The Nintendo Wii may not be the first console that comes to mind when you think of horror games, but it actually had its fair share of spooky and unsettling titles. From survival horror to rail shooters to psychological horror, there's something for every horror fan to enjoy. In no particular order, here's a list of all of the horror games available for the Nintendo Wii.
Calling
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Calling is a horror game by Hudson that takes place in a mysterious realm called the "Mnemonic Abyss." You play as various characters who have been trapped in this creepy parallel dimension through an online chatroom, where they must solve puzzles, fight ghosts, and uncover the truth behind their confinement. This first person point-and-click-esque horror game takes great advantage of the Wii's hardware, featuring a very cool and immersive gameplay mechanic that turns your Wii Remote into a cell phone. The game will even send e-mails to your Wii as you progress. Really cool stuff! With a very spooky atmosphere and a compelling narrative, fans of J-Horror will find a lot to like in Calling. Highly recommended!
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is a reimagining of the original Silent Hill game, featuring updated graphics, a new storyline, and unique gameplay mechanics. You play as Harry Mason, who is searching for his missing daughter in the eerie town of Silent Hill, armed with only a flashlight that you control with the Wii Remote. The game has some great psychological horror elements, with the player's choices affecting the outcome of the story. A truly terrifying classic, this is one of the best horror games available for the Wii.
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is a survival horror game that's not just one of the best games in the long-running Resident Evil franchise, but one of the best games of all time. You play as Leon S. Kennedy, on a mission to rescue the President's daughter from a mysterious cult in Europe. The game revolutionized the series and the entire gaming industry as a whole by shifting to an over-the-shoulder third person perspective, providing a more action-oriented gameplay style than previous games in the series. Capcom went above and beyond with this Wii port which is still to this day the best way to play Resident Evil 4 - combining the improved accuracy of the Wii remote for aiming, the extra content from the PlayStation 2 port, and the superior graphics of the GameCube original. A must-have for every Wii collection.
Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 0 is a port of the original Resident Evil prequel game that was first released for the Nintendo GameCube. The game follows the story of Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen, who are investigating a series of murders in the Arklay Mountains. With some still amazing-looking graphics and a new control scheme that takes advantage of the Wii Remote, this is a great horror title for the Wii that you'll want in your collection.
Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil
Capcom also brought us Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil, which is a complete remake of the original 1996 Resident Evil PlayStation game that originally appeared on the GameCube and was ported to the Nintendo Wii. You play as either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield as they investigate a series of bizarre murders in the Spencer Mansion, which just so happens to be full of zombies. Featuring jaw-dropping updated graphics, all new areas and zombies, and the classic survival horror that made the series such a hit, this is one that you won't want to miss.
Onechanbara
Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers is a hack-and-slash game that follows a group of scantily-clad female warriors who are fighting against hordes of zombies. The game features over-the-top action, a quirky storyline, lots of blood and gore, and hot babes in bikinis. With jiggle physics.... What more could you ask for from a game?
Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop
Capcom ported their hugely popular Xbox 360 game Dead Rising to the Nintendo Wii and made it even better with Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop. The game follows photojournalist Frank West as he attempts to survive a zombie apocalypse in a shopping mall and uncover the truth behind what the hell is going on. The Wii version is a from-the-ground-up remake based on the Resident Evil 4 engine for the Wii and features new weapons, new enemies, and a new control scheme that takes great advantage of the Wii Remote. Mowing down hordes of zombies in a mall a la Dawn of the Dead has never been so fun!
Ju-on: The Grudge
Ju-on: The Grudge is a horror game based on the popular Japanese horror movie series of the same name. You play as various characters who are investigating a cursed house, where the spirits of those who have died in a fit of rage continue to haunt the living. This "haunted house simulator" features a creepy atmosphere, jump scares, and puzzle-solving. While some may be turned off by the game's slow pace, J-horror aficionados should be able to appreciate this interesting horror title.
Obscure: The Aftermath
Obscure: The Aftermath is a survival horror game that takes place in a high school that has been overrun by monsters. You play as a group of students, each with their own unique abilities, who are trying to escape the school and uncover the truth behind the outbreak. The game also features a unique co-op mode, where two players can work together to solve puzzles and fight off monsters. With strong 90's teen horror movie vibe, this is definitely one that you're going to want in your collection!
