4 Best Golf Games On Nintendo Wii In 2023
Despite Sony and Microsoft trying to dethrone the Wii’s stranglehold on the motion control market, it remains the go-to console for motion control even after a decade after its release.
Due to the Nintendo Wii’s popularity with casual gaming audiences, its motion controls, and later the Wii MotionPlus, the console became a favorite for golf developers. So what are the best golf games on Nintendo Wii?
Here are the four best golf games on the Nintendo Wii:
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12
- Wii Sports Resort
- We Love Golf!
- Super Swing Golf
While some may argue the best golf games should be reserved for simulation, many would agree that one of the best parts of the Wii was its family-friendly approach to gaming and its unique games made about golf. Let’s explore the best golf games on the Nintendo Wii now:
The Best Golf Games on Nintendo Wii
1. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 Review
Before we explore some of the more zany and colorful golf games that found themselves on the Nintendo Wii, it would be amiss not to mention the success of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 as an accurate golf simulator on the console.
The main selling point for this entry in the long-standing Tiger Woods series of games was the Masters’ tournament, whereby players were built around progressing your custom character through golf’s most prestigious tournament.
The career mode assigns you as the player with creating your own custom character rising through amateur tournaments, passing Q School to get your pro license, and competing in pro tournaments for that elusive invitation to the Masters.
Along the way, your character will tee off from painstakingly recreated real-world courses from across the globe and improve their stats against licensed professional golfers across a host of other licensed tournaments.
A further addition to the career in celebration of The Masters is “Masters Moments.”
These are nine challenges that require you as a player to recreate some of the biggest real-world moments in the history of The Masters with player avatars of the real pro golfers who achieved them (including recreations of Tiger Woods’ four Masters Tournament wins).
In terms of gameplay, the game supports the inclusion of the Wii Remote Plus, having built on from its initial introduction in Tiger Woods 10. Consequently, this allows for some of the most accurate motion control swings in a virtual golf game.
Further to the above, the game also includes support for the Wii Fit Balance Board, allowing the game to read hip movements when winding up and executing a swing for even more precise accuracy!
While this level of accuracy may be daunting for some players, whereby you can implement the removal of the Wii Remote Plus and Balance Board along with reduced difficulty settings to compensate for casual players, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 remains the best golf simulation game on the Nintendo Wii.
2. Wii Sports Resort Review
The Nintendo Wii launched with Wii Sports bundled as a game with the console. In doing so, the Wii and Wii Sports became some of the highest selling consoles and games respectfully of all time.
This genius move on the part of Nintendo was to ensure that the primary feature of the Wii, family-friendly motion control gameplay, was front and center during its launch, with the golf game on Wii Sports quickly becoming a fan favorite.
Similarly, Wii Sports Resort was a sequel to Wii Sports, which came bundled with the Wii Remote Plus. The inclusion of the Wii Remote Plus was to show the strides Nintendo had taken with motion control in terms of accuracy.
Subsequently, while many may argue that golf on the original Wii Sports remains the more beloved golf game, there is no denying that the improved accuracy achieved with the Wii Remote Plus adds a further improvement to an already winning formula via Wii Sports Resort’s golf game.
Furthermore, as a collection of games, Wii Sports Resort comes bundled with Frisbee Golf for a non-traditional and more casual version of golf that will be fun for the whole family.
3. We Love Golf! Review
From the developers behind the smash Nintendo 64 hit Mario Golf, Camelot Software returned for the next generation of Nintendo consoles with their own intellectual property: We Love Golf!
Like Mario Golf, Camelot Software looked to create a game that focuses on fun, colorful textures and simplified gameplay that appeals to a more casual audience rather than attempting an accurate golf simulator.
The product’s combination of these features finds itself on my list of the best golf games on the Nintendo Wii.
To make the game, the developers used the standard three-click swing typically associated with non-motion control golf games and implemented them using the Nintendo Wii remote for a hybrid between a rhythm game and swing input.
While this does take some time to get used to, it eventually leads to more consistent shots than most other games on the system while also hiding a surprising amount of strategy behind its cartoon aesthetics for those willing to dig deeper.
Furthermore, while many Nintendo games and consoles have struggled to achieve online play on the level of Sony and Microsoft, We Love Golf’s online play is some of the most accessible the system has to offer across its vast game library.
4. Super Swing Golf Review
Super Swing Golf is similar to We Love Golf! This game also has cartoonish visuals and casual gameplay, but it has an increased emphasis on wacky visuals and a slightly more serious take on imitating accurate golf swings.
The most interesting mechanic of Super Swing Golf is (as the name implies) the importance of your backswing in determining the distance your ball will travel, provided your follow-through is of a complimentary speed and angle.
Super Swing Golf prides itself on replay value and getting players lost in its bizarre world with multiple characters to customize, a myriad of courses to explore, and various multiplayer modes. This game certainly earns its place as one of the best golf games for the Wii.
Final Thoughts
Although the above list is my personal preference and a celebration of the casual and serious genres that Wii golf games can be packaged in, it is ultimately up to you to explore these games yourself to see if they appeal to your gaming preferences.
Only you can then decide if you agree with my top choices of the Nintendo Wii’s best golf games!
And if you’re a Nintendo fan and want to know the best golf games on Nintendo Switch, check out this article, 4 Best Golf Games on Nintendo Switch.
