Wii Review Round-up 07

Contents

Wii Play

Unlike many I didn’t really purchase this for the controller as I already had two…well, actually I did, but I wouldn’t have purchased this package unless I thought the games looked decent and there are a few gems in there. The Duck Hunt-style game is nice and I also enjoy the air hockey game, the tank game and the “Find the Mii” game — the yarn-textured bull-riding game is also amusing. 9-ball is also good fun, but Midnight Pool on WiiWare makes it redundant. Fun to break out for a bash now and then.

Wii Sports

It’s the pack-in; if it wasn’t I probably wouldn’t buy it because I’m soft on sports games. I’ve never played the golf game because I have zero interest in golf. The boxing game has controls that are a little on the lame side: punch shoulder-height for head blows and at a downward angle for body shots; hold the Remote and Nunchuk together to block; block and sway back-and-forth to weave. Tennis and bowling are quite well done: on the latter I can actually position myself in the place I normally would on a real lane and hook the ball as I normally would. Pretty decent package altogether; it nicely shows off the new direction the Wii has taken video games.

Bit.Trip BEAT (WiiWare)

Excellent 8-bit retro gaming goodness from Gaijin Games. Brilliant use of the Wii remote as a paddle controller in a Pong-style music rhythm game. Includes three high-quality audio tracks and good challenge which reminds us that even back in the Atari 2600 days games were hard but fun. Check it out – one of the best WiiWare games around.

No More Heroes

There’s a reason Suda51 is the closest thing to a rock star in the world of video game development. Loaded with piss-takes at gaming conventions and gamers themselves, No More Heroes manages to combine fun hack-and-slash action gamplay with biting satire in a completely satisfying package. Don’t be put off by the lack of blood in the PAL or Japanese releases as the black ash rendering of Travis Touchdown’s opponents blends in nicely with the muted colour palette of the cell-shaded game world. Wii controls are well implemented, often to humourous effect (see recharging your beam katana weapon, training at Thunder Ryu’s gym or any of the mundane part-time jobs Travis needs to do to raise money for his massive wardrobe and showdowns on his way to the top of the United Assassins Association).

If you’re like me and passed on the game due to a perception it was all about killing people (which it is, sort of), do as I did and correct that mistake by getting it today! The god of gaming will forgive you. Enjoy your visit to the Garden of Madness!!!!!