Wii Play
© 2007 Nintendo of America
Nintendo's collection of nine new Wii games vary in quality, but have enough value to merit the $50 price tag, especially considering that an extra Wii Remote is included in the box. Each game needs to be unlocked before it can be played, which is a bit unfriendly (unlike Wii Sports). Fortunately, the unlocking process is easy, and progress can be saved — so this is a one-time process. Each game can be played with either one or two players, and some require the extra Nunchuk peripheral. Games include: Billiards - players use the remote as a pool cue in a nine-ball game of pool (fun); Find Mii - players scan the crowds to find the right Mii (fairly fun); and Pose Mii - the player moves his Mii on the screen, rotating it and changing its pose to match the silhouettes inside the falling bubbles (not fun). The player must pop the bubble by matching its pose before the bubble hits the bottom of the screen. Other games include Tanks! — players command a toy tank on a miniature battlefield in 100 missions (very fun) — and Table Tennis where players rally the ball back and forth, shooting for the longest sustained rally (fun). In Multi-player Mode, players compete to score points. Additional games include: Fishing - players must catch the fish indicated at the top of the screen (fun); Laser Hockey - players move paddles on an air hockey table, trying to hit the puck past the opponent's goal (fun); Shooting Range, a target-practice game in the style of the classic Duck Hunt where players shoot down targets ranging from clay pigeons to ducks to UFOs (very fun); and Charge! - the player controls a charging cow, guiding it into scarecrows and knocking them down by holding the Wii remote like a handle bar (silly and fun). If you're getting tired of Wii sports, this is a good addition to your library.
$50, Wii
Teaches: cooperative play, fine and gross motor movement, sports
CTR Rating: 84%