I'm not opposed to violence, just bored by it.
January 25, 2011 7:18 PM Subscribe
What (girly) game would you recommend for my wii?
My family has had a wii for two years and it doesn't get much use. I've never really played any video games in my life but I would love to get a wii game that I could twiddle away at. This would probably be a single-player game.
We have the sports game pack that came with the wii and I think they are all pretty boring.
My sister got Mario Kart for christmas, and while it's kind of fun to race I get bored pretty quickly.
Games I have played and been "ehh" about are Diner Dash and Cake Mania. I think I lose interest when it's so one-dimensional and goal oriented.
Two computer games I really loved growing up were The Sims and Tombraider: The last revelation. I liked how the Sims was just so realistic and it was fun to design their houses and make them go to work and clean their homes.
With tombraider, I think I liked how it was a lot of exploring with little bursts of action; you weren't constantly bombarded by bad guys. Instead, you would find yourself in an underwater tunnel and turn a corner and BAM! A bad guy!
I've also played Left for Dead, but (and this sounds kind of silly) I just didn't like how ugly and dismal the colors and scenery were! I also wasn't crazy about the go-go-go action of it.
I plan on going to a game store tomorrow but I would like to have an idea of what I'm looking for before I go in. Any recommendations?
My family has had a wii for two years and it doesn't get much use. I've never really played any video games in my life but I would love to get a wii game that I could twiddle away at. This would probably be a single-player game.
We have the sports game pack that came with the wii and I think they are all pretty boring.
My sister got Mario Kart for christmas, and while it's kind of fun to race I get bored pretty quickly.
Games I have played and been "ehh" about are Diner Dash and Cake Mania. I think I lose interest when it's so one-dimensional and goal oriented.
Two computer games I really loved growing up were The Sims and Tombraider: The last revelation. I liked how the Sims was just so realistic and it was fun to design their houses and make them go to work and clean their homes.
With tombraider, I think I liked how it was a lot of exploring with little bursts of action; you weren't constantly bombarded by bad guys. Instead, you would find yourself in an underwater tunnel and turn a corner and BAM! A bad guy!
I've also played Left for Dead, but (and this sounds kind of silly) I just didn't like how ugly and dismal the colors and scenery were! I also wasn't crazy about the go-go-go action of it.
I plan on going to a game store tomorrow but I would like to have an idea of what I'm looking for before I go in. Any recommendations?
i think super paper mario is awesome and bright and pretty and fun.
if you liked the maintaining part of the sims, you might like rune factory frontier - there's some fighting, but there's also a lot of farming. it's one of the harvest moon games, but i think it's a lot prettier and more fun than the main harvest moon games. another "fun to build a world" game is little king's story.
posted by nadawi at 7:25 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
if you liked the maintaining part of the sims, you might like rune factory frontier - there's some fighting, but there's also a lot of farming. it's one of the harvest moon games, but i think it's a lot prettier and more fun than the main harvest moon games. another "fun to build a world" game is little king's story.
posted by nadawi at 7:25 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
i also like new super mario brothers, but i will caution that it's HARD.
posted by nadawi at 7:26 PM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by nadawi at 7:26 PM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
You might enjoy Okami. It's cute, colorful, and really fun. There's fighting, but the fights include some cool puzzles. Plus, you get to draw shapes with the wiimote.
posted by specialagentwebb at 7:28 PM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by specialagentwebb at 7:28 PM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
The ones that get my entire family going are Just Dance and Just Dance 2.
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:28 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:28 PM on January 25, 2011
I second Super Paper Mario and Okami!
posted by theantikitty at 7:29 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by theantikitty at 7:29 PM on January 25, 2011
Animal Crossing: City Folk! A lot of people didn't like it because it was basically the Animal Crossing DS game with some extra stuff, but if you haven't played any of them before, you'd love it.
posted by wayland at 7:29 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by wayland at 7:29 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
I love Endless Ocean: Blue World for all the exploring and general prettiness. It is definitely the game to play if you like underwater tunnels.
