Have you ever owned a Wii U? If not, you missed out on some spectacular RPGs that rival the best games on PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
While the Wii U didn‘t sell well, it‘s home to RPG gems with gorgeous worlds begging to be explored, epic stories with impactful choices, deep progression for your heroes and strategic combat systems with seemingly endless gameplay variety.
In this guide, we‘ll countdown the absolute best Wii U RPG experiences ever created to add to your backlog – you don‘t need the actual console to play thanks to backwards compatibility on Nintendo Switch!
What Makes An RPG Epic?
First, let‘s recap key elements that set legendary RPGs apart:
- Freedom of choice – Answer dialog skillchecks to unlock new outcomes instead of a single fixed storyline. Decide quest rewards, relationship developments and even endings by your actions.
- Meaningful progression – As you level up across 100+ hours, unlock new abilities that open previously unreachable areas. Tailor gear, talents and stats to deliberately strengthen different playstyles.
- Strategic combat – Battles require positioning, resource management and understanding enemy attack patterns to prevail. Different classes and party combinations lead to emergent gameplay depth.
- Beauty realized – Gorgeous living worlds, stylized art and stirring soundtracks immerse you completely in fantasy realms where danger and wonder lurk around each corner.
The Wii U RPG library delivers all of these in spades. Let‘s see why these 7 stood above the rest.
Remember The Wii U?
The Wii U launched in 2012 as a follow up to Nintendo‘s hit original Wii console. It was their first HD system competing with PlayStation and Xbox.
While it sold only 13 million lifetime units globally, the Wii U housed brilliant gems that went underplayed. RPG fans especially missed out on masterpieces that rival the quality of games on more powerful platforms.
Let‘s rediscover 7 RPG essentials before the Wii U eShop closes forever.
#7. Paper Mario: Color Splash
Genre: Adventure / RPG
Metacritic: 76%
Release Date: October 2016
Price: $59.99
| Story | Mario must restore color to Prism Island by splashing paint-infused attacks on enemies |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Developer | Intelligent Systems |
| Players | Single Player |
Why It‘s One Of The Best:
- 30+ hour campaign with silly writing stays charming throughout
- Strategic turn-based battles require managing paint resources carefully
- Massive overworld stuffed with puzzles, challenges and side quests offering tons of replay value for completionists
- Accessible progression and family friendly aesthetic without sacrificing mechanical depth
Recommended for: Nintendo fans young and old craving an uplifting, humorous adventure. The right balance of depth without punishing difficulty.
#6. Ittle Dew
Genre: Action-Adventure, RPG
Metacritic: 74%
Release Date: November 2016
Price: $9.99
| Story | A lazy adventurer and fox friend accidentally get locked in a strange island prison filled with puzzles |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Ludosity |
| Developer | Ludosity |
| Players | Single Player |
Why It‘s One Of The Best:
- Surprising amount of gameplay variety from puzzles, platforming, exploration and turn-based combat
- Typical top-down Zelda-esque appearance but advanced RPG mechanics under the hood
- 4 distinct character classes plus deep crafting systems to customize your equipment
- Excellent value at under $10 with 20+ hours of gameplay for 100% completion
Recommended for: Fans of classic action-adventure games with a personality, Ittle Dew injects enough RPG goodness to stay fresh and charming start to finish.
