Best RPG Games for the Wii

Role Playing Games have been a popular genre on consoles for many years, but they're dying out with the new age of shooter freaks and casual gaming. Role playing games for the Nintendo Wii tend to be more of the action-adventure variety than the type of game found on the early consoles.

It would be easy to dismiss the Wii as having nothing in the RPG department, but there are a few pretty good games available for this console. So, if you're in the need for some role playing action, and aren't sure where to begin, look no further. Here are the best Wii RPG games available to buy now, with reviews and ratings.

Role playing games usually have a highly developed story and setting, which is divided into a number of quests. Generally, the player controls one or more game characters, and achieves victory by completing a series of quests. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in tactical combat. A key feature of the genre is that characters grow in power and abilities, and characters are often designed by the player.

RPGs are typically set in fictional worlds, in which the hero explores and ultimately saves throughout the course of the game. Plots tend to resemble anime or manga adventures, often colorful and bright with light-hearted, self-identifiable characters. The storyline in these games usually involves an epic battle between the forces of good and evil, with the player's characters fighting on the good side to avert an apocalypse.

Text and image from Wikipedia
Aggregate scores from Metacritic

"The latest and arguably greatest Zelda is one of the best reasons to have a Nintendo Wii"

One of the most popular RPG games for the Wii is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the latest game in the long running series of Zelda games. This game thrusts players into a troubled world ravaged by a dangerous magic. Sporting a new, more realistic visual style than the previous Zelda title, Link looks much more like an adult than in previous installments and fits well into an environment that provides Zelda fans with a much more gritty and grim environment to explore.

In general, Twilight Princess is more challenging than the average Zelda game, with a number of boss battles having protracted hit sequences with little support potions about, and even less warning. Still, there's never been an adventure experience such as this, wherein players can literally charge at a dungeon boss with their fists and punch the air to defeat an enormous foe. As the finest Zelda experience in almost ten years and the game fans have been waiting for, Twilight Princess will delight young and old gamers alike.

Score: 95

"Expand Your Kingdom"

Little King's Story is an original single player simulation Role-Playing Game (RPG) that combines life-simulation, real-time strategy, and adventure elements along with an enchanting storyline to offer a new and unique gaming experience on the Wii platform.

The action in Little King's Story is all about improving your skill level and those of your followers as a means of gaining wealth and territory, which will in turn benefit the overall health of your subjects and your status as king. As players enter their humble town after finding their crown, they are assisted by their advisors in taking on missions in the immediate area of town. With the success of each, as well as activities like farming and natural resources development, they will gain wealth.

Score: 95

"Good for younger players"

Slightly different from the usual fantasy style RPG, Super Paper Mario combines 2D platform gaming with 3D role-playing.

The game is set in the Mushroom Kingdom as Mario tries to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. The player controls Mario and a number of partners to solve puzzles in the game's overworld and defeat enemies. The battles are unique in that the player can influence the effectiveness of attacks by performing required controller inputs known as action commands.

Score: 85

"Ever wondered what would happen if you combined Harvest Moon series with Final Fantasy?"

Developed exclusively for the Nintendo Wii, Rune Factory: Frontier is a singleplayer adventure that features all the popular life Sim gameplay and hack and slash role-playing fans know and cherish, but now with the stunning graphics and flexibility of the Wii's unique control system to fully immerse players in the Rune Factory universe.

The gameplay of the Rune Factory series is similar to that of Harvest Moon. For every 10 seconds, ten in-game minutes pass. The player can grow crops, using upgradeable farm equipment. However, the Harvest Moon game mechanic of purchasing animals has been replaced by defeating and befriending monsters in dungeons. If a monster is tamed, they help the player in battle or provide sellable goods. The game's combat is in the action role-playing game style.

Score: 80

"If you love sword slashing fast action mayhem...

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is a relatively new action role playing game for the Wii. The game follows the story of Kisuke, a fugitive who has lost his memory, including that of a crime that he committed and Momohime, a lithe female ronin possessed by a dark spirit.

Graphically the game is similar to Odin Sphere, retaining the same hand-drawn 2D art style, with the inspiration drawn from Japanese mythology. The game has three different control methods, one that involves the Wii Remote, one that involves the Nintendo GameCube controller and another that uses the Classic Controller.

Score: 80

"Everything you loved about 'Path of Radiance' is back!"

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn: Three years have passed since the great war that ended in the death of Mad King Ashnard. His country of Daein suffers under the rule of the war's victors. Now, a small band of freedom fighters struggle to end the long, dark night of Daein's oppression. Micaiah, Sothe and a host of others, the infamous "Dawn Brigade", rally under the banner of Daein's long-lost prince to bring a new day to this ravaged land.

