Game Review: Wii Play (Wii)
Overview: Wii Play is a new concept being pushed by Nintendo, it's like that scuba diving game you used to play back in middle school that taught you how to use a mouse. It is a series of Wii Sports-style minigames (even using the same menus and similar music) that function as an introduction to using the Wii Remote to play games. The games are long enough to be interesting, but short enough to be... interesting. Who exactly is this game marketed toward? Read my opinions after the jump.
Funness: Wii Play is fun. It is like fun bottled. It is made specifically to be fun. That said, how fun is it for someone who is used to playing video games? To adapting to different styles of gameplay in order to gain entertainment from whatever game we are playing. I can understand how the game can appeal to people who have never touched a game controller, who may be drawn in by the simple games like the fishing game or the Where's Waldo-style Mii finding game, and in that function it is great. There are a number of games that utilize and familiarize you with the different functions of the Wii Remote: twisting, turning, pointing and pushing. There is a really cool laser hockey game, billiards, and a neat toy tank battle. All the games are 1-2 players and really do serve as a simple intro to how the Wii works. There are enough games to keep you occupied for a while, and getting the high score is definitely obsession-worthy.
Shininess: It's a game that goes with the same style as Wii Sports. The graphics are low quality and use the simplistic Miis, but does it really matter? It's showcasing the controls, not the graphics or the sound. The music is satisfying and the graphics just work. The end.
Worthiness: This is a great game to have if you regularly showcase your Wii at family gatherings. It's another quality assortment of short games in the same realm as Wii Sports that will keep pedestrian players occupied for a while. Is it for the more hardcore players? No. At least, not unless you just can't find a Wii Remote in your area: it comes with one. That said, Wii Play is the same price as other Wii titles, so take out the price of the remote and you have a game worth about ten bucks. That's ok, because it doesn't claim to be anything more than an intro to how the controller works. And a great intro it is.
Score: 2/5 Skip it!
What say you?!