Winter Sports 2009: The Next Challenge (Wii) - Review by Chris

Introduction

Winter Sports 2009 is the sequel to Winter Sports: The Ultimate Challenge and was released in 2008 across 4 platforms. Developed by 49 Games, the Winter Sports series is just as the title suggests: a multi-sport simulation containing many of the sports which take pride of place on sport channels during the winter months. Combining the winter disciplines with accessible controls, 49 Games have created the title in the hopes of capturing the casual gamers' hearts.

Gameplay

The title expands slightly upon what the original brought before it. It contains 10 major and popular winter sports, from the likes of alpine skiing to luge to figure skating, with each containing the many disciplines that make up the respective sports. By offering a broad spectrum of sports, 49 Games have hoped to bring something for everyone. And in retrospect, they have achieved this, but with wavering success ranging from the good to the bad. Some of the various sports are replicated well in their own respects with many of them offering a realistic interpretation of the actual thing. However, there are some within the selection that aren't replicated well and this can come down to perhaps hardware shortfalls and poorly worked and implemented controls, with a perfect example of this being the figure skating which basically boils down to a mini-game of gesturing the controllers at the requisite times.

The game offers a selection of rudimentary modes for players to go through at their own pace, such as competition mode, career and campaign mode as well as offering a single events mode where you can choose any of the 10 sports and play it to your hearts content. They offer up a decent collection of things to tackle however some of the of the challenges that the game presents you will frustrate you more than they will entertain you.

Controls

Much in the same way as the gameplay, the controls are a mixed bag. You have the choice of using the Wii-mote and nunchuk combo or you can incorporate the Wii balance board into your playing. In some sports such as the skiing, the controls work incredibly well both with and without the balance board, although the balance board does improve your turning and manoeuvrability, but at the same time, in the likes of curling the controls are awkward and poorly implemented, being hard to judge speed and aiming making some of the games frustrating to play and as a result you'll quickly switch to something else.

Graphics

The game has an above average presentation, with some of the outdoor environments looking good. The likes of the skiing environments are well designed and brought to life with a good amount of detail not only on the hillside but in the crowