Nintendo Wii Reviews

Wii Play Review (Wii)

By Hector Cortez Feb 14, 2007, 18:32 GMT

Wii Play, with its 9 mini-games, is a mixed bag, but a deal for $50 when you consider the Wii remote that comes with it.

The Wii has turned out to the be the party console of choice. There's nothing better than getting together with a bunch of friends and having a good time playing Table Tennis or Shooting Range. One game that brings the fun back to the living room is Nintendo's Wii Play, a collection of 9 easy and entertaining mini-games.

Wii Play comes packaged together with a Wii remote for only $49.99, a deal when you consider a remote by itself costs $39.99, so for an extra $10 you're getting a game also. Of particular note, Wii remotes have been in short supply at retail outlets since Wii's launch, so if you're looking to buy an extra Wii remote, this is great route to go considering you get Wii Play with it.

Wii Play is a collection of 9 unique games that make full use of the Wii remote's capabilities. Rather than go through our standard “what works” format, we decided to just breakdown each of the mini-games here, because each game is really different, some of them great, others plain boring.

Shooting Range
For those old enough to remember Duck Hunt, this will probably be your favorite game on the disc. While not a remake, it is definitely inspired by Duck Hunt and its light gun gameplay. During this mini-game you will shoot targets, soda cans, even aliens trying to abduct your Mii! The game is a ton of fun with responsive and easy controls. If only it wasn't over so quickly.

Not quite as good as Rockstar's game, but fun. Wii Sports Tennis on a table.

Table Tennis
A simplified version of table tennis where you don't swing your arms to hit the ball, instead you simply move your hand side to side. For this reason, the game isn't as fun as it should be. It is simply the ball bouncing back and forth between your racket and the opponent's. The game becomes somewhat enjoyable after your rally of hits crosses the 30 hit mark when the speed increases with each hit.

Find Mii
In this game you will have to find you Mii hidden among other Miis. Think of it as an interactive “Where's Waldo?” book. Unfortunately, the game isn't much fun. It quickly becomes frustrating and repetitive.

Umm... this isn't really a game as much as a dull tech demo. Meh.

Fishing
While the art style used in this mini-game is very nice, like a children's book, the game itself isn't much of a game. There's isn't much interaction in the form of fishing, instead you just wait until you hook a fish and pull the Wiimote up. There's no real sense of accomplishment. It's quite boring and gets old quickly.

Pose Mii
A simple, addicting, fun and challenging mini-game where you must arrange your Mii in various poses to match those of falling bubbles. Starts of easy but increases in difficulty with the introduction of pose switching. You have to think quick and press the Wii remote buttons to switch to the correct pose before the bubbles cross the border line.

Laser Hockey
A simplified version of air hockey with a hint of Pong, mixed with some cool neon effects and easy controls make this game one of the most enjoyable on the disc. A blast to play with two players. There isn't much of a challenge with single player.

One of our favorites, after playing the lousy Fishing game, Tanks is really fun.

Tanks!
Thankfully the last game on the disc brings the fun back with some tank shooting action. For this game you will control a small tank with either the Wiimote or with both the Wiimote and Nunchuk. Unlike the other games which end too quickly, Tanks! has plenty of levels to keep you busy. The game is also great for two players.

Billiards
The slowest paced game on the disc is also the most involved. Take your time to line up your shot and then pull back on the Wiimote and release while moving your arm forward to strike the balls. Any billiards fan out there will enjoy the Wii Play version. Responsive controls and accurate physics make Billiards one of the best games on the disc.

Charge!
Another stinker of a game comes to us in the form of Charge!, a cow racing mini-game. While the premise may sound fun, it isn't. The fun is sucked away by the unresponsive controls of the Wiimote, which you must turn sideways in this game. Another downer is the fact that there is only race to complete. Finish it and you're done with the mini-game.

What it all means

Overall, Wii Play is not a game that you will find yourself playing by yourself often. Its meant as a multiplayer experience which is why Nintendo packaged it with a Wiimote. While the game isn't worth $50 on its own, it certainly is worth $10, which is what its really costing you when you factor in the $40 for the Wiimote. If you're looking for some good, clean multiplayer fun look no further than Wii Play.

Pros
+ Fun
+ Easy
+ Enjoyable for all ages
+ Not expensive

Cons
- Games are over too quickly
- Half the games suck

Score: 3.5/5