Best Casual Games on the Wii

Casual Games are one of the things the Nintendo Wii is genuinely for. The ones worth playing start with Kirby's Epic Yarn, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Wii Sports.

The Wii and Casual Games

A console that got into more houses than any other by not competing on power. Half its library is aimed at people who had never held a controller; the other half is some of Nintendo's best work.

This is one of its strengths. Family and party games without equal, plus a strong first-party run — Galaxy, Twilight Princess, Xenoblade — and a small set of stylish third-party action games that could only exist here.

Filtering to casual means you want something you can put down. That is the whole definition, and it says nothing about how deep the game is.

The Casual Games Worth Playing

  1. 1. Kirby's Epic Yarn

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  2. 2. Super Smash Bros Brawl

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  3. 3. Wii Sports

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  4. 4. Wii Sports Resort

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  5. 5. Wii Fit

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  6. 6. Mario Party 8

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

  7. 7. Wii Play

    Follow the link for hand-written recommendations if you want more like it.

What Makes a Good Casual Game

A game that fits around a life. Short sessions, save anywhere, no penalty for a week away.

Momentum, sometimes. A game designed to be left is also a game that is easy to forget you were playing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best casual game on the Wii?

Kirby's Epic Yarn is the usual first answer, and there are 7 in the library we cover.

Was the Wii good at casual games?

Yes — it is one of the things the machine is known for, and there are 7 in the library we cover.

Does casual mean shallow?

No. Several of the deepest games there are — Tetris, Balatro, Into the Breach — are playable in twenty-minute pieces, and some of the shallowest demand an entire evening.

Are mobile games casual games?

Often the opposite. Many are built around daily timers and streaks, which means stopping does cost you — the one thing a casual game is not supposed to do.

How is this list put together?

From the games this site covers on the Nintendo Wii, matched against hand-mapped gameplay categories rather than a storefront's genre tag. A page only exists where there are at least four, which is why some console and genre combinations have no page at all.

Casual Games on Other Consoles

More From the Wii

Or browse the whole Nintendo Wii library.