Let’s be fair, the concept of a cute digital you scampering about and playing games for you is a genies one and just like Wii Sports before it, the Nintendo Wii U launch title, Nintendo Lands, exploits that genius to perfection. Though claims by some critics that it’s not quite as easily accessible as its older cousin are marginally true, it’s still an incredible multiplayer game with more than enough action packed family fun that’ll keep you and your gran coming back for more.
With 12 different mini games set in the theme park setting of the Nintendo Land plaza, you get to pit your little Mii against all sorts of different styles of game play. Each of the games have different controls and functions, showing off the new ways of playing with Nintendo’s new touch screen controller. After a few minutes in each game, you’ll be fully up to speed on how to use the controller and all the possible ways of playing.
The most significant advance in gaming style that the Wii U pioneers is the concept of asynchronous gaming, where different players have different roles and controls to play in a game. This is a big part of the fun of Nintendo Land and leads some of the best family and friends multi player laughs you will have had since the dawning of the Wii.
Here’s a quick run down of the 12 mini games that you’ll find in Nintendo Land:
Mario Chase
Mario Chase is fast paces frenetic fun where your Miis don Mario and Toad suits before setting off on a game of rugby tackle tag. Mario has to run away and hide using the game pad to see the action, while toad gives chase with the help of mecha-Yoshi’s and the old school Wii remote. The courses are lushly designed and the gameplay is shouting and screaming excitement as the chase gets closer to the end.
Luigi’s Ghost Mansion
Luigi’s Ghost Mansion is similarly a game of cat and mouse with the player using the Wii U game pad as the ghost to sneak up on the torch wielding Luigi on the Wii remote. With the player controlling the ghost invisible and able to see everything, and Luigi’s controller vibrating like mad when the ghost gets near, the mini game is a tense multiplayer.
Pikmin Adventure
Pikmin Adventure is a mini Olimar fuelled throwathon with the Wii U pad controlling your Mii in the Captain’s suit to fire the Pikmin into battle using the touch screen. In multiplayer, the Wii remote takes on your Mii in oversized Pikmin form to help in the adventure by smashing nasties and obstacles alike with your leafy noggin. It’s also a good introduction to the release of Pikmin 3 in early 2013.
Animal Crossing: Sweet Day
Animal Crossing: Sweet Day sounds like it’s a cuter than cute game of sickeningly sweet proportions and while that’s a pretty accurate description it’s a lot more fun than it sounds. The Wii U pad controls two of your Mii’s with Animal Crossing outfits on using the right and left analogue sticks to move them around independently in the chase based game. The Wiimote controls your Mii in elephant costume splendour as you try to evade capture and collect enough sweets to win the game.
Donkey Kong’s Crash Course
Donkey Kong’s Crash Course is a devilishly tricky 1 player where you tilt and turn the Wii U game pad to manoeuvre a little cart around a Donkey Kong track to rescue the ill fated Paula from the monkey’s clutches. It a cool puzzler that takes a good amount of poise and skill to crack.
The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest
The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest is a great chance to team up to take on the nasties from the world of Hyrule. One player uses the game pad to shoot arrows, while up to three other player can join the fray using the Wii remote to scythe down baddies with a sword. While it’s fairly enjoyable, it’s not as exciting as other games in Nintendo Land and the graphics are a bit on the basic side.
Metroid Blast
While the single player game in Metroid Blast is fun enough with the game pad controlling Seamus’ gun ship, it’s in the multiplayer action that this mini game gets really good. With the addition of Wii remote and nun chuck controlled foot warriors all trying to bring down the ship, it makes for some good battles in surface-air battle mode. You can also team up in assault mission or battle it out on the ground with just Wii remotes and nun chucks.
Takamaru’s Ninja Castle
This single player game put the touch screen game pad to use as you swish the screen to fire paper throwing stars at origami ninja’s that attack you. The amazing music, sound effects and fast paced action make Takamaru’s Ninja Castle work well, with the game getting more and more frantic the further you get.
Captain Falcon’s Twister Race
Captain Falcon’s Twister Race is an offshoot from the old F-Zero classic, but without multiplayer action it’s a but tame. Holding the game pad upright you turn your ship around the obstacle, speed boost and jump strewn race track using both the TV screen and control screen to see the action from different viewpoints.
Balloon Trip Breeze
Balloon Trip Breeze works better as a single player game as you use the stylus on the touch screen to magic up gusts of wind to move your balloon-holding Mii across the troubled waters and dangerous airways of the game.
Yoshi’s Fruit Cart
This is a fairly sedate game that’s probably better for the younger members of the family. Essentially, you use the stylus to trace out a path for Yoshi to eat the fruit.
Octopus Dance
This could have been a much better game if there was some multiplayer fun built into it, but unfortunately you’re in your own copying dance moves with the analogue sticks on the game pad.
Nintendo Land may not get everything right, but there’s more than enough in the game to brighten up any day. It doubles up easily as a party night game and makes for a whole load of fun when you’ve got some friends around.
Nintendo Land review: 4.3/5
