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Friday 15 February, 2008
GAMEPLAY
In bowling, any number of players play 10 frames of a bowling game. Players can adjust where they are aiming the bowling ball, and they swing the Wiimote underhand as if they were actually throwing a bowling ball. You can also twist the Wiimote as you swing it to put spin on the bowling ball. At the end of ten frames, whoever has the most points wins the game.
In baseball, players take turns playing as the pitcher or the batter. The pitcher holds down a button and swings the Wiimote overhand to pitch the ball. The batter has to swing the Wiimote at the right time to make the Mii swing the bat. How many bases are ran depends on how far the ball goes, not whether or not the ball gets to a base. Aside from that and the fact that there are only 3 innings, the rules are the same as baseball.
In golf, players take turns trying to hit a golf ball into a hole. Players have control over the direction and which type of club to use. Players swing the Wiimote like a golf club in order to actually hit the ball. How hard the player swings determines how far the ball goes.
DESIGN
Wii sports is interesting in that is one of the few games that takes full advantage of the Wii's unique capabilities. Each game has the player using the Wiimote's motion sensing capabilities to its full effect. The games themselves are fairly simple and easy, but they are a lot of fun when playing with friends. The game is fairly lighthearted, with the avatars being bobble headed and cartoony. This fits well with the feel of the mechanic, in that it feels childish in a good way. It lets people get in touch with their inner child, something that many people need.
Wii sports does a very good job of creating social interactions. All of the games are at their most fun when there is a group of people playing. Even when not playing, it is fun to watch others wave their arms around while having comical avatars run around on screen. Overall, Wii sports is a fun, if rather minimal game that sets landmarks for what can be done with the Wii's motion sensing abilities.
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