Feature | Cubed3's Most Anticipated Nintendo Wii Games of 2010

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo)

Just simply watching snippets of the game in motion can make the hardest man melt on the spot due to sheer excitement - and with a whole burst of colour, frame after frame, who could blame them? The game is by no means childishly sickening, but is in fact an awe-inspiring collection of ideas and designs that are literally out of this world. Each of these new levels may bear similar touches to the much loved planets of the original Super Mario Galaxy, but they promise to be grander and more inventive than ever before. Our protagonist also dons new outfits and has access to new items, including a drill to power underground, whirling to the other side of the world, the ability to manipulate time to get past the trickiest spots and even forcing Yoshi to enter Jar-Jar Binks mode and swing about like a mad man. Or should we say 'dotty dinosaur'? Throw in classic enemies, a bigger focus on hair-wrenching platforming and what will expectedly be a gorgeous orchestral score and Nintendo is set to deliver a lot of promising fresh aspects to play with.

It will merely be 'Super Mario Galaxy Plus' then, you may say. Well, it is hard to tell based on very tiny snippets of footage, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 does look a lot like its predecessor at first glance - with the same overall theme, Bowser, gravity and so on. However, with the original game being incredibly successful amongst critics and fans alike, more of what is good can surely not be a bad thing. Thankfully Nintendo has had a solid track record with direct sequels in the past, particularly the Super Mario Bros. platformers of old, and even Nintendo's new 2D effort on the Wii, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which boasts a lot of recycled elements whilst still offering an overall solid experience. With Mario's first trip into outer space being a magical one indeed, his follow-up adventure for Super Mario Galaxy 2 is sure to excite your Wii catalogue this year!
Jorge Ba-oh, Cubed3 Founder

Metroid: Other M (Nintendo)

Set between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, the game is due to further explore the expansive Metroid universe. From what has been shown so far, there will be some trademark Team Ninja action sequences and monumental boss battles. Thankfully, promises have also been made that whilst Metroid: Other M will pack more of a punch, the exploration aspect will remain intact. Being a massive fan of the Metroid series, this is something I personally cannot wait to try out. You may commence your expectant salivation starting...now!
- James Temperton, Features Editor.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Rising Star Games)

No More Heroes 2 carries over everything that made the first one great. Combat stances are still determined by the position of the Wii Remote, finishing moves are activated by motion and you are still balancing the assassination of other assassins with regular, mundane jobs. Now, though, Travis Touchdown will be slicing and dicing with two blades, the jobs have been replaced with NES-styled mini-games and the cumbersome overworld is out of the window. Then there is the promise of additional playable characters, a darker storyline based around revenge, no doubt some sequel mockery, and a whopping 50 assassins to beat.

It sounds like No More Heroes 2 is going to be bigger in scope, but can it hope to be better? I have no doubt it will at least match up to its predecessor. My main concern is when it is going to come out, after the news of Rising Star Games' sale. Will the ex-Marvelous company still be publishing, or will the game end up in European publication hell until somebody thrashes a deal out? With the game already on the streets in the US and Rising Star set to make an announcement regarding the game soon, hopefully the former will be a reality.
- Mike Mason, Reviews Editor.

Red Steel 2 (Ubisoft)

Red Steel 2 has players controlling a silent "Protector" protagonist with what appears to be near-flawless accuracy, seemingly bending primary sword slicing with a quick pop of your pistol for the final touch. Throw in a wider variety of customisation with MotionPlus, a stronger focus on the single player campaign in a beautifully presented package and Red Steel 2 is a hard Wii first-person shooter to beat and one to look out for on 26th March in Europe.
- Jorge Ba-oh, Cubed3 Founder.

Arc Rise Fantasia (Rising Star Games)

Whilst taking on a somewhat traditional turn-based battle mechanic, there are also summon creatures and special combination attacks that can be carried out during the adventure that sees a makeshift army that includes a mercenary named L’Arc and his friend Prince Alf, second in line to the throne, attempting to stem the threat of Contaminant Dragons on the capital of the Meridian Empire, Diamant. Given the track record of imageepoch and the help from a former Tales Studio veteran, Arc Rise Fantasia is most certainly a hot prospect for the RPG-starved Wii crowd.
- Adam Riley, Senior Editor.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Square Enix)

Maybe it is the way we had nothing revealed about the game for what felt like millennia, prompting many to assume its cancellation, that has me hyped up - it is a relief to see it actually coming out. Maybe it is the frankly bizarre online marketing campaign Square-Enix started on its Japanese website months back, where it released nothing but strange video clips with no context or explanation whatsoever. Maybe it is just that it looks like a whole lot of fun and is a proper original third party Wii effort. Whatever the reason, I want The Crystal Bearers.

It has had a mixed reaction, but I am just going to ignore all that and make my own mind up, thanks. A Final Fantasy action game where you play as a superhero-like character from the off and fling things around with telekinesis? Sign me up.
- Mike Mason, Reviews Editor.

Zangeki no Reginleiv (Nintendo)

Now known as Zangeki no Reginleiv, the game is action-oriented with two main characters that are young Deities fighting against a race of giants. Definitely a good start for a story! In Reginleiv, players can pinpoint a part of a giant’s body they want to attack, and slash its limbs off with blood and gore everywhere, and if that did not sound intriguing enough, there is a four-player online co-operative mode to enjoy over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, completely free of charge! There is also Wii MotionPlus and Classic Controller support, so you can either have super accurate slashing, or for those that do not like to waggle, you can just simply tap away at buttons to your heart's content. Additionally, with 300 customisable weapons available, including swords and bows, there is a lot of depth added to the game to keep gamers occupied for months to come.
- Stuart Lawrence, News Writer.

Tales of Graces (Namco Bandai)

As well as being one of the Wii’s prettiest titles, the animation is some of the strongest in the series so far, showing a lot of promise to Wii owners hoping for something big. With a very strong critical reception and moderate sales since its Japanese release late last year, it seems like Namco's Tales Studio has finally cooked up something that many Wii fans can really look forward to.
- Joshua Jeffrey, General Writer.

Epic Mickey (Disney Interactive)

Set in a Cartoon Wasteland, the game not only promises to be dark, brooding and mysterious, it also promises to not be annoying and full of irksome Disney-ness. What is known about the plot so far makes it sound suitably...well, stupid, but I will let that slide as the whole package just seems so appealing. Epic Mickey is a game of huge potential and epic, mouse-related possibilities. Such a strong franchise, such an ambitious project and it has fricking Disney in it. What more could you want?
- James Temperton, Features Editor.

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Namco Bandai)

The motion control of both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk is used for tilt, roll, pitch, yaw and the throttle, but the GameCube pad and Classic Controller are also available as options for those hoping for a more traditional experience. Europeans only have to wait until 26th February to get their hands on The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, a potential tactical masterpiece that is lavished with gorgeous animated cut-scenes from Production IG (Tales series, Wario Land: The Shake Dimension).
- Adam Riley, Senior Editor.