Wii Sports: a Hit

Wii Sports is a game that comes free when you purchase the Nintendo Wii. It is actually included in the box, so you are getting it whether you like it or not.

There are a total of five games in Wii Sports: tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing. I will go over each one and give my impressions on each.

Tennis is pretty basic, but is still fun. You can play with up to four people. You hit the tennis ball back and forth and it is scored just like a regular tennis game. You can put spin on the ball, but I still have not figured out exactly how to do it. You always play in doubles, there are no singles matches, even if you are the only person playing. Wii Sports Tennis is slightly above average, mainly because it is pretty basic.

Baseball is also basic, but I really like this one. This one is only played with two people. There is only pitching and hitting, no fielding. Hits are pre-determined depending on where you hit the ball. There are four different kinds of pitches to throw, each one being accomplished by pressing certain buttons. For example, a fastball requires no extra button pushing; just perform a throwing action with the wiimote. A curveball is done by holding the "B" button when throwing. You can also move the location of the pitch by using the "D" pad. Hitting is all about timing. You hit the ball by swinging the wiimote like a real baseball bat. I've noticed you hit the ball higher if you swing the wiimote lower (this is so because you get "under the ball," causing it to go higher). Baseball could have really been amazing, but instead it is above average. They could have added a stat system that tracked batting average, hits, homeruns and RBIs when hitting, and ERA, hits surrendered, wins and so forth when pitching.

Bowling is one of the best ones, simply because it is the easiest to get used to. It is just like a real game of bowling and you can even put spin on the ball. Each game is ten frames (like a real game), and you can play with up to four people. There isn't much else to say about this one, except it is a ton of fun and the favorite of most people. Bowling gets an above average rating.

However, in my opinion, golf is the best one of the five games. You can play a beginner three-hole game, an intermediate three-hole game, and expert three-hole game, and a nine-hold game as well. The nine-hole game is just a combination of all three. Wii Sports Golf has the most factors to consider when playing. You have to make sure you are using the right club (driver, iron, etc.), you have to adjust for the wind, and you also have to figure out how hard to hit the ball. I really enjoy this one, especially when playing it with friends. Wii Sports Golf gets my vote for best of the five.

On the other hand, boxing is something I haven't really gotten into. I've tried it and it's alright, but it is nothing amazing. If you want a good workout though, boxing is for you because it really gets your arms working. Boxing is slightly below average for me.

There are also three training games for each sport. Each one requires you to do something specific to help in a certain area when playing. For example, one of bowling's training sessions is one that requires you to pick up all spares. These add a lot of replay value and really help you practice.

Visuals on the game are really nothing special. But, like I've said before, graphics don't make a game. Since Wii Sports is so much fun, in my opinion, graphics are overlooked and really aren't a part of the review.

Finally, each game has a "Pro Level." Once your score reaches 1000, you become pro in that sport. In bowling, you get a different colored ball, which seems somewhat different than the one you start off with. It is hard to say what is different about it, but it doesn't feel the same. The other ones I either haven't gotten that far yet, or don't notice anything different. This is just something extra that'll want you to get a better score each time you play.

Overall, Wii Sports is amazing considering it is free and comes with the console. Don't expect one of the best games you've ever played, but do expect to have a great time with it!