Wii Sports has control issues

[wraggster]

After spending "several hours" with Wii Sports, IGN's Nintendo editor Matt Casamassina doesn't like the game due to flawed controls with the exception of Wii Bowling which he calls "totally rocking." Regarding Tennis, he had this to say: "You don't control anything except the swing of your player's racket. The movement of these Mii-alike athletes is all done automatically by the game. You simply swing the Wii remote back and forth to make your on-screen character do the same thing."

True dat. Though we enjoyed the game at E3, it's unproven how long the fun lasts with tennis (from our limited play test). Regarding Baseball, Casamassina contends: "When you want to throw a curve ball, you don't actually motion it, as you might suspect. No, why would you want to use a gesture for a console whose primary purpose is to promote unique and innovative ways to play? To throw a curve ball, you first select it on the D-Pad and then make a standard throwing motion."

Though no one should be expecting deep gameplay from the pack-in, a flick of the wrist puts spin on a moving bowling ball but not a breaking curve? Bush league.

[I heart Nintendo]

This doesn't damper my love the Wii in any way.

It's just breeze...blowing in the wind. *shrugs*

[GazeboflossUK]

Hmmm, that's a bit of a disapointment actually because these games actually did look pretty 'fun' on all of the Wii Experience video's on the offical Wii site. I think Nintendo dressed them up a bit too much while editing those vids together.
I know that Wii Sports is just a simple introduction to the 'way of the Wii' but I still expected to be able to say the little games were 'good'. I can imagine someone who doesn't really know what Wii Sports is about, buying just a Wii and thinking "well, this Wii thing is crappy!" - when really they should have bought Zelda:TP too and been blown away. Should have been a cool LOZ:TP bundle. Nintendo's seemingly made a blunder here.

I feel slightly mislead now.

We'll see.

[philr359]

big freakin deal

[I heart Nintendo]

I don't see the dissapointment. Because I never thought that the way you moved the controller when you pitched a ball in baseball would correspond to the in game throw. I knew that when Miyamoto, Iwata and Reggie played Wii Tennis @ e3, they were exaggerating their movements and that the way you swung wouldn't translate completely in the game.

The info on how Wii sports plays in reality is how I expected it to play anyway - so I'm not dissapointed or disheartened at all. The game is pretty much free, so why trip eh! *grins*

It's a first wave title. Remember that. As developers and Nintendo themselves become more familiar with the controller - I'm sure we'll see intricacies as to how the remote can be implemented come further down the line.

I honestly can't see gamers being dissapointed with how Wii sports will play, because the fun you're having and the enjoyment factor should override.

[kando]

anyone remember the xavix port? reminds me of that...

[kcajblue]

i dont really like sports games.
but bad controls doesnt bother me anyway because a lot of things have bad controls.

[punkypine]

it seems like the wii mote isnt living up to the hype. in almost every game except zelda.

[Adrenalin]

i don't really care about wii sports that much, thats why i didn't like the pack in that much. but wii bownling seems like i might actually play most.

EDIT: soooo random, u know those jap tv remote/wiimotes? some student took one to my school today! FTW?! (a white guy in Australia) I dunno how the crap he got it.

[Gottaa]

Tennis never allowed you to control the players movement as far as I understood and that's been pretty clear from the start. Wii Sports as I understood was supposed to be more than anything an introduction to the controller and a bit of fun for 'all' the family not necessarily aimed at the more hardcore/old hat gamers.

Nice to know bowling is spot on though (and does allow spin with the wii mote via a flick of the wrist) as that's the one I was most looking forward too. I'm wondering if the games lead to a gradual learning of the controller, i.e.

Tennis > Baseball > Golf > Bowling (now you pretty well know the wii-mote) > Boxing (introduce the nunchuk)

But given recent reviews/comments and the golden joystick awards it's clear that most main-stream reports still struggle to move away from "graphics". As far as I'm concerned though if Nintendo convinced my Dad to get a DS lite there increasing the "gaming market" and moving it away from geeky nerds in darkened rooms which can only be a good thing.

I really can't wait for the Wii's release and indeed to PS3's if only so we can finally see how things work out. But I still reckon current gamers may well have a higher percentage of PS3's but as the DS proved there is a larger market out there if you aim outside the current limited "gamers" market.

Hope that made sense, just woken up

Edit: Ahh looks like I was right and Nintendo looking at the larger market

The New York Times reports on Nintendo's visit with the AARP. The Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons held a products show this past weekend, and Nintendo showed up in force to demonstrate the 'new generation' of gaming products they're offering. From the article

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