THE GOOD: + Excellent Multi-player Gameplay + Wide variety of games to choose from + Helps you learn how to use the Wii-mote
THE BAD: - If you already knew how to control it, some of the games can be a bit boring.
SUMMARY: Wii Play, a game specifically designed to help give you a better feel and help you be more comfortable with controlling the Wii-mote. Luckily, it actually does help and gives you hours of non-repetitive gameplay to enjoy with it!
Wii Play lets you choose from nine, very different, yet very helpful games when it comes to getting used to the Wii-mote. These games can have up to two players at once, just in case you want to play a sibling or a friend. These games include Shooting Range, Find Mii, Table Tennis, Pose Mii, Laser Hockey, Billiards, Fishing, Charge!, and Tanks.
One of the best features of the game is definitely the use of Mii's. This way, you aren't always using the same old character. Instead, you can choose between any of the Mii's you have created on the Mii Channel of the main Wii Menu. Though some games don't actually show the Miis' actions, it will at least show a bubble over the object that you are to help you decipher which player is which when playing with multiple people.
The gameplay of each game is very simple, yet challenging for the most part. It helps you utilize every main button and type of movement of the Wii-mote that you will need to know for currently released, and future Wii games. Things such as pressing the buttons to switch the pose of the character, or moving around a tank, or even tilting it back and forth to control the speed of your ride in some games!
In Shooting Range, you learn how to steadily hold the Wii-mote, and move it to once location to the other quickly. You must aim the Wii-mote at the screen at things like targets, "rabbits" (the disc-type objects that are thrown out in front of you), and the occasional duck flying across the screen. How many you hit, and for some, how long it takes you to hit, will determine your score.
This image shows the last level of this game, where you must shoot the aliens before they still all of your Miis.
Find Mii helps you learn to look all over the screen to be acute to certain things. In Find Mii, you must find things such as Mii's that look alike, different, and the one that doesn't belong in a big group. Also, the locations are large to make it even harder. These include an open street, a field, and the hardest, an escalator in a mall. When you pick the right Mii(s), you'll gain points, but if you choose the wrong ones, you will lose time.
Table Tennis consists of you versus an opponent. It is a very simple game with an easy way to understand how to score. You must move your paddle forward, back, left, and/or right with the Wii-mote to hit the ball back to your opponent. You score by simply hitting it past your opponent, and they score the same way.
In Pose Mii, there are three different types of bubbles floating down from the top of the screen, and using the Wii-mote you must move your Mii into the bubble before it hits the bottom. The challenge? You must make your Mii choose between three poses to fit the one displayed in the bubble. You score by getting the right pose, and lose if three bubbles hit the bottom.
In this screenshot displays level one, where you must use the pose where your Mii is spread out.
Laser Hockey is another fun game. If you have ever played Air Hockey, then you know the concepts. In this game, using the Wii-mote you must move a small rectangular type object to hit a plasma type ball back and forth until someone scores. You either play against a computer, or a friend.
The Red is player two, and the Blue is player one. As you can see, it keeps score for you at the type and just as well it shows you the size of the blocker you control.
The Billiards game is a game of pool, but in a first person perspective so you are right next to the cue ball. Don't worry though, you can change your view to see an overview of the table. The cue ball displays an image of the current players turn too. You win by knocking in all of the balls in the correct order, just like Nine-Ball.
Fishing is an excellent game, that relies on holding it steady and slowly moving it around and shifts to quickly jerking the Wii-mote back. There are about eight different types of fish, and all but one helps you gain points. There is a bonus fish that changes every minute or so to help give you some extra points if you catch it.
In this image, the current bonus fish in on the hook of P2's rod. In order to bring it in, P2 would quickly jerk the Wii-mote up.
Charge! is simple. You must ride on a cow and knock down as many scarecrows as possible, plus bonus for the special scarecrow that moves. There are also obstacles that you must jump over by quickly moving the Wii-mote up. This game features a new type of holding the Wii-mote, by holding the front in the left hand, and the back in the right hand, tilting it forward to go faster, and backwards to slow down. There is also a time limit that if you make it under, you will recieve a time bonus.
This trailer shows all of the games as well as the graphics and exciting gameplay that this game consists of!
The Tanks game lets you have the option of using the Nunchuck controller. You can use the analog on the Nunchuck, or the directional pad on the Wii-mote to move around. The B button is to drop a mine, and the A button is to fire a missile. You must advance through the levels by blowing up the enemy tanks. There are new tanks every few levels with newer abilities so watch out!
The graphics of Wii Play were really good compared a lot of other games. Mostly because they couldn't make the graphics of excellent quality with the gameplay, otherwise it wouldn't have the right feel anymore. Everything was still easily visible though. The sound was really good too. The music in the main menu was pretty relaxing, and the sound effects of shooting a gun, or hitting a ball, or even firing a missile were all very good!
Scores
Controls 5.0 - This whole game was about controlling the Wii-mote, and it really works too. Plus, everything is very easy to understand so there isn't any hard parts.
Gameplay 5.0 - All of the games were very fun to play and the large variety was a great plus too!
Graphics 4.5 - The graphics, of course compared to the Xbox 360, or the PS3, weren't very good. But for the Wii, they were exceptionally good.
Sound 4.5 - Everything was of excellent quality when it comes to the sound category. Very good.
Characters 4.0 - The use of Mii's was good, but eventually you get tired of seeing the same types of Mii's.
Lasting Value 3.0 - The lasting value was pretty good, but not extremely good. Some of the games were still fun to play after a while, but if you already know how to utilize the Wii-mote, some get a little bit boring.
Wii Play is definitely a good game for beginners, and for anybody that just wants a pretty good time with some friends. It seemed that most of these games were geared towards multiple players anyway. Overall, I give this game a 4.0 because of its awesome choice of games. I would highly recommend a rent maybe once or twice, but the only reason to buy it would be for the extra Wii-mote.
THE GOOD: - Remote controller comes free with this game. - 9 fun and addictive minigames. - Multiplayer is wicked. - You can earn medals on all the games.
THE BAD: - Playing all 9 games will take you roughly 30 minutes. After that, you don't really need the game. - Short but sweet. - Graphics
SUMMARY: Wii Play, the brother of Wii Sports as some could say, is a great but short compilation of 9 minigames. With a free remote, this game is well worth the money, but when you start playing it and as you gradually unlock the rest of the 8 minigames, you begin to lose interest in about half an hour. Don't get me wrong here, that doesn't mean that you are going to stop playing it altogether, it just means that there could have been more detail or even some nice touches to some of the simple games. I still play it often but not as much as I play Wii Sports.
The good points are that the games can be addictive as well as short. The games are:
Shooting Range - Basically, it is similar to Duck Hunt, if anyone ever played that and you just shoot different objects around the screen including balloons and spaceships. How... imaginative!
Pose Mii - This is a game where you twist and turn your Wiimote to let your Mii's fit into bubbles. Probably the most pointless game of the lot, but it still works well and it is a bit addicting.
Seek Mii - Spot the difference like game here. You have to search for various Mii's or find look-a-likes. Levels include searching for them while on an escalator, in the darkness with a flashlight, in the swimming pool and there are many more to keep you entertained.
Fishing - Well, what can I say about this minigame? You hunt, with your fishing rod, for fish!
Billiards (Pool) - This is a great game. Although simple, it has great gameplay. You simply push back with your Wiimote as you hold the "B" button, then release, to strike a ball into the pocket. Wonderful. The majority of the game is luck though.
Charge! - Yes, the exclamation mark was on purpose, by the way. This is addicting as well as fun. You are riding a cow, trying to knock down scarecrows for the highest points as possible. Jump by raising the Wiimote, turn by tilting it and go faster or slower by tilting the Wiimote forwards and backwards. The only minigame to let you hold the Wiimote as an actual steering wheel! I am in love with this minigame!
Tanks! - A game where you control a tank, trying to blow up other tanks. Forget Call of Duty 3 here, this is what the Wii was for! You can also use the Nunchuk for this game, to guide the tanks.
Table Tennis - Very, very, very, very addictive minigame here. You rally with the computer or another player for the highest number of shots you can hit. You need an arm like a wrestlers in this game, I'm telling ya.
Laser Hockey - Just like Air Hockey, except the controls are very sensitive indeed. It takes a lot of time getting used to this game. You can twist the Wiimote to turn the paddle etc.
Well, those are the 9 games. They are very good indeed but you just seem to be losing the excitement when you play it over and over again.
Except in multiplayer. If this game didn't have multiplayer, I would have given it a 2.5/5. Battling it out against your friends or family is amazing! Multiplayer keeps you playing.
You can also unlock medals in the minigames, including a Platinum medal, which is for people who are grandmasters at the minigames.
All in all, a good game for the Wii. It tells you how the Wiimote is used, although you should probably know that by now. What's better, is that it comes with a free remote! Go on, give it a go. You will have fun while it lasts.
forums
3.75/5.0
4.0
3.5