Consider some of the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney games downloadable via WiiWare -- they're pretty much all (ridiculous) story, and if you haven't played adventure games before, are a great place to start (as are the Monkey Island games, also available on WiiWare).
posted by asperity at 7:32 PM on January 25, 2011
Consider some of the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney games downloadable via WiiWare -- they're pretty much all (ridiculous) story, and if you haven't played adventure games before, are a great place to start (as are the Monkey Island games, also available on WiiWare).
posted by asperity at 7:32 PM on January 25, 2011
Beautiful katamari!
posted by zepheria at 7:35 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by zepheria at 7:35 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Nthing PAPER MARIO. Ohhhh, so delightful.
posted by hansbrough at 7:37 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by hansbrough at 7:37 PM on January 25, 2011
I would recommend Donkey Kong Country Returns. It's very similar to the original SNES game in terms of game play (side scroller like most Mario games). The graphics are very bright and pretty (actually there is a "sunset" level that is gorgeous). Plus it does a great job using the Wiimote and nunchuck - to ground pound you use the two like drumsticks in the air!
I don't own NSMB for the Wii but I played it briefly and I found it very hard! (As opposed to the NDS version which was challenging but not horrible).
I had Super Paper Mario and I didn't really like it. The whole 2D/3D thing is neat, but I wasn't into the RPG storyline bit. If I didn't play for a while and then picked it back up, I couldn't remember where I was.
Super Mario World Wii is also fun. Pretty challenging but not discouraging. Plus it's got lots of cuteness including phrases like "snacky happiness!"
Wii Fit (now Wii Fit Plus) is really fun. Yes it is also a workout but the games are made to be quick and cute. There is a lot of variety in the games.
posted by radioamy at 7:43 PM on January 25, 2011
I don't own NSMB for the Wii but I played it briefly and I found it very hard! (As opposed to the NDS version which was challenging but not horrible).
I had Super Paper Mario and I didn't really like it. The whole 2D/3D thing is neat, but I wasn't into the RPG storyline bit. If I didn't play for a while and then picked it back up, I couldn't remember where I was.
Super Mario World Wii is also fun. Pretty challenging but not discouraging. Plus it's got lots of cuteness including phrases like "snacky happiness!"
Wii Fit (now Wii Fit Plus) is really fun. Yes it is also a workout but the games are made to be quick and cute. There is a lot of variety in the games.
posted by radioamy at 7:43 PM on January 25, 2011
Zack & Wiki is a clever, cute little one player puzzle game. Bet you can pick it up cheap, too.
Little King's Story is a bit Sims-ish (you are a tiny king and boss people around to build your kingdom and conquer other lands.)
De Blob is a curiously addicting painting action game, but wait for De Blob 2 this March because the first game has no save function and you will tear your hair out.
posted by greenland at 7:46 PM on January 25, 2011
Little King's Story is a bit Sims-ish (you are a tiny king and boss people around to build your kingdom and conquer other lands.)
De Blob is a curiously addicting painting action game, but wait for De Blob 2 this March because the first game has no save function and you will tear your hair out.
posted by greenland at 7:46 PM on January 25, 2011
Sims 3 is available for Wii
posted by rhizome at 7:58 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 7:58 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed Zelda: Twilight Princess. It's a bit older now, but maybe that just means it's a tad less expensive?
(And a note about Donkey Kong: it is lovely, but it's not easy! I've found myself relying on my partner to get through the tricky bits.)
posted by unlapsing at 8:18 PM on January 25, 2011
(And a note about Donkey Kong: it is lovely, but it's not easy! I've found myself relying on my partner to get through the tricky bits.)
posted by unlapsing at 8:18 PM on January 25, 2011
I like Lego Star Wars (or Lego anything, really). While it doesn't really fit your criteria, it's dead simple but still quite fun. Everyone I've played it with has instantly become addicted.
posted by gumtree at 8:37 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by gumtree at 8:37 PM on January 25, 2011
Setting aside the "girly" bit (which will only get you Barbie shovelware and minigame stuff like Diner Dash, Cooking Mama, et al)...
