Game Review: We Ski (for the Wii)

I love video games, so you can expect them to turn up often in my blog. Today I'm going to write up a review of one of the newest additions to our game library, We Ski for the Nintendo Wii.

First, some background. Shortly after we got our Wii, I convinced my parents that they should get one too. I knew that the Wii had Wi-Fi capabilities and I thought it would be another cool way to connect long distance.

We took our controllers out to California when we went to visit so that (almost) all of us could play together. While we were browsing the aisles of one of the best computer & technology stores in the area my dad decided we should get a game that four of us could play at once. It was a difficult choice since none of us knew much about what games were available for the Wii (the only one we knew anything about was Mario Kart, and they were out of stock).

We Ski looked promising on the shelf so it ended up in my parent's Wii a couple hours later. We all loved it. Luke & I loved it enough that we bought ourselves a copy a few days after returning to Colorado.

If you haven't guessed from the title, We Ski is a skiing game. It requires the wiimote & a nunchuck and can be played by up to 4 players.

The game really captures the atmosphere of skiing. There are about a dozen different slopes to ski down. Each slope is different, and the addition of NPC (non-player controlled) skiiers makes each run unique. You can choose between day or night skiing. I also love the fact that the weather changes!

The multiplayer option in this game is very well done. Up to four people can ski at once. Any skiier can go to any slope by riding up a ski lift, or everyone can "jump" to the same slope using the map. This makes it very convenient for players of multiple experience levels to play together.

There is also a wide variety of events you can complete: delivering a burger to a hungry skiier or orienteering around the slopes. The events increase in difficulty as you complete them, and each one is repeatable at any point during the game. Completing events gives you "star points" which unlock new gear for you to wear on the slopes.

Attending ski school will teach you the basics of skiing and a variety of air tricks (which are really fun to do). You can also use the photo album to stage photos of your mii at various locations around the ski lodge or on the mountain.

The control scheme takes advantage of the sensors in the Wii controller. To move yourself forward and start skiing, swing your arms like you would if you were pushing against the ground with your ski poles. To turn, turn the wiimote.

In summary, We Ski is rated E for everyone. It is the fun of skiing without the cold, travel, or cost. The game is very well designed and has no serious flaws (at least, none that I've found).

My overall rating: E for Excellent :)