Honestly, the Nintendo Wii era was a fever dream for licensed games. You’d walk into a GameStop in 2010 and see rows of plastic-wrapped titles based on every reality show imaginable. Some were okay. Most were... not. But then there’s America's Next Top Model Wii, a game that feels like it was unearthed from a digital time capsule specifically to confuse us a decade later.
It was released in June 2010. Developed by Neopica and published by Conspiracy Entertainment (Crave in some regions), it didn't exactly set the world on fire. But if you’re a fan of the show, or just someone who enjoys the specific brand of chaos that only the Wii can provide, this game is a fascinating artifact. It tried to condense the high-stakes drama of Tyra Banks’ runway into motion-controlled mini-games.
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Did it work? Well, that depends on your definition of "working."
The Strange World of America's Next Top Model Wii
The game follows a surprisingly rigid structure. You play as one of ten aspiring models—though "play as" is a bit generous since you’re mostly managing their schedules and trying not to trip on a virtual catwalk. Unlike the DS version, which felt more like a Sims knockoff with heavy relationship management, the Wii version doubled down on the "active" experience of being a model.
Where is Tyra?
One of the first things you notice is a glaring omission. There is no Tyra Banks. At least, not the real one.
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While the show’s logo is plastered everywhere and the branding is official, the actual likenesses of the iconic judges are missing. You get generic stand-ins. It’s like entering a Bizarro world where the names are the same but the faces belong to people you’d see in a stock photo library. This was likely a licensing cost-cutting measure, but it gives the game a weird, uncanny valley vibe right from the jump.
The Gameplay Loop
Basically, your life revolves around four main activities:
- The Runway: Using the Wii Remote to maintain balance while your character struts.
- Photo Shoots: Striking poses by moving the controllers to match on-screen prompts.
- Make-up and Hair: Selecting the "right" look for specific themes, which is harder than it sounds because the graphics are... dated.
- Socializing: Chatting with other contestants in the house.
The house itself is a 3D environment you can actually walk around in. It’s supposed to feel immersive, but it mostly feels lonely. You’ll spend a lot of time walking from the fridge to the couch, wondering when the next "challenge" starts.
Why the Graphics Matter (or Don't)
Look, it’s a 2010 Wii game. Nobody was expecting Crysis. But America's Next Top Model Wii has a very specific aesthetic that I can only describe as "Early 2000s Department Store Catalog." The outfits are peak 2010 fashion—think waist-high belts, chunky jewelry, and questionable layers.
The character models are stiff. When they talk, their mouths move in a way that suggests they’re chewing invisible gum. Yet, there’s a strange charm to it. It’s a snapshot of what we thought "glamour" looked like during the transition from the mid-aughts to the 2010s.
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The "Unhinged" Factor
If you’ve ever watched a Game Grumps playthrough or a retro review of this game, you know it’s famous for its glitches and bizarre dialogue. Sometimes your model will just... stop. Or a judge will give you a critique that makes absolutely no sense based on the photo you just took.
One of the funniest mechanics involves the "energy" system. In some versions of the game, if your model doesn't eat enough, she literally cannot run. You have to go to the fridge and eat fruit—sometimes seven times in a row—just to fill up a bar so you can move at a normal human pace. It’s an accidental commentary on the modeling industry that the developers probably didn't intend to be that dark.
Is it Actually Worth Playing Now?
If you’re looking for a deep simulation of the fashion industry, no. Absolutely not.
But if you’re a collector of "weird Wii games" or a die-hard fan of the show who wants to see how they tried to gamify "smize-ing," then it's a hilarious afternoon. You can usually find copies on eBay or at local retro shops for under $15.
Key Takeaways for Collectors:
- Region Matters: The European version (often just titled Top Model) and the US version have slight differences in UI and sometimes the roster of girls.
- The DS Version is Different: Don't confuse the two. The DS version is a much more traditional "life sim" while the Wii version is more about the motion-controlled mini-games.
- Check for the Manual: Many used copies are missing the manual, which actually contains some pretty funny "modeling tips" that are basically just instructions on how to wiggle the Wii Remote.
The legacy of America's Next Top Model Wii isn't one of high scores or critical acclaim. It’s a reminder of a time when every piece of pop culture needed a disc, no matter how poorly the concept translated to a controller. It’s clunky, it’s weirdly empty, and it’s unintentionally hilarious.
If you decide to hunt down a copy, just remember: keep your energy bar full and try not to fall off the virtual catwalk.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
If you want to experience the peak of this game's weirdness without actually hunting down a Wii, I highly recommend watching a "Let's Play" from creators who specialize in shovelware. It highlights the bizarre dialogue and the "fruit-eating" mechanics in a way that’s much more entertaining than actually struggling with the motion controls yourself. If you do buy the disc, make sure your Wii sensor bar is perfectly calibrated; the photo shoot segments are notoriously finicky with infrared tracking.