Overview

Wii Sports is the first game that every user of the Wii console owns. The title is a compilation of five sports: baseball, boxing, bowling, golf and tennis. Each of them uses the gyroscopic function of the Wiimote to allow you to (re)discover them from a more playful point of view. The main goal is to make the player do sports while having fun. No more playing on the couch while playing the console; now you can stand up and use the controller to get your shirt wet. No question of remaining inactive, the player will sweat.

Two other modes give the title a little more meaning. The first is simply a gym where you can train through fifteen games to increase your performance. The second is available only once a day and consists of a test that indicates the age of the sportsman. It is based on the quality of performance evaluated in three points: endurance, speed and balance. With an ideal Fitness Wii age of 20, this mode is mainly aimed at adults, as children cannot be evaluated.

Gameplay

The first sport to be offered is tennis. The court is occupied by four players who compete, in doubles, in matches ranging from one to three winning sets. It's quick and easy to get the hang of; here, there's no need to press any buttons - everything works with a simple arm movement. Service, forehand, or backhand, you must hit the ball at the right timing in all situations that arise. This determines the trajectory of the yellow ball. The less the timing is respected, the more the ball will deviate from the desired trajectory. The little guys jump in all directions and faithfully reproduce the gestures made by the Wiimote in hand.

In a completely different genre, there is baseball. Playable with up to two players, it allows you to play as a batter or a pitcher. In the first case, the controller replaces a bat. Less heavy, it will enable you to hit home runs without hurting yourself. To hit home runs, it is necessary to judge the situation to hit the ball at the right time. In the second case, the controller is used to recognize the movement of the wrist and the speed of the ball. Combining the gesture with the A and B buttons allows you to give different effects to the ball when throwing.

After two games that require good timing, bowling is a good sport, along with golf, to sharpen your accuracy. You use the Wiimote as your arm (left or right, the title allowing you to choose your favourite arm for each sport) for bowling. The directional arrows will enable you to place your player from right to left on the lane while giving the trajectory that the ball must take. This one is represented in dotted lines, and it should not be believed that it makes the challenge easier. When you press the B button, you can approach the track. While making the natural movement that you would make when bowling with a real ball, you release B to let it escape from your fingers. But be careful; the inclination of the lever and the strength of the throw determine the trajectory and the speed of the ball.

As soon as you step on the green, golf is launched, and the Wiimote is transformed into a golf club. The trajectory of the shot is adjustable with the directional cross for greater efficiency. But to hit a perfect shot, it is necessary to manage your strength and the trajectory of the Wiimote.

To finish it all, you plug the Nunchuck into the Wiimote to start a boxing fight. Alone or against a friend, each element that makes up the "new" controller is held in one hand and corresponds respectively to the boxer's fist. Moving the joystick back and forth allows you to throw jabs or hooks. With the Wiimote upright, you can evade your opponent's punches and swing your body to dodge. Be careful not to make too fast movements, as the game might not recognize some. Nevertheless, the fact that you have to fight (almost) like in a ring is enjoyable and will only push the boxer to knock out his enemy.

In any case, Nintendo's title offers simple, intuitive and generally accurate gameplay. All the sports provide real fun that will be more or less intense depending on the number of players.

Graphics & Sound

The interface of the game is clear, simple and colourful. Navigation is easy and accessible to everyone. During the games, the characters are materialized in a very simplistic or even crude way. Only the main details are represented (eyes, hair and mouth, for example) - Miis, small characters that can be modified in the console menu and give the player identity. Similarly, the environment is represented by the bare minimum. You either like it, or you don't. The Wiimote and the television reproduce the few sounds corresponding to the impact of a fist on a body, of a ball on the pins, etc. Above all, the whole thing is still pleasant and above all "cute" enough to appeal to children and adults alike.

Conclusion

All the movements are realistic and require good control to show a perfect balance, excellent endurance and a measured speed. The simple but effective concept of the game allows young and old to have fun with ease. The goal is to become a "pro" in each of the five disciplines. However, not all players will like the game's visual aspect, which remains very simplistic. Nintendo's title is a lot of fun, especially in multiplayer, as the single-player game can get tiresome in the long run.