The 10 Hardest Wii Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re counting down our picks for the 10 hardest Nintendo Wii games that will test your nerves and wits in equal measure.

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“Cursed Mountain” (2009)

Easily one of the more unique survival horror games on the market, Cursed Mountain centers around Eric Simmons as he treks through a supernaturally-infested Himalayan-inspired area trying to find his lost brother, Frank. This is no simple hike to the summit, however. Eric must battle the harsh, snowy mountain elements in tandem with fending off the various cursed ghosts he encounters. Much of the challenge in this game comes from the lack of direction and guidance. It’s quite easy to get lost, not knowing where to venture next. Fortunately, the puzzles, story, and combat are all solid enough to keep you immersed despite the game’s steep difficulty at times. 

“Punch-Out!!” (2009)

2009’s Punch-Out isn’t for the faint of heart. This game will pummel you over and over if you don’t have your wits about you. Little Mac takes to the ring to duke it out across various boxing circuits, hoping to achieve KO after KO. But, what’s easy on paper isn’t necessarily easy in practice. This Nintendo Wii version feels almost as challenging as the old school NES game. Learning exactly when to punch, block, and dodge are critical to overcoming the brutal matches. The colorful, cartoony art style here belies the deep challenge level. If you have the patience to discover each opponent's various ‘tells’ and weaknesses then you may just come out on top.

“Prince of Persia: Rival Swords” (2010)

Rival Swords is probably the least discussed Prince of Persia game out there; something that’s a real shame given that it’s a solid entry in the venerable series. Punishing? Heck yes; but fun none-the-less. Interestingly, Rival Swords is considered a port of The Two Thrones, a version of Prince of Persia that was released on other consoles. You still get the action-adventure goodness of The Two Thrones but with motion controls, for better or worse. As you might imagine, much of the challenge in Rival Swords actually comes from the game’s combat, platforming, and puzzles; something the Wii’s motion controls don’t always help with, despite its uniqueness. The titular Prince is still at the helm of this game, now with extra waggly motion control shenanigans. The precision you get with a traditional controller may not be present in this Wii port; however, it’s still a solid entry in the Prince of Persia series.

“Donkey Kong Country Returns” (2010)

Now, if we’re honest, the Donkey Kong Country games have never really been easy. The platforming they offer is often synonymous with steep difficulty. 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns takes the challenge level from the SNES games and tosses in the Wii’s controls that do help the game shine and stand out, but also makes for a challenging platformer. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong explore myriad meticulously designed stages in hopes of thwarting the Tiki’s mischievous plans, one that led to the Kong’s bananas being stolen - heaven forbid! The Wii’s controls do work well here and the challenge level actually comes from the precision platforming and various creative boss battles.

“Muramasa: The Demon Blade” (2009)

If you want a Wii game that will make you tear your hair out in frustration then look no further than Muramasa: The Demon Blade. This 2D side-scrolling action RPG is downright brutal; which should come as no surprise given it’s created by developer Vanillaware, a studio known for challenging games. While the gorgeous painted Japanese-inspired visuals and vistas will most certainly lull you in, the moment-to-moment combat and exploration will test your action RPG skills around every colorful corner. In regards to combat specifically, Muramasa features many random encounters, something that immediately ratchets up that difficulty level. Don’t worry though, you can find plenty of weapons and items to buff your character in addition to cooking various meals for enhancements.

“Pandora’s Tower” (2011)

Pandora’s Tower is one of those Nintendo Wii games most people don’t discuss, which is a real shame given how utterly unique it is to experience, both from a storytelling and gameplay perspective. Very much an action RPG, Pandora’s Tower sees protagonist Aeron work his way through the eponymous tower (also known as Thirteen Towers) in order to save the love of his life, Elena. You see, Elena is cursed to turn into a monster as time goes on, with her curse only temporarily quelled by eating monster parts. As gross as that may sound, Aeron is determined to slay as many monsters as possible to keep Elena from turning into an abomination herself. Using Aeron’s special chain item allows him to battle foes and explore the tower. But, this is one of those games that demands a lot of patience and skill in order to truly succeed and save Elena.

“Monster Hunter Tri” (2009)

Monster Hunter games can often be quite impenetrable, with Monster Hunter Tri for the Nintendo Wii really proving this point. What started production as a PlayStation 3 title ended up swapping to the Nintendo Wii; and thank goodness that it did because Wii fans received a really special game in the long-running series. Yes, it will kick your butt over and over again as you try to slay the game’s many behemoths, but you’ll have a blast while doing so. Moga Village is being attacked by monsters and needs to be saved, and only you and your monster hunting pals can help. Thus, the adventure begins. However, slaying these monsters will take a serious amount of skill and grit since each beast needs to be taken down using specific methods. This can lead to a lot of trial and error gameplay with lots of experimentation, something that increases the game’s overall challenge level. Mind your stamina and health and you should be able to come out on top.

“Sin & Punishment: Star Successor” (2009)

This rail shooter/shoot ‘em up probably needs very little introduction for any gamer that knows anything at all about punishing video games, especially for the Wii. This game stars Isa and Kachi, two characters who must explore both Inner and Outer Space, taking on myriad intergalactic baddies. While players are given more than enough firepower to hold their own, Star Successor does not go easy on you. The free movement system and the addition of melee attacks do help somewhat but this is a game that demands precision from the player. Knowing what weapon to use, where to move on screen, and how to battle each foe are all keys to overcoming the odds in Star Successor.

“Baroque” (2008)

I’m really having a hard time stopping the urge to say “if it ain’t ‘baroque’ then don’t fix it.’ Well, I guess I said it now. You’re welcome! A fairly overlooked and underappreciated RPG on the Wii, Baroque is actually a remake of the OG Sega Saturn (and later PlayStation 1) version of the game. This is a deeply challenging (yet, endlessly rewarding) RPG with a hefty storyline and emotionally weighty themes. Baroque takes players to a post-apocalyptic realm where people are transformed into manifestations of their guilt. As Archangel, you must battle your way through various areas through a roguelike fashion. You get randomly generated dungeon floors, punishing enemies, nice rewards, and lots of replayability. The combination of RPG elements and roguelike tendencies makes the trip through Neuro Tower quite challenging indeed, with little room for error.

“Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn” (2007)

Yes, it’s Fire Emblem; of course it’s going to be challenging. And Radiant Dawn really takes the cake here. Easily the hardest game on the Nintendo Wii, Radiant Dawn is a tactical RPG with oodles upon oodles of depth, nuance, and challenge. The popular grid-based, turn-based gameplay returns in Radiant Dawn, taking cues from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, specifically. Positioning, strategic thinking, weapon choice, character choice, and more are things that need to be at the forefront of your mind as you dive into the game’s many tough-as-nails battles. Plus, the fact that many characters can permanently die makes the tension go through the roof. Add in an emotionally-charged narrative, well-written characters, and a beefy gameplay loop, and Radian Dawn will keep you immersed all throughout its challenging adventure.

So, do you agree with our picks for this list? Which Nintendo Wii games do you find are the toughest and most challenging? Be sure to let us know down in the comments. Thank you for watching this video from MojoPlays. If you want to see more from us then be sure to subscribe and ring that notification bell so you never miss our daily gaming videos.