The Wonderful 101

 Wii U
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 546 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 472 out of 546
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 546
  3. Negative: 40 out of 546
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  1. PhantomMac
    Sep 3, 2015
    8
    This is a very original game with different control movements. If you leave it for a while, it can be hard to remember all the movements. The action is good, the battles are a challenge and it is a refreshing game because it is so different.
  2. o_rfilho
    Feb 20, 2016
    8
    Wonderful 101 one unique IP from Nintendo a challenge its not for the fainter hearted its hard story wise its somewhat simple but funny if you have a Wii U its a must have
  3. Atlink
    Nov 1, 2015
    8
    The short version is: If you like cheesy superhero shows, or over-the-top anime fight sequences, this is probably the game for you.

    The long version: The Wonderful 101 (W101) is a fantastic game created by Platinum for the Wii U, which absolutely pushes the console to its limits. There were many times I had to remind myself that this console is considered "underpowered", because this    The short version is: If you like cheesy superhero shows, or over-the-top anime fight sequences, this is probably the game for you.

    The long version:
    The Wonderful 101 (W101) is a fantastic game created by Platinum for the Wii U, which absolutely pushes the console to its limits. There were many times I had to remind myself that this console is considered "underpowered", because this game certainly knows how to take art direction to a new limit. Lots of colors, lots of action, and lots and lots of characters on screen.

    The main attraction of the game is that you are playing as a group of superheroes known as "The Wonderful 100", and you are on a mission to stop the GEATHJERK invasion. Over the course of the game, you will learn new moves, and gain new abilities by adding more CENTINELS (the organization the W100 work for) members to your army, allowing you to wield a blade, crack a whip, and shoot a gun. The more people you have in your party (which you can recruit during gameplay), the larger and more powerful you can make these weapons, although the incredibly large versions only last a few seconds, due to their overwhelming damage capability.

    While W101 plays just fine for the most part, there are some noticeable issues with the drawing, whether you decide to draw on the Wii U's gamepad screen, or use the right analog stick. Some powers are far too similar, or can be transformed into something else by either angling the stick just right, or by drawing too far. There were definitely a number of times I had run into this issue in the heat of battle, which caused my character to die. Thankfully, continuing doesn't require that you re-start battles all over again, but simply drops you right back into the fray, with the enemy's health right where you left it.

    The other problem is that this game is extremely ambitious in squeezing every ounce of processing power from the Wii U's graphics chip, and while it does this without a hitch most of the time, during the later levels, I noticed the framerate dip from the silky smooth 60 fps down to a painfully noticeable 15 fps. Keep in mind, I'm giving estimates here, the actual fps may or may not be higher/lower.

    Another problem is due to the gameplay mechanics. I'm not someone who enjoys being spoonfed everything in a game, by being told where to go and what to do every second, but there are some mechanics that are explained in the beginning of the game that you may or may not remember learning around 20 hours in, leaving you confused and frustrated. At this point, after a few minutes of wandering, a hint system may have been nice. There weren't a whole lot of times that I was completely stumped, but they definitely broke the epic feel of the game when I ran around the same area over and over looking for a wall to whack, or trying to figure out how to pick up a gear. Thankfully, these mechanics come full force in the later levels, so you won't be forgetting them later on.

    All in all, W101 is a great game, and actually utilizes most aspects of the Wii U's hardware pretty well without it seeming overly gimmicky. Entering certain rooms will force you to use the Wii U's gamepad screen to solve a small puzzle, or use the gyro controls to move a camera to face your enemy. These gimmicks are used sparingly, but do add a fresh spin to the combat and adventuring.

    The sound design is absolutely fantastic and has one of the greatest super-hero themes ever made within. While most people would gripe at the english voices, they're so over the top and cheesy that it just works, given the setting of the game. If the game tried to take itself seriously at all, I'd be disappointed. Get a nice sound system, and crank it up, especially for the last portion of the game, in which you may be tempted to cheer when you complete your task (or scream that you just broke the A button off your controller).

    As I mentioned before, W101 has some shortcomings, but the vast majority of the game is fun, fast, and highly engaging. The storyline is quite good for a game this silly, as long as you aren't expecting anything deep and thought provoking. If the drawing mechanic was a bit better fleshed out, I'd easily rate this game a 9.

