What free Wii U game should you choose with Mario Kart 8?

Didn’t you hear the good news? Nintendo if offering a free game with any purchase of Mario Kart 8 before the end of July.

That’s right if you follow our bargain guide, get Mario Kart 8 for super cheap you’re saving even more with a free game from Nintendo. The promotion applies to copies of Mario Kart 8 bought from the eShop and stores.

There are 10 games available to choose from in Australia and Europe, America you get four – unlucky. But which one should you pick? Just look at the choices!

Luckily for you we’ve reviewed all but two of these games and know what’s good and what’s not. So here’s a list all in one place and hopefully this might help make up your mind.

Nintendo Land

5 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]NintendoLand isn’t as easy as Wii Sports to explain to people, but once you’ve broken through the uncertainty barrier the game quickly becomes the “It” game to have on the Wii U. There’s enough content here to be able to enjoy by yourself and provided you have the equipment there is a lot of fun to have in multiplayer as well. NintendoLand hits the nostalgia note pretty hard but you don’t have to have loved Nintendo for 25 years to enjoy this one, NintendoLand will make you wish such a place actually existed.[/quote]

Super Mario Bros. U

5 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]New Super Mario Bros. U isn’t the game changing Mario launch title that Super Mario 64 was, it’s almost going to be impossible to ever replicate that experience. What the game is, however, is the best 2D Mario platformer in some time. New Super Mario Bros 2 felt like a re-tread of a Mario game with a fun coin gimmick thrown in and if this were to continue with New Super Mario Bros. U, the brand would be effectively tarnished. We can only make one recommendation at this point. Cast aside your aversion and apprehension to the franchise and enjoy the subtle additions to the game, the superior level design and high definition graphics that New Super Mario Bros. U brings to the table. It’s a fantastic package that any Wii U owner cannot be without.[/quote]

Game & Wario

4 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]Game & Wario is a good pack of mini-games that do a great job at showing what the GamePad is capable of, but I feel like we’ve seen a lot of the techniques and design choices before in games like Nintendo Land. Still, the great mini-games here outweigh the good ones, but one has to ponder where this game really is worth the $79AU pricing point that it’s being peddled at here in Australia. All I can really say is this – I had a lot of fun with Game &Wario as both a solo gamer and with friends, so that’s really all I felt that mattered. [/quote]

Pikmin 3

5 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]Pikmin 3 really took forever and a day to get here, but it’s one of the first games from Nintendo that feels like it was properly made for the system – although it’s evident that, at the same time, it isn’t. Playing with just the GamePad isn’t the ideal way to play – but having the added benefits, when combined with the Wii Remote pointer controls, feels a lot more complete. The game looks beautiful in high definition too, but with the graphical niggles that remind us that this game didn’t start off development on the Wii U. These things are incredibly minor though, and the overall Pikmin 3 experience is still fun and can’t be disputed.[/quote]

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

5 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]The Wind Waker HD gives you the freedom of an open ocean, the world to explore and the true feeling of adventure. The game has held up tremendously well and is further enhanced by not only the jump to high definition but by the Wii U itself. This installment is a lighter and less complex Zelda adventure than its contemporaries, which might make it shorter but at the same time feels about right.

Nintendo’s first HD remake is a brilliant one and an excellent addition to the Wii U library whether you’ve played it before or not. Hoist the sails and set sail for fun.[/quote]

Sonic Lost World

3 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]

Sonic Lost World feels and looks great on the Wii U, it’s bright and cheerful and runs at full speed. There’s unfortunately a learning curve with the controls that some may never get over and the later you get into the game the more punishing it gets.  It never quite lives up to Generations though and Sega still have a while to go to figure out what they want Sonic to be.

If it looks like Sonic, runs like Sonic, sounds like Sonic but doesn’t feel like Sonic – what is it?

[/quote]

The Wonderful 101

5 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]So, considering all of its parts, just how wonderful is The Wonderful 101? In short, very. It’s a title that will, in several years, be a cult classic that will be remembered fondly much like Hideki Kamiya’s previous works such as Viewtiful Joe. It’s a fresh, unique and interesting take on the action genre – managing to eclipse most of the genres’ previous efforts. There are some control hiccups here and there, and some could debate that it would be better off without touchscreen controls – but outside of this the game feels nearly perfect. Its flaws are minor, but The Wonderful 101 is one of the greatest exclusives that the Wii U has right now, and a game that shouldn’t be missed by any self-respecting Wii U owner.[/quote]

Monster Hunter 3

4 out of 5 Stars – Read Full Review

[quote]Overall, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a very substantial upgrade to Monster Hunter tri that will certainly appeal to those who never played the original game, and those who played the original tri game to death. Despite this, it’s important to note that this isn’t a full blown sequel – yes, there’s heaps of content added but fundamentally it’s still the same game as tri. Both versions of the game perform admirably – though it’s important to consider your own priorities before playing.

The Wii U version provides robust online and much more intuitive gameplay thanks to the GamePad, however the 3DS version is portable but lacks the online play options without further efforts. Both perform great, both provide an epic adventure and both are certainly worth your money. They’re just not for everyone, and are not as accessible as one would hope to appeal to everyone. Thankfully, I’m still not tired of Monster Hunter just yet.[/quote]