Wii Play: a quick "review"

[jeremy.king]

So I picked up my Tivo last night at Circuit City and figured I'd stroll through the Wii section just to see if they had any copies of Wii Play. They DID! ONE copy left to be exact. Came home and setup the Tivo, quick run to McDonalds for the wife, then I figured I'd give Wii Play a try.

While most of the games are entertaining, they are much more difficult than Wii Sports, where you can just swing the Wiimote like the Star Wars Kid and earn gold medals.

The Wiimote is much more sensitive in Wii Play!
I repeat.
The Wiimote is much more sensitive in Wii Play!

I played each game a couple times to see what I thought and heres my quick summary of my experience - mind you I didn't even play for more than a hour, tops...

Shooting - difficult because of sensitivity of wiimote, but very Duck Huntish in play as advertised. Brought me back to the good 'ol days.
Air Hockey - very neat, I like how you can turn around your "padddle" and catch the puck, would be better with 2 players.
Table tennis - probably a lot more fun with two players, I felt like Forest Gump playing the CPU. Best rally was only 47.
Mii Matching - lame for me, but probably a good developmental game for little ones.
Wii Pose - I know this game is going to be adddicting for me. Very simple concept but keeps you coming back for more.
Billards - seemed too easy to me, perhaps because I understand geometry. Can't wait to try masse and jumping - is that even possible?
Fishing - not very intuitive for me, a real life fisherman. Kept yanking the pole out of the water.
Cow race - its okay if you like the horse racing from Zelda OoT, this is pretty much a rip of that same concept.
Tanks - this game is by far my favorite. I unleashed a barrage of rocket attacks and mines, but the opposition's super missle ended up being my downfall.

Obviously the best part is the extra Wiimote, so I now have three. Since this game only supports 2 players, I won't be needing it, but it was very clever to bundle the game and a Wiimote.

My verdict: Worth it if you can find it...

Now if I could only find time to start Twillight Princess...

[Roy Hobbs]

Shooting is difficult???
I would have to disagree EVERY game on Wii Play including Shooting is ridiculously easy.

[topgunn]

Thanks for the review. I was thinking about picking it up myself and now I will be sure to. However, I still have Zelda TP and Madden 07 still unopened waiting to be played.

[evilgEEk]

Shooting is difficult???
I would have to disagree EVERY game on Wii Play including Shooting is ridiculously easy.

Well, you have to realize that kingjr3 wrote his review after only playing each game once or maybe twice. The games become much easier after you get the feel for them.

I originally thought the Ping Pong game was difficult but the second time I played it I got a rally of 100.

I still say the game is only worth it if you're in the market for another Wiimote.

[jeremy.king]

Shooting is difficult???
I would have to disagree EVERY game on Wii Play including Shooting is ridiculously easy.

Ok, I'll rephrase...Shooting is easy, hitting the targets is difficult. If you found it ridiculously easy, I commend you on your cat like reflexes...Feel free to add your review. I know I got to the part where aliens steal my Miis and I started unloading rounds faster than the big shootout scene in Heat...

Its very possible my sensor bar is off and thats causing some of my pain. I need to find a clever way to mount it on the bottom of my tv.

[topgunn]

I need to find a clever way to mount it on the bottom of my tv.
Super glue and duct tape.

[djstarrock]

Super glue and duct tape.
Ha Ha! yea I got Wii play at launch just got it for the wii-mote.

[seenew]

So here's my problem-- I already have 4 wii remotes.
There is no way for me to justify buying this. :\ I would not pay $50 for it, but maybe $15 or $20. Are they going to sell the game alone?

[jeremy.king]

So here's my problem-- I already have 4 wii remotes.
There is no way for me to justify buying this. :\ I would not pay $50 for it, but maybe $15 or $20. Are they going to sell the game alone?

Some of the sellers on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000KRXAGE/ref=dp_olp_2/104-1282708-9582302) are but not for $20 :(

[billchase2]

we picked this up a couple weeks ago simply for the extra wiimote since we only had one. overall, i thought it was okay. wii sports is way more entertaining to me and much more addictive.

[JackAxe]

Ok, I'll rephrase...Shooting is easy, hitting the targets is difficult. If you found it ridiculously easy, I commend you on your cat like reflexes...Feel free to add your review. I know I got to the part where aliens steal my Miis and I started unloading rounds faster than the big shootout scene in Heat...

Its very possible my sensor bar is off and thats causing some of my pain. I need to find a clever way to mount it on the bottom of my tv.

I noticed if the bar is to far from the Wiimote, rotating the cursor gets very jumpy. I've also had a Glade candle throw off my Wiimote. The bars's range only seems to be about 6 feet or less for accuracy.

<]=)

[jeremy.king]

I noticed if the bar is to far from the Wiimote, rotating the cursor gets very jumpy. I've also had a Glade candle throw off my Wiimote. The bars's range only seems to be about 6 feet or less for accuracy.

