There are a multitude of mini-game collections and a plethora of party game titles filling the Wii-branded shelves of your local games retailer. The genre, although often derided by those that think of themselves as “proper gamers”, is incredibly popular. That being the case, it is perhaps a surprise that it has taken Nintendo themselves so long to weigh in to the market with their own collection.
What we have with Wii Party is a large collection of motion-, button- and pointer-controlled mini games and meta-games (which are used to tie them all together). The games can be enjoyed on your own using AI assistance for cooperative games and AI opponents for the competitive sections but they are aimed at two to four human players. This is definitely an experience which is improved with the addition of friends and family members (and alcohol, if you’re that way inclined).
Players are guided through the process of selecting from the stable of games and game styles by a sort of Muppet ringmaster who will suggest ideal games for you based on how long you want to play for and how many people you have to play with. This is an inspired mechanism to take the daunting task of choosing one game from a selection of over eighty and make it instantly approachable.
The games themselves range from short two-minute bursts at a particular mini-game to longer, up to forty-five minute, games based around a die-led board-game format. This mode is probably the most engaging and, given the right company, holds the most potential for those priceless local multiplayer moments.
Each of the mini games is well designed to make them competitive (or cooperative, depending on the circumstance) without being too reliant on practice and intricate knowledge of the controls or mechanisms of the game. Some games simply come down to a case of chance. Players are given the opportunity to read the controls required and have a practice run (or several) before they actually start each mini-game but in most cases things should be intuitive enough that it’s not needed.
For the duration of almost all the mini games you will play as your own Mii with the crowd comprised of other Miis from your Wii as well as some generic, Nintendo-supplied, ones (some of which bear likeness with a few real-life Nintendo legends). This is, of course, instantly familiar to anyone who spends time with the other “collections” such as the Wii Fit and Wii Sports titles. It all helps to build a simultaneously familiar, yet original, package.
Wii Party will certainly not appeal to everyone and the fact that several of the mini-games are entirely left up to a random selection can be frustrating at times. There are dozens of games here though and with the right company, or for a young family, there is plenty to recommend.
Pros:
- Lots of games with lots of potential for fun.
- The “suggestions” button is a very welcome inclusion.
- A very good realisation of an incredibly popular genre.
Cons:
- Doesn’t have much appeal if you’re on your own.
- Some games don’t involve any skill or ability whatsoever.
It is perhaps no surprise that when Nintendo finally did enter this lucrative mini-game “party” market that they did it with a product that is, quite simply, better than any of the third party attempts at the genre. Wii Party is certainly not the deepest of games but it was never supposed to be. The game does what it set out to achieve – collect a large number of extremely casual games together in a package which can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.
iAvernus
“Some games don’t involve any skill or ability whatsoever.” lol
Well otherwise I’m sure allot of people wouldn’t have any fun in that case. It’s never fun losing…especially in a no skill game =)
linkavich
its just a really enjoyable game to play with friends didn’t care if i won or lost, was just enjoying havin a good giggle
OSAMP1
Wait did somebody say “some games don’t involve any skill or ability whatsoever.” Finally a game my wife can take me on. JK.
linkavich
played this round a friends and i haven’t had as much fun on the wii for ages, glad they’ve propped the mario party side of things the game is much better for it
linkavich
er… it should be droppped not propped
tonycawley
These games are great for a party, not much good any other time though. That’s my personal problem with all this, i game on my own, and when i do it’s chilling out relaxing time. That’s why, as good as sports champions is, i rarely play it now because when i game, i want to be sat down.
linkavich
theres a few scoreboard games on it that you’d forever try to better but thyu’re the only reason to play on your own
SpikeyMikey23
i want it because JLS advertise it ;)
Mick939
I’ve never missed my wii…….
SpikeyMikey23
me neither, i bought all the supposed ‘AAA’ games for it (the zeldas, marios and such) just couldnt get on with it. think i had it for 6 months, gathered dust for 3.
skibadee
me as well was a waste of money imo.
XisTG
the stupid part about this game is that it is only available with a wiimote. a standalone version would be a smart move, since almost anyone that owns a wii buy now is not on the market for another controller.
Liberi Fatali
I am