4 Fantastic Wii Games with Terrible PS2 Versions

Since its release in fall of 2006, the Nintendo Wii has been an unrivaled success. The console and stellar first-party titles have been flying off shelves for years. The former top console in gaming, the PS2, has all but vanished into history these days. Despite the PS2's fading existence, many gamers will look back a handful of curiosities and oddities in the PS2's last handful of games. I am referring to four fantastic Wii games with horrible PS2 versions.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up

What is it on the Wii?
A chaotic, addictive 2.5D 4-player fighting game based on the TMNT franchise- something of an amalgamation of Super Smash Brothers and Power Stone. Battles are fast and furious with crisp graphics, interactive arenas, and a varied character roster. The game also comes to the table with smooth online play, multiple control schemes, exclusive characters, and exclusive stages. It supports the GC controller, Wii remote alone, Wii remote and nunchuk, classic controller, and an arcade stick- all but guaranteeing you'll have enough for four players.

What is it on the PS2?
A mediocre fighting game that you can only play with four players if you have a multi-tap and three extra PS2 controllers. The PS2 version has low-res graphics, sluggish combat, and awkward controls. This version also lacks several characters. stages, game modes, and has no online play. Adding insult to injury, the box features a misprint advertising an online mode it doesn't have.

2. Godzilla Unleashed

What is it on the Wii?
Like TMNT: Smash Up, this is a fantastic four player fighting game- though as the title states, with Toho Kaiju instead of turtles, unless you count Angirius. Godzilla Unleashed for Wii employs intuitive motion controls and takes advantage of the Wii's extra processing power by being the best looking game released for the king of all monsters. The cities from the buildings to the military units are all impressively rendered and destructible. The multiplayer is as addictive as it is customizable with all sorts of gameplay options to play with it. Godzilla Unleashed Wii also refines the game mechanics from its predecessors- Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee and Godzilla: Save The Earth. The overhauled sequel features more balanced monsters, fewer limitations on combat, and a very impressive faction-based single player. The game has almost thirty playable monsters from across Godzilla history- including heavily desired kaiju like the original MechaGodzilla and King Caesar, as well as two new original monsters.

What is it on PS2?
Godzilla Unleashed PS2 is a cheaply redesigned version of Godzilla: Save The Earth- a Godzilla title released years earlier for the console. I could stop there, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. Like TMNT: Smash Up, the game suffers from the lack of four controller ports on the PS2- resulting in the need for a multi-tap. The game is glitchy and downright hideous, the recycled monster models especially. The game also suffers significant slowdown when more than two monsters are on screen. The final nail in its coffin? The game has significantly fewer monsters to play as!

3. Dragon Ball Z Tenkaichi 3

What is it on Wii?
A fast-paced, explosive tag-team fighting game featuring characters from Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and the Dragon Ball Z movies. Graphically the game is bright, vibrant, and impressively animated. Attacks are over-the-top and flashy- the characters, true to their anime counterparts. Over 160 fighters from across DB history compete in teams of up to five with superb motion controls. These two factors, the largest fighting game roster ever and fantastic motion controls make it the only true DBZ game on the market. While Dragon Ball: Raging Blast and Dragon Ball: Burst Limit failed to ignite fans- DBZ Tenkaichi 3 set gamers ablaze with its unmatched battle system, varied roster, array of game modes, and online play.

What is it on PS2?
While not as badly made as the other two PS2 fighters on this list, Tenkaichi 3 on PS2 leaves much to be desired. The graphics pale in comparison to the Wii version, the load times are frustrating, and the controls are unexciting and uninspired. The game falls prey to occasional slowdown when the action gets too hectic. While the roster is largely intact, the online play is dropped in favor of a lame 'disc fusion' system.

4. Metal Slug Anthology

What is it on Wii?
The definitive versions of Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5, and 6- that's what it is. The graphics are crisp and true to their arcade roots, the gameplay is entertainingly chaotic, and it features various control schemes. Arcade purists can play with simulated joystick controls thanks to the Wii's tilt controls or shake the remote to barrage the enemy with grenades- it all feels tight and very fun. This collection of frenzied, side-scrolling shooters can be obtained at an unbeatable price- as opposed to rare, expensive originals or also pricy single re-releases. Just put Advance Wars: Dual Strike for the DS, General Chaos for the Sega Genesis, and Battalion Wars 2 for the Wii in a blender and something like Metal Slug Anthology will come out.

What is it on PS2?
A mess, short and simple. The PS2 simply isn't capable of running these run & gun arcade ports. The load times are unforgivable and slowdown is frequent. The worst offenders are Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug 6. Metal Slug 2 suffers from glitches and recurring slowdown- on some levels, the game is unplayable. Metal Slug 6 just seems to overwhelm the system- too many enemy sprites on screen or too big a boss and the PS2 starts stuttering. The only game in the collection that runs decently is the original, and that's because it's the least technically impressive. It doesn't help that the controls aren't as tight as the Wii version and that the game overall suffers from other technical problems.