to fill a gap.
