Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Games such as the Halo series and BioShock have allowed console systems to emerge as the primary platform for first-person shooters, but not without some controversy: There are many who argue that buttons and thumbsticks will never be more than poor substitutes for a PC’s mouse and keyboard. Metroid Prime 3, the latest entry in the saga of deep-space bounty hunter Samus Aran, ends the debate by using the Wii’s motion-sensing capabilities to provide a level of subtle control absolutely unmatched in the genre. In addition to allowing for pinpoint aiming, MP3 utilizes the technology to provide an extra level of immersion, letting you shoot a grappling hook by flicking the controller like a fishing rod, while levers are pulled with a swift jerk. There’s been a lot of online grousing from those who feel the Wii’s runaway success has been achieved by Nintendo abandoning diehards in favor of the party-game crowd, but with the fiendish puzzles and ridiculously entertaining combat dynamics here, gamers who’ve stayed loyal to the company for more than two decades get the digital equivalent of a giant heart-shaped box of chocolates.