Animal Crossing is going to be most Sims-like, though it's cartoony, not realistic. You do chores around a town to gain bells (money), which you use to slowly upgrade your house and belongings (sort of). Another game along those lines might be a Harvest Moon game.. Harvest Moon: Magical Melody is probably the one to go for there, just make sure you're buying the Wii version and not the Gamecube version (your Wii will play both, but you'll need a Gamecube controller to play Gamecube games).
There're also Sims 2, Sims 2 Castaways, and Sims 3 ports for Wii, but with EA/the Sims' bug track record I would stay away from these. Maybe check out reviews and see what they say.
Endless Ocean is great, but while I like Endless Ocean 2 less, it'd probably be more your style if you enjoyed the stuff jumping at you in Tomb Raider. In both games you're a SCUBA diver exploring fictional areas of the ocean. In EO, you hang out in the South Pacific. You can befriend an animal (I think just dolphins), find treasure, take photos (which you can load onto an SD card, even), and generally chill out, following a sparse storyline. There's a limited amount of customising you can do to your character, and it's all cosmetic.
EO 2 is much more structured. You have 6 or so global spots you travel to, but the consensus is they're not quite as engaging as EO, though they are larger. You earn money finding salvage and completing requests, and you use this to upgrade your gear, which has an effect this time around (bigger oxygen tanks and such). You have to complete a storyline (maybe ten hours or so) before you're given free reign to roam around.
EO 2 is technically much more competent, graphics are a bit better, and the subsystems (building your own reef, photography, and especially salvage, and animal companions) are all vastly improved.. but the forced storyline is irritating, there are a lot of chatty NPCs, and most of the areas are on the boring side. You can also be attacked by some animals (sharks and whatnot), which is really frustrating for me when I just want to swim around and be one with virtual-nature.
Endless Ocean is one of my favourite Wii games; it's great to pop in, swim around, and just chill out. Really relaxing.
The other thing I'd say to get is a 2000 point Nintendo Points card and buy some WiiWare games. There won't be much on Virtual Console for you, I think, but if you like puzzle-y things then grab World of Goo or Fluidity. Tomena Sanner is a fantastic one-button game that's fun when you've got 10-15 minutes to kill. For a modern-classic video game experience, there's Mega Man 10, which you can play on Easy Mode and remove any irritating frustrations.
posted by curious nu at 9:57 PM on January 25, 2011
Animal Crossing is going to be most Sims-like, though it's cartoony, not realistic. You do chores around a town to gain bells (money), which you use to slowly upgrade your house and belongings (sort of). Another game along those lines might be a Harvest Moon game.. Harvest Moon: Magical Melody is probably the one to go for there, just make sure you're buying the Wii version and not the Gamecube version (your Wii will play both, but you'll need a Gamecube controller to play Gamecube games).
There're also Sims 2, Sims 2 Castaways, and Sims 3 ports for Wii, but with EA/the Sims' bug track record I would stay away from these. Maybe check out reviews and see what they say.
Endless Ocean is great, but while I like Endless Ocean 2 less, it'd probably be more your style if you enjoyed the stuff jumping at you in Tomb Raider. In both games you're a SCUBA diver exploring fictional areas of the ocean. In EO, you hang out in the South Pacific. You can befriend an animal (I think just dolphins), find treasure, take photos (which you can load onto an SD card, even), and generally chill out, following a sparse storyline. There's a limited amount of customising you can do to your character, and it's all cosmetic.
EO 2 is much more structured. You have 6 or so global spots you travel to, but the consensus is they're not quite as engaging as EO, though they are larger. You earn money finding salvage and completing requests, and you use this to upgrade your gear, which has an effect this time around (bigger oxygen tanks and such). You have to complete a storyline (maybe ten hours or so) before you're given free reign to roam around.
EO 2 is technically much more competent, graphics are a bit better, and the subsystems (building your own reef, photography, and especially salvage, and animal companions) are all vastly improved.. but the forced storyline is irritating, there are a lot of chatty NPCs, and most of the areas are on the boring side. You can also be attacked by some animals (sharks and whatnot), which is really frustrating for me when I just want to swim around and be one with virtual-nature.
