Carnival Games

"all the fun of the funfair, without the queues and money loss"

On the 8th of October 2009, after a delay of a month, a Nintendo Wii was delivered to my door, a prize that I won in a competition. The prize was incomplete, due to stock levels, but the competition providers had given me the main console and usual accessories. They had also thrown in Carnival Games, a fun little party game. I wasn't expecting much from a party game, having played the likes of Mario Party and sonic Shuffle, which were all right in one player mode, but in two or more players, games usually ended up with arguments.

This game is different, even in single player mode; one or more people can play together taking turns at the sideshow games.

Game play is pretty basic, using the Wiimote, all games are self explanatory.

Example, for the crane grab bonus game, you hold the Wiimote upright, buttons facing yourself, and tilt it backwards, forwards, left and right just like a real crane grab game. Just like the real crane grab game, you may miss and fell annoyed that you wasted 25 tickets for nothing. Some bonus games however are weird. In the Love machine game, you point the Wiimote at your heart and it tells you your love rating. I'll assure Gamefaq users that I am not a Casanova as this machine may suggest. For the fortune telling machine you aim the Wiimote at your head and ask a yes or no question.

Result: Crystal ball is cloudy. Try again later.

Most of the games are more fun then this. Here are a few examples

Hoopla throw, hold the Wiimote like you're holding the edge of a hoop and flick your wrist and.....miss! Oh well, at least this hoopla doesn't cost a quid a go, just like the one at the air show last year.

Football throw, hold the Wiimote over your shoulder like you're holding a rugby ball/American football and throw when the target aligns into the target area.

Kaboom, wait until the orb of light is over a clown head, and throw the Wiimote like it's a ball, and knock the head off the shelf. Safety Note: Do not actually throw the Wiimote; I'm not going to be held responsible for a broken telly.

The controls are a bit naff on a few games such as dart throw and some of the games are rubbish, but all in all, it's an all right game.

My final score, 8/10

Pros
+ Better then the fairground, as you do not need to pay to play
+ Good selection of games
+ Virtual prizes

Cons
- Floaty controls in some games
- Some games are rubbish.

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

Game Release: Carnival Funfair Games (EU, 10/26/07)