    Absolutely recommended.    … Expand
  4. Fudgeberry
    Feb 12, 2018
    8
    Extremely satisfying combat system with more complexity than you could shake a stick at. The novelty never wears thin as the game continues to one-up itself at every turn. A few questionable design decisions rear their heads during certain, specific one-off gameplay segments. Certain characters unfortunately wear thin and are less than adequately developed, but others make up for itExtremely satisfying combat system with more complexity than you could shake a stick at. The novelty never wears thin as the game continues to one-up itself at every turn. A few questionable design decisions rear their heads during certain, specific one-off gameplay segments. Certain characters unfortunately wear thin and are less than adequately developed, but others make up for it with their fantastic charm.… Expand
  5. yiric4
    Aug 18, 2016
    8
    my personal favorite platinum game but it has its flaws. too many of the same enemies. some of the moves like zig zag and whip are similiar so u use the wrong move sometimes.
  6. mario_sparrow93
    Feb 20, 2019
    8
    Si por algo se define The Wonderful 101 es FRESCURA. Su sistema de combate es dífícil de controlar y es muy frustrante al principio, pero una vez le coges la onda el juego es una completa maravilla. Se ha ganado por derecho propio ser considerado, De los mejores juegos de acción de la generación y el mejor juego de Wii U, en el sentido de que ha sido el ÚNICO juego que ha sabido implantarSi por algo se define The Wonderful 101 es FRESCURA. Su sistema de combate es dífícil de controlar y es muy frustrante al principio, pero una vez le coges la onda el juego es una completa maravilla. Se ha ganado por derecho propio ser considerado, De los mejores juegos de acción de la generación y el mejor juego de Wii U, en el sentido de que ha sido el ÚNICO juego que ha sabido implantar mecánicas jugables originales que engrandezcan de verdad la experiencia de jugar con tableto-mando...y no limitarse a modo TV, mapita en el gamepad y FUERA XD

    El juego trata de un supergrupo de superhéroes que van a tener que vérselas con unos alienígenas que quieren invadir la tierra y para hacerlo, nuestro ejército de héroes se fusionarán dando lugar a unas "hectofusiones" que pueden adoptar la forma de puños, espadas, pistolas o mazos gigantes. Como dije antes el sistema de control es difícil de manejar al principio, ya que consiste en dibujar con el dedo en el gamepad el símbolo especiífico para activar una hectofusión u otra. Pero a medida que avanzas se convierte en una locura y una virguería jugable debido al dinamismo con el que cambias las hectofusiones: De puño a espada; de espada a pistola; de pistola a gancho...bueno lo dejo porque hay PORRRONES de hectofusiones, todas ellas útiles debido a la gran variedad de enemigos que se nos presentan en pantalla y dependiendo de estos tendrás que utilizar unas hectofusiones u otras. Luego por supuesto también se podrán utilizar para hacer puzzles o abrir puertas o manejar naves mientras peleamos con bichos...hay níveles que es que son una LOCURA de la cantidad de cosas que haces al mismo tiempo XD.

    Gráficamente es caricaturesco, pero sus entornos supercoloridos y su magistral sonido hace que sea una experiencia audivisual muy notable. El rendimiento es constante algún que otro tirón cuando hay muchas villanos en pantalla pero tampoco nada preocupante.

    La historia tiende al humor y a la exageración...vamos como ver una película de Los Vengadores...pero bastante mejor hecha XD. Porque al mismo tiempo sabe dar profundidad a cada uno de los personajes y dar unos momentos intimistas y humanos muy eficaces, por lo que hace que te encariñes bastante con ellos. Y a partir de la segunda mitad del juego se convierte todo en giros argumentales y ÉPICA PURA, no digo más XD

    El juego es diversión pura en todos los aspectos y no hay nada especialmente malo al que echarle en cara salvo por la poca aceptación que ha tenido y de verdad que me arrepiento no habérmelo pillado en su día. Posiblemente estemos ante el "el juego de culto" de Wii U, así de claro lo digo.    … Expand
  7. Goodopinion
    May 13, 2020
    8
    Was hard at first. Once you understand the gameplay and grasp combos, the game is satisfying. Soulful
  8. rodericrinehart
    Feb 7, 2015
    7
    I appreciate the game and I think many people will love it, but it just wasn't for me. The art and story seem to be great, but I would have preferred not to draw shapes on the GamePad.
  9. darkzaga
    Mar 29, 2017
    7
    No es un mal juego y no son malas las mecánicas. No soy objetivo con mi nota ya que es una cuestión personal el hecho de no gustarme. Esperaba el juego con muchas expectativas y este no llegó a cumplirlas.
  10. Meta1234
    Apr 21, 2018
    7
    Great credit goes to the originality of the game in terms of gameplay mechanics. I also see some enthusiastic reviews from other users.

