The 7 All-Time Best Wii U Action Games

As an owner of the Wii U console, you chose a system that never quite got its due. With lackluster marketing and a game library that left you wanting more at launch, the Wii U is considered one of Nintendo’s rare missteps. And yet, there were some absolutely stellar game experiences across all genres that kept loyal fans plugged into their GamePads.

I’m writing today to highlight for you the 7 best action-packed video games available in the Wii U catalog. Whether you enjoy battling enemies, testing your reflexes by jumping over obstacles, or facing off against friends in fighting games, these Wii U action titles delivered enough entertainment to keep players hooked for hours at a time.

Let me explain what exactly qualifies a game as an “action” experience before getting into the details on the top 7 picks with insider info you won’t find in most lists!

What Constitutes an Action Video Game?

Action games share a heavy emphasis on hand-eye coordination, fast reflexes, and quickly reacting to events on-screen. They generally feature some combination of combat, epic boss battles, jumping across platforms, racing high-speed vehicles, or overcoming obstacles.

Some of the most recognizable action genres include:

• Platformers – Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog
• Fighting Games – Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros
• Shoot ‘em Ups – Space Invaders, Call of Duty
• Hack N’ Slash – God of War, Bayonetta
• Party Games – Mario Party, Crash Bash

While diverse, action games universally test your rapid responses and ability to pull off precise moves. Surviving and excelling requires entering a focused, almost zen-like state of quick thinking mixed with muscle memory built up from experience.

Now let’s see how the Wii U hardware stacked up when it came to delivering fast, flashy action gaming.

Was the Nintendo Wii U Well-Suited for Action Games?

As Nintendo’s first ever HD console capable of displaying up to 1080p graphics, the Wii U provided sharper, more detailed visuals perfect for many action genres. However, the unique GamePad controller supplied mixed results.

The GamePad’s touchscreen and motion controls shined when applied to party gameseasy to pick up and play multiplayer romps. Family-friendly platformers also smartly leveraged these features for intuitive gameplay.

But when considering hardcore action games demanding complex combos, breakneck speed, and frame-perfect timing, the Wii U understandably favored more traditional controllers. Still, talented developers could incorporate GamePad functionality in creative ways that enhanced the action.

Now let’s get into the 7 titles that represented the Wii U’s best high-octane experiences specifically tailored to action fans.

#7. Super Mario Maker

Part traditional 2D platformer and part creative level construction kit, Super Mario Maker empowered you to envision and build custom Mario stages from the ground up. With an easy-to-grasp interface and every iconic Mario enemy, obstacle, and item at your fingertips, no two player-created levels ever played quite the same.

Of course, getting to play these wild creations sparked the real magic. By mid-2016 – less than a year after launch – over 7 million DIY courses had already been uploaded. And torturous “Kaizo” levels demanding pinpoint jumps between leaps of faith ensured Maker qualified as an intense action game.

Add in the nostalgic 8-bit graphic themes complemented by new Super Mario Bros. visuals, and Super Mario Maker deserves recognition for enabling boundless action platforming possibilities.

#6. Axiom Verge

This sci-fi Metroidvania throws you into an alien world where you control scientist Trace after he wakes from a coma. In the spirit of games like Metroid and Castlevania, progression relies on locating new weapons and tools to access previously unreachable areas. Backtracking to explore new branching paths quickly becomes addictive.

What truly sets Axiom Verge apart is its “glitch” gun capable of corrupting enemies and surroundings to produce unexpected effects both helpful and detrimental. Combining this innovation with over 60 weapons and collectible tools yields vastly unique playthroughs.

Alongside tight controls and a 15+ hour main campaign, Axiom Verge stands out for respecting retro gaming’s best aspects while modernizing them through clever glitch elements.

#5. Skylanders Swap Force

The pioneer of the modern toys-to-life category, early Skylanders games focused more on light combat and exploration over action. But Swap Force – the third main series entry – upped the intensity through faster gameplay and increased mobility options.

Core level design forced quicker thinking compared to earlier titles. New platforming mechanics let characters jump, climb, and swap top/bottom halves, adding mobility. Plus Swap Force’s collectible figurines featured dual elements, granting over 250 ability combinations!

While geared towards younger audiences, Swap Force deserves recognition for evolving the Skylanders blueprint into a faster, more action-focused experience.

