The Best Nintendo Wii Games Under $12

I’ve been getting a lot of requests to update my cheap Wii games list, and it was very much out of date, so here’s the complete revision.Since Wii games are becoming more affordable, but not dirt cheap yet, I figured the $12 price point word be a good place to cover this, so I’ll list the top picks under that mark (Prices listed are an average eBay price and lowest Amazon.com prices for US games, including shipping.)

Since retail Wii games aren’t the only thing you can play on your Wii, I’m also including some of the most critically acclaimed WiiWare titles so far and my picks for the best cheap Gamecube games that would complement a solid Wii library. I’m not including any Virtual Console games just yet. I’ll probably have another feature targeted towards retro games later on.
Check out the other Cheapest Games Worth Your Time articles

Best Retail Wii Games Under $12

	Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: $10 Corruption is the first big Nintendo-published titles to get under the $10 mark. Needless to say, if you want a blockbuster action title that actually has a good use of the motion controlls and is also a Wii exclusive, you can’t go wrong with Metroid Prime 3. Shop for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on eBay Shop for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on Amazon.com
	No More Heroes: $8 This quirky free-roaming action title might not be for everyone, but it has become one of the biggest cult classics on the Wii and also has spawned a sequel. If you want a unique adventure full of humor, flashy style, and solid gameplay, you should track this affordable gem down. Shop for No More Heroes on eBay Shop for No More Heroes on Amazon.com
	Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure: $10 Everyone that I talk to seems to have high praise for Zack & Wiki. It’s a cool and original puzzle-filled adventure that will work your brain while you’re having fun. The game’s relatively low-profile release has kept the prices down, but it may end up being those hidden gems that increase in value in a few years. (I’m surprised it hasn’t risen more already) Shop for Zack & Wiki on eBay Shop for Zack & Wiki on Amazon.com
	Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition: $9 You could save a few extra dollars by picking up the Gamecube version of this 2005 blockbuster title, but you can still get this affordable Wii edition to have Wii-mote controller shooting and movement. (Heavily recommended by everyone I’ve spoke to) Regardless of which version you chose, you should be more than happy with this action-packed thrill-fest. Shop for Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition on eBay Shop for Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition on Amazon.com
	Boom Blox: $12 This imaginative puzzle game not only makes excellent use of the Wii’s motion controlls, but is also wonderful for parties. Due to the loyal fans of this game and all the buzz around it, Boom Blox was rather pricey on the aftermarket for the longest time. Now that the sequel has circulated, the original is much more afforadble. Shop for Boom Blox on eBay Shop for Boom Blox on Amazon.com
	A Boy And His Blob: $10 This remake of an NES classic retains much of its orignal charm, including its 2D graphics, puzzle solving and plarforming core, and warm personaility. In addition, the gameplay mechanics were streamlined to make the game more welcoming to a wide audience. A Boy and His Blob is a true gem. Shop for A Boy And His Blob on eBay Shop for A Boy And His Blob on Amazon.com
	Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection: $12 It is hard not to love a good pinball game. Unfortunately, with the decline of arcades and more pinball machines falling into disrepair, it is getting harder to find a conveninent pinball machine in your neighborhood. Fortunately, there are some wonderful pinball simulators for consoles now, and one of the best compilations is afforable and on the Wii. Shop for Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection on eBay Shop for Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection on Amazon.com
	House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return: $11 The Wii is actually a wonderful platform for light-gun style games — especially when paired with an inexpensive gun accessory like the Nyko Perfect Shot (I own two of them). And once you have a nice gun setup, the perfect budget-priced companion is HotD 2 & 3. They are great shooters and can be found just about anywhere for next to nothing. Shop for House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return on eBay Shop for House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return on Amazon.com
	De Blob: $8 This quirky and colorful action platformer is full of fun personality and flew under the radar of most Wii owners. The sequel was just released in Feburary, so the price for this installment may possibly cool down (or we could see a bit of extra interest in the aftermarket with ads for the sequel showing up everywhere). Shop for De Blob on eBay Shop for De Blob on Amazon.com
	MadWorld: $7 This extra-bloody beateump sandbox title (along with House of the Dead Overkill) marked Sega’s recent attempt to get back into taking risks with games that appeal to the hardcore gaming crowd. It has a simplied but engaging art style and many have compared the gameplay style to that of producer Atsushi Inaba’s previous game, God Hand. Critical reviews of MadWorld praised the game, so if you don’t mind some heavy violence in your Wii library, you might want to look into MadWorld. Shop for MadWorld on eBay Shop for MadWorld on Amazon.com
	Metal Slug Anthology: $9 If you enjoy 2D side-scrolling shooters, the Metal Slug series should be an essential part of you collection. It also just so happens that most of the Metal Slug library is availible on one convenient Wii disc and availible for under $10. Shop for Metal Slug Anthology on eBay Shop for Metal Slug Anthology on Amazon.com
	Guilty Gear XX Accent Core: $11 Believe it or not, the Wii is actually a pretty decent platform for 2D fighters. Of course, there aren’t a lot of exclusives, but there are some solid titles, and Guilty Gear is one of the best values of the bunch. Shop for Guilty Gear XX Accent Core on eBay Shop for Guilty Gear XX Accent Core on Amazon.com
	Klonoa: $10 This beautiful sidescrolling 2.5D platformer is a remake of the Playstation title, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. The Wii release features moderized graphics and some extra features. Shop for Klonoa on eBay Shop for Klonoa on Amazon.com
	Geometry Wars: Galaxies: $8 This is another old-school game that showed up on XBLA first, but has had a full retail release on the Wii. Of course, the developers added some extra goodness to the addictive shooter so it is worth the few extra dollars (plus you can also re-sell it, if needed). And luckily, Galaxies gives you the option of using a Classic Controller instead of the Wii-mote in case you don’t enjoy wrist cramps. Shop for Geometry Wars Galaxies on eBay Shop for Geometry Wars Galaxies on Amazon.com
	Wario Land: Shake It!: $12 While Mario always gets the spotlight, I always have thought most of the Wario Land games don’t get quite enough attention. I find their added quirks and personality so appealing and I was very happy to see Nintendo stuck with a 2D perspective with their Wii Wario Land installment. Shop for Wario Land: Shake It! on eBay Shop for Wario Land: Shake It! on Amazon.com

