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Nintendo should add a Wii collection to Nintendo Switch Online—not because every Wii game belongs in a subscription, but because the console’s best titles span inventive single-player adventures, motion-control experiments and memorable local multiplayer. A carefully chosen library could bring those experiences to newer hardware while giving subscribers a practical way to revisit games that are no longer sold through the Wii Shop Channel.
This is an argument for what Nintendo should do, not news of a confirmed plan. Nintendo says its Nintendo Classics collections will continue to grow, but it has no set schedule for additions, and its current collections do not include Wii. Here are 12 games that would make a compelling case for changing that.
Will Wii games come to Nintendo Switch Online?
There is no announced Wii collection or confirmed release plan in the Nintendo information cited here. Nintendo Support says, “There is no set schedule for new releases, but each collection will continue to grow.” That describes the existing Nintendo Classics libraries; it does not promise that Wii games are next. Nintendo’s current lineup includes NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Boy and GameCube collections. GameCube Classics is exclusive to Switch 2. Nintendo’s Nintendo Classics FAQ and its Canadian classic-games library page describe the service and its available collections.
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Access to the classic collections requires an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo says the base membership includes NES, Super NES and Game Boy; Expansion Pack adds Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Boy and GameCube, with GameCube limited to Switch 2. Check Nintendo’s page for your region for current plan details and availability. Nintendo Support also says there are no plans to make the games in Nintendo Classics available outside the Nintendo Switch Online service; that statement concerns those classic collections, not every Wii game or every future re-release.
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Can you play Wii games on Nintendo Switch?
The current Nintendo Classics catalog does not list Wii, so a Wii game should not be assumed to work on Switch through the service. Some Wii games do have separate Switch releases: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, for example, is an HD re-release of the 2010 Wii original. That is a useful reminder to check each game’s current availability before treating it as inaccessible. A Wii collection would be most valuable when it offers a convenient route to games that are not already represented by a Switch release or another Nintendo Classics edition.
Access through original Wii hardware is a separate option. Nintendo says new software purchases through the Wii Shop Channel ended on January 30, 2019. The Wii U eShop stopped accepting purchases on March 27, 2023; Nintendo’s FAQ said redownloads and updates would remain available for the foreseeable future, which is not the same as continued availability for new purchases. Those closures make a subscription library a plausible way to improve access, but they do not establish that Nintendo will create one. See Nintendo Support’s pages on the Wii Shop Channel discontinuation and Wii U and Nintendo 3DS eShop discontinuation.
Which Wii games should Nintendo bring back?
The strongest case is for a varied selection: games that show different sides of the Wii, offer distinct experiences and could still be enjoyable on newer hardware. The picks below are editorial recommendations, not a confirmed Nintendo release list. A real reissue would also need to account for control changes, any existing versions, and rights or licensing arrangements that may differ from game to game.
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1. Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy is an obvious showcase for a Wii collection because its planet-hopping stages give the series a distinctive sense of scale and movement. It would give a library a major single-player adventure rather than making the case for Wii depend only on party games. Nintendo would need to make the original control design comfortable on Switch hardware.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
A collection should not stop at the first Galaxy. The sequel offers another substantial space-faring adventure and gives returning players a reason to revisit the era beyond one marquee release. Including both would also present the pair as a deliberate library highlight, not a token sample.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Skyward Sword is a strong candidate because its swordplay is closely associated with motion controls. A Wii collection could make the original version easier to revisit, provided Nintendo offered a clear control setup for Joy-Con and a workable alternative for players who prefer standard controls. Its presence would also broaden the library beyond platformers.
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4. Metroid Prime Trilogy
Metroid Prime Trilogy would bring a first-person adventure into the mix. Its pointer-style aiming is a particular reason to want a thoughtful reissue rather than a bare listing: Nintendo would need to translate that interaction sensibly for current controllers. It could serve players looking for exploration and combat instead of motion-led party play.