    Unfortunately for me, I got stuck and never completed the game since I could not keep up with the pace of the game. If I give it another go in the future (small chances) I will update the score accordingly.

    For now it is a 7.
  11. kiwijinxter
    Jan 6, 2015
    6
    If you know and play Platinum's popular games like Bayonetta 1 & 2, then you know what to expect with Wonderful 101, also by Platinum: it will be frantic, it will have crazy big-ass bosses, it will rate you with pure platinum, platinum, gold, silver, bronze or er... consolation medal (means you sucked at that particular segment of the game - which I did for quite a few parts of the game).If you know and play Platinum's popular games like Bayonetta 1 & 2, then you know what to expect with Wonderful 101, also by Platinum: it will be frantic, it will have crazy big-ass bosses, it will rate you with pure platinum, platinum, gold, silver, bronze or er... consolation medal (means you sucked at that particular segment of the game - which I did for quite a few parts of the game). However, it's different from Bayonetta though.

    The premise of Wonderful 101 is all about rather quick drawing reflexes. The whole game is based on having a group of tiny heroes that "form" (called unite morph!) the weapon you use against the alien invaders. And to "form" the weapon, you have to draw it out e.g. for a sword, it's a straight line up then press A; for claws, it's a reverse Z then press A; etc. So mostly the learning curve really revolves around drawing the weapon. (here's a hint: use the right thumb pad, I found it more responsive than drawing on the touchpad).

    My first 2-3 missions was a chore as I struggled to find my balance in how to draw the darned shapes. So I really hated it at first. But once I got the hang of it, I started enjoying it more as the game became much smoother and I became more proficient at getting at enemies. In fact, I found Wonderful 101 much easier to pickup than the 3DS' Kid Icarus Uprising which I gave up on as I hated its controls - I would say Wonderful 101's gameplay is saved by the responsiveness of the right thumb pad. Like Bayonetta, what kept me going at the game is that there is generally some freshness in every mission, and the bosses are really fun to deal with.

    Plus the game's storyline can offer a chuckle or two. Generally the game doesn't take itself too seriously so it has a lot of slapstick comedy, which is actually quite funny. Even bosses add to the comedy.

    However, there are some things that irk me in the game. Firstly, the camera angle. Sometimes it's hard to tell which way you're supposed to go because it's very limited in it's panning. It gets worse when you're inside a building and you have to use the game pad to move around - it's a pain. Sometimes it's because of the horrible camera angle means I fall to my death because I can't see where I'm going. Secondly, quick time events. Those frantic button presses at some points in the game is stupid and gives me repetitive strain injury. I think it could've done without it. Thirdly, sometimes the wrong unite morphs get registered and you end up using the wrong weapon and you have to frantically redraw. Fortunately, Platinum was smart enough stop time when you draw, so you don't get hammered. Fourthly, there are some cheap deaths. Sometimes, it's because I'm landed in a totally foreign situation where there is no hint on what I'm supposed to do and some moving contraption just killed me off.

    Overall, I felt the game overall was actually quite difficult. I played it on Very Easy and even then I died quite a few times. But the storyline and the variations in gameplay did keep me going to the end. I think this game could be much much better if they sorted out the camera angles and ease the controls a little. If you're looking for a perfect Platinum game, play Bayonetta 2. The Wonderful 101 feels more like a prelude to the greatness contained in Bayonetta 2. What Platinum didn't get right in Wonderful 101, they perfected in Bayonetta 2.    … Expand
  12. kevin1616
    Sep 30, 2013
    6
    The game is good. The quality is there, but I thought it was going to be something better. Gaming sites were patronizing the game as if it was going to be a system seller when it is not. The game is good, enjoyable and a good purchase if you love action games, but there are more thing to play on the WII U so I would not recommended unless you have played all games available on WII UThe game is good. The quality is there, but I thought it was going to be something better. Gaming sites were patronizing the game as if it was going to be a system seller when it is not. The game is good, enjoyable and a good purchase if you love action games, but there are more thing to play on the WII U so I would not recommended unless you have played all games available on WII U because I would recommend any game before this one.… Expand
  13. curzon_dax
    Jan 2, 2021
    6
    It seems like a game that you might love if you're really into that genre, but it can be frustrating to control and it is very spammy at graphics and sounds for little reason. It reminds of old arcade games that were mainly trying to impress the people watching them rather than the ones actually playing.
  14. Stlouzilla
    May 30, 2017
    6
    The Wonderful 101 is that rare Nintendo game that simply didn't resonate with me. The presentation and lore is vibrant and interesting, the core concept is unique and engaging, and the gameplay is innovative and solid but something about it doesn't hit home. The game is very busy and I couldn't get invested to the extent that it seemed to demand. It may sound simple and reductive but IThe Wonderful 101 is that rare Nintendo game that simply didn't resonate with me. The presentation and lore is vibrant and interesting, the core concept is unique and engaging, and the gameplay is innovative and solid but something about it doesn't hit home. The game is very busy and I couldn't get invested to the extent that it seemed to demand. It may sound simple and reductive but I just didn't think the game was very fun.… Expand
  15. XV_
    May 11, 2019
    6
    I didn't expect Wonderful 101 to be this bad, but here we are. I really liked the character design and all the artistic choices grew on me, also the plot took an interesting twist here and there and the story has a lot of heart, however the storytelling isn't on par and there's a lot of cringy and cheesy comedy that didn't work for me, even the game seemed to be annoyed by it btw.

