The Wii has been a big topic of discussion lately amongst some friends and myself. The potential for making great sports games for the system is ridiculous, and yet it has been well over a year since the Wii debuted and the best sports game the Wii has to it's name is still arguably, Wii Sports.

People are quick to blame the Wii itself for not being powerful enough to keep pace with the graphics of sports games from the other next generation consoles, but is that really Nintendo’s fault? How about blaming companies like EA Sports and 2k Sports for rehashing game engines designed originally for the PS2 and putting them onto the Wii with some generic motion controls?

So what is the right way to make sports games for the Wii? How could you actually implement motion controls which, dare I say it, actually enhance the game play.

Here are some points that should be standard of any sports game made for Nintendo’s console.

Can Deca Sports Unseat Wii Sports as the Wii Party Game of Choice?

• Graphics should be a priority, but they do not need to compare to the versions designed for Sony and Microsoft’s consoles. MLB Power Pros set a perfect example here for other companies to follow. The depth of the game play is extremely deep, and the caricatures of the players only enhance the atmosphere. Companies need to stop being lazy and design a graphics engine separate for the Wii that can take advantage of the hardware.

• The game play should revolve around the control scheme and not the control scheme around the game play. If anyone ever played Madden 08 on the Wii, they feel my pain with this. Too many times, I would try to hike the ball and before I knew what happened my QB was already passing it. Other times I would try to throw a bullet pass and the ball would instead hang in the air waiting to be intercepted. The user needs to feel like he or she has more control over what is happening.

• Internet access is a must. I don’t know who’s to blame; whether Nintendo was late to the party or other companies did not want to take the time to make an online accessible game for the Wii, but there are no more excuses. Mario Kart Wii is a great online multiplayer game with seamless game play and points rankings and leader boards. People want to play online, they want to play in online leagues, and they want to do it with updated rosters. The Wii deserves to receive all the same features for a multi-platform game that its brethren does.

• The best way to tap into the sports market on the Wii is to design more games specific to the console. EA is taking its Skate license and making an offshoot called Skate It. Also, Wii Sports is still one of my favorite games to play with my friends. Wii owners are craving unique sports material to waggle their hands to, but are being let down time and time again with second rate products.

So what sports do I think are best suited for the Wii? Here are my top 5, with an honorable mention as well.

Honorable Mention: Football

Football nearly made the cut considering passing the ball with the Wii controller makes sense, but too many other aspects of football, such as defense, are better left to button controls.

#5: Basketball

After seeing Lebron’s dunk on KG the other night, it got me pumped up thinking about repeating the move using motion controls. Then I remembered that my only option of doing this was to play NBA Live 08, and then I remembered why I own an Xbox 360 and NBA 2k8.

Basketball is such an obvious fit but the foundation of the game play has to be tight or the motion controls are not going to do any justice. The best way to implement the controls is to use them intelligently but sparingly. Instead of having the controls tacked on for mundane movements like a pass or dribble, they only need to be used with the most impacting elements such as shooting, dunking, and blocking. The less room there is for error when waggling the remote, the more fun people will have playing the game. This is why button pressing becomes necessary at times, as not everything has to be done by motion on the Wii for it to be fun.

#4: Tennis

What if a developer took a game mode from Wii Sports and made an entire game out of it with an abundance of content and full season mode? The tennis game would be a perfect fit with this idea, as the Wii sports version of the game took one simple mechanic of swinging the remote and then created a game that even my father, who doesn't even like video games, has fun playing.

The less buttons to worry about the easier it is for everyone to have fun, and tennis is the best match for an uncomplicated control scheme. At the same time, the game could be designed so people could become skilled. Fighting games have been doing this for years, with button mashing being a plausible strategy, but experienced players always having the edge. In this case, different spin could be placed on the ball by turning your wrist and using an upward or level motion can determine whether the ball lobs or goes straight. Extra features, such as timing the serve right to create a power shot, are always welcome as well.

#3: Racing

Mario Kart Wii may not be an accurate depiction of racing, but the motion controls do a great job showing the potential for the genre on the system. There is nothing like turning a tight corner using the Wii wheel and then drifting into a boost that results in passing the guy in front.

Why can’t a company create a game comparable in graphics to that of Gran Turismo 3 and then add an amazingly tight motion control scheme and an ability to earn new cars and bikes? I would love to play that game and I’m sure many of our readers would concur with that sentiment as well.

#2: Golf

Tiger Woods PGA Tour on the Wii will never have the presentation or graphical capabilities of the 360 or PS3, but it should not have to. Tiger Woods PGA Tour needs to cater to a different audience, one that does not want to compete in a competitive virtual tournament against Pro counterparts. Instead, these people want to feel like they are going out on a nice casual Sunday afternoon and playing a friendly round of golf but from the comfort of their living room.

The secret to success would be to have the pro golfers included while letting the game play from Tiger Woods 08 stay in tact. Also add in Mii characters and use a graphics engine that leans more towards Wii Sports golf. Have a funny announcer from the likes of Midway’s arcade sports games, with funny lines that heckle the user. Let the golfers on the screen use witty remarks at each other before and after their shot. A golf game that does not take itself too seriously would be fun for everyone, not just people who like the sport.

#1: Baseball

Did I not say Power Pros set a perfect example for a sports game on the Wii, with its simple interface and deep game play? Hopefully the next iteration will use motion controls in all its modes because that was the last piece of the puzzle keeping it from being one of the greatest sports games ever made in my opinion. There is obviously a direct relationship between swinging a bat or making a pitch and doing it with the Wii remote. Doing these actions with funny characters that represent their real life counter parts all inside realistic stadiums is what could make a game remarkable.

There should be multiple ways to enjoy my ideal baseball game, whether it’s with a franchise, a customizable tournament, or an RPG mode like Success. The game should even be easy to customize in any way the user envisions.

This model would be welcome in any sports game for the Wii, or any other system for that matter, and I hope to see it copied time and time again as time goes on.

What sports games are you looking forward to for the Wii? Which ones have been your favorites so far?