Wii Adventure Games

Many games center on the idea of adventure. And what could be a more natural fit? After all, the basic idea of most games is to liven up your life. There's no better way to do that than with an adventure game that puts you in the center of mystery, danger, and suspense. But 'adventure' covers a wide territory.

There's the classic, Saturday morning serial style from the 1930s-1950s, in the vein of Indiana Jones. He certainly has his share. You can share in them, too. Don the hat, grab the whip, reload the pistol and you're on your way.

Use the Wii's Remote and Nunchuk to crack that whip to disarm the villain. Then escape by swimming across a river and climbing a cliff. Along the way, unlock some of Indy's helpful characters, like Marion Ravenwood, and some not so helpful, like Rene Belloq. You'll have to exercise teamwork and solve lots of puzzles to make it out alive.

Enter into a completely different adventure with Mario in the Paper Mario story. Break through blocks with the GameCube controller, then explore some hidden paths. To escape danger you'll need to uncover the secrets buried under tons of rubble and obscured by misleading clues.

Help Mario escape from frigid ice using the Wiimote. Or, become Peach or Bowser and get married when the villain holds you hostage. The dark energy that results will challenge you to save the day as you make your way through one world after another.

Even the youngest children want to have adventure, too, though. Let them get in on the fun with the Go Diego Go: Safari Rescue. They'll develop hand-eye coordination and have fun at the same time. The game offers 12 Wii Remote motions that include climbing, pulling, and flapping. They'll squeal at Diego's voice along with other characters from the TV show.

Mom or Dad can join in and use the Dinosaur Guide with a second controller to make it a game for the whole family. There are five levels that travel through the Cretaceous Jungle and Volcano Cliffs to Egg Island. Direct Diego and Baby Jaguar to help Maia the Maiasaura make her way home as you pass giraffes with short necks and zebras with no stripes. Help your young one fix the problem and create a happy ending.

For the older kids, House of the Dead: Overkill is the perfect choice. Filled with blood-thirsty zombies, they'll be fascinated for hours trying to find their way around this game. Blast B-movie ghouls from the past with this shooter set in the Louisiana Bayou.

With a second player, the action and adventure ramp up to new heights. Zap more zombies and earn more cash. Turn up the juice to release Extra Mutants and up the skill level even more. A little rough on the language, though, so exercise some judgment.

Whatever adventure means to you - navigating thick Amazon jungles, roaming a land of dinosaurs, fleeing zombies, or more - you'll find an adventure game for your Wii that suits your taste.