With GameCube games now available to play on Nintendo Switch Online with the Expansion Pack upgrade, it’s fun to think about other hardware that might benefit from similar treatment. The Wii springs most readily to mind, with a lineup of amazing games many players will remember from the system’s heyday.
There’s no shortage of gems in the Wii library, and they didn’t all come from Nintendo itself. Thinking back on some of the games that people missed at the time, it’s easy to argue that Nintendo should add Wii to Switch Online sometime soon, if only so we have another chance to play classic games like the 12 on this list.
12
Excite Truck
Image: Monster Games/Nintendo
Released: Nov. 19, 2006
You’ve heard of Excitebike, but have you heard of Excite Truck? It was the start of a short-lived offshoot series of arcade-style racers from Monster Games (NASCAR Heat 4), which was a frequent Nintendo collaborator around that time. Players controlled pickup trucks as they raced around beautiful environments around the world and beyond, using nitrous to launch from small hills and catch air. The island’s topography changed around them, keeping the action fast and furious for both players. A sequel, Excitebots: Trick Racing followed in 2009, and leaned more heavily into airborne stunts. Then the franchise disappeared. It would be nice to see it return in remastered form, possibly even with a new sequel. But if that can’t happen, an appearance on Switch Online would be just lovely.
11
Dawn of Discovery
Image: Keen Games/Ubisoft
Released: May 22, 2009
Known as Anno: Create a New World outside North America, Dawn of Discovery for Wii was an accessible city builder published by Ubisoft. On the PC platform outside North America, it was released as Anno 1404, which is still regarded as a classic in the genre. The lesser known Wii version, ported by Keen Games, simplified numerous elements (including the interface and visuals) for a console audience. Despite the more manageable approach, the gameplay loop remained compelling enough that, as with previous titles like SimCity, a person didn’t want to quit playing once they started. There was also a DS version, which is similar, but the Wii version handled the necessary scale more effortlessly. Ubisoft didn’t follow it up with any sequels, which suggests it didn’t sell well enough to justify the effort, but it would still make a welcome addition to the Switch Online library.
10
Little King’s Story
Image: Cing/Xseed Games
Released: Apr. 22, 2009
Cing, a developer known for its adventure titles, had one of its most acclaimed games with Little King’s Story. Co-developed with Town Factory, the real-time strategy game lets players assume the role of a cartoon king who explores his kingdom in a quest to gain wealth and territory. Along the way, he battles monsters and completes tasks for the populace, which allows him to gain additional resources while his kingdom grows. A port is available on Steam, once again from publisher Xseed Games, but the title remains underrepresented on consoles. It would make a compelling addition to Switch Online libraries.
9
The Dog Island
Image: Yuke's/Ubisoft
Released: Apr. 26, 2007
The Dog Island is an astonishingly cute game from developer Yuke’s, which has mostly built a reputation as a developer of fine wrestling and fighting games. The canine-focused title was the third in the series, but the first published outside Japan. It features big-eyed puppies of various breeds. You choose your breed of pooch at the start and follow their adventures through cozy environments populated by minor threats, which they scare away with their pipsqueak barks. The art style is very soothing, and the challenges are the sort that might appeal to players of all ages (though younger players are the ones most likely to respond favorably). The adventure itself is also surprisingly robust, with mild peril and excitement to keep everyone engaged. Anyone looking for a game about pets that isn’t a basic sim would do well to look up this overlooked gem, which deserves a new leash on life.
8
Fortune Street
Image: Square Enix/Nintendo
Released: Dec. 1, 2011
The Fortune Street franchise, known as Itadaki Street in Japan, has been around since the Famicom days. Fortune Street on Wii was the first chance many North American players got to experience the series in English. It combined Nintendo and Dragon Quest characters, placing them on boards where they competed to amass a fortune. The game resembles the classic Monopoly board game in some respects, since landing on a rival player’s space can really ruin your day. But the lively presentation, featuring so many familiar characters, made it something special. Unfortunately, it must have been difficult to market and western consumers didn’t respond with widespread enthusiasm. I remember seeing a stack of the game available for years on a local store shelf, suggesting its sales fell short of what Nintendo hoped. But that’s no reason the game shouldn’t return for a second round. A newer audience might be more receptive, especially if the game is one more entry in a software library they’re already paying for.
7
The Last Story
Image: Mistwalker/Xseed Games
Released: Jan. 27, 2011
Before the fan campaign known as Operation Rainfall made so much noise on behalf of players, it looked like three exciting JRPGs might never reach North America. One of the titles at risk was The Last Story, which was developed by Mistwalker (Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon). An action-RPG, it finally arrived courtesy of Xseed Games, after Nintendo passed on the opportunity. The critical response was positive overall but far from unanimous. Even its biggest supporters found minor flaws that prevented it from living up to its full potential. However, innovative combat, stirring music, and a deep story kept players coming back for more. The title is still remembered fondly by many who experienced it at the time, and a new generation would likely find plenty to enjoy in one of the great works of director and co-writer Hironobu Sakaguchi, best known as the creator of the Final Fantasy series.
