Platform: Wii U

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo of America

# of Players: 1 – 5 (offline)

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 +)

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

As a launch title for the Wii U (or more precisely, the included pack in for those of you who are interested in or have very wisely purchased the black Premium version of the console), Nintendo Land is, much like Wii Play and Wii Sports, a collection of mini-games that shows how versatile the new GamePad is. Nintendo’s new system has a controller that’s been misunderstood by some in the gaming press and too many people who hang on every word some of those sites print. Fortunately, the game not only mostly delivers the goods where it should, some of the mini-games here end up being memorable enough that one hopes Nintendo decides to expand upon some ideas on the disc in the near future.

 

Some of the games work better than others, but overall this is an instant purchase if you’re buying the system even if you’re not a big fan of cute, supersaturated HD visuals and the happy, bouncy vibe the game almost constantly gives off.  When you first fire up Nintendo Land, you’ll either be floored or underwhelmed depending on your sense of wonder and willingness to let a one-armed robotic guide named Monita show you (and your Mii) the ropes. Monita shows you around the initially barren circular decorative plate that makes up the game world (it’s a futuristic theme park and the mini-games are the “attractions”) with mandatory tutorials that are well-written and often quite funny in a few ways. She never quite gets annoying, but older or seasoned players who want to get to things without hand-holding may get ticked off a few times when she explains how to play some of the simpler games.

On the other hand, you have to give Nintendo a ton of credit for not forgetting its base is very much made up of families who don’t game as much and the fact that the Wii U GamePad does a number of cool things the Wii Remote can’t. That said, the learning curve for some of the games is steeper than you’d think, particularly those that require holding the new controller in such a way that you can’t play as “normally” as you would with a standard controller, Classic Controller or even a Wii Remote for that matter. As for the games here, I’ll list them from best to least played with the caveat that your own mileage will vary as far as what you like and don’t like. That and all of the attractions are indeed worth playing through just to see how they use the GamePad and/or Wii Remote: More specifically, learning as much as you can about the controller early on will make a future games more enjoyable.

Pikmin Adventure – Hop into the colorful world of Pikmin, but not as a hybrid  RTS/action game this time out. Even though it’s called an “adventure’ game, this feels more like a dungeon crawler of sorts. You can play solo with the GamePad as Olimar or with a Wii Remote as a Pikmin is a series of short maps that mix exploration and stylus-tapping combat. Both you and your assorted Pikmin level up during the game, but those gained levels only count for the stage you’re on. This is actually kind of annoying, as the game gets harder as it progresses and it would have been nice to have a stronger team to take down some of the later bosses more quickly. There are also a few timed stages where you need to beat the clock as you head to the escape ship as well as some shorter, fun multiplayer arena style battles where you duke it out with a live player for candy and coins. Nintendo should take this idea and expand it for the 3DS and yes, make it a full-on RPG spin-off from the popular series.

Metroid Blast – While geared more towards “core’ players, the cute art style might turn a few of you off until you actually sit down with it and play for a session. Here, players hop into the suit of Samus Aran and either go at a series of missions or battle head to head in a set of compact to large battle maps. The GamePad is used for Samus’ ship and takes a bit of getting used to before you grasp how to move and shoot fluidly. Once you’re comfortable with the controls here, the first pack of stages will soar by until you run into a tricky boss or challenge that demands that extra precision you still need to master. With the Wii Remote, you’re Samus on foot and the game is just as challenging, but those used to controlling characters in Wii games this way will most likely have an easier time.

Enemies are relentless (as they should be) and even though the game has helpful indicators on screen to let you know who or what is in the vicinity, you’ll still get sniped by guided shots or otherwise ambushed if you run around carelessly. As with the better games on the disc, things definitely get harder before you finally take down that final boss.  Greatly expanded, this could be a full-on 3DS or Wii U Metroid game with more skins, definitely more suitable (less kid-friendly) visuals and an actual story to keep players hooked in. In two-player co-op, one player is an archer and the other a swordsman and both need to help each other out as the same heart rule applies here.

The Legend of Zelda Battle Quest – Yeah, yeah, the system SHOULD have launched with a Zelda game, but if you need you fix badly, this will have to do until Miyamoto and company surprise us with the latest reworking of the long-running franchise. Fight off waves of super cute (but deadly) stuffed Moblins, spiders, bosses and more in a series on on-rails levels where you move automatically and have limited defensive options. One player can have at it as Link using the GamePad for archery or the Wii Remote for swordplay. Archers have it more difficult because you need to be perfect with the GamePad once the game stars getting tough a few stages in. Granted, the enemies basically stand there and let you shoot them full of arrows, but you’ll need to rely on a dodge move and not miss a lot during boss battles or against ranged enemies.

As a sword-swinging Link, the 1:1 movement with the Wii Remote Plus is excellent, allowing you do dish out strikes in any direction and block attacks when possible. Unfortunately, this Link can’t dodge away from enemies and you NEED to know when to strike certain enemies in order to take them out quickly. In solo play, the game is fun, but co-op makes for even more of a blast because all the players share the same heart stock and should one person screw things up, the entire team is toast. You’ll need a large TV (and three extra Wii Remotes with Motion Plus) in order to get four players to actually see what they’re doing, but the game manages to be pretty decent, albeit too linear for its own good. There’s also a Time Attack Archery mode that’s a simple three maps, but again, they get you using that controller and learning to aim and shoot pretty effectively.

 

 

Takamaru’s Ninja Castle – riffing on a Japanese import no one save for Japanese gamers and Famicom collectors would even know, this one’s interesting because it uses the GamePad in one of the more unique ways. You hold the controller flat and level so you can slide your hand across the screen to toss shuriken at assorted Ninja as you attempt to rescue the kidnapped Princess Monita (yes, it’s your robot guide in a geisha getup). Supremely cute paper cut-out visuals aside, this one starts out simple, but get tricky quickly. I actually had to break out a pair of cotton gloves to play, as my palm was sweating and I found it harder to slide my hand across the screen. This one made me smile because it reminded me of the underrated Super Nintendo game Shien: The Blade Chaser (aka Shien’s Revenge), one of those sleepers only those who remember it will appreciate. It also feels more “casual” and app-like (kind of like a take on Fruit Ninja with actual humor or something like that), meaning it’s not sure if we’ll see any developer use this style of gameplay again.

Balloon Trip Breeze – This one’s a “Pay Attention!” game if there ever was one and once you get used to using the GamePad screen and your TV almost simultaneously, there’s great fun to be had. Gameplay is dirt simple: sweep your finger across the screen to make breezes that allow your Mii to float and fly around, collect balloons, break up obstacles (or knock down enemies) by tapping the screen and try and make it across a scrolling map made up of tiny landing spots. The trick here is to check your surroundings on the TV that shows a wider view of the map and try to fly/float your Mii around and not hit anything deadly. In single player, this is harder than it looks, but you can grab a friend and a Wii Remote to help pop balloons and take out obstacles for some faster clear times and more medals.

Yoshi’s Fruit Cart – Another double screen gem that tests your eyeballs and brain, this one’s a stylus driven game where you need to guide a Yoshi Cart to each level’s exit door, collecting scattered plates of fruit in the process. On the Gamepad, you just see the cart and the exit, while on the TV, you see the plates, exit and any obstacles that need to be avoided. Draw a line so hungry Yoshi scarfs down all that fruit before he hits the exit and you move on. Yes, it’s dirt simple at first, bu the game drops in harder challenges that make things quite brain bubbling. There are pits to avoid, plates that need to be eaten in a set order, random gift boxes on some maps and the fact that you need to make it to the exit without draining the meter on the bottom of the screen. Stress may set in about halfway through the series of levels, but the game has a way of pulling you back in, stylus in hand to try again.

Luigi’s Ghost Mansion – This mini-game uses the GamePad quite excellently for a multiplayer focused set of ghost hunting maps which are all too small for their own good. As Luigi, you and up to four other players need to work together to defeat a ghost (the player using the GamePad) before it scares you or any other member of your group silly. The lucky person with the GamePad has a top-down view of the map and can roam about a bit more freely than the other players, who are watching the TV screen as they go ghost hunting. Contact with the ghost means you’re out, but shining flashlights at the spirit drains its life force and sends it blazing away to safety (sometimes).

While both the ghost and hunters have a special move that can help out before things get too troublesome, matches can actually be over quickly if someone isn’t paying attention to their screen. Granted, this isn’t supposed to be a full game at all, but it’s far too easy for hunters to simply camp out and blast the ghost when it approaches and they feel that telltale Wii Remote vibration. On the other hand, ghosts have it easy because they can’t be seen and can track the other players movements quite easily. The game works best when everyone is in motion, but again, the three levels are so small that there’s not enough ground to cover before this one gets old. It’s fun while it lasts, though and yes, it’s a game to be enjoyed with friends in quick matches as opposed to diving in for hours upon hours.

Mario Chase – Like Luigi’s Ghost Mansion, small maps (and only three of them) make this multiplayer Tag mini-game less thrilling than it could have been, but at least the game is good for a laugh with less than three players. With five to three extra players, it’s all of them as Toad hoping to trap poor Mario as he runs around circular mazes attempting to avoid capture for two minutes. This one’s another GamePad/TV screen burner and good for a chuckle. However, with only two players, Toad gets a welcome assist from a pair of AI Yoshi Carts that zip around the maps trying to knock Mario silly with their punching glove tongues. Here, things get frantic fast as the carts do their best to slam into Mario from behind or worse, catch him at an intersection. While this one’s fun, it could have used much more variety in the maps.

Donkey Kong Crash Course – If you’ve got shaky hands, this game isn’t for you at all. On the other hand, if you love those old wooden tilt mazes where you need to guide a metal ball around a series of holes to an exit, well DKCC will have you in heaven. Your Mii is transformed into a kooky little cart icon that needs to be guided though a tricky set of mazes based on levels from Donkeu Kong that look like they were made by the team that brought gamers The Incredible Machine. Playing the game requires holding the GamePad carefully and tilting it left and right to move, flipping switches and blowing into the microphone to activate elevators. Sometimes the blowing doesn’t register correctly and the cart is so flimsy that one mistake can sent it splatting into pieces just a few moves from a checkpoint or goal. Nevertheless, it’s definitely a great way to learn how sensitive the new controller is.

Animal Crossing: Sweet Day – Another super cute chase type game? OK, but this one is Animal Crossing themed (with not a Tom Nook in sight, which is too bad) and involves one or two players playing as an animal trying to scoop up and deliver 15 pieces of candy to a dish on the map while another one or two control guards trying to stop that delivery nonsense. The maps here are a bit bigger than in Mario Chase and there’s some fun to be had trying to run around with a head full of candy as guards close in. You can try to do one piece at a time, but it’s best to carry as much as possible. Given that you lose speed the more candy you have on you, the trick is outsmarting the guards and figuring out how much you can carry and still get away from any pursuers. Overall, kind of dull unless you’ve got kids or can get into the spirit of the game. Me, I just want a new Animal Crossing game on the Wii U that brings back the real time fun and makes me want to lose an entire day hanging out in a town full of wacky strangers soo to be gift giving neighbors.

Captain Falcon’s Twister Race – I have a bunch of top-down racing games here for a few old consoles, but it took me a bit of getting used to this flashier update. This F-Zero themed mini-game has you holding and tilting the GamePad as if you’re steering your futuristic racer from above. The only time you need to look at the TV is when you zip through tunnels (try and hit the boost strips and avoid obstacles and crashing into stuff.  Learnign curve aside, this one’s actually pretty decent, but it’s not for the easily frustrated, as it’s not at all hard to get turned around if you’re not confident about controlling the game as it should be.

Octopus Dance – Match the instructor’s dance moves and try not to mess up in this music themed mini-game. If you’re not a fan of rhythm games, this isn’t going to change your mind much. Granted, put that GamePad in the hands of someone who loves the genre and they’ll have the entire room cracking up within a few rounds as the game can be quite hilarious. It’s problematic because some of the more precise moves require you to move the analog sticks at exact angles or you’ll miss out on some decent points and higher rankings. Since I’m quite lousy at music games, this one was a take it or leave if experience for me (I spent a good hour playing it), but I do see its appeal to more active types out there.

All the games dole out coins for playing them and more coins and or cards (which are like Achievements or Trophies on the Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively) are granted for completing certain milestones. Some games offer up double coins, so if you’re wanting to rake in the gold, keep checking the Attraction map when you complete events. Those coins can (and should) be used to play the pachinko-like mini game that awards prizes upon successfully clearing each level. Prizes range from animated statues modeled on items and enemies from the attractions, to music you can choose to play while in the park to buttons that do all sorts of cool things when pressed. The random nature of these prizes is actually one of the best reasons to keep playing because you really never know what’s going to pop out of that Central Tower (and in some cases, where your prize will land).

The coolest thing about some of the better games is you can unlock new stages by replaying some more than once or completing the entire set of stages that make up some games. This helps keep the game fresh and interesting, as it’s possible to discover new things through simple trial and error. I loved that being terrible at a game isn’t the end of the world. perish or fail to meet a goal one too many times and a helpful Monita drops in to give you a little gift in the form of a single power up or more time on the clock and so forth and so on. Accepting her present locks you out of Mastering stages you use the item on, but you can always go back later and try for that medal once you get better on your own.

In terms of presentation, Nintendo’s move to high definition is superb and the many nostalgic tunes will have some of the bigger Nintendo fans humming along nostalgically. The park, train (you get one not too long after going through a few games) and mini-games all look as if they’re handcrafted from polished and painted wood, tin toys, cloth and other materials and each game has a distinct style that’s extremely gorgeous and primarily happy. The Metroid stages are the least eye-popping, but the darker, more action oriented focus of that game justifies the palette choices. Miis all look like little toys running about the park and in solo play, your Nintendo land gets populated by an endless supply of AI Miis that all encourage you to go online when you tap them on the GamePad with the stylus. This is a tiny bit strange because the game proper has no online play at all, making everyone’s Nintendo land a sort of hang out joint for friends who want to share tips on games and other info.

I’m not a social butterfly at all when it comes to interacting with strangers in virtual worlds, but the online here makes sense because most users seem to have grasped what Nintendo was going for. That said, Nintendo Land works best as a perfect party game where everyone who plays it will mess up at some point, crack up about it and dive back in for another shot. Now, all Nintendo needs to do is make good on the promise some of these games show by incorporating the functions that flow into future games. I’d imagine there won’t be a Nintendo Land II at all as it makes more sense to have new games that do as much as possible with the Game Pad without breaking the gameplay up into so many segments. Then again, we shall see, as there are plenty of classic characters who didn’t show up here who just might pop up in a new park to play around in.