Common Sense Media Review
By Jinny Gudmundsen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Party game for two isn't as good as Wii Sports.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 24 kid reviews
Kids say the game is a mixed bag with some players enjoying the 2-player features and specific mini-games like Billiards and Tanks, while others find it boring and lacking longevity. It's considered a decent introduction to the Wii, but many think it doesn't hold up well against other titles, often comparing it unfavorably to Wii Sports.
- fun for friends
- mixed enjoyment
- boring after a while
- good for beginners
- not worth price
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
Like Wii Sports, WII PLAY offers easy entrée into playing video games and encourages those new to video gaming to give it a try. Wii Play offers nine games in either single- or two-player mode. By playing the games in order, you unlock them. The first is \"Shooting Range,\" a game of point-and-shoot target practice involving balloons, clay pigeons, soda cans, and UFOs. Four of the games are adaptations of common activities: table tennis, fishing, billiards, and air hockey. Two others involve matching Miis, the name for the on-screen characters generated by the game or created by you as your avatar. \"Charge!\" a cow-racing game, and a strategy game called \"Tanks!\" round out the selection.
Is It Any Good?
Families who've been cutting their gaming teeth on Wii Sports, the game that came bundled with their Wii console, will be a little disappointed with Wii Play.
While the Wii Play games will turn the Wii controller into a fishing rod or a pool cue, the nine games just aren't as much fun to play as those found in Wii Sports, and, lacking depth, the games get old quickly. Wii Play also misses the boat for group play by limiting the multi-player option to two people instead of four.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Wii gaming experience. Which games do you like on the Wii and which ones are better to play with real paddles, rackets, etc.? For the games you picked up quickly, did they turn out as fun as the ones that were a challenge to learn? Do you like to push yourself to try new games or stick with the familiar? Why?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo Wii
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Nintendo
- Release date : February 12, 2007
- Genre : Party
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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