Wii - Timeline
Wednesday3rd Jan 2018
Soapbox Let 2018 Be The Year The Third-Party Exclusive Takes Over On Nintendo Switch
Just without the soulless cash-ins we saw in the Wii era
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, editor Dom explores the gap in Nintendo's software library and how a the need to develop third-party exclusives will only make...
Wednesday6th Dec 2017
Soapbox No, HD Wii Games Coming to Nvidia Shield Doesn't Foretell a Switch Virtual Console
Sometimes the truth hurts. A lot
I think it's fairly safe to say most of the people reading this want a Virtual Console presence on the Switch, or at the very least wouldn't actively dislike the idea. And so mutterings are afoot saying that the recent reveal of Wii games coming to the Nvidia Shield in China could be pointing to just such a service...
Tuesday5th Dec 2017
News Nintendo Is Bringing Classic Wii Games To The Nvidia Shield In China
Could we see these on Switch?
Earlier this year we brought you the rumour that Nintendo was planning to release New Super Mario Bros on the Nvidia Shield in China. Given how difficult it is to sell consoles in China, it would appear that Nintendo is using smart devices like the Nvidia Shield to crack the market and sell its games. Naturally...
Monday4th Dec 2017
Video Take To The Skies In This Trailer For Factor 5's Unreleased WeFly
Pilotwings on Wii, basically
Earlier this year we reported on Liam Robertson's excellent investigation into Factor 5's WeFly - basically Pilotwings for Wii - which went into detail about the game's development and its subsequent cancellation. Robertson is back with another neat exclusive - a hitherto unseen trailer for the game which was only...
Monday13th Nov 2017
Video Check Out The Canned Justice League Game That Almost Came To Wii
For justice!
The upcoming Justice League movie marks the end of many years of speculation about how Hollywood would adapt one of DC Comics' most famous properties. A film based around the heroic exploits of this superhero team has been mooted for many years, and back in 2009 it very nearly happened with Mad Max director George Miller at the helm...
Friday3rd Nov 2017
News Captain Rainbow's Fan-Made Translation Patch Is Now Available For Testing
A rocky rainbow road to English text
Captain Rainbow was one of the Wii's most original titles but sadly it never got localised for western release. While it's certainly possible to fight your way through the game without any knowledge of Kanji, a western translation is something fans have been holding out for for years - and it's now a reality...
Wednesday1st Nov 2017
Anniversary It's Been 10 Years Since Super Mario Galaxy Landed On The Wii
But do you prefer it to Super Mario Odyssey?
Time flies when you're having fun, and we're certainly having a lot of fun with the recently released Super Mario Odyssey on Switch. Of course, it is unlikely that we would have had the delights of Odyssey without the groundwork laid out before in Super Mario Galaxy which - funnily enough -...
Monday30th Oct 2017
News More UK Gamers Bought The Wii Version Of Just Dance 2018 Than Switch, Xbox One Or Wii U
Yes, you read that correctly
Ubisoft's Just Dance 2018 is one of those franchises which owes a lot to the success of the original Wii. Nintendo's motion-sensing console was the perfect platform for the game's wild and wacky dance moves, and the series has been a yearly fixture ever since. What's truly amazing is that in the UK at least, the Wii...
Friday20th Oct 2017
Random Don't Forget This Week's Musical Retail Arrival on Wii
Sing when you're winning
Ah, the Wii. The little system is now nearly 11 years old and was an outstanding commercial success; it also brought us a wonderful game library with plenty of titles that'll go down as Nintendo classics. Its broad appeal also made it ripe for various so-called 'casual' games, and despite the system being long since...
Tuesday3rd Oct 2017
News A Just Dance 2018 Demo is Now Available on Nintendo Switch and Wii U
Mars attacks
Among the certainties in life - such as death and taxes - we have one thing guaranteed every year: a new Just Dance game. Yep, Just Dance 2018 is out on 26th October on Switch, Wii U and Wii; time to place your bets on the Wii version selling the best of the lot. Now Ubisoft has released a demo in which you can dance to ‘24K’...