Cheap Gamecube Must-Haves For Your Wii

If you’re a Wii owner, you really shouldn’t overlook the quality titles that are in the Gamecube’s library. There are so many solid games that still outshine many Wii titles. However, many of them have been out for a while, so you can scoop them up for next to nothing. I’ve limited this section quite a bit, but if you want a more detailed guide, check out the Cheapest Gamecube Games Worth Your Time.

	Metroid Prime: $7 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: $12 The first two games in the series may not have the Wii-mote capabilities of the third installment, but if you haven’t played these yet, scoop them up while you wait for part three to come down in price Shop for Metroid Prime Series on eBay Shop for Metroid Prime Series on Amazon.com
	F-Zero GX: $9 I’m really looking forward to seeing a new F-Zero game on the Wii, but until then, I’m still quite content with the fabulous racer that was a team project between the arcade geniuses at Sega and the fine folks at Nintendo. I do believe it holds the place of my favorite racer of all-time due to it’s insanely high speeds and the addicting nature of trying to hit all the boosts and turns in a given track. Shop for F-Zero GX on eBay Shop for F-Zero GX on Amazon.com
	Star Fox Adventures: $8 I was hoping that Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker would still be on this list, but the value has almost doubled in recent years. So, I’m moving Star Fox Adventures into its place. While most Star Fox fans were disappointed in this release as it transitioned to the action adventure format, it may actually appeal to those that enjoy Zelda-esqe gameplay. Shop for Star Fox Adventures on eBay Shop for Star Fox Adventures on Amazon.com

