The Wonderful 101: Remastered Reviews
Platinum Games offers the slightest of makeovers for this return to its most chaotic outing.
As a remaster, it may disappoint, but The Wonderful 101: Remastered is still the best way to play this Wii U classic
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The Wonderful 101 Remastered revives one of the Wii U's most experimental games, but that doesn't make it worth revisiting.
The Wonderful 101: Remastered is a charming title with a ton of unique mechanics that make it almost intimidating to approach.
This is far from the most polished remaster I’ve played, and the original was a hit-and-miss affair to begin with. Judged in terms of Platinum’s own end-of-level trophies, this earns a silver award at best.
Marrying astonishing spectacle and overwrought drama, The Wonderful 101: Remastered is one of the most memorable action games you'll ever play. Its delirious excesses come with a price, and it's one that's at little harder to forgive this time, with the original's flaws remaining untouched, and a few compromises made to accommodate the Wii U version's dual-screen set-pieces. But for all its minor frustrations, it's a game that rewards patience and perseverance. Grit your teeth through its control quirks and camera foibles and relish the giddy spectacle of a game that doesn't know when to stop.
The Wonderful 101 Remastered, even though it is a simple port rather than a remaster, and without providing major new features or improvements, neither visually nor playable, it still maintains the essence of the original Wii U game, and that should be a perfect excuse enough to give it a chance or play it back.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
PlatinumGames' 100-hero action game gets its much deserved second chance.
Still one of PlatinumGames' most imaginative and exuberant action games but the refusal to improve the controls or accessibility doom the remaster to further obscurity.
The Wonderful 101 is a genuine treasure, this remaster bringing its quirky action gameplay and effortless charms to more people than ever before. It certainly looks the part, and is an easy buy for PlatinumGames fans, but the awkwardness of bringing the game's dual-screen UI to single screen systems means the Wii U is still the best place to play.
The Wonderful 101: Remastered is an exciting concentration of fun. The wonderful design, the roaring, noisy sound; everything shines and enchants, just like seven years ago. And yet, despite its solid playability and full of concepts, the camera often struggles to follow the action at its best, becoming a real nightmare in the tightest of spaces (always very short, luckily). The game is difficult to tame, and perhaps that sense of continuous unbalance you feel in controlling the heroes is an integral part of the playful framework. However, there remains a pinch of regret in finding that such smudges have not been filed down.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Wonderful 101 deserves this new Remastered lease on life after the way it was treated on the Wii U. For nearly seven years we've clamored for a re-release, and now we have it. Go play it this time.
The Wonderful 101 Remastered is an incredible action game, one definitely worthy of playing for those who skipped over it on Wii U. The unique battle mechanics make it a standout and borderline essential for action game fans, while those more casual fans who just want a big explosive adventure will find a lot to love here. And if any game deserves to be played by a wider audience, this has to be it.
Like an orchestral (Platinum) score, The Wonderful 101 requests some deciphering first and many repetitions - as this slightly Remastered rendition show - to be assimilated. Only then, pleasure kicks in, while revealing its grandeur. Such jubilation leads to forgive, if not forget all the rambling through this delirious, overactive and genuinely unique work of Hideki Kamiya, still destined for the rare "happy viewtiful".
Review in French | Read full review
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever played before, and it’s fantastic how it’s getting a second chance on the Nintendo Switch. I love its core gimmick; I like how it has the Bayonetta-like secret battles, optional levels, and grading system; and there were special moments that made me grin from ear to ear. But I died so many times for often frivolous reasons, used countless healing items, and even said out loud, “I’m not having fun.”
While the combat and controls are a little bit clunky at times and the “second screen” can take up a bit too much real estate, especially in portable mode, that doesn’t stop The Wonderful 101 Remastered from being fast-paced superhero fun that anybody looking for a challenge would enjoy.
If you missed out on it during the Wii U cycle, there has never been a better time to unite in the deeply flawed yet ceaselessly delightful world of The Wonderful 101: Remastered.
Back in 2013, The Wonderful 101 was a flawed game, but one with some really good ideas. It's still that in 2020- but seven years later, I was hoping it would be a lot more.
Returning players will still find the fun game they knew back from 2013, but don’t expect to have any of the problems you had back then addressed now.