6
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Image: Vanillaware/Ignition Entertainment
Released: Apr. 9, 2009
Developed by Vanillaware (Unicorn Overlord), Muramasa: The Demon Blade was exclusive to the Wii at launch, although a remastered version arrived on the Vita a few years later as Muramasa Rebirth. The game is an action RPG set in a beautifully rendered fantasy world, with simple controls but challenging combat. Some players find it a bit shallow and repetitive after a while, but there’s no denying its artistry. Muramasa: Revenant Blades will retell the familiar story in February 2027. Perhaps someone will see the wisdom in making the original version more available for an eager audience of Nintendo fans, who might not be ready to buy the deluxe new one.
5
Punch-Out!!
Image: Next Level Games
Released: May 18, 2009
Aside from letting Little Mac exchange blows with other mascots in games like 2018’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo hasn’t paid much attention to its scrappy little hero. The last time he got a proper game of his own was Punch-Out!! in 2009. As usual, it pitted him against an assortment of cartoon opponents, including Glass Joe, King Hippo, and Super Macho Man, among others. The action was fast, furious, and beautiful, a satisfying trip down memory lane for those of us who grew up playing Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! on the NES. Another run at the circuit would be most welcome.
4
Dokapon Kingdom
Image: Sting/Atlus
Released: July 31, 2008
I’ve lost track of how many hours I spent playing Dokapon Kingdom with my friends. We have never completed a longer run together, but conquered many shorter ones over the course of multiple game nights. The appeal comes from the interaction, which unfolds in a lighthearted fantasy world that feels like it was ripped directly from Dragon Quest. Players move around a sprawling board, battling monsters to build levels and capture cities from monsters. Sometimes, they run into each other and have a duel. The loser might wind up with a new hairstyle, or worse. It’s zany multiplayer fun with a healthy dose of humor that publisher Atlus warned might ruin a few friendships. Dokapon Kingdom: Connect brought a remastered version of the experience back on PC and Switch in 2023, but Switch Online is where it really might thrive.
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Polygon QuizWhichNintendo FranchiseAreYou?8 Questions • 5 FranchisesNintendo makes several completely different promises about what a game is for. One is about moving beautifully, one is about being lost, one is about being alone, one is about having nothing to do, and one is about having an easy time. Eight questions about how you like to play will say which promise is yours.On The Shelf
Mario
Zelda
Metroid
Animal Crossing
Kirby
Press Start
Question 01TWO FREE HOURS
01A free evening turns up. What do you want from it?Not which game. What the two hours should feel like.
ASomething that feels great to control. I would be happy just moving around in it.BTo go somewhere I have never been and get properly lost there.CTo be alone with something quiet and a little bit lonely.DTo potter. No goal, no list, just tidying up and talking to people.ESomething easy and charming that I cannot really lose.
← BackPick one, then Next
Next Question
World 02 of 0812% Cleared
Question 02WHERE YOU PLAY
02Be honest about where and how you play.Everybody has one spot and one posture.
AOn the couch, sitting forward, leaning into it.BBig screen, lights off, nowhere else to be all night.CHeadphones on, late, with the lights down and the door shut.DIn bed, handheld, twenty minutes before sleep.EAnywhere, with somebody next to me who has never played it.
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Next Question
World 03 of 0825% Cleared
Question 03NO DIRECTIONS
03The game stops telling you where to go. How does that feel?Some people call this freedom and some people call it a bug.
AFine, as long as moving around is fun on its own.BLike the best part. I will find it myself, thank you.CGood. I want a map I filled in, not one I was handed.DI do not mind. There was nothing I was supposed to be doing.EI would rather it just pointed. I am not here to be puzzled.
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Next Question
World 04 of 0838% Cleared
Question 04WHO ELSE IS THERE
04Who is in the room while you play?This one separates everybody.
ASomeone watching and commenting on every mistake I make.BOne person who has played it and has agreed to tell me nothing.CNobody. That is the entire point.DSomebody pottering nearby, both of us half paying attention.EA friend on the second controller who has never held one before.
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World 05 of 0850% Cleared
Question 05THE MUSIC
05What do you want the soundtrack to do?Nobody ever says they do not care.
AStay stuck in my head for the next twenty years.BMake a place feel like a real place.CMostly stay out of the way, and then unsettle me once.DChange with the hour and the season and barely be noticed.EBe relentlessly, almost unreasonably cheerful.
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Next Question
World 06 of 0862% Cleared
Question 06GETTING SOMEWHERE
06What makes you feel like you made progress?Progress means five different things to five different people.
ADoing a hard thing cleanly on the ninth try.BComing over a hill and seeing something I was not expecting.COpening a door I have walked past six times already.DThe place looking a little more like mine than it did yesterday.EFinishing the whole thing, happily, in one afternoon.
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World 07 of 0875% Cleared
Question 07STUCK
07You have been stuck for a while now. What do you do?The honest answer, not the one you would tell people.
ATry it again. It is me, not the game, and I will get it.BGo somewhere else entirely and come back once I have thought about it.CGo back through everything I have already seen, looking for what I missed.DPut it down. It will keep. Nothing in there is going anywhere.ELook it up immediately and enjoy the rest of my evening.
