I think Splatoon will be remembered fondly as a game that emerged as a great story for Wii U. It went beyond most people's expectations (including Iwata), brought something different to a saturated genre, and proved that the young developers at Nintendo are able to take on the lead thanks to the mentorship of Miyamoto, Iwata, Tezuka, and Co.
It also showed that the Gamepad can be really useful, even for a shooter like Splatoon. While I'm sure a traditional controller would've worked fine, the Gamepad provided features that made the gameplay intuitive and fun. Squid jumping, motion controls, and seeing the map and how much ink has covered the map really works on the Gamepad. Plus, it has now created a following in Japan with all the merchandise, manga, foods, and so forth. Not to mention the incredible legs it has, especially in Japan in which its the first game since FFXIII to reach a million within a year. Not many home console games can do that nowadays, let alone a new exclusive IP.
I even almost forgot the consistent stream of updates that Splatoon has gotten over the course of its post-release. Now, we've got a variety of complex weapons, new unique maps, private battles, new modes that showed maybe we weren't as ready initially after we honed our skills on Turf Wars, and special events that kept the ball rolling as new players emerged. Even the single player was pretty solid in introducing the game.
Great honorable mentions goes to Smash 4, Mario Maker, and Xenoblade X.
Smash 4 broke barriers even beyond what Brawl did and created an incredible line-up of legends and all-stars that we would've not have thought to have been possible until now (I.e., Cloud, Mega Man, Bayonetta, Pac-Man, Ryu battling the old and new generations of Nintendo characters). It's like trying to ask The Beatles, Sinatra, Elvis, Dylan, and Michael Jackson to do a concert or an album together. Smash 4 also has 8-player Smash, better online, and a host of incredible content that went above and beyond expectations. It'll be tough to match any fighting game (let alone another Smash) with this one, especially with a roster like that.
Mario Maker is a dream come true for fans who wanted to create their own levels officially. Now, they're able to see Mario through the eyes of the developers. Whether the levels were challenging, fun, or rediculous, Mario Maker has created an abundance of levels that we can discuss and give feedback to. Plus, the free updates have created even more possibilities. Not to mention the ease of use thanks to the Gamepad.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is a great game that shows that Wii U is no slouch in terms of power. Although the system is not a PS4 or Xbone, it can still hold its own if developers are willing to do what they can to push the system. Incredible atmosphere and overwhelming open world that allows players to discover what kind of possibilities are there in Mira. I think that this particular game will go down as an example of what Wii U could really do power-wise, besides the potential of Zelda Wii U and its own take on open world.
Existing User Log In
New User Registration
Register for a free account to gain full access to the VGChartz Network and join our thriving community.
