"Wii, with a touch of sports"

Wii sports, which is included in the Wii package, is an excellent way to invite gamers to play right out of the box! Unfortunately, the game does not come with a DVD sized case to fit into, so one has to settle for the slim cardboard CD sized cover that it comes with; and it still includes an instruction manual. Wii sports is an excellent introduction to the era of Wii gaming, and is fun for any age.

Each player plays as his or her Mii (which can be created through the Mii channel), and the game saves the Mii's stats in each of the five sports: tennis, bowling, baseball, golf, and boxing. There are also two additional modes: training and fitness. Training helps the player prepare for the actual game, and fitness keeps track of one's fitness "age", the best being 20. In each sport, a specific player gets rated on their constant performance in a number form. When you win, you usually gain experience points, and vice versa for losing. If you can manage to get 1,000 points in one of the sports, you will be considered a "pro" at the given sport. All of the sports offer a right or left handed option. The multi-player gives any number of friends a night of fun.

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Tennis : 10/10

The tennis game is a very realistic simulation of an actual tennis game. The wrist and arm movements required for the play can create the experience of an actual tennis match. You can go about playing this by just sitting down and flicking your wrist, but if you actually get into the game, it can be quite enjoyable. The control is amazing, and the controller provides a rumble and a sound when the tennis ball is virtually hit. The player can choose between 3 games: best of 1, 2, or 3. No buttons are needed for this game, just movement.

Bowling : 8/10

Although bowling can also provide a very realistic experience, the control is not as good. It seems that most of the time (for right-handed gamers), that the ball will spin to the left. Also, when there are few pins left, it becomes impossible to spin the ball away from the pins. The control being the major downside, it can also be said that bowling can be one of the most fun sports because of the ease of play and the natural motions of bowling. This game uses the B button to grip the ball, and the A button to adjust angle of the bowl. One can also move position with the control pad.

Baseball : 8/10

While baseball only offers an abbreviated game, it too can put the gamer in the shoes of the mii on the screen. The baseball team is composed of every mii that the Wii user has created, and each one can be identified at bat or in the field. When batting, the virtual bat moves exactly as the wii remote (it's very sensitive). After the bat (remote) has reached a certain point in the swing, it will complete the best of the swing automatically, which can be a frustrating control issue. Also, there's no control over stealing bases or increasing the running speed of the player. The pitcher has the choice between many different pitch types, using A, B, 1, 2, and combinations of them. The pitching team has no control over the outfield. For batters, only motion is necessary, and pitchers only need motion to throw a basic pitch, but can use buttons to toggle different pitch types.

Golf : 9/10

There is an option for a 3 hole game, where you choose your difficulty, or a 9 hole game. The golf game is surprisingly perceptive of sensitivity and gives the gamer complete control over the situation. There are many environmental obstacles, such as wind and trees, that make the experience fun and difficult. The user holds the wii remote as they would a golf club. The game allows practice strokes to gage the power before each shot, and the actual shot can be completed by holding "A" while following through with the motion. The player can also switch between different clubs and angles with the control pad.

Boxing : 8/10

Boxing is the only Wii sport that forces the player to break a sweat. This is an excellent game for exercise, but is not very realistic. The punching system is a little abnormal compared to the actual guideline of a real punch, and in order to block or guard, one must point the nun-chuck and wii remote at an angle in. There are, however, many different strikes that the boxer can throw, and as the defender, you can dodge in all four directions, and retaliate with punches of your own. Although there are not any buttons necessary for boxing, each player needs both a wii remote and a nun-chuck attachment.

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Because Wii Sports is bundled with the system, you do not have to go and buy it. Instead, this is all here to motivate gamers to try this game rather than neglecting it for other games with better graphics. At the moment, it is one of the best multi-player games out for the wii, and it is guaranteed fun. So pick up a controller, play for a bit, and you will not be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/30/06