Let's start with the ripping off Nintendo Part
Here is the boxart of the original Wii Sports that every Wii owner except some in Japan have:
Here is the boxart of Racquet Sports Party (yes party at the end there) by Ubisoft:
By the way this is the UK version of the game hence the "Racket".
I'm really interested what an Ubisoft representative would say when asked why it is a blatant rip-off of Wii Sports. Probably something like "What are you talking about? Our game has a one curve going up and one down while Wii Sports has two curves going up in the center part of the boxart so it is completely different"
Anyway why am i fine about this?
Well for starters it looks pretty nice and clean:
It has five sport that arguably are just a slight variation of a same mechanic but it has badminton so I'm happy:
- Tennis
- Ping-pong/Table Tennis
- Squash
- Badminton
- Beach Tennis
And the the most important thing, it supports Wii Motion Plus. Now this is Ubisoft we are talking about so they could do something horribly wrong with it but given that they are all up with the tech developing Red Steel 2 for it you would think that they should nail it just like EA did with Grand Slam Tennis and Nintendo did them selves in the Ping-Pong/Table Tennis mini-game in Wii Sports Resort.
This is not Ubisoft first Motion Plus game but the two previous ones: Academy of Champions and Shaun White World Stage did not really used it for the main game-play like I suppose that this one will.
I'm sure that this game exist (other then make a cheap buck) to indirectly move more M+ units to get more potential buyers for Red Steel 2 which is something I applaud because that means that other developers will be more tempted to make M+ games too.
Here is the press release that came with all this mess:
LONDON, UK – January 21st, 2010 – Today Ubisoft® announced the forthcoming release of Racket Sports Party, a new game that brings sports and fun together. Developed for Nintendo Wii, it makes five of the most popular racket-based sports available to players in the EMEA region on March 26th, 2010. For the first time ever, Ubisoft offers the possibility to play Tennis, Table Tennis, Squash, Badminton and Beach Tennis, all in one game. Compatible with Ubisoft’s Motion-Tracking Camera, already used in the fitness game Your Shape, and the Wii Motion Plus™ controller, Racket Sports Party delivers an attractive, interactive experience where family and friends will have fun serving, rallying, and smashing their way to the finals. Racket Sports Party will be available in two different packages: the game as a stand-alone and the game bundled with the Motion-Tracking Camera.
Racket Sports Party’s mini-games and tournaments transport players to forty spectacular locations, such as a Moroccan palace, a casino in Las Vegas, a crowded stadium, a modern loft in New York, or a cruise ship on the Nile… Everyone can get into the action with easy-to-use controls that accurately reproduce the player’s movements. Players have the option to use the Wii Motion Plus for more precision and impressive spins. Furthermore, this multisport game is designed to take advantage of Ubisoft’s Motion-Tracking Camera. This technology recognizes the player’s every movement and allows for controller-free gameplay, an unprecedented experience for Wii™ users.
Through its multi-player split-screen mode, Racket Sports Party makes it possible to collaborate with friends and relatives, or compete against each other in order to become the court champion. There are six different game modes in total, providing hours of fun for everyone. In addition, players have the ability to customize the face, body and clothes of their characters with over twenty-seven different looks and accessories. Competition has never been so fun!
With appealing graphics, numerous game modes, and stunning precision thanks to compatibility with the latest accessories, Racket Sports Party makes any smash, service, drop shot, or backhand as enjoyable as the real thing.
edit: The game is actually developed by Asobo Studios who have a good number of games based on Pixar movies under their belt and more surprisingly Fuel.
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