Wii Sports

When I heard about what they were planning with controllers for the Nintendo Wii, I was flabbergasted. As someone who has been a Nintendo fan since the days of the NES, I wanted nothing to do with Nintendo's little Wii. But I decided to give it a chance upon hearing that it was cheap, came with a game packaged in it and it would allow me to download all sorts of games on the Virtual Console. Now I have to admit defeat; Wii Sports has sold me on this system and I am back in full support of Nintendo. All this in a simple little game that is barely more than a system demo.

Almost all of the charm inherent in Wii sports comes from two simple things; the ability to use your Mii's in the game and the simple and intuitive controls. For those who aren't aware, a Mii is a little figure, almost a bobble-head looking one, which you can create from the main Wii menu. There are oodles of customization options for them and its fun to watch them playing a variety of sports or just as spectators.

However, the controls are most definitely what sell this game and the system. While you will hear of many people talking about how you only need simple little flicks of the wrist, I find myself getting way more into the sports games as I play them. Taking up batters position and doing full out swings, actually moving my body as I swing my tennis racket or having to stand up so I can have proper form while bowling; it is all fun and I cant bring myself to slow down and simply sit and play. I want to get up and actually get into it, moving around and actually going with the game. All of the controls are nice and intuitive and the learning curve is very small, leaving this as a game for the whole family. I fully intend on getting my sister and mother to play this the next time that I visit them and they want nothing to do with video games.

There are some minor snags to the enjoyment of these games. I found the boxing game to be very hit or miss during all of my time with it. But then again, I've not played it with another player and I hear that this is the games largest appeal, so perhaps I’m missing something. The golf game is also somewhat suspect at times. While moving my hands to take a swing, I sometimes found my Mii taking the swing before I was prepared, costing me points and the controls for the putter are very, very touchy. Also, with the other games, it is sometimes hard to control the ball in bowling, but some of this has to do with the somewhat different physics of Wii Sports itself. For example, the pins have minds of their own, sometimes taking out other pins that were nowhere near them, but almost never being able to pick up a 7-10 split. Annoying, but not enough to stop the fun.

In the end, this game is exactly what Nintendo meant it to be. It gives us just enough to have fun and to get a bunch of friends into the Wii with us, but not enough to only own it. It’s a great primer for those like me who are on the fence about the Wii. But whether you are testing yourself in the games Fitness mode or just goofing off at tennis with a buddy, this game is great fun and as an inclusion with the Wii, it comes at the best price; free.

Score: 9/10