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Wii Sports Resort represents the Wii’s social, pick-up-and-play side. A collection could make it easier to bring out for a group, where short activities matter as much as a long campaign. Its motion-based appeal also makes control design central: a version should explain how to play with available controllers rather than assuming every player has the same setup.
6. WarioWare: Smooth Moves
WarioWare: Smooth Moves would add a fast, unusual party game built around brief physical challenges. Its appeal comes from quickly learning what a prompt asks and watching a group react, not from mastering one conventional control scheme. That makes it a good test of whether a Wii collection can preserve unusual play styles without making them cumbersome.
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7. Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii would give the library a racing game with broad party appeal. Before adding it, Nintendo would need to make its place clear alongside any current ways to play Mario Kart on Switch. A reissue’s value would depend on what it adds for players—particularly whether its multiplayer experience and controls feel worthwhile on the newer system.
8. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
This side-scrolling Mario game would add a different kind of local multiplayer: several players sharing a level, where cooperation and accidental chaos are part of the fun. That makes it more than another solo platformer in a retro library. It would be a particularly useful inclusion for households that want something to play together without learning a complicated ruleset.
9. Donkey Kong Country Returns
The original Wii release of Donkey Kong Country Returns is a natural fit for the discussion because an HD version already exists as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. A Wii collection could still serve players who want the original edition, but it should not be presented as the only way to play the game on Switch. Tom’s Guide describes the Switch release as an HD re-release of the 2010 Wii original.
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10. Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Kirby’s Epic Yarn would give the selection a gentler, visually distinctive platform adventure. Its inclusion would help a Wii library appeal beyond fans of difficulty, competition or motion-based play. That variety matters: a useful classics collection should represent the console’s range rather than assume every subscriber wants the same kind of challenge.
11. Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!! would contribute a focused action game built around reading opponents and timing attacks. Its compact bouts offer a different rhythm from exploration-heavy adventures and sprawling platformers. A modern release would still need to make its controls feel precise, but it would give the collection a strong game to play in short sessions.
12. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
Sin and Punishment: Star Successor would give the list a more specialized action pick, balancing the obvious Nintendo mascots with a game that could reward players seeking something less familiar. Its inclusion would make the proposed library feel like a selection from the Wii catalog rather than simply a list of the console’s best-known franchises.
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Putting old games in a library is not enough. A useful Wii collection would need to make its games playable and easy to understand on current hardware, while offering a meaningful reason to access them through the service.
- Controls suited to the game: Motion, pointer and standard inputs should be explained clearly, with alternatives where practical. A game’s defining control idea should not become a barrier just because the original Wii Remote is absent.
- A balanced selection: Include solo adventures, short-session action, platformers, racing and local multiplayer. A dozen picks should show why the Wii catalog is varied.
- Clear distinction from existing releases: Identify when a Switch version or another Nintendo Classics edition already provides a route to play. An original Wii edition can still have value, but its case should be explicit.
- Honest availability: Some games may involve third-party rights or other licensing arrangements. Nintendo would need to determine what it can release; a proposed list is not evidence that each title is equally simple to bring back.
- A worthwhile access model: Nintendo Classics games require an active membership, and the available collections depend on the membership tier. A Wii collection should add enough value to justify being part of that service rather than relying on nostalgia alone.
Why Nintendo should consider the idea
The Wii’s strongest games are not all valuable for the same reason. Some are ambitious adventures, some are built around unusual controls, and others are at their best when several people play together. A selective library could make that range easier to experience on newer hardware, especially for titles without a current Switch version. The case is strongest when Nintendo pairs thoughtful control options with a balanced selection and is transparent about which games are actually available.
For now, Nintendo has said its classic collections will grow but has not announced a Wii collection or a schedule for future additions. The 12 games here are recommendations, not promises. Anyone who wants to play Wii software today can look to original Wii hardware and physical discs, while checking the condition and completeness of used equipment and games. That is a way to play on a Wii, not access through Nintendo Switch Online.
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