Friday29th Sep 2017
News Nintendo Has Announced the End of the Wii Shop Channel
The end of an era
Though there were plenty of teething issues with it—who could forget that tiny file size limit?—the Wii Shop Channel marked a milestone moment for Nintendo, as the company made its first notable foray into digital game distribution. Considering the age of the Wii, and the fact that all other online services for the console have...
Sunday24th Sep 2017
Video Check Out WeFly - Factor 5's Long Lost Pilotwings Game for Wii
Fly me to the moon
Factor 5 enjoyed quite a unique relationship with Nintendo. Due to some bad fortune, we already know that the company had a complete Rogue Squadron game on the Wii that sadly never saw the light of day, and we previously reported on their plans for a new Pilotwings game on the same hardware. Now former Nintendo Life contributor...
Thursday31st Aug 2017
News Nintendo Ordered to Pay $10 Million Following Patent Lawsuit Loss
Nintendo confirms intent to appeal
The technology behind the Wii went through plenty of patent lawsuits with Nintendo winning the majority of reported cases, though a looming loss to Philips back in 2014 led to the signing of a global patent license agreement. That was related to motion technology in the Wii Remote, and now Nintendo has lost in an...
Tuesday8th Aug 2017
Random Mario Kart Wii's Abandoned Mission Mode is Uncovered at Last
Deleted files found by familiar MK modder
The busy nature of game development means that clues are often left behind in code, often pointing to assets or features that were changed or removed in the final game. Sometimes the clues can take a long time to uncover, as seems to have been the case with a Mission Mode in Mario Kart Wii. It was spotted...
Monday24th Jul 2017
Video A Look At Project Goliath, An Ambitious Wii Platformer With A Tragic History
Unseen64 unearths another canned project
Junction Point is an interesting studio; headed by industry legend Warren Spector, the company produced the excellent Epic Mickey during the height of the Wii, which gained praise and commercial success. Sadly, it stumbled with the sequel and the studio was promptly shuttered by Disney. Had Junction Point...
Friday14th Jul 2017
News Epic Mickey Was One Of The High Points Of My Career, Says Warren Spector
"Screw Metacritic. Screw everybody. I'm really proud of that game"
Warren Spector is treated like a legend by many gamers, and with valid reason; he's been involved with some of the most influential and acclaimed games of the past few decades and can count System Shock, Ultima, Wing Commander, Deus Ex and Thief among his credits. However,...
Tuesday13th Jun 2017
News No Really, Ubisoft Is Going To Release A New Wii Game In 2017
No prizes for guessing what it is, either
One of the least surprising elements of Ubisoft's E3 show this year was the confirmation that the Just Dance series is continuing with Just Dance 2018. Proudly billed as the best-selling music game franchise of all time, Just Dance 2018 offers more than 40 new songs as well as access to another...
Monday12th Jun 2017
Video The Top 5 Most Embarrassing E3 Moments by Nintendo
All that glisters is not gold
E3 is a time for most video game fans to get excited and hyped about upcoming releases, and to see all the newest tech that various games companies have to show off. It is sometimes, however, an event of disappointment. Hopefully this year's E3 will be able to surpass the moments in the video above, which highlights...
Video Learn About the Rabbids & Mario Crossover That Didn't Make it to Wii
Ubisoft has been keen for a while
Ubisoft is a successful company, and like all money-spinning corporations is always looking out for potential opportunities to produce hit games. There are irrepressible rumours / leaks of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle for Nintendo Switch, so it's only natural to wonder about past attempts to bring the franchises...
Tuesday6th Jun 2017
News Snap Up Nintendo Shares Because Switch Could Outsell Wii, Says Analyst Firm Jefferies
"Switch has turned out to be a stealth hit"
Jefferies analyst Atul Goyal has instructed his company's clients to buy Nintendo stock because the Switch could end up being even more popular than the Wii. In a letter to clients, Goyal said: Switch has turned out to be a stealth hit and is positioned to drive Wii-type [the company's last successful...
