Wii Are Ready!

Let’s face it; casual gamers are flocking to accessible games that both young children and non-gamers can enjoy. Take for instance Wii Sports, one of the easiest pick-up-and-play games available in this generation of gaming. Thanks to the Wii’s innovative controls, Wii Sports was able to pull in a large number of non-gamers. Without a doubt, the Wii’s controls are one of the main reasons why the gaming industry is being polluted with casual-friendly games.

Following in the path of accessible games is Wii Music, the latest entry in the Wii series. Perhaps the most casual sighting in the series thus far, Wii Music allows players to make music without actually having to stay in time with the game, but rather by pretending you are actually playing the instrument.

Rock Band?

In Wii Music, players use the Wii Remote to control a band consisting of six members. Due to the Wii only allowing up to four players to actually play with the same control scheme, Wii Music only allows up to four players to actually play in the same band. The remaining two positions are filled by computer players. In the single player mode, the player can control up to four of their bandmates, once again meaning that the other two are filled by computer players.

Or a Guitar Hero?

Without a doubt, many non-gamers will find Wii Music a steal when they hear about how the game boasts over sixty different instruments. Yes, that sounds very tempting and a great way to draw gamers in, but once you get under the game’s skin, you will notice that the game is all about improvisation. To play the saxophone for example, players hold the Wii Remote like they would the instrument and press buttons to play notes. Pretty exciting, right?

Despite this, some instruments are a little more creative. Take the drums for instance. Using the Wii Balance Board bundled with the Wii Remote and nunchuk control scheme, players can play the drums like they would in real life. Some instruments, such as the trumpet, also have extra playing features. With the trumpet, players aim the Wii Remote up and down to increase or decrease the blowing strength. With the guitar, players can press down on the C button to play single notes instead of chords.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

When it comes to the song selection in Wii Music, some gamers may vomit in disgust. Let’s start with some of the better songs, such as the Super Mario Bros. theme. Seeing as the game is developed and published by Nintendo, it would be pretty stupid if they didn’t implement some of their own tracks. But then you have to realize that Wii Music is competing with other big music games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band, both of which have licensed music from around the world. To compete with this, Nintendo implemented some huge hits such as Yankee Doodle and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Don’t worry core gamers, Nintendo hasn’t forgotten about you. To throw in some ‘real’ music, Nintendo has added hits such as Material Girl by Madonna, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy). Yeah, I’m certain Nintendo is going to win over a lot of core gamers with that line-up.

Very Challenging...

Now comes the worst part of the game – it offers little to no challenge. In a nutshell, Wii Music is a toy for young children and non-gamers. Due to the whole improvisation aspect of the game, many core gamers will feel like they are being ripped off by the game’s hefty price tag. For those non-gamers though, Wii Music is going to be like heaven for them, literally.