    The    I didn't expect Wonderful 101 to be this bad, but here we are. I really liked the character design and all the artistic choices grew on me, also the plot took an interesting twist here and there and the story has a lot of heart, however the storytelling isn't on par and there's a lot of cringy and cheesy comedy that didn't work for me, even the game seemed to be annoyed by it btw.

    The worst problem is the gameplay, it has a lot of great ideas but they all fall short, very very very short. The battle system is a mess and there's a lot of enemies that have way to much HP, boss battles that are like 10-15 min feel like an eternity because there's a lot of hit and run in this game, perhaps I was playing it wrong (I did look for how to play videos), but it seems that the game tries too hard to not explain the mechanics. I died a lot but it doesn't even matter because you have 5 continues and Arcade style you appear on the same spot with the same HP of the enemy, that was good because it will be a torture to any level from start.

    Thanks to this game I discovered what I dislike of Hideki Kamiya's games, that they always have a lot of ideas but lack the polish and they really overstays its welcome. By the 3/4 of this game, I was really looking forward to finishing it but the thing just went on and on, if my homeboy Wonder Red and some other main characters were there, maybe I didn't make it at all. I will not recommend this game to anybody unless you're like a big fan of Kamiya's work and want to play all of his games, but if not, maybe you should skip this one.    … Expand
  16. Lycria
    Oct 9, 2016
    5
    I went into The Wonderful 101 with Bayonetta 2 and Metal Gear Rising fresh in my mind. But what i got was just a mess.

    First off for whatever reason Nintendo/Platinum insists that the gamepad is used. During certain segments you will go inside a building and the perspective will change to the screen on the gamepad. You can use the - button to change between which screen shows what, and    I went into The Wonderful 101 with Bayonetta 2 and Metal Gear Rising fresh in my mind. But what i got was just a mess.

    First off for whatever reason Nintendo/Platinum insists that the gamepad is used. During certain segments you will go inside a building and the perspective will change to the screen on the gamepad. You can use the - button to change between which screen shows what, and even show the map/screen on the lower right corner but this is just a hassle.

    Also the game doesn't start you with any sort of dodge ability. This is acquired from the store fairly early if you check it out, but before you get to the store the first mission on normal and higher can be frustrating. Enemies will attack you with laser precision and with the lack of a targeting system it makes it hard to focus on enemies. Now I'm sure they did this because of the sure size of some of the battles, but seeing how you can be fighting one large enemy off to the left, and another will charge you from the right and takes away 15% of your health in one hit can start to get irritating. Some enemies can also have shields, allowing you only to attack from the rear makes it difficult to kill some of the larger enemies.

    The story is alright, but lacks some of the writing that Viewtiful Joe and Bayonetta had (the art is very reminiscent of Viewtiful Joe).

    Overall the game play is not as intuitive as I would of hopped, and creating weapons can get annoying when you're trying to creating something in the short amount of time they allow you (you need to draw out the item with the right joy stick)

    For myself I didn't think the game was terrible, but I also was not having any fun while playing it.    … Expand
  17. AJCk19
    Jul 9, 2021
    4
    I really want to like this game, but it just needs to improve the controls. Hopefully they make a Wonderful 102 for Switch and PC.