Monday22nd May 2017
News Nintendo's Response To Blind Rhythm Heaven Fan Will Warm Even The Coldest Of Hearts
"I will always support you, Nintendo"
Japanese boy Hibiki Sakai was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in both eyes at the age of one and a half, and following the surgical procedures necessary to save his life has been completely blind since the age of two. That hasn't stopped him indulging in many passions; he's a talented drummer and, like many...
Tuesday2nd May 2017
News Nintendo is Still Targeting Switch Sales to Match the Wii
Seeking momentum in the coming year
One of the bolder claims made by Nintendo in recent months is that it hopes the Switch can approach Wii-level sales. The little system shifted over 100 million units, as a reminder, but in the past generation Nintendo's most notable success has been passing 66 million sales with the 3DS; the portable has, it...
Friday17th Mar 2017
News Dolphin Emulator Now Allows Wii Shop Access and Purchases
About as legit as emulation can get
The Dolphin emulator is well known in its particular scene, especially for its ability to run Wii and GameCube titles in HD - that was an especially big deal when Nintendo was still all about 480p. It's still under continual development, and its team has come up with a rather surprising and neat update. In...
Thursday2nd Feb 2017
News Tatsumi Kimishima Expects Nintendo Switch To Sell "About As Well" As The Wii
A target of around 100 million units, then?
It's been a busy day for comments from Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima. Earlier on we reported that he'd spoken about the potential of a true successor to the 3DS, but the Nintendo boss has also been talking about his expectations for the Switch, which arrives next month. In a recent interview,...
Wednesday28th Dec 2016
Video Check Out These Canned Game Prototypes for Wii From Red Fly Studio
Ever want to see Arkham Asylum running on a Wii?
Red Fly Studio is a name that may be familiar to some of you; a few years back, it came out that the studio was working on an ambitious open world game for Wii starring Darth Maul of Star Wars lore. Though that game never made it into production, the studio had notably done work porting the two...
Saturday24th Dec 2016
Video Check Out the Open World Flash Game That Never Was
Gone in a flash
Superhero games have had a bit of a rough track record due to the abundance of lazy licensed games, but highlights of the past few years could be found in the likes of the Batman Arkham or inFamous series. One popular superhero that seems to have never gotten his chance to shine in a game is the Flash, but recent reports indicate...
Monday31st Oct 2016
News Just Dance 2017's Best-Selling Version is on Wii
Don't stop 'til you get enough
The UK chart results are in, and from a Nintendo perspective they're rather grim. Aside from the harsh current realities of Wii U and 3DS game sales in the UK, however, this week's results have a quirky side-note that we just had to share. First of all, a quick rundown of what's happening at the top of the charts...
Monday17th Oct 2016
Video Learn About the Factor 5 Dungeons & Dragons Game That Was Pitched For Wii
Console power and license costs got in the way
Factor 5 was a big player in the Nintendo 64 and GameCube eras, in particular, well-known for its Star Wars games. Yet after the relationship with LucasArts fell away the developer was looking for new licenses that could drive its projects. Factor 5 eventually came to the idea of a Dungeons &...
Thursday6th Oct 2016
News The Wii Is Getting A New Retail Game This November
But don't get too excited...
Nintendo officially put the Wii out to pasture when it launched the Wii U back in 2012, but the system - which has sold over 100 million units globally - isn't entirely dead yet. Publisher Bigben Interactive is preparing to launch The Voice on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and - you guessed it - Wii this November. Based on...
Monday3rd Oct 2016
News Former Sony Boss Jack Tretton Lavishes Praise On Nintendo And The Wii
"I think everyone discounted the Wii initially"
Former Sony Computer Entertainment America president and CEO Jack Tretton has admitted in an interview with IGN that he - like so many in the games industry - underestimated the Wii when it was first announced. The console followed the underperforming GameCube and took risks by opting for weaker...
