The WonderSwan enjoyed a short 4-year-reign between 1999-2003 and even managed to snap up 8% of the Japanese handheld market, but lost out to the might of Nintendo and the new GameBoy Advance.
Perhaps this is why the WonderSwan, with its 16-bit central processing unit and long battery life, still remains a desired console by retro gamers all over the world.
Just like the SEGA Dreamcast, the WonderSwan feels a little bit like a missed opportunity, a console that might well have performed better in an alternate universe where people walk around with Swan caps on instead of Mario hats.
We might even have been plugging in the latest Swan Switch or FeatherBox One if things had gone differently.
While conjecture may flap around, the cold hard facts of this awesome console still remain, so let’s check out the best WonderSwan titles to have co-existed with us on our planet.
Table of Contents
1. One Piece Grand Battle Swan Colosseum (2002)
Every console needs a beat-em-up title, and One Piece Grand Battle Swan Colosseum has deservedly taken its place amongst the best.
Instead of following a traditional Tekken/Mortal Kombat style approach, this cartoon-inspired gamer took a leaf out of the Super Smash Bros. control rule book, giving players the ability to press a directional button and function button to pull off a series of stellar moves.
Join Monkey D. Luffey and the Straw Hat Pirates as you delve into the rich and colourful realm of the One Piece world.
Bandai released this game for the Swan Crystal as one of the console’s ‘swan songs’ (sorry, I can’t help it), and it later went on to see sequels on the GameCube and 3DS.
It’s a nice fighting game that will take a lot of willpower to put down.
The characters will keep you coming back time and time again, as will the drive to become the ultimate fighter.
2. Mr Driller (1999)
Second place goes to a personal favourite and one of the WonderSwan’s big guns.
The original Mr Driller had ports for WonderSwan, GB Colour, PS1 and Dreamcast, and introduced everyone’s favourite champion driller, Susumu Hori.
There you go kids; if you like building and want to take things to the next level, then there’s no reason why you can’t go for gold and become a champion driller when you’re older!
Mr Driller sees the player drilling through a humongous amount of blocks, collecting air capsules and trying not to get squished along the way.
The number of blocks corresponds to the size of the country (level) in which you choose to play in, and there are different playable characters that you can use throughout the game, all with special abilities that set them apart from one another.
It feels a little like Tetris crossed with Dig Dug. (Sosumu’s father is actually the guy from Dig Dug, so that kind of makes sense!)
3. Kaze no Klonoa: Moonlight Museum (1999)
The moon has been split into fragments and stolen by a group of pesky artists that live inside the eerily named Moonlight Museum.
After becoming trapped in a piece of artwork, our bunny-eared friend Klonoa and his pal Huepow must traverse through 5 different side-scrolling worlds in order to break free from the artist’s spell and put the moon back in its rightful place.
Klonoa can run, jump, and fight as he and Huepow move through the different ‘visions’ in search of doors to the next worlds.
You can pick up enemies above your head to use as weapons or to reach higher places with a double jump, and solving puzzles along the way is essential if you are to ever give those painters a piece of your mind.
Kaze no Klonoa is a little like the early Mario games in style and nature, maybe apart from the fact that Klonoa can hover with those massive ears.
But if you’ve always enjoyed the red plumber’s outings, then this could well be one that you need to consider for your collection.
4. Makaimura For WonderSwan (1999)
We’re a third of the way into our list, so I thought it might be time to turn the difficulty notch up to eleven.
You might know Makaimura as ‘Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins’ if you grew up in the West. Whatever you want to call it, these games are known for being rock-hard and insanely addictive.
This is another game that is in high demand on the resale market, which instantly makes it 100% more mysterious and gives me an insatiable craving to buy a copy.
You get me, right?
The thing I like the most about this side-scrolling adventure is the ability to turn the WonderSwan console 90 degrees to help when climbing down ropes in vertical shafts.
Sure, it’s not essential, but it is mega cool!
The music isn’t exactly great (just play on mute) and the gameplay can be a little slow at times (which gives you more time to figure out how the hell you’re going to beat the game), but after playing this title once, you won’t want to give it back.
This is hands-down one of the best titles for the handheld and a must-have title in your collection.
5. Judgement Silversword (2001)
Originally a game that was created for a ‘home-brew-development’ competition, Judgement Silversword went on to become one of the most loved WonderSwan games on the console.
The WonderSwan’s vertical playstyle is perfect for a space-age shooting game, giving you plenty of screen space to evade lasers and other enemies as you move through the levels.
Judgement Silversword was made solely by a lone developer named M-KAI on the Qute gaming editor.
At its time, this game was somewhat of a technological marvel for the WonderSwan; in the same way that the PSP can do things that a console of its size and power just shouldn’t be able to, the SwanCrystal performs like a handheld way ahead of its time when you crank up Judgement Silversword.
The graphics and fast-paced, frantic gameplay are more than a good enough reason to grab an old console and the game to boot.
It might cost you more than you think, however.
Qute made a limited run of around 500 copies after the first batch sold out in a couple of hours.
You might have to remortgage your house to buy one, but we reckon it would totally be worth it.
6. Golden Axe (1989)
Next up is the Gauntlet Dark Legacy style, mindless-button-mashing classic that is Golden Axe.
Every console needs a game where you can kick back and switch off while battling an evil snake on a world that travels around on the back of a giant turtle.
No, it’s not Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, though the games characters and the evil villains provide just as much excitement.
Control a dwarf, a barbarian, or an Amazonian warrior as you progress through each of the levels, destroying the Death Adders henchmen and rescuing the inhabitants of Turtle Village as you move ever closer towards the Death Adders castle.
Can you block his Golden Axe and end his reign of terror? This is a great little game and one that doesn’t take much thinking about.
It’s the perfect pick-up-and-play title.
7. Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix (2000)
For many early consoles, fighting games proved to be the developer’s bread and butter. They sold incredibly well, and arcade-heavy Japanese systems like the Wonder Swan and the Neo Geo Pocket have so many great titles in their ranks.
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix is the first fighting game parody title that I had ever come across, however. And it sure is a winner.
If you ever played the puzzle game ‘Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo’, then you’ll recognise the Puzzle Fighters of Street Fighter fame and characters from the Night Warriors gang.
It still feels strange seeing a little squashed-up Ryu battling off against a miniature Zangief.
And Ken has turned into a bit of a player, following a story where he’s searching for a lovely lady to have tea with even though he’s married.
WHAT’S GOING ON!
There are so many Capcom characters crammed into this game, both playable and in the background.
I suppose it’s the WonderSwan’s version of Smash Bros, two years before Smash Bros was even invented.
Gunpei sure was a genius!
8. Clock Tower (1999)
Clock Tower proves that horror games can work on a handheld.
This survival/horror game is a point-and-click masterpiece, kind of what Sega tried to do with their weird FMV video games when they went through that odd phase.
You play as an orphan who has come to a weird ass house where kids are dying. Turns out they are being hunted down by an evil villain named…
THE SCISSORMAN!
If you’re bald like me, you probably won’t be that scared of someone who can, at best, give you a nice haircut.
In all seriousness, this game was pretty creepy. You have to guide the main character through a series of rooms, trying to find a way to escape the foster house she’s trapped in.
All while Scissorman is hot on your trail!
This game is heralded as being one of the titles that propelled the survival/horror genre to great heights, and while it looks pretty old school now, it’s still a great game to play.
9. Buffers Evolution (1999)
Buffers Evolution has a lot of similarities to a certain Sega Game Gear game with a blue hedgehog, the one who runs like he’s strapped to a rocket.
Players must get through levels in the quickest amount of time in this zany game, making it less like an adventure title and more like a weird Formula 1 spin-off.
The robots look super cool, even though the graphics are black and white (that just makes the game even more of a classic!).
Each robot-animal has different abilities that you can use to help get to the end of the course in the shortest amount of time.
They might not be able to spin like Sonic, but I wouldn’t wanna mess with that lion’s fists or that rhino’s horn in a hurry!
10. Lode Runner (2000)
I first played Lode Runner when it came to the N64 in 3D, and since then I’ve been a fan for life.
It’s funny how the box art for the WonderSwan looks so different compared to the other consoles of the time, but the Japanese spin is what I love so much about this particular title.
If you’re a fan of the level maker in Links Awakening for the Switch, then you’ll be able over the WonderSwan port of this game too.
You can make levels with zero skill needed. And some of them end up being pretty amazing!
But what is Lode Runner all about?
Well, you have to successfully sneak into the treasury of the Bungeling Empire and steal back some gold that has been nabbed.
That mission lasts for 150 screens that need to be cleared.
Talk about a hard job!
Collecting gold isn’t as easy as it might sound (ok, I made it sound pretty damn hard, I’m going to be honest). There are also robotic guards that are tasked with stopping anyone from getting their hands on the stolen booty.
Trap the robots in a hole, collect the gold, and scurry up a ladder to the next level. It’s simple, it’s fun, and it’s hella addictive!
11. Flash Koibito-kun (2000)
If you’re down on your luck in love, then Flash Koibito-Kun could be the game that you have been looking for.
After having his heart thrown aside by the woman of his dreams, our character finds himself outside the Ninja School Of Love where he will train in the art of the heart in order to get himself some ninja lovin’.
With your weird love-Pokedex thing in hand, you must set out into the world and woo the hearts of the women (or men depending on who you are impersonating) using a series of puzzle-based games.
It’s a little bit like Tetris, except you need to move hearts along a line to try and seduce the women on the other end of the screen.
Ok, so it’s nothing like Tetris, but it is a surprisingly addictive game, albeit a little creepy. The Renai Master keeps you on your toes as you hone your skills, making levels more complicated and hotting up the pace as you progress through the game.
I would suggest giving it a go just for the sheer strangeness of this title, but despite the weird premise of the game, it really is a good one to have in your WonderSwan arsenal.
9. Front Mission (1995)
Both Namco and Squaresoft were third party developers for Bandai’s WonderSwan, and the latter is the brains behind the next title on our list.
You might remember Front Mission from the SNES days (it might have even been one of the best SNES games in your collection), a colourful and well-designed RPG game reminiscent of Final Fantasy with Matrix-style battle bots.
These robot fighters are called ‘wanzers’, which is a word that you have to re-read multiple times when you’re writing an article that is read by both adults and children.
Front Mission uses the English language for settings and selectable options, but the entire game dialogue is in Japanese.
Only 5 Front Mission games were ever ported out of Japan, so that’s no real surprise, but I quite like the fact that I’m playing an inherently Japanese game on the ultimate Japanese console.
Despite the lost-in-translation language barrier, you don’t need to understand every word to be able to take part in the turn-based role-play, and the wanzers speak a language that everyone understands!
Kill or be killed in this fast-paced action game!
13. Puyo Puyo 2 (1999)
Ah, Puyo Puyo 2, the game with so many custom rules it made the offside rule seem like the easiest thing in the world to understand!
Block stacking games are ten-a-penny these days, but the Puyo Puyo brand has gone from strength to strength over the years.
Some of you might even have played the new Puyo Puyo Tetris title that came out recently!
You’re probably wondering what the rules are that I was talking about earlier (and if you weren’t, I’m still going to tell you anyway).
As the Puyo fall from the top of the screen, you have to try and match up the different colour shadings. Certain rules such as Sousai, the damage offset rule, and Rensa Sibari, a rule that sends no garbage depending on chain length, instantly made this game a massive success.
It’s still considered the pivotal title in the series to this day!
14. Engachio! (1999)
As puzzle games go, this next title on our list of WonderSwan games has to be one of the weirdest, and that goes for both the gameplay and the cover.
It’s not very often I pick up a game case and say ‘what the hell!’, (ok, maybe I had that reaction over Nintendogs, but it turned out to be one of the titles that people said we should have put in our ultimate 3DS games compendium!), but this one seriously stopped me in my tracks.
A bum with wings, devil’s snare armpit hair, a load of snot, and a slobbery tongue.
No, it’s not my auntie Mildred (well…it is); it’s ‘Engachio!’, a puzzle-based game where players must work their way through worlds without colliding with one of the weird monstrosities above.
