The Wii is dominated by game titles like Super Mario and Zelda, but you can find dozens of entertaining games without the typical Nintendo mascots involved in them. The following four games are great family games that you can play as a whole or that children can easily grasp on their own. They use the Wii control elements well and provide a lot of replay value.
LEGO: Batman
The LEGO series of games has a lot of focus on Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and Star Wars, often leaving the Batman entry in the series out of the loop. LEGO: Batman is one of the best titles in the series because it does not follow the predictable movie plot and gives children an original story told through LEGO characters.
The Batman universe is well covered with iconic villains like The Joker and the Riddler along with lesser-known characters like Nightwing, Clayface and Bane. The controls are easy to grasp and solving multiple puzzles helps children work together in the two-player mode.
Klonoa
A mix of 3D and side-scrolling action, Klonoa is a non-violent game with Kirby and Mario appeal mixed in. The story of Klonoa is fun to follow as players must travel through exotic worlds in a quest to save the kingdom.
The side-scrolling makes it easy for children to get through levels and there are enough challenges for adults in the game too. The graphics are detailed for the Wii and music provides a relaxing time through multiple levels.
Wheel of Fortune
Using your Mii characters, the Wheel of Fortune Wii game is almost an exact duplication of the show. Spin the wheel, guess letters and solve puzzles. The nice parts of the game include the choice of difficulty, ease of game and multiple themes to choose from.
Between rounds there are three different mini-games that mix-up the traditional rules. Winning those games opens up extras like clothes and logos to dress your Mii up in. The game supports up to three players and is a great tool for English, spelling and critical thinking.
Frogger Returns
The Wii Ware title Frogger Returns is an updated variation of the arcade classic. Parents will recognize the traditional Frogger layout as players hop across crowded streets and logs. Power-us change the direction of traffic, freeze traffic or offer invincibility.
The game has multi-players modes that offer different styles of play and extended levels. The challenge is there for both parents and children as getting the frog across the road is still as frustrating as ever.