More Cheap Retro-Friendly Titles

	Muramasa: The Demon Blade: $12 This beautiful gem from Vanillaware (the team that brought us Princess Crown, Odin Sphere and GrimGrimoire) shows off some of the most beautiful high-res 2D, hand-drawn sprites availible on consoles today. Muramasa is ninja action title that has strong RPG elements. It is possibly Vanillaware’s most well-rounded titles to date — not just depending on it’s beautfiul artwork to succeed. Shop for Muramasa: The Demon Blade on eBay Shop for Muramasa: The Demon Blade on Amazon.com
	Ultimate Shooting Collection: $10 Sega Dreamcast fans may recognize the contents of the 2D shmup collection from the team at Milestone: Karous, Radio Allergy, and Chaos Field. While the title “Utimate” might be a bit overkill, they are all pretty solid shooters and for $10 (or even $20), you really can’t go wrong if you enjoy the genre (especially when you consider how much Dreamcast fans paid for these games years ago) Shop for Ultimate Shooting Collection on eBay Shop for Ultimate Shooting Collection on Amazon.com
	Mercury Meltdown Revolution: $8 While not especially retro, Mercury Meltdown should appeal to fans of old-school puzzle games while giving a rather unique spin on the genre. Also, for a puzzle game, it makes surprisingly good use of the Wii’s motion controlls. Shop for Mercury Meltdown Revolution on Bay Shop for Mercury Meltdown Revolution on Amazon.com
	Castle of Shikigami III: $8 Another bargain for shmup fans, Castle of Shikigami III continues a popular shooter series that began on the Dreamcast and PS2. Shop for Castle of Shikigami III on Bay Shop for Castle of Shikigami III on Amazon.com
	Ghost Squad: $8 While not quite as good as the House of the Dead series, Ghost Squad is another entertaining light-gun style shooter from Sega that is in the vien of Virtua Cop and Confidential Mission. Shop for Ghost Squad on eBay Shop for Ghost Squad on Amazon.com
	SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 – $12 While the Metal Slug Anthology is a wonderful way to get some great Neo-Geo games on the cheap, the SNK Arcade Classics compliation will give you a bit more variety for not much more money. This pack includes Art of Fighting, Baseball Stars 2, Fatal Fury, King of the Monsters, Last Resort, Magician Lord, Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, Sengoku, Shock Troopers, The King of Fighters ’94, and a handful of others. Shop for SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 on eBay Shop for SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 on Amazon.com
	Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy: $6 This one might be a bit less retro than the rest of this list, but I wanted to feature Blast Works as it is dirt cheap and is it a unique shooting game (better known as TUMIKI Fighters on the PC) from an indie developer. However, unlike the original PC game, the Wii version has a good editor and online sharing capabilities that really add extra depth to the game. Other great games from the developer, Kenta Cho, are available as unlockables as well. Shop for Blast Works on eBay Shop for Blast Works on Amazon.com
	Octomania: $6 This puzzle game didn’t fare well with most critics, but if you are an old-school fan that doesn’t need modern presetation, this little gem should be right up your alley. Shop for Octomania on eBay Shop for Octomania on Amazon.com
	Ocean Commander $7 Originating as a budget PC title, this shmup got ported over to both the PS2 and the Wii. It isn’t especially challenging, but this twin-stick, underwater-themed shooter has some redeeming characteristics and it’s a decent way to flesh out a retro-lover’s Wii library on the cheap. Shop for Ocean Commander on eBay Shop for Ocean Commander on Amazon.com

The Best WiiWare Under $12

Wiiware is a quick and easy way of scoring some excellent games on the cheap. I’m going to list the best ones under 1200 Nintendo Points (or under $12). Unfortunately, one of the most acclaimed Wiiware games, World of Goo, comes in at 1500 points, so it doesn’t make the list.

	Cave Story: $12 This long-time freeware, and very popular PC title has finally made it to consoles. Of course, Cave Story is no longer free on the Wii, but its depth and polish still rivals the modern installments of games that inspired its creation such as Metroid and Castlevania.
	Bomberman Blast: $10 It seems that Bomberman has appeared on pretty much every major console and handheld and the Wii shouldn’t be any different. Bomberman is a wonderful franchise that is always good for either a single-player action/strategy outing or a massively-fun multiplayer experience. If you like the franchise, $10 isn’t much to lose and if you’ve never played a Bomberman game, you need to fix that problem.
	Tetris Party: $12 Tetris is another one of those classic franchises you just can’t get enough of. Tetris Party is a fresh installement from Hudson Soft that has loads of interesting game modes — including one that supports the Wii Balance Board. So if you love Tetris, but would like to try some creative, new spins on the series, Tetris Party is a great value.
	Mega Man 9 & 10: $10 Mega Man made an epic return to his 8-bit roots with part 9 and 10. Fashioned in his NES style, these two beauties will make you warm and fuzzy in nostolgia, but are not without their substance. These games will challenge you and will hold up quite well against their vintage counterparts.
	LostWinds & Lost Winds Winter of the Melodias: $10 This drop-dead gorgeous platforning adventure game uses 3D graphics with a 2D perspective, but also throws in an innovative control scheme (with the Wii-mote, of course) that makes you re-learn what you know about platformers. From what I’ve played so far, it’s kinda slow-paced and will require you to do some puzzle-solving, but nearly every review of the game has been positive.
	Dr. Mario Online Rx: $10 Some gamers I know swear by this classic puzzle game. It’s not my personal favorite, but it’s a worthy download for fans of the genre. (However, I’d still recommend getting Puyo Pop Fever for the Gamecube instead — see down below)
	Toki Tori: $10 If you enjoy a mix of platforming and puzzle-solving, Toki Tori should be right up your alley. It’s a remake of a little known gem on the Gameboy Color that is filled with 70 mind-bending levels and a colorful and cheery presentation.