Cursed Mountain
Cursed Mountain is a survival horror game that takes place in the icy mountaintops of the Himalayas. You play as a mountaineer who is searching for his lost brother, who was last seen on a cursed mountain. This third-person horror adventure game features a spooky atmosphere, with ghosts and supernatural phenomena lurking around every corner, and a unique control scheme developed around the Wii Remote. A somewhat flawed but engaging horror experience, and one that was and still is exclusive to the Wii.
Escape From Bug Island
Escape From Bug Island is a cheesy B-movie-inspired survival horror game that follows three characters who are stranded on an island infested with giant insects. While this isn't what I'd consider to be an especially good game, fans of B-grade horror game classics like Illbleed and Overblood are sure to find a lot to like here as Escape From Bug Island has a very similar vibe. It's a Wii exclusive as well!
House of the Dead Overkill
House of the Dead: Overkill is an all-new entry to the legendary rail shooter series House of the Dead. Made by the kings of the genre Sega, the game follows two agents, Isaac Washington and the OG Agent G as they investigate a series of brutal murders. Overkill features a grindhouse-style presentation that was definitely infulenced by the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez film by the same name, with its over-the-top violence and sexual innuendos. As per usual with the series, there's also an awesome couch co-op mode allows two players to shoot up hordes of zombies together.
House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return
House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return is a compilation of two classic Sega arcade rail shooters - House of the Dead 2 and its sequel House of the Dead 3. With the Wii remote replacing the antiquated lightguns, this collection provides a much more accessible way to experience these two classic titles, and blast zombies on your couch with a buddy. Sega still does what Nintendon't!
Dead Space: Extraction
Dead Space: Extraction is a story-heavy rail shooter that takes place in the Dead Space universe. You play as a group of survivors who are trying to escape from a mining colony that has been overrun by Necromorphs, horrific creatures that have been reanimated by a mysterious alien artifact. The game plays similarly to the House of the Dead games, but with a bit more depth and a much more story-driven approach. With an excellent narrative complete with actually good voice acting, Dead Space: Extraction is a must play for any horror fan with a Wii.
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a rail shooter that revisits the events of Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Featuring great graphics, new enemy types, a high-tense atmosphere, and a co-op mode that allows two players to play through the game together, The Umbrella Chronicles is a rail shooter that actually manages to be scary - a must-play for every fan of Resident Evil.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is yet another rail shooter by Capcom, this time focusing on the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica chapters of the series. Everything that was said about The Umbrella Chronicles applies here as well, as this sequel is more of the same (and that's a good thing). Another fantastic horror rail shooter on the Wii.
Alone In The Dark
Atari rebooted the Alone in the Dark series yet again with this title that also appeared on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and PC. Alone in the Dark is a survival horror game where you yet again play as paranormal investigator Edward Carnby as he investigates supernatural occurrences in New York City. Terrible story and voice acting await you in this unintentionally campy re-imaging of the classic horror franchise. It's a janky port of an already pretty jank game, but it's still worth checking out if you're at all a fan of horror games and also happen to own a Wii.
Metroid Other M
Metroid: Other M is a third-person action-adventure game that follows series protagonist Samus Aran as she investigates an abandoned space station that has been infested by a mysterious alien species. While Metroid: Other M isn't really a true horror game, the atmosphere provided here is creepy enough that it made it on the list as an honorable mention. Fans of movies like the Alien franchise will certainly be able to dig the vibe here, and Metroid: Other M just so happens to be a pretty great action-platformer with some strong adventure elements as well. The game was met with mixed reviews when it initially came out, but it's certainly worth a look as an underrated title in Nintendo's classic Metroid franchise.
Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Sadly, this one stayed in Japan, but I still had to mention Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. The fourth entry in the popular survival horror series follows a group of four characters who are investigating a haunted island, and uses the Wii's motion controls to simulate using the Camera Obscura to fight and capture the ghosts that torment you throughout the game. While it never received an official English-language release on the Wii, there is a fan translation available which makes it fully playable in English on the console. It's also been remastered for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