Endless Ocean is one of my favourite Wii games; it's great to pop in, swim around, and just chill out. Really relaxing.
The other thing I'd say to get is a 2000 point Nintendo Points card and buy some WiiWare games. There won't be much on Virtual Console for you, I think, but if you like puzzle-y things then grab World of Goo or Fluidity. Tomena Sanner is a fantastic one-button game that's fun when you've got 10-15 minutes to kill. For a modern-classic video game experience, there's Mega Man 10, which you can play on Easy Mode and remove any irritating frustrations.
posted by curious nu at 9:57 PM on January 25, 2011
WiiWare game Fluidity is waaaaaay, way better than anyone hearing a description of it would ever guess. It's so good. SOO. GOOD.
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:00 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:00 PM on January 25, 2011
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has a lot of great exploration/adventure and the action isn't too constant. Super Mario Galaxy is a blast and I am amazed no one else has recommended it yet.
posted by girih knot at 10:40 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by girih knot at 10:40 PM on January 25, 2011
I really enjoyed trauma center and cooking mama, but their early wii era motion controls probably seem dated now.
posted by yeolcoatl at 10:53 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by yeolcoatl at 10:53 PM on January 25, 2011
Nthing Super Paper Mario and New Super Mario Bros (great to play two-player with friends also) and also recommend World of Goo (WiiWare).
posted by coraline at 3:45 AM on January 26, 2011
posted by coraline at 3:45 AM on January 26, 2011
Kirby's Epic Yarn is so irrepressibly cute you can't help but love it.
posted by cali59 at 4:06 AM on January 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by cali59 at 4:06 AM on January 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
New Super Mario Bros and Donkey Kong Country Returns and Animal Crossing (original or city folk). Yes to all of those. Great games; I'm partial to Mario Bros myself.
(I don't play much but I watch A LOT, so I know what's visually appealing and also what's addictive to players ranging from novice to expert. Will also agree with above that DK is hard.)
posted by torticat at 4:59 AM on January 26, 2011
(I don't play much but I watch A LOT, so I know what's visually appealing and also what's addictive to players ranging from novice to expert. Will also agree with above that DK is hard.)
posted by torticat at 4:59 AM on January 26, 2011
I'm also going to recommend the Lego games. I just finished playing Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4, and it was very fun and addictive. I loved the fact that you never really die. If you fall off a ledge, you just pop right back up where you were previously.
posted by statsgirl at 6:19 AM on January 26, 2011
posted by statsgirl at 6:19 AM on January 26, 2011
You might like Fizzball, which is a bit like katamari and a lot like the ball shooter games. You can likely play a trial version of the game on your PC before you decide if you like it enough to buy for the Wii.
I don't think there aren't any katamari games available for the wii yet. There have been rumors of them for years but none have been released.
posted by soelo at 7:46 AM on January 26, 2011
I don't think there aren't any katamari games available for the wii yet. There have been rumors of them for years but none have been released.
posted by soelo at 7:46 AM on January 26, 2011
World of Goo is amazing, it's maybe $15 on wiiware and not in a game store though, the wiiware games might be right up your alley, they are cheaper so you dont feel like you have to get soo much out of them.
Little King's Story might be up your alley, and I've heard nothing but good things about Kirbys Epic Yarn, and it has a really good look to it, same with Okami.
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 8:30 AM on January 26, 2011
Little King's Story might be up your alley, and I've heard nothing but good things about Kirbys Epic Yarn, and it has a really good look to it, same with Okami.
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 8:30 AM on January 26, 2011
I like World of Goo and Max and the Magic Marker. Both available via wiiware.
posted by acoutu at 7:00 PM on January 26, 2011
posted by acoutu at 7:00 PM on January 26, 2011
I misread your question as needing a name for your Wii.
I was going to recommend Willamena.
However, seeing as how you weren't actually asking for a name, this will be of no use to you.
posted by Sutekh at 4:21 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I was going to recommend Willamena.
However, seeing as how you weren't actually asking for a name, this will be of no use to you.
posted by Sutekh at 4:21 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 7:23 PM on January 25, 2011 [3 favorites]