EA Playground
© 2007 EA Sports - Electronic Arts Canada
EA Playground features classic playground games like shooting hoops and flying paper airplanes. Players start off in the school yard as they successfully compete in challenges to unlock other locations. In the Wii version, players make use of the Wii Remote in games such as dodgeball (our favorite), tetherball and dart shootout. In the DS version, players use the touch screen in dodgeball, or blow into the microphone to fire spit balls. Players can challenge in-game characters in single-player mode, or compete against friends in party play mode. In addition, players collect stickers every time they win a game against in-game characters, or earn marbles by playing other mini-game activities. These can be traded for power-ups that can be used in other challenges. In the Wii version, you explore the playground in single-player mode, where you meet kids who introduce seven games that vary in quality, from poor to excellent. They include dodgeball, tetherball, slot car racing, paper racers (a favorite), dart shootout, wall ball and kick ball. The Nintendo DS version has nine sports, that also vary in quality but are generally more fun. These include dodgeball, kicks, bug hunt, trampoline, spit balls, skate and sketch, hoops, RC car racing and hopscotch. The games are leveled, so the more you play, the harder the challenge. As you play, you collect marbles or stickers in order to earn an A. Our testers's recommendation? Buy it. Visit www.eaplayground.com for more information.
$3040, Wii, Nintendo DS
Teaches: hand-eye coordination
CTR Rating: 86%