#4. Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition

This vibrant Metroidvania title draws heavy inspiration from Mexican culture and wrestling flair. Framed around a luchador’s quest to rescue the daughter of El Presidente, Guacamelee constantly impresses through explosively colorful visuals. But beneath the flashy exterior lies a shockingly deep combat system.

Hundreds of grapples, throws, and combos add a satisfying fighting game layer to the exploration-based progression. Guacamelee also shines when incorporating platforming into fast-paced action sequences and giving new movement abilities that change how you navigate levels.

Few games capture a real-world art style so unapologetically – Guacamelee oozes Mexican spirit through every pore. Combined with polished melee and creative world navigation, it lands among the Wii U’s most distinct action experiences.

#3. Rayman Legends

"Rayman Legends confidently builds on that foundation to create an unforgettable platforming showpiece bursting with stunningly animated sprites, pumping musical levels, and varied themed environments."

A follow-up to the acclaimed Rayman Origins, this sequel from UbiArt framework creator Michel Ancel outclasses its already incredible predecessor. Vibrant worlds brimming with fluid animations, toe-tapping musical maps, and themes ranging from mystical forests to undead taverns propel Rayman Legends into platforming stardom.

Gameplay-wise, Legends relies on perfectly timing jumps, punches, and other actions to progress through over 120 main campaign levels and daily/weekly challenges. Smart level concepts like manipulating shadows, assisting a giant luchador, and outrunning fierce winds through a candy kingdom complement the precise platforming.

Add in a whopping 450+ collectibles to hunt down alongside local 4-player co-op, and Rayman Legends embodies 2D action-platforming at its most creative and polished.

#2. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

No best-of list covering iconic mascot fighters would be complete without Super Smash Bros. This Wii U entry impressively built upon the Nintendo 3DS version while leveraging the console‘s enhanced horsepower. Back with even punchier HD visuals and buttery smooth 60 FPS gameplay, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U perfected the series‘ formula.

Franchise favorites like Mario, Link, Kirby, and Pikachu returned to duke it out across nearly 50 maps, joined by 20+ newcomers. Eight-player Smash introduced four-against-four chaos sure to destroy friendships! Underneath the family-friendly exterior lies serious fighting game depth too thanks to mechanical innovations like perfect shielding and short hop aerial attacks.

And we can’t neglect the overflowing content count – 140+ playable fighters if counting all seven different iterations of Bowser Jr.! Stacked solo modes, obsessive collectible hunting, rich training tools, and scene-stealing cinematic Final Smashes round out an essential multiplayer action title.

#1. Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World represented Mario‘s first foray into simultaneously cooperative 3D platforming. Nintendo‘s mascot wears the new look exceptionally thanks to the developers‘ relentless creativity.

The Wii U console may not have saved Nintendo from their fiscal struggles, but it blessed fans with incredible system-exclusive titles like Super Mario 3D World. Mario‘s first foray into multiplayer 3D environments still stands as one of his strongest outings thanks to through-the-roof imagination.

Vibrant worlds brimming with secrets, crisp animations, memorable tunes, and diverse level theming spanning oceans, volcanoes, desserts, and clouds are just scratching the surface. Transforming into cats, riding unicorns, and tossing baseballs mid-air further showcase the creativity.

But developer Nintendo EAD masterfully designed 3D World to satisfy solo platforming experts and casual players just wanting to romp around with friends. Assist options like bubble shields support struggling teammates while tough bonus levels put seasoned veterans through demanding gauntlets.

In a Mario catalog stacked with genre-defining masterpieces, 3D World stands tall by translating the core formula into a four-player 3D playground bursting with new ideas.

While never achieving mainstream success, the Nintendo Wii U carried on Nintendo’s penchant for memorable gaming experiences across genres. For action fans willing to take a chance on the struggling console, these seven games delivered Oz-like worlds beyond imagination.

Each title complemented reflex-testing gameplay with bespoke visual styles, soundtracks, and innovations exclusive to the Wii U. And thanks to Nintendo’s recent Expansion Pack service, several of these games live on through Switch ports or downloadable emulation.

So while the Wii U collects dust in gaming’s attic, its life may have shone brief – but oh did it ever shine brightly thanks to enduring action classics like the seven featured above. Hardcore Nintendo fans recognize its untapped potential, but even casual players impressed by the titles above should reconsider the Wii U as an underestimated retro treat.

Just make sure to dust it off first!