Wii're all good sports here! (Wii Sports (Wii))

Member Name: djwhite1982

Product:	Wii Sports (Wii)
Date:	15/10/09 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can be played by all walks of life, and no need to be into computer games to enjoy

Disadvantages: Need a lot of space to play multiplayer, and need to be careful with the remotes swinging around!

I've had my Wii for about 2 years now, and although I do like to play on it, I can't profess to being a massive fan of computer games. That said this Wii sports game is a big favourite of mine, and gets pulled out and plugged in more often than most of the other on selection for the Wii.

Wii sports is a computer game which uses the Nintendo Wii to create a sports based computer game where you physically act out the sports in order to take part in them. The sports available are Bowling, Baseball, Boxing, Golf & Tennis, which I will briefly discuss below.

Bowling

This is one of my favourites as its so simple and as similar to bowling as you can get without using a bowling ball. The Wii remote as held as if it being bowled and the triggered is used to let the Wii know when you want to "release" the ball. Games are the same format and scoring system as real ten pin bowling.

Tennis

Another very simple and very addictive game. The only control you have over the player in this game is the timing of your racket swing. All player movement is controlled by the computer, which helps to make this game so easy to play. The key is using the correct swing (forehand / backhand) and using timing to help direct the power of your shots. Playing this game with 4 people playing doubles is just hilarious, although make sure you have plenty of space for 4 swinging Wii remotes

Golf

Probably one of my least favourite games on here, mainly because its not quite as easy to play as the others. There are 9 holes available to play which generally increase in difficulty. The Wii remote is held in golf club position and the key to this game is controlling the power of your swing. Still good fun, although the repetitive commentator gets a little annoying. "Nice On".

Baseball

A simple version of baseball with only 3 innings. Pitching is fairly simple, with a quick flick of the Wii remote in any movement similar to a throw will release the ball. To mix up the type of balls you are throwing various buttons on the remote can be used to send down curveballs, fastballs, breakers etc etc. Whilst batting the Wii remote is held as the bat with timing and height being the key to controlling your hit. Once you get the hang of it you have to start pressing various buttons once you've worked out what type of "ball" the pitcher is throwing you.

Boxing

The first thing to say about Boxing is that it is surprisingly physically enduring. The Wii remote and nunchuck attachment are held in each hand and used to mimic boxing moves such as holding up to you face to block, swaying to the side to dive, and of course, throwing a punch. A good fun game but it seems to be luck of the draw who tends to win these matched. Although, maybe there is skill involved but I just don't have any!

Anything else?

There are a few extra little add-ons to the game, which help to make it slightly more interesting, and add a little bit of playability if you do want to play it alone. Choosing the training option means you can practice playing any of the 5 sports available. In order to keep things interesting there are various different tasks within the sport to improve your skills. So for example if you select tennis, you may find yourself having to return 20 smashes at the net, or if you select bowling you may find yourself dodging obstacles as you throw your ball down the alley. All the training elements are pretty simple, however it certainly helps to keep the games interesting by mixing it up a little. IN addition to the training option, you can also select a Wii Fitness test. IN this mode the computer will select 3 of these random tasks (as mentioned in training) and will assess you on your ability and skills to perform them. Eventually it will give you a fitness age, and a graph to chart your progression. What I do find a little frustrating with this part of the game is you can only do 1 test a day. I'm sure nobody is deluded enough to use this as an actual judge of fitness, and so surely we are all using it for fun. Quite why Nintendo want to limit my fun I'm not sure.

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This is not a game for the dedicated computer game and is certainly more tailored towards the occasional player, who likes to play with friends and family or at a small house party. One of the great attractions of this game is that everybody can join into it. As discussed about events like boxing can be surprisingly physically demanding, however with the inclusion of events like bowling it really is something all ages can have a go at. There is no way you could convince my grandma to go down a bowling alley, and I'm sure she'd struggle to pick up a ball without the risk of hurting herself, thankfully Wii sports takes away all those problems. Alright so grandma might not have fully grasped the concept and exactly what was going on, but the point is it was a great way of doing something involving all the family, that everyone can enjoy. For anyone familiar with the Wii, you will be aware of the Wii Mii facility where you can create your own character to use during the games. This is available in Wii sports so each player can create a small version of themselves to use during the game, which adds an extra bit of fun to the game.

So if you're looking for a game to have a bit of fun with your friends, and you don't mind a small bit of physical exertion, then this is the game for you.

Summary: Simple game, easy to play and lots of fun