The 50 Best Nintendo Games Right Now (Wii U / 3DS)

Best Nintendo Games List – #23 The Wonderful 101

Developer: PlatinumGames

Publisher: Nintendo

Platform: Nintendo Wii U

Release Date: September 15, 2013

When it was revealed that the Wii U would include a GamePad tablet, many had wondered how third party developers would react, now possibly having to tailor their gameplay mechanics into their controller. Thankfully, PlatinumGames got in as an early adopter, utilizing the stylus (or the right analog stick) for players to create weapons out of your 101 crew in whatever form you draw on screen. Make an L, you turn your party into a gun to shoot at enemies. A squiggly line turns into a whip, too, but there are non-aggressive forms you can manipulate the Wonderful Ones into.

It’s that sense of childlike imagination that fuels the heroic, Saturday morning cartoon-like quality that The Wonderful 101 embodies. Intrigue, deception, heroism and the strive for literal awesomeness in its design mentality lend towards a great character action game early in the Wii U’s life cycle. It’s a shame that so few actually got to try it out for themselves.

Next: #22 Rayman Legends