We in our family are suckers for the Wii "party games". We can never have enough fun multiplayer games to keep the gang interested. This is why Carnival Games for the Wii caught my interest right away.
No ifs, ands, or buts, this is a fun game. Relive those hazy summer weekends walking up and down the county fair boardwalk. Throw some darts, knock over some fuzzy guys, shoot some ducks and stars.
This is a perfect game for the Wii, where the multitude of games require a simple point-and-shoot or a quick aim and toss. There are only a few necessary skills required, and the games are nicely sectioned so the repetitive motions don't get TOO repetitive. Skeeball, knock-over-the-bottles, pop-the-balloons, all fit into the "aim and toss" category, while shoot-the-ducks, throw-the-football, and others fall into the "aim and shoot" category. Filling out the games selection is a number or more unique games, such as ring-the-bell (strength test) or roll-the-bowling ball-over-the-hump. Fun!
There are several extras to unlock, and PLENTY of prizes and tickets to win. We've only played the game for one evening, but I'm already looking forward to many more hours of entertainment.
Not everything is perfect, however. Most notably is the lack of Mii support. You must create a Mii-type character to participate. The Carnival Games character generator pales in comparison to the myriad variety supplied in the actual Mii generator. It seems silly to me that they couldn't, or wouldn't, support the native Mii characters. Also, the multiplayer mode should have been implemented much more smoothly. For many games, such as ring toss and ball throw, it seems obvious that several players could play concurrently, just like the actual carnival game. However, this is not the case. Players must take turns, throwing one ball, dart, or ring and wait a seemingly interminable amount of time while the carnie gives his advice (or admonishment) before the next player can go. However, some games DO allow multiple players to compete at the same time.
All in all, this is a surprisingly fun game for so simple a concept. All the classics are represented, and are done exceptionally well. Some games are simple but addictive, while others are quite challenging and can be frustrating. Add to this the relatively inexpensive price tag ($40 as opposed to $50 for most new releases) and you have an all-around winner.