Command the Dawn Brigade and learn the story of their struggle. Then, gain a new perspective by joining Ike and the Greil Mercenaries as they watch Daein's battles spread throughout all of Tellius. Players can shape their armies to suit their strategy by choosing from dozens of unique characters. Should they use close-range attacks, like the brash Edward's sword, or attack from afar using Leonardo's bow or Ilyana's lightning magic? Players can build support relationships between their characters; as their relationships grow, so do their strengths as they fight together on the battlefield. Players should guide their armies wisely, because if a character falls on the battlefield, he or she is lost forever.

Score: 78

"If you like tactical strategy games this is a must have for your collection."

Phantom Brave: We Meet Again: A world of vast seas and small island continents, Ivoire existed in peace and harmony. Ancient mystic forces with forgotten powers now threaten the existence of mankind. Islands, once flourishing with life, now lie as empty waste lands. Remaining decadent cities are corrupted by unnatural events and violence. The shadow of darkness is slowly, but surely, engulfing the world of Ivoir. In the year of 921, in a world called Ivoire, lives Marona, a 13 year old orphaned girl with a special ability to communicate with phantoms. Her ability brings resentment from others, but cheerful and optimistic Marona is not bothered. Marona believes in her parents' teachings that people will one day come to like her as long as she stays compassionate and kind. Now Marona travels throughout Ivoire with her guardian, Ash the Phantom, to resolve disputes around the world.

Released in 2004, Phantom Brave revolutionized the strategy RPG genre with its unique free roaming battle fields and a unit summoning system. Now Phantom Brave returns to a new console with added features and extra chapter stories. Everything from the original game will be carried over, so gamers who haven't played Phantom Brave can fully enjoy this title.

Score: 78

"Over 140 Marvel characters are waiting!"

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action/RPG where players create their Marvel dream team from the largest roster of Super Heroes ever in an epic quest that will determine the fate of Earth and the Marvel universe.

For decades, Earth's Super Heroes have opposed evil in their own cities, and on their own terms. But now, Dr. Doom and a newly reformed Masters of Evil - the greatest collection of Super Villains ever assembled - have plans for world domination, and the heroes must band together to defeat them. Playing as some of the most revered Marvel characters, gamers will embark on a dangerous journey across exotic terrain and well-known comic book locations like Atlantis, the Shield Heli-Carrier and the Skrull home world in an attempt to defy the world's most notorious Super Villains.

Score: 73

"One of the Best Games I've Ever Played"

An action/adventure game mixing real-time battles, science fiction and monster collection, Spectrobes: Origins brings the successful series known from its previous DS releases to the Wii for the first time. Packed with an exciting new story that reveals secrets from the franchises past, three-dimensional graphics, unique Wii controls and all new gameplay features--including co-op gameplay--Spectrobes: Origins challenges players to prevent a galactic threat by utilizing speed, strategy and of course, Spectrobes.

As with earlier games in the Spectrobes series, Origins follows the adventures of Rallen and Jeena. Officers in the futuristic Nanairo Planetary Patrol, Rallen and Jeena are the vanguard of the solar system's defenses against enemies, including the alien scourge known as the Krawl. To combat these menaces they have, and must continue to harness the power of the mysterious creatures known as Spectrobes.

Score: 71

"A great adventure game with a fighting twist!"

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is a spin-off of the Final Fantasy RPG series, and has become it's own metaseries. Originally released on the Nintendo GameCube, there are now two sequels for the Nintendo Wii.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles takes place in an unnamed world that is covered in a noxious gas known as "miasma", to which direct exposure can prove fatal. Towns, villages and other settlements throughout are protected from the ill effects of miasma by crystals, which generate a barrier which miasma cannot penetrate. But this effect is not permanent: it only lasts for around one year. Therefore, each year, brave people from each settlement venture out into the world to collect "myrrh", a liquid substance that powers the crystals' protective effect.

The player is put in control of one such caravan, from the small village of Tipa, setting out for the first time. As the caravanners' journey continues and they travel further in the search for myrrh, they meet many interesting characters and learn much about the history of their world.

Score: 64

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a role-playing game based on the animated television series of the same name. The game allows the player to control one of four characters in a single-player adventure. Each character uses his or her own trademark weapon and fighting style, and is able to earn new special abilities through experience gained from defeating enemies. A variety of items can help the player with quests, or during battle (armor, chi, enchanted accessories, and healing potions). The game also enables the player to collect certain resources and bring them to artisans to make special items.

Score: 56

RPGs are classic, but they're dying out with the new age of shooter freaks and casual Wii gaming. It would be easy to dismiss Wii as having nothing in the RPG department, but there are a few pretty good Wii RPGs out there, and a lot of them are inexpensive too.

Here are a few more role-playing Wii games to add to your list:

Have you got a role playing game for the Wii that you like to play?

Tell us which game you think is the best, and why you like it: