The Wii could well be the most accessible console of all time, and the best multiplayer Wii games have brought families, friends, and complete strangers together all over the globe since 2006.
What a legacy to leave behind, eh!
With over 101 million sales, the Wii remains Nintendo’s best selling console of all time. I don’t remember going to a house without a Wii as a teenager; everyone had one, and they promoted couch co-op that got us off the couch and interacting like never before.
Is that floor co-op, or maybe living room co-op?
But which were the best multiplayer Wii games that we went to time after time? Which titles saw the hours fly by in the blink of an eye, and which caused more crushed dreams and mandatory victory speeches?
I think we’re about to find out!
15. Dead Space: Extraction (2009)
First up in our list of the best Multiplayer Wii games is Dead Space: Extraction, a first person rail shooter that will literally have you on the edge of your seat.
Or in many cases, hiding behind it…
For many people, the Wii is a pretty family friendly console, but fighting Necromorphs while controlling a bunch of space colonists doesn’t fit into that equation!
The first person action style makes for pretty jumpy gameplay, though it’s not always this frightening. Players can move the camera on some levels to give themselves a much-needed break.
Playing with the Wii Zapper is the best too, firing both long and short range blasts to destroy hordes of weird aliens.
Oh, and you can use kinesis too! Space rules!
14. Kirby’s Epic Yarn (2010)
Now I know what you’re thinking; this looks like a game for kids. Well, it might have a cutesy vibe to it, but Kirby’s Epic Yarn is anything but an easy ride.
This is a solid platformer with hard levels and fantastic features that make it a joy to play for all ages. It’s the first Nintendo game to take on the crafty feel, followed by Yoshi’s Wooly World a little later on the Wii U.
Listen, this is the perfect game to get someone who doesn’t like video games into gaming. If your partner or friend loves crocheting or knitting, then they’ll find it incredibly hard not to love this game.
Help Prince Fluff to stich Patch Land back together by collecting magical yarn.
Honestly, it’s not a kids game!
Kirby doesn’t steal abilities in this game. Instead, he can tun into a tank or a submarine… which is way cooler!
13. Wii Party (2010)
The Wii is probably most commonly known for family-friendly video game action, and Wii Party brings a mix of sports and Mario Party-esque action to the table with over 80 fun games to try.
Using Mii characters for that extra personal touch, up to four players can take each other on at chopping vegetables or competing for the top prize on Board Game Island.
From a graphics point of view, this game looks incredible. I know the Mii’s are pretty simple, but the texture in the trees and mountains is amazing.
While not as popular as Wii Sports, Wii Party is a great game for people who have played Tennis and Bowling to death (if that’s even possible…).
12. Wii Sports Resort (2009)
And, once you’ve got your money’s worth of Wii Party, then it’s time to try your hand at Wii Sports Resort.
This game boasts 12 sports that you might try your hand at on an all-inclusive holiday, one of the posh ones with organised fun.
Try your hand at swordplay, basketball, and skydiving!
Gameplay is pretty much the same as Wii Sports, though being able to try your hand at wakeboarding and cycling is nice little touch.
This is definitely another firm family favourite for after Christmas dinner when everyone’s feeling a little tipsy.
Just don’t knock out your grandma with a Wiimote!
11. Kirby’s Return to Dream Land (2011)
Shooting into 11th place on our best multiplayer Wii games is Kirby’s Return To Dream Land!
Some of you might have come across this game in best Kirby games article, or maybe you played it back in the day and couldn’t get enough of it.
The multiplayer on Epic Yarn was decent, but this co-op adventure feels like the first proper Kirby game we had since The Crystal Shard came out on the N64 eleven-years earlier.
Play as Meta Knight, Waddle Dee, and the hammer-wielding King Dedede as you and the team collect parts of a broken spaceship.
You can even turn into a type of Kirby-Megazord and tower over enemies.
Finally, a team that can beat Wispy Woods into a piece of charcoal!
Return to Dream Land is a 2.5D game, but the levels are so textured that it feels like you could just wander off into the forest Mirkwood style.
A great game and a Kirby classic, definitely one to kick back a couple of mates and a few pizzas!
10. Mario Party 8 (2007)
If I had a pound, dollar, or euro for every time I’ve played this game, I’d probably still be relatively poor but with lots of loose change in my pocket. Mario Party 8 has some of the best mini games on any Wii game and is a blast to play, especially when the family is round at Christmas.
The one thing that grinds my gears is the weird 4:3 display that can’t be changed once the game starts.
I mean, 8.85 million people bought this game, so not everyone can have been bothered by it…
… but I am!
Anyway, the aim of the game is to compete against other human players or the computer, working around a board collecting coins to buy stars.
The Wiimote is so versatile in the mini games, plus it’s the first time we could hit dice by swinging upwards.
Play with famous Mushroom Kingdom characters, try to not let Kamek or Bowser mess you around, and become the ultimate Party Star!
9. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007)
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games proves once and for all that the console wars is finally over.
Well, that and the fact that N64 & Sega Switch Online subscription is on it’s way…
I was never a massive fan of the Olympics until I started playing these games. Ok, so playing skeet or the 100m is way more fun as Shadow or Waluigi, but it introduced me to tonnes of different sports I never even knew existed.
Choose from character from both franchises, everyone from Mazza to Dr Robotnik as you compete in all the events from the 2008 Olympic Games.
This first game has spawned multiple titles that now drop in conjunction with every Olympic Games, including Winter Games titles with an additional umpteen sports I never knew were real!
8. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (2008)
Next up on our list of the best Multiplayer Wii games is Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, another epic Capcom crossover title with all the epic characters we’ve come to know and love over the years battling off against each other.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as amazing as Viewtiful Joe fighting Ken the Eagle, the greatest battle of all time!
This is the first 2.5D title in the canon, boasting 3D arenas for Tatsunoko character such as Polymer and Gold Lightan to show what they’re made of.
Choose two characters for a tag team or pick from a mammoth character that takes some serious beating.
My go to team is Mega Man Volnutt and Viewtiful Joe every time; that’s how it’s done!
7. Mario Strikers Charged (2007)
One of the best Mario multiplayer games of all time has to be Mario Strikers Charged. It’s football with a fiery twist, boasting unstoppable charged shots and tonnes of Mario Kart-esque items to change the tide of a match.
And, it’s best played with your friends next to you on the sofa, punching you when you’ve scored yet another goal wile they’re crying into their fajitas…
… maybe this is just my experience, I don’t know.
All the pitches have features that ‘keep things interesting’, such as chain chomps and and other obstacles that throw you off course, stopping that shot from hitting the back of the net.
I can best describe this game as an absolute chaos-fest, with zero rules and a fast paced atmosphere where anything is possible.
A bit like real football, then?
6. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii takes the 6th spot in this list of the best Multiplayer Wii games of all time.
I know it’s not exactly what you might think of as a multiplayer title, but hear me out. The multiplayer feature in this game makes playing through the side-scrolling levels even more exciting.
Maybe it’ll be a easier to save Princess Peach now…
Team up with three mates, each playing as Mario, Luigi, or one of two toads.
Yoshi’s are available for characters to ride around on, and the general action and vibe of each level is exactly what you’ve come to expect from a Mario game.
It’s nothing new, but if you want to play something that feels familiar and looks good on the Wii, then give this a shot. It’s fun and way better with mates beside you.
5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008)
It’s time to bring out the big guns. Super Smash Bros. Brawl takes a little getting used to with a Wiimote, it has to be said. But, once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll soon realise it’s one of the best games in the series.
This was one of the quintessential titles that brought more regular fighters to the table, 39 in total.
It also changed Link to his Twilight Princess form which was a huge win for Zelda fans everywhere.
Ok, so you didn’t actually have to use the Wiimote when playing Brawl; there’s plenty of custom GameCube controllers available for those old school smash vibes.
One of the weirder facts about this Mario outing is that there were 38 different composers working on the soundtrack for it.
So those 38 people are the ones responsible for making me so tense every time I’m on 200% damage!
If Nintendo characters beating each up sounds like something you’d be into, then this game needs to be in your collection!
4. Goldeneye (2010)
Goldeneye 007 takes the 4th spot in our list of the best best multiplayer Wii games ever made!
Ok, so it’s not exactly the same as the original, one of the best N64 games for my favourite console. Bond looks more like Daniel Craig now and the general feel of the game has changed in relation to the events of the movie.
Still, it’s got epic multiplayer action, and that’s all we’re bothered about today.
Complete with a Wii Zapper, players take each other on in split screen action. Plug in a GameCube controller or use the Wii-Nunchuck combo; the choice is yours.
One thing that does remain the same is the characters from the original game.
Play as Trevelyan, Baron Samedi, Jaws, and more. And, the Facility reappears, albeit in a reimagined form with new features.
If you’re searching for that quintessential split-screen shooter on the Wii, then you just found it!
3. Mario Kart Wii (2008)
Third place goes to the world famous Mario Kart Wii!
Can you remember the first time you played this game? Opening up that box and pulling out the plastic Wii wheel; nothing else compares to it.
Guess how many copies of this game sold too… 37,380,000!!!
That makes it the 12th best selling game of all time!
For the first time ever, we could move our controllers left and right and actually move the car onscreen. My dad suddenly became a racing expert!
Tilt to turn, A to go, B to break, Z to fire. Simple.
Adding bikes into the mix for the first time was a fantastic touch too. But…who is the best character in Mario Kart? I think we all know the answer…
Just make sure you have enough of those plastic wheels to go around… if you’ve only got three then there’s gonna be a fight to death for them!
2. WarioWare Smooth Moves (2006)
WarioWare Smooth Moves is one of the most random games I’ve ever played in my life. It’s also one of the most enjoyable multiplayer games of all time.
There’s nothing like competing against your mates in 3-5 second mini games that make zero sense and require you to do some insane stuff like picking your nose or sawing wood in a straight line…
The speed of these games is what make them so exciting. Also, the random nature of not knowing what’s coming up next.
It’s basically like sticking your hand into a barrel of sharks and hoping to pick out the only starfish in there…
… that’s probably one of the games in all honesty!
1. Wii Sports (2006)
Wii Sports is obviously the best multiplayer Wii game of all time.
How many of you sent hours squaring off against mates in Wii Boxing or trying not to break your TV screen while playing Wii Tennis?
So, this was mainly designed to show people what the Wii could do and get them used to the new controls. But man, it was also so much more.
It sold almost 83 million copies during the Wii’s lifetime, making it the 4th best selling title of all time and the best selling Wii game.
This game allowed players with little to no experience to dive into the action with zero training. It’s so natural that it hurts, and what could be easier than swinging an imaginary tennis racket from side to side.
Swinging an imaginary baseball bat?
Seriously, if you’re one of the few people that lived under a rock when this game came out, go back and give it a go. You’ll have so much fun that you’ll never want to put it down!
Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 31 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