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World 08 of 0888% Cleared
Question 08TELLING A FRIEND
08You are recommending it to someone. What do you say?This is the one that decides it.
AJust play it. It feels incredible and I cannot explain it better than that.BDo not look anything up. Please. I am serious.CPlay it on your own, at night, with headphones.DIt is not about anything. That is the whole point of it.EIt is four hours long and you will smile the entire time.
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Load My Result
Cartridge LoadedYou Are
This is not about which games you own. It is about what you want a free evening to
feel like, and your answers keep landing in the same place.
NES / US 1985MarioPrecision / Momentum / JoyYou are here for how it feels in your hands.
You could be given an empty room with good physics and come out happy. The jumping is the game, the story is a courtesy, and you will do the hard bit nine times to do it cleanly once.Why That Is You
Mario is the series that treats movement itself as the reward, which is why people replay
the first level of a Mario game for fun.
You sit forward on the couch. Somebody is watching and commenting on every mistake and you
would not have it any other way.
When you are stuck you assume it is you rather than the game, and you are usually right, and
you get it eventually.
Recommending it, you cannot explain why it feels good. You just tell people to play it,
which is the most Mario sentence there is.
PrecisionReplays ItFeels Great
NES / US 1987ZeldaDiscovery / Patience / A Big MapYou want to be lost somewhere worth being lost in.
Being told where to go ruins it for you. You want a hill, a thing you were not expecting on the other side of it, and nobody in your ear about any of it.Why That Is You
Zelda is built on the moment you go somewhere you were not sent, and everything else in the
design exists to protect that moment.
Big screen, lights off, nowhere else to be. This is an evening you clear space for rather
than fit in.
Stuck, you go somewhere else entirely and come back when you have thought about it, which is
how the games expect to be played.
Your one instruction when you recommend it is do not look anything up, and you mean it more
than you mean most things.
ExploresNo SpoilersTakes Its Time
NES / US 1987MetroidSolitude / Atmosphere / MasteryYou would rather be alone in there.
You want atmosphere, a shut door and a map you filled in yourself. Not lonely as a complaint. Lonely as the appeal.Why That Is You
Metroid is the Nintendo series that is about isolation on purpose, and it is the one that
trusts you to work things out with no company at all.
Headphones on, late, lights down, door shut. Anyone else in the room changes what the game
is.
What you want from progress is opening a door you have walked past six times, which is the
entire design of the series in one sentence.
Stuck, you go back through everything you have already seen looking for what you missed, and
that is not frustration. That is the game.
SolitaryFills The MapAtmosphere First
GameCube / US 2002Animal CrossingRoutine / Calm / No Fail StateYou do not want anything to be asked of you.
Twenty minutes, in bed, before sleep, with nothing at stake and nothing overdue. You are not avoiding a challenge. You have simply had enough of being graded.Why That Is You
Animal Crossing removed the fail state and found an audience that had been waiting for
exactly that without knowing it.
You want the place to look slightly more like yours than it did yesterday, and that is a
complete definition of progress.
Stuck is not a state you get into, because you put it down and it keeps, and nothing in
there is going anywhere.
Asked to sell it to somebody, you say it is not about anything, and you are not apologizing
when you say it.
DailyNo Fail StateLow Stakes
Game Boy / US 1992KirbyEase / Charm / Low StakesYou are allowed to have an easy time.
Four hours, no friction, a smile the whole way through. You look things up without a flicker of guilt and you are having more fun than the people who do not.Why That Is You
Kirby is the Nintendo series that is openly, deliberately generous, and being generous is a
design choice rather than a shortcut.
You play with somebody on the second controller who has never held one, and watching them
get it is most of the fun.
You look things up immediately when you are stuck and then enjoy the rest of your evening,
which is a genuinely healthy relationship with a hobby.
What you tell people is that it is four hours and they will smile the whole time, and that
is a real recommendation.
GenerousPlays With OthersNo Guilt
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3
Elebits
Image: Konami
Released: Dec. 2, 2006
Released very early in the Wii’s life cycle, Elebits (known as Eledees in Australia and Europe) was one of the most interesting games of its generation. It had players search a house and other intimate environments for miniature creatures known as elebits, which resemble the mischievous critters in Pikmin. The first-person perspective resembled a shooter, but the game wasn’t particularly violent. Most of the fun came from rearranging furniture to find the pesky little critters. The more energy they absorb on their hunt, the more options they have for manipulating the environment and reaching the end of a stage. Players could get so absorbed by the process that they might forget to blink, until suddenly their eyes were watering and stinging (ask me how I know). The game was quietly awesome, and it might easily find a second life on Switch Online.
3 hours ago
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Image: Next Level Games
Image: Monster Games/Nintendo
Image: Keen Games/Ubisoft
Image: Cing/Xseed Games
Image: Yuke's/Ubisoft
Image: Square Enix/Nintendo
Image: Mistwalker/Xseed Games
Image: Vanillaware/Ignition Entertainment
Image: Next Level Games
Image: Sting/Atlus
Image: Konami
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