10 Wii Games That Made Couch Co-Op Gaming an Event

The Nintendo Wii did an excellent job of making any couch co-op game feel like a major event.

It's due to the Wii’s motion controls and its ability, ironically, to get us up off the couch and immerse us in the game itself.

The popularity of the Nintendo Wii and motion controls led both Sony and Microsoft to develop their own motion-control setups, but neither was as popular as the Wii during its heyday.

Truth be told, there's more to a great couch co-op experience on the Nintendo Wii than the motion control games, as we're about to prove.

10 Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

For couch co-op to feel like an event, you don't necessarily need flashy gimmicks or over-the-top presentation. The most important thing is solid gameplay.

Enter the Lego Star Wars franchise, which had already established itself as one of the best co-op games on the market. 2007’s The Complete Saga brings the (at the time) entire movie franchise into one delightful package.

This is the perfect example of substance over style. Ironically, these games do indeed have plenty of style, but they're not as flashy as other Wii games. Who cares, though? These games are still a blast today and a great way to get gamers of all ages to hop in and enjoy.

9 Boom Blox Bash Party

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Remember all the hype surrounding the announcement that Steven Spielberg was working on an exclusive Nintendo Wii game? I sure do.

Boom Blox isn't Spielberg's first foray into the world of gaming, but it is one of his more unique and unheralded projects. Best described as Jenga on steroids, Boom Blox overcame its unassuming looks to become a multiplayer sensation.

I'm giving the nod here to its sequel, Boom Blox Bash Party, due to the ability to play through user-created levels. It adds another layer of replayability, especially when you're having people over and trying everyone's levels together.

8 Mario Strikers Charged

Goooooooaaaaaaallllllll

For me, Super Mario Strikers was love at first sight. I remember spending countless hours playing the original GameCube demo when I worked at GameStop. It was an absolute blast.

To say I was stoked to see the franchise return to the Nintendo Wii was an understatement. There's just something about the Super Mario Strikers gameplay formula that feels more intense than other Mario sports games.

The Nintendo Wii’s Mario Strikers Charged has the right balance of traditional controls and motion assistance to keep us engaged in the non-stop action.

7 New Super Mario Bros. Wii

It's Like Mario, but New!

Look, I get it. In the world of Mario games, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is merely decent. On the one hand, it's a 2D Mario game! On the other hand, it doesn't do much of anything new.

There is one saving grace, though: couch co-op multiplayer. Even when Mario is at his “worst,” there's still something enjoyable here.

To be fair, Nintendo brought in a new, more casual mainstream audience to gaming with the success of the Wii’s motion controls, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the perfect game for that demographic. Use it as a gateway game to get them playing more and more!

6 House of the Dead Overkill

A Classic Arcade Experience at Home

The Nintendo Wii and arcade light gun games were a match made in heaven. So when Sega brought us House of the Dead 1 and 2, it was a no-brainer.

Then they followed that up with an all-new House of the Dead game in 2009. Best of all, this was exclusive to consoles. The late 2000s and early 2010s were a glorious time.

It wasn't a perfect experience, but Overkill is an absolute blast that serves as one of the underrated gems in the Nintendo Wii library. It's also a stark contrast to most games released on the Wii, which were primarily targeted to a more adult audience.

5 WarioWare: Smooth Moves

Smooth Move, Ferguson

The WarioWare franchise features some of the best examples of how co-op gaming can be an event. Where else will you find such a wacky and absurd collection of mini-games?

Look, I get that this is the system that has multiple Wii Sports games, but Smooth Moves is one of the best examples of how motion controls can elevate your gameplay experience.

Its over-the-top presentation is the icing on what's already a wildly delicious cake. There's truly nothing like the chaos that is WarioWare, and Smooth Moves is one of the best in the series.

4 Mario Kart Wii

I'm Using Tilt Controls!

I mean, it's Mario Kart.

In the eyes of many, this is the best Mario Kart of all time. I strongly disagree (it's 8 Deluxe), but I most certainly understand where they're coming from.

The best thing Nintendo did was not go all in with the motion controls here. You can utilize them should you choose, but let's be honest. You're playing this the traditional way. Mario Kart is a couch co-op legend, and that remains true on the Nintendo Wii.

3 Rock Band

Here Laid to Rest is Our Love Ever Longed

I mean, it's Rock Band.

No matter the time, the place, or the console, it was always a good idea to jam some Rock Band back in the day. There were a few games like it that got the party going. Heck, there were plenty of times that it was the reason for the party.

The plastic instrument craze may be long gone, but I'm always glad it was a thing. Nothing brought my friends and me closer than jamming out to our favorite songs while we played guitar, drums, or sang. Or bass, too, I guess. Someone had to be the bass player.

2 Wii Sports Resort

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

I mean, it's Wii Sp– okay, I'll stop with that gimmick.

It may not have been as iconic or successful as its predecessor (more on that later, don't worry), but Wii Sports Resort is still an excellent couch co-op game. Even if we technically were getting up off the couch to play it.

The addition of Wii MotionPlus improved the motion-control experience, and the variety of games was very welcome. It just didn't hit home like the first game, and it's a shame because it's just as much fun.

1 Wii Sports

Wii Would Like to Play

Be honest, what else could have topped this list?

Wii Sports did more than make couch co-op gaming an event. It made it a worldwide phenomenon. Everyone wanted to play Wii Sports. My friends and I lived it. My parents and their neighbors lived it. Countless people around the world who have never picked up a game controller before were hooked.

Even today, those fond memories of Wii Sports still live on. I'll always remember the tournaments we had at parties, primarily bowling, as Wii Tennis and alcohol didn't necessarily mix well. Also, Matt will forever be a gaming icon.