You control a young boy names Sunzuki, an unsuspecting character who has to move through each stage without getting pooed, snotted, hair-tangled, or slobbered on.
With every step that you take, the weird creatures take a step too, making movement pretty difficult unless you have the calculating mind of an army technician.
One freaky baddy might mirror your movement, while another might move the opposite way to you every time you skulk across the board.
It’s not a game that you can take lightly, but if you’re looking for a brain-tickler to help get those grey cells moving, then this disgustingly brilliant game should be right up your street.
15. Side Pocket (1999)
No matter where you are in the world, the language of Pool is universal.
It’s so simple to master, and even though the game has certain Japanese phrases that jump up onto the screen, you don’t need to understand the language to know whether you’re hitting spots or stripes!
I really like Side Pocket because it’s such an easy game to play. The controls are simple, and thankfully there are a lot of instructions in English along the way!
Ok, so it’s not always easy to see which balls are stripes and spots, but it’s such a relaxed title that you don’t need to get all pent up about while playing.
Unless you’re terrible at pool, then it might be the most stressful game ever!
16. Rhyme Rider Kerorican (1999)
Which girl hasn’t dreams of being an excitable astronaut wearing a helmet shaped like a frog? How about that same girl grooving to techno music?
Yeah, sounds pretty good, right?
The aim of the game is to avoid obstacles while dancing to the beat, making notes sound every time you miss something dangerous.
You know what… this game looks incredibly vibrant on the WonderSwan, and the backgrounds are pretty interesting too.
Grab a powerup to soar over obstacles like the high-flying boss you are, or take them on one by pulling off sneaky button-mashing brilliance.
This is a great one to keep your fingers supple. It’s also addictive as hell, so be warned!
17. Gunpey (1999)
Ok, so the sequel is in colour and arguably more exciting to look at.
This wild-west puzzler (nothing to do with the rubbish film starring Will Smith) sees players connecting pieces of fuse together across the screen.
Make a line of fuse and watch it explode; simples!
As with most puzzle games like Tetris and Dr Mario, Gunpey has different modes, including a versus mode where you can go head-to-head against a friend.
It’s not a massive brain teaser, but it’s a good bit of fun to play on the WonderSwan and a pivotal title for the console, not least because it sounds like it’s named after the creator.
18. Rainbow Islands Putty’s Party (2000)
Bub & Bob are taking a rain check in our next entry. Putty takes the reigns this time, wielding rainbows as weapons and tools for bridging chasms.
I guess killing an enemy with a rainbow isn’t as harrowing as a gun… maybe it’s even a pleasant way to go?
Collecting gems is the key to success in this game. And to collect gems, players need to trap enemies within rainbows.
As if that wasn’t enough, you’ve also got to make your way up the screen to complete each island level.
Do you have what it takes to beat the boss at the top of each screen? I hope so, otherwise, you’ll be playing Putty’s Party or a very long time!
19. SD Gundam Operation U.C. (2002)
Even if you can’t understand Japanese, you can still play this Gundam game and get a sense of what’s going on.
Ok, it might be a small sense, but a sense, nonetheless.
All you need to know is there a lots of massive robotic Gundams fighting each other. Like all the games in the epic Gundam series, each robot has a gun for firing at enemies far away and a sword for up-close-and-personal battles.
There’s a kind of adventure mode (we really need to learn Japanese) and a VS mode where you can battle your mates or a computer.
Level up by winning or start again Returnal style if you lose a life. If you’re looking for a game that keeps you with your finger on the button and a constant stressed expression, then this is it!
20. Tane O Maku Tori (1999)
Tane O Maku Tori finishes off this list!
The premise – water flowers from the tears of a sad raven flying overhead…
Ok, this is going to be a bit of a weird ride, isn’t it?
Move tears down the columns to the plants. The plants grow, the bird feeds, and then it’s onto the next level.
And why is the bird sad? It’s left a friend behind as it migrates and misses them dearly. It’s a sweet idea and a touching story, but a bit of a batsh… I mean… an odd premise.
Despite that, it’s really fun to play and has a Mario Cement Factory feel about it.
