Wii Sports features five games (Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, Golf, and Boxing) as well as a Training Mode and a Wii Fitness Mode. You can play each game by yourself or with up to four other players (depending on the game). Each game considers you a Pro after you receive 1,000 points (although you can easily lose that Pro status).
Tennis: this is a fun game. It is doubles tennis and this is one of the games where up to four people can play, although I find it fun to play by myself. It follows the rules of regular tennis and you can play either a single game, two out of three, or three out of five. While it is a fun game, it is limited – you control only one player (the back player) and you only control the swing, not the Mii’s movement. Still, you do move physically around quite a bit and it is an enjoyable game.
Baseball: this is a one or two player game and is a watered down version of baseball. There are only three innings and you control just the pitching and hitting not the base running or fielding. You can control the pitch you use (you have a choice of screwball, curve ball, a splitter, or fast ball) but I’ve found that just moving the WiiMote slightly can result in a pitch, which can be frustrating. The batting option is the more fun option but even that is limited as you can’t bunt and the ball call doesn’t happen very often.
Bowling: My favorite game in the collection. It is just like regular ten pin bowling, with ten frames, strikes and spares. You can play by yourself or with up to four players. This is one of the more controllable games as you can position your Mii on the alley before throwing the ball and twist your wrist to control the curve of the ball.
Golf: Not a particularly easy game but it is like a regular golf game including how you hold the WiiMote. You get to pick what kind of clubs you use (although it is best to go with the ones Wii Sports selects). Wind is a factor as well as the terrain of the course. Up to four people can play and you have several game options: Beginner (3 holes); Intermediate (3 holes); and Expert (3 holes). You can also play a 9 hole game. You get as many practice swings as you want before hitting the ball.
Boxing: Easily my least favorite game. You need the nunchuk to play and you box three one minute rounds (this is a one or two player game). There is a life gauge that decreases when you get hit and when the gauge is gone you are knocked out. I found this game incredibly difficult to play and control.
Training Mode: This is a great feature that helps you practice certain elements in each game. In tennis you practice returning balls (if one is hit outside the court the game ends); timing your swings (try to hit the orange wall on each return); and target practice. In baseball you try to hit home runs (you have ten chances); practice swing control (try to hit the ball so it lands in the target zones - left field, center field, right field); batting practice (you simply try and hit the ball). For the bowling games you try to pick up spares; power throws (my favorite – you start with trying to knock down ten pins, then 15, 21, etc. If you get a strike you get double points); spin control – each game has certain barriers you try to avoid while throwing the ball. In golf the choices are putting (you have up to ten holes and try to put the ball in each hole with a single shot – you have five lives to get through all ten holes); hitting the green (you try to land the ball as close to the hole as possible); target practice – each target has points and you try to get as many points as possible. In boxing you work the bag (you try knocking punching bags from their chain); dodging (swaying side to side you try to dodge tennis balls thrown at you); and throwing punches (you try to hit training mitts). Up to four players can do the training mode (each going one at a time) and you “win” medals for each game – platinum, gold, silver, bronze.
Wii Fitness: this is supposed to gauge your “fitness age”. You get three events from the training mode (if they are unlocked) and your fitness age is determined by how well you do at these challenges which are meant to judge your balance, speed, and stamina. This is fun to do, but not a true gauge of how fit you are.
In the end, Wii Sports has enough games and features to satisfy just about anyone and provides hours of fun.