    PROS
    Aesthetics and presentation is nice; I absolutely adore the characters.

    CONS
    The controls are so frustrating. I be better off playing some sort of other action game like Bayonetta, God of War, or/and Devil May Cry.
  18. wellspokenman
    Oct 3, 2016
    3
    Bad. Not misunderstood. Just bad. Wonderful art and a great concept sucked me into this, but the lack of clear objectives, horrendously unreliable controls, bad mini game after bad mini game and complete lack of communication to the player left me seriously frustrated. What a terrible, terrible game. I deeply regret taking the time to finish this.
  19. PuckMan
    Sep 15, 2013
    2
    When switching weapons in a fast paced action game that requires quick reflexes and split second timing it is vital that the player is able to do so as quickly and efficiently as possible. Traditionally this has been achieved using a normal control pad and a single button press, The Wonderful 101 does things a little differently (much to my annoyance). To change weapons in The WonderfulWhen switching weapons in a fast paced action game that requires quick reflexes and split second timing it is vital that the player is able to do so as quickly and efficiently as possible. Traditionally this has been achieved using a normal control pad and a single button press, The Wonderful 101 does things a little differently (much to my annoyance). To change weapons in The Wonderful 101 (an action which will be required thousands of times) the player must look down at the gamepads touchscreen, remove the stylus from it's holster, draw a squiggly line roughly in the shape of the weapon they want to select then quickly press one of the face buttons, put the stylus away and look back up at the TV screen and continue playing. Oh and that's when it works, there will be many times you will mess up and have to do it all again, just to change weapons.

    But the controls are just the beginning of this games problems. Levels are mostly made up of a series of skirmishes involving enemies with health bars that require far too many hits to deplete. With a combat system that has none of depths or nuance of it's big sister Bayonetta you know your in button mashing territory and my god does it feel like hard work.

    Artistically the graphics look nice but the flashy visual effects make it impossible to see where your tiny little men are or sometimes even distinguish them from enemies. The static camera also obstructs your view regularly.

    The pain keeps piling on in the form of an indecipherable leveling up system and when unreliable touch screen controls combine with irritating quick time events the game becomes virtually unplayable.

    On a positive note the voice acting is very good but that counts for little when the game underneath is so horribly broken. Hopefully lessons will be learned here as to not shoehorn touch screen controls into games where it is not necessary or logical to do so.    … Expand
  20. Matthewlh
    Sep 14, 2014
    0
    Easily one of the worst games I've ever played. Don't play it.
    For those who claim that difficulty makes a game worthwhile I'm playing it on "normal." Games are meant to be fun, not difficult. Difficulty should be a choice not a requirement. It is stupid to make a game look so childish then be so difficult. It is great this is not going to be a viable IP. It should stay that way. Don't    Easily one of the worst games I've ever played. Don't play it.
    For those who claim that difficulty makes a game worthwhile I'm playing it on "normal." Games are meant to be fun, not difficult. Difficulty should be a choice not a requirement. It is stupid to make a game look so childish then be so difficult. It is great this is not going to be a viable IP. It should stay that way. Don't waste money on this nonsense.    … Expand
  21. tmgravy
    Jan 24, 2015
    0
    Awful. Simply awful. None of the features work correctly. Most of the game is frustrating and made me feel like I was controlling a punching bag. Avoid at all costs.
  22. stingrayBR
    Feb 3, 2015
    0
    This game is the perfect example how the controller could broke a game. The Wii U gamepad is a total mess and confusing , the simple act of drawing a weapon is a pain
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Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Best Wii U Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2013
1
#1 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 75
  3. Negative: 0 out of 75
  1. Level7.nu
    Dec 12, 2013
    60
    The Wonderful 101 bursts with charm, humour and style. It is very easy to care for the characters and their universe. But frequent trouble with the controls breaks the tempo far too often. Something that also racks up the challenge unnecessarily high in an already hard game. But at the same time the battle system is a joy, if hard to master. It’s a very good game with some rough edges that feels very well needed on the Nintendo Wii U.
    Read full review
  2. Universo Nintendo
    Oct 29, 2013
    90
    This is the kind of experience which Nintendo promised when it announced the console - the kind of experience it deserves.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 24, 2013
    80
    Full of ideas, humor and difficulty, The Wonderful 101 will keep you glued to the screen, which can be both good & bad. But a little bit of challenge from a difficult game never killed anyone, right? [Issue#234]
See all critic reviews »