Summary
TheNintendo Wiiis one of the best-selling systems of all time. Even if the system was indeed geared towards a more casual audience, that doesn’t mean it lacked great titles with hardcore gamers as the main target.
Among these games, there were many RPGs. While some of these were later brought to other platforms, like the phenomenalXenoblade Chronicles, many others can still be found exclusively on the Wii, and they should be remade for new generations of players to enjoy. But which Nintendo Wii RPGs deserve to be remade?
The Last Storyis an obvious choice for a remake, mainly because this was Hironobu Sakaguchi’s last “big” release, at least so far.The man who createdFinal Fantasyhas since taken a step back from the console gaming industry, focusing on smaller releases for mobile platforms. The game was developed by Mistwalker, and it was released towards the end of the Wii’s lifespan, which is one of the reasons why it went under the radar for many players who were already looking forward to the next generation of consoles. The game looks beautiful by Wii standards, and a remake would help the creative vision stand out even more.
Of course,the strongest departments of the game are story and characters, which could even be expanded in a potential remake. The game also has a nice battle system, and although exploration isn’t anything to write home about because of hardware limitations, a remake could address this with a bigger and richer map.
Much likeThe Last Story,Pandora’s Towerwasn’t able to reach as many players as it should have because it was released towards the end of the Wii’s lifespan when many players were already leaving the system behind. The game is an action RPG with an interesting premise, where the protagonist has to explore the depths of the titular tower to feed his cursed beloved and save her from her fate.
Despite the intriguing concept,Pandora’s Toweris a very flawed game,mainly because of a limited battle system and repetitive gameplay, which involves a lot of backtracking. This is why the game needs a remake so much to unleash its full potential. Many players would finally be able to enjoy this hidden gem in its best form, and even those who have already appreciated the original version would have a reason to go back and play it again.
Many players would argue thatSuper Paper Marioisn’t technically an RPG, and they’d be right to a certain degree.This game is a massive departure from earlier titles in the franchise, asSuper Paper Mariois more of a platformer with RPG elements rather than a full-fledged RPG. However, it’s still part of a popular RPG franchise, and while RPG elements were surely downplayed in this entry, they’re still there.
The addition of platforming sections proved to be quite divisive at the time of release, but over the years the reputation ofSuper Paper Mariohas indeed improved, with many players re-evaluating the platforming elements. However,one of the best assets of the game is its plot. The story is much more compelling and darker when compared to subsequent games in the series, and it’s a great reminder of how goodPaper Mariocan be.
During the Wii era,Fire Emblemwas still considered a very niche franchise and likely flew under the radar for many players. This is a shame becauseFire Emblem: Radiant Dawnis easily one of the best games in the franchise,and it’s a great sequel to the already phenomenalFire Emblem: Path of Radiance. While the game has aged quite nicely, it would be nice if Nintendo made it available for new players to enjoy, and maybe ramp up the visual department and bring in some gameplay additions from subsequent entries in the series.
Even more, this could be an awesome opportunity to remake the first game as well, because both games are becoming increasingly rare with time. Their value has already skyrocketed, and hardly decrease unless they get a re-release or remake of sorts.
Another late Wii release,Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Mooncould be better described as an adventure with light RPG elements, but it would have been impossible to exclude this game when talking about which Wii RPGs should get a remake. The game takes place in a mysterious post-apocalyptic world,and it’s filled with heart-wrenching storiesthat all come together in the solitary protagonist’s adventure.
While the game is far from perfect, a remake would be a great opportunity to address all the issues critics and fans found within the original title, expanding gameplay elements with new mechanics and improving exploration. This is probably the remake with the least chance of happening, but fans can still hope that Namco Bandai and Nintendo can find some way to bring it out of the shadows.
