Have you ever wondered if compelling real-time strategy titles could thrive on casual and family-friendly consoles like the Nintendo Wii? I‘m here to tell you that, yes, developers absolutely brought engrossing RTS experiences to the motion-powered Wii thanks to extremely creative game design and expert adaptation built around the unconventional controller.
In fact, some of most whimsical, charming and downright fun RTS titles across any platform emerged on Nintendo‘s runaway success known as the Wii. Let‘s dive into the 7 very best real-time strategy games to ever grace the groundbreaking console!
An Introduction to Real-Time Strategy Games
Before we count down the top Wii RTS titles, let‘s briefly cover what exactly what defines real-time strategy as a genre for the uninitiated. Unlike turn-based games which alternate moves between players, real-time strategy titles unfold…well, in real-time! Resources must be gathered, structures built, technologies upgraded and armies commanded simultaneously alongside your opponents. Multi-tasking skills are put the test as you balance competing needs under ever-present pressure to advance your military and economic capacities faster than fellow players.
While mainstream RTS franchises like Starcraft, Age of Empries and Command & Conquer thrived mostly PC where precise controls devices like mice and keyboards enabled intricate gameplay systems, the Wii would need to take a different approach to translating the genre‘s mechanics into more family room friendly packages. Gameplay concepts considered genre must-haves when designing RTS games include:
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Resource Gathering | Collect basic resources like lumber, gold or oil to fund production and research |
| Base Building | Construct structures to unlock advanced buildings, technologies and troop training regimens |
| Tech Tree Advancement | Upgrade abilities through researching successive technology tiers unlocked by basic buildings |
| Army Composition | Counter enemy forces by training melee, ranged, aerial and siege unit types |
| Micromanagement | Directly control armies to outmaneuver opponents through multi-pronged attacks |
This has traditionally demanded tremendous precision – can Nintendo‘s motion-based Wii Remote possibly provide that? Read on the to find out!
#7: Ant Nation
Release Year: 2009
Developer: Helix Games
Review Scores: 52 Metascore, 4.5 User Score
Kicking off the list…