<]=)

Yeah, I think that is my problem. I need to get creative with some Velcro. My LCD TV is in a cabinet and there isn't enough clearance to set the sensor bar on the top of the TV, so I rest it on the base of the TV, which is rounded and putting a flat sensor bar on a rounder surface...well, it never seems to stay in place. Since I have some space on the bezel I may experiment with the placement.

In any case, Wii Play is still fun.

[Wallace25]

My two favorite games are shooting and tanks. I got bored with shooting pretty fast until I discoverd you can activate two wii remotes and have two guns for a single player. Added more fun and challenge to it. But the most fun is tanks.

[JackAxe]

I bought it and I'm glad. It was a fun evening with my friend. :)

Tanks is awesome. I would love for an entire combat game with that type of direction, where as everything is a toy.

I learned that a real Duck Hunter is on the way. It's in the computer at the games store where my friend works. This explains why this shooter is fairly simple.

Anyway, I really enjoyed all of the games, but wouldn't bother to play some of them if I were buy myself. I sucked shooting two-haned just now. :o

<]=)

[JackAxe]

Yeah, I think that is my problem. I need to get creative with some Velcro. My LCD TV is in a cabinet and there isn't enough clearance to set the sensor bar on the top of the TV, so I rest it on the base of the TV, which is rounded and putting a flat sensor bar on a rounder surface...well, it never seems to stay in place. Since I have some space on the bezel I may experiment with the placement.

In any case, Wii Play is still fun.

Tis loads of fun. I look forward to playing it with my various friends :)

Maybe one of those Tyco wilreless solutions might help out with your setup. If anything, they're more powerful so provide a better range than Nintendo's bar.

My LCDTV is in my office on my second desk, so I had it easy. :)

[Tehy]

Nice review :) Thanks!

[guifa]

Ok, I'll rephrase...Shooting is easy, hitting the targets is difficult. If you found it ridiculously easy, I commend you on your cat like reflexes...Feel free to add your review. I know I got to the part where aliens steal my Miis and I started unloading rounds faster than the big shootout scene in Heat...

Its very possible my sensor bar is off and thats causing some of my pain. I need to find a clever way to mount it on the bottom of my tv.

I got gold in the shooting one on my first try (after I'd gone through all of the games when it lets you go for the medals). I missed a lot and if I had felt like doing i again to learn their patterns I might have been able to pull off the platinum.

Wii Play isn't worth it in and of itself, but you're basically getting a couple of games for a buck each and a new controller at normal price. When you look at it that way it's a great value.

[raggedjimmi]

I thought Wii Play was quite good on my first play through. I don't think it's a lasting game by any means, but in the UK you can get Wii Play and a controller for the same price as a single controller.

Air Hockey is my fave. Really love the art style there.

[debroglie]

I bought WiiPlay today simply because I wanted a remote to play around with on my mac. Obviously, I have no use for the game half of WiiPlay. I thought about ebaying it and recouping the majority of my costs, but I first thought I'd offer it on here.

The first $20 takes it, but seenew has first dibs since he suggested the possibility.

***My copy of WiiPlay is now sold. Thank you!

[holamiamigos]

just got wii play today and its awesome... hours of fun

[JackAxe]

It's a great game to have, especially when visting friends or family.

But now I need to buy 4 more rechargeable batteries, another nunchuck, and another classic controller. :eek:

<]=)

[atszyman]

I picked up the game last night on my way home. Daughter (2 y/o) love the pose Mii game since it involves bubbles, pictures of flowers and animals, and her Mii, I think that it the formula for the greatest game ever for her.

I can see where most of the games would be great fun with a group and how they can quickly become boring by themselves. I mostly bought it for the Wiimote figuring $10 for the games wasn't a bad addition. I don't know that I would ever pay more than $25 for this game unless we did a lot of entertaining. Laser hockey alone could be worth it for a party game. Especially if a lot of your friends remember Pong.

[e²Studios]

It's a great game to have, especially when visting friends or family.

But now I need to buy 4 more rechargeable batteries, another nunchuck, and another classic controller. :eek:

<]=)

I like Wii play, its fun to play as a break from Wii Sports when i have company over. I like the air hockey game the best, the duck hunt game is fun but its way too short and missing the dog :) The billiards is fun, cow racing is cute, and i got frustrated when i got to 99 returns in ping pong then the phone rang and i missed #100 :(

I have found that rechargables dont last as long in my wiimotes. I went to Sams Club and bought a large pack of high energy energizer batteries made for digital/electric devices and they seem to last the longest. I also have a large collection of batteries from Ikea as a backup stash :) Hopefully Nintendo comes out with a charger solution.

Ed

[MacRumorUser]

find mii and the mii balloon stance games I like, the others are a bit meh! for me

[jeremy.king]

Hopefully Nintendo comes out with a charger solution.


Nyko did: Beware the Ides of March (http://www.amazon.com/NYKO-TECHNOLOGIES-87000-Charge-Station/dp/B000LFJNF2)

[zero2dash]

I can't wait to pick this up (hopefully next week).
Thanks for the review kingjr3 :)