Home / Gaming News & Opinions / Forget the PS5: The Wii Has a New Game – And the Reason Why Is Refreshing

Forget the PS5: The Wii Has a New Game – And the Reason Why Is Refreshing

Last Updated September 23, 2020 2:01 PM
Max Moeller
Last Updated September 23, 2020 2:01 PM
  • The Wii and Wii U are getting a new port.
  • That’s right. The Nintendo Wii is getting a new game… in 2020.
  • The reason why represents a stunning – and refreshing – departure from what we’ve come to expect of the gaming industry.

With all due respect to the PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X, the next generation can wait a little bit longer. Why? Because the Nintendo Wii and Wii U are getting a new title.

Somehow, the Nintendo Wii Is Still Kicking

The Wii has been dead for nearly a decade .

And Nintendo all but sunsetted the Wii U with the release of the Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017. Since then, some third-party titles have come to the often misunderstood console, but not much else.

Until now, that is.

Shakedown: Hawaii, an open-world action game from 2019, is getting ported to Nintendo’s two consoles.

Watch out, PS5. The Nintendo Wii and Wii U are getting a new game - Shakedown: Hawaii.
The pixelated art style is a perfect fit for the aging Wii console. | Source: Vblank 

This news comes to us via a blog post  from the game’s developer, Vblank Entertainment. Here, they state the game will have all current content updates and optimizations, making for the best possible experience.

The Wii version will support 50hz and 60hz, alongside the console’s default Remote, Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro, and even the GameCube Controller for good measure.

Of course, Shakedown: Hawaii will run in standard definition 4:3 on the Wii, with the Wii U running in HD 4:3 or 16:9. That version will also support nearly every controller option.

The PS5 ‘Competitor’ None of Us Ever Saw Coming

Now, you may wonder why anyone would bother releasing any game on the Wii U, much less it’s predecessor. What’s the point of porting to not one, but two nearly dead consoles?

Well, just for fun, according to Vblank. And in the age of microtransactions and shameless cash-grabs, that’s downright refreshing.

An excerpt from the blog post reads:

Like most of my ports, Shakedown: Hawaii on Wii began one Friday night on a whim of curiosity. Perhaps a jolt of Wii nostalgia rushed through me that evening, but I suddenly wondered… how long would it actually take to port? How would it feel to play with a Wii Remote?

I had many questions, but as soon as I held that Wii Remote and started playing, I knew I wanted to take it to the finish line.

These ports certainly aren’t for profit, then. Keep in mind that the Wii first released in 2006. It has been 14 years since the console’s launch.

Unfortunately for American players, the Wii version couldn’t get ported over. They can still play on the Wii U, while European players can enjoy the game on either console.

The “new” title launches on Thursday, July 9th for Wii. Steam and Wii U versions will come this August. How’s that to “compete” against the PS5 and Xbox Series X?