"This proves that Wii is the least kiddy of the three systems."

Godfather was released on PS2 and Xbox not too long ago. Shortly after the Xbox 360 version was released with better graphics. Now EA has released it again with the Don's Edition and Blackhand Edition. Don's Edition is pretty much the same as the 360 version but with a few extra missions. The game was ok on the other consoles. What makes the Wii version so special? The same thing that should make every Wii version of every game special- the controller.

Godfather: Blackhand Edition is a perfect example of how a game can be greatly improved with the Wiimote.

Graphics: 6/10
Yeah, the game looks much worse than the 360 version and Don's Eddition, but even so, the Wii is capable of so much more. It's more powerful than the Xbox, and that can pull off games as good looking as Ninja Gaiden Black.

The city is a little boring, and there is a lot of pop-up. (Reminds me of the N64 days) The people look ok, and the explosions look nice, but the Wii is capable of so much more.

Sound: 8/10
The voice acting is great. Marlon Brando actually did the voice of Don Corleone before he died. Al Pacino did not voice Michael because at the time, he was busy voicing Tony Montana in Scarface.

The music is great. It's right from the movie. The problem here though is that there is not enough music and you often here the same 4 or 5 songs over and over and you may get sick of them. Everything else is fine though. Guns sound like guns and cars sound like cars.

Gameplay: 9/10
This is the whole reason to get a Wii. The gameplay is amazing. Punching is similar to Wii boxing, except that it's a lot more responsive. Beating someone with a baseball bat is done with motins of moving the Wiimote left and right. It's a lot better than just randomly shaking the Wiimote to swing you weapon (coughZeldaTPcough). You can also do a variety of grab moves all done with the Wiimote. Slamming people against walls is done with a slamming motion with the Wiimote and nunchuk. You can also swing them left or right to swing the character left or right. And then there is the garot wire. This may actually be my personal favorite weapon in the game. The strangling motion is actually done with the wiimote and nunchuk. Just do it the way you would in real life. Go forward and over, and then yank back until the poor sucker is dead. Good graphics can never get you as immersed as this. This is why Wii is the least kiddy. (It actually kind of scares me what Rockstar will be pulling off in Manhunt 2).

As a mobster, you will have access to a wide arsenal of guns and explosives. Firing guns can be done in two ways. Auto aim, and then the riticule will be focused on the body and you will be able to aim the Wiimote at the guy's body ranging anywhere from knees to the head. There is also the free aim mode, which lets you run and aim freely at the same time using the Wiimote.

Godfather is a GTA style game. These types of games let you free roam around a city and drive cars. The driving in Blackhand Edition is no different from the other versions. You accelerate using the B button and steer with the stick. The only difference is that you get to honk the horn with the nunchuk, so if you were expecting something like Excite Truck, you might be a little disappointed.

Replay Value: 9/10
So many missions, so many side missions. You can take over businesses, do contract killings, storyline missions, favor missions, and more. Sometimes it's fun to call in the hit squad and just run around killing people. There are also many unlockables including new skills, weapon upgrades, and clips from the movie. This game will keep you busy for hours.

Rent or buy?
If you already playedthrough the Godfather on another sysytem I suggest you rent this just to experience the controls. If you have never played the Godfather and are looking for a good action game on Wii, this is definitely worth your hard earned money.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/09/07