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The Best Mature Video Games for Wii
© Luke Arnott 2010–2011 Nintendo's Wii console has a reputation for featuring family-friendly video games, as well as titles that appeal to non-conventional gamers (such as Wii Fit Plus). Nevertheless, some games for the Wii appeal to hardcore gamers and earn a Mature rating. The best M-rated games, such as The Godfather: Blackhand Edition, House of the Dead: Overkill, Madworld, and No More Heroes 2 use the Wii's motion controls creatively to give players a unique experience. Mature Video Games Based on Mob Movies The Godfather: The Game was originally released for Xbox and Playstation 2 by Electronic Arts in 2006, but was ported to the Wii the following year. Like Scarface: The World Is Yours (also later released for Wii), The Godfather: Blackhand Edition adapted the events and settings of the classic Mafia film into video game form. The Wii version of The Godfather is unique, however, thanks to its exclusive "Blackhand" controls. Players use the Wii remote to mimic a variety of violent acts, including grabbing and throwing enemies, swinging blunt objects, and using a garotte. This "hands-on" approach upped the ante for mature video games, setting it apart from other Grand Theft Auto imitators. House of the Dead: Overkill Sets an M-Rated Record Sega's House of the Dead shooter series has been an arcade hit since the 1990s. The light-gun-style gameplay of House of the Dead: Overkill (2009) was a natural fit for the Wii's motion controls, and Overkill refined the interface of earlier horror shooters like Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. In Overkill, House of the Dead's protagonist, Agent G, teams up with a local cop when a crime lord uses a secret formula to mutate an entire town. This M-rated video game naturally features copious blood and gore while blasting waves of mutant zombies. But it has also won over fans with its Grindhouse aesthetic, over-the-top cursing and sexual humor – along with a brilliant in-game soundtrack. No less than Guinness World Records acknowledged that House of the Dead: Overkill was the most profane video game in history, with 189 instances of the F-word used (about one per minute of gameplay). Madworld and No More Heroes 2 Among the Most Violent M-Rated Wii Games However, gamers may find that Madworld, another 2009 Sega entry and Wii exclusive, is the most entertainingly violent video game for the system. Inspired by the look of Frank Miller's Sin City, Madworld casts players as a mysterious, chainsaw-wielding tough-guy called Jack Cayman. Cayman has infiltrated the futuristic "Death Watch" game show, in which players are rewarded points for dispatching their enemies in the bloodiest way. While using the Wii remote to commit random acts of mayhem, players can also listen to gleefully obscene, mock-sports commentary voiced by Greg Proops (Whose Line is It, Anyway?) and John DiMaggio (Futurama). Similarly, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle features the return of otaku hero Travis Touchdown to the Wii. Travis battles a series of contenders in over-the-top deathmatches to regain his title as the top-ranked assassin in Santa Destroy. In between boss battles, players can guide Travis through retro mini-games and side missions with plenty of M-rated innuendo. In a market with no shortage of M-rated video games, The Godfather: Blackhand Edition, House of the Dead: Overkill, Madworld, and No More Heroes 2 stand out. Not only are they among the few great mature video games for Nintendo's Wii console, they are innovative in their own right. |