Wii | Reviews

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Wii) Review

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two often fluctuates from being entertaining and enjoyable to being a frustrating mess. In terms of characterisation and charm it's excellent, and some puzzles and areas can be interesting, but it's an incredibly uneven experience. The co-op concept seems unnecessary, in truth, and the overall package feels rushed and incomplete; it's certainly not up to the standards of its predecessor. Fans of Mickey will get some enjoyment from the better stages and adore the presentation, while others may bemoan the fairly regular blips of confusing design and messy execution.

We Sing 80s (Wii) Review

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 12:00:00 GMT

We Sing 80s is a decent continuation of the series, and is likely to cause nostalgia overload for gamers of a certain age. Its biggest strengths are multiplayer fun and an excellent tracklist that covers some of the most memorable songs of the period. It's weakest played solo, where it's really just a karaoke machine that's supported by a rather unsupportive Lessons mode, while the video and sound quality is rather typical of a Wii singing game — passable but unimpressive. Nordic Games is a veteran of the genre, however, and has brought its solid experience to this title; as party season approaches, this could be a fun option.

Skylanders Giants (Wii) Review

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Skylanders Giants is, at its core, a child-friendly dungeon crawler with simplistic smash-everything gameplay, but what elevates it is its understanding of its market. There's plenty of variety to keep kids entertained and loads of things to collect, all wrapped in an appealing package – and the toy aspect is still a stroke of genius, an undeniably cool idea that speaks directly to kids and big kids alike. If you or a younger member of your family is a fan of the series, this could be another expensive Christmas.

Inazuma Eleven Strikers (Wii) Review

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Inazuma Eleven Strikers has some undeniable strengths, specifically when two or more players gather with the express intention of enjoying some mindless fun. Kids and big kids alike will get a kick from the cheerful visuals and bombastic special moves, making it a game of football as imagined by hyperactive five-year-olds. The charm struggles to last, however, with older gamers likely to become more irritated than excited as the hours drift by. Younger gamers may have more patience and enjoy it for longer; it really depends how much you like tornado shots and giant god-like goalkeeping hands, over and over again.

Just Dance 4 (Wii) Review

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

While Just Dance 4 may be just as entertaining as the last 3 entries to the series, the question still remains: has it improved greatly enough on the efforts of Just Dance 3 to warrant a sequel, or could it just be simply reproduced as new song DLC? The new modes just about justify the update, but Just Dance 4 remains a great-looking and fun game regardless, with only a few minor motion sensitivity and choreography troubles which hinder the all-round excellent dancing and fitness experience.

Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition (Wii) Review

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:00:00 GMT

There will inevitably be Kirby fans who will complain that more Kirby games weren't included or that none of the titles got any type of visual makeover, but it's difficult to complain too much given how many amazing Kirby titles have been collected onto one Wii disc, not to mention the fun bonus items and mini games that are also included. No doubt most Nintendo fans will have already played these games many times over, but it's still nice to see Nintendo giving their fluffy protagonist a little fanfare for 20 years of charming gaming magic.

Project Zero 2: Wii Edition (Wii) Review

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:00:00 GMT

There aren't many games that have you anxious to slide aside a curtain; Project Zero 2: Wii Edition does. It's a fine example of a survival horror game despite some awkward controls and an over-reliance on cut scenes that occasionally break the moment. Even with these problems the tension remains consistently high thanks to its bleak, intriguing plot, an atmosphere that is second to none and excellent presentation.

We Sing Pop (Wii) Review

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:00:00 GMT

We Sing Pop does exactly what you’d expect from a karaoke game, fleshing out the experience with a variety of modes that make minor adjustments to the basic act of singing along to a song. It’s fun for a party, with modes that allow non-competitive sing-alongs or deadly face-offs, but those playing solo may wish for a basic career mode beyond pointless achievements. A solid track list will keep most going, but be prepared for sketchy sound and video quality. It’s a fun distraction for those who love to sing while, for everyone else, it’s that strange off-key singing that you hear coming from the neighbour’s house.

Pandora's Tower (Wii) Review

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Pandora’s Tower delivers an involving resource and time-management RPG experience with an imaginative action and combat system. Its overall aesthetic, as well as its focus on a relationship between two characters, are bold design choices that work well as long as you’re willing to invest in the game world. It’s a pity that the experience, most notably the action segments that take up a large part of the 12-15 hour adventure, are partially undermined by technical failings: as a result it’s questionable whether many will engage in multiple playthroughs in pursuit of happier endings. This title has much to recommend it, as long as you’re willing to look beyond some of its faults.

PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond (Wii) Review

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT

PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond is a simple game, but that's not a bad thing. The warm, welcome graphics and fantastic music are the perfect frame for a game of this type. It's simple but it's fun, and at the end of the day that's all that really matters. Those who aren't Pokémon fans probably won't be as enamoured as those who can sing the Pokérap from memory, but for Pikachu's devoted followers this is super effective.

Mario Party 9 (Wii) Review

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Mario Party 9 makes the most major changes to the series we've seen in years, streamlining it to a short and snappy rush of mini games. It's less predictable than its previous instalments, smartly ditching the dead wood in favour of a fresh approach that emphatically reminds us why the series has been going for 14 years.

The Last Story (Wii) Review

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The Last Story is, in many ways, a significant achievement on Wii. With gameplay that is both simplified and complex, solid controls, attractive presentation, online multiplayer and a touching, well-paced plot, this title can be considered as a definitive entry in its genre. Technical problems with the performance, in particular regular and punishing drops in frame rate, unfortunately drag the experience back. When the game engine performs it's terrific, but too often it struggles and significantly impacts your ability to control the action. The Last Story's many strengths, however, ensure that it's a story that can't be missed.

Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii) Review

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Rhythm Heaven Fever doesn't do much new with the series apart from a lacklustre multiplayer mode, or really capitalise much at all on now being on a home console, but the amount of whimsy and joy burned onto the disc still make for a remarkably fun game. With loads of content, Rhythm Heaven Fever will keep you cheerily jamming away for a good long while.

Back to the Future: The Game (Wii) Review

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT

Back to the Future: The Game successfully translates what made the original movie great into a fun, challenging, imaginative and funny adventure game that's often a joy to play. Telltale has crafted a loving tribute to the film, then, but this is a loveless port, marred with frequent load times and small presentational glitches. It's still worth playing through and very entertaining, but its flaws keep it from shining as brightly as it should.

Wicked Monsters Blast (Wii) Review

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Though Wicked Monsters Blast captures the feel of titles such as Point Blank well, unfortunately the lack of content blows it apart. What’s there is of good quality and presented in appealing fashion but, unless you have a regular stream of people ever-ready show off their multiplayer skills, there simply isn’t enough of it.

Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit (Wii) Review

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Had the accompanying nine disciplines proven to be as inoffensively playable as the ski jump event, Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit would have been a serviceable and adequately entertaining collection of sports minigames. As it stands though, what we have here is nothing short of a travesty. It’s an ugly and uncompromisingly detestable assemblage of poorly recreated winter sporting events that has no business even existing. If you purchase and subsequently subject yourself to Winter Sports 2012, then you have nobody to blame but yourself. You have been warned.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Wii) Review

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:00:00 GMT

A lot has changed since Harry's first year at Hogwart's, but we can't say the same for the LEGO series, which employs the same tricks as it has for years with few innovations. Light puzzle-solving is enjoyable and accessible but can feel repetitive, and somewhat tedious combat is unfortunately in heavier use than Years 1-4. Still, it succeeds overall at creating a fun, funny experience perfectly suited to less travelled players or those looking for something fun to do with their kid. Harry Potter and LEGO fit together as well as the titular toys fit into each other, so while you might not find yourself spellbound, you'd be hard-pressed not to enjoy this entry.

The Kore Gang (Wii) Review

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:00:00 GMT

The Kore Gang: Outvasion from Inner Earth is occasionally a funny, loving tribute to those collect-a-thon games many of us grew up with. Unfortunately, though, most of the time it's struggling with problems left behind in previous console generations.

Fortune Street (Wii) Review

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:30:00 GMT

Taken on its own merits, Fortune Street offers some tremendous potential for fun. The experience is hampered somewhat by its complexity, but that's nothing that can’t be overcome with a little bit of practice. Your mileage will depend entirely upon the patience of those you play it with, and not all gamers will stick around long enough to learn the nuances of the game's strategy. Those who do, however, will be glad they did.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) Review

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:00:00 GMT

What felt fresh and enjoyable four years ago doesn't cut the mustard in 2011, particularly when some elements have been stripped out or reworked to poor effect. London Party mode is a poor alternative to the dozens of superior Wii party games, and while its cast of gaming greats is enough to forgive some of its mistakes it's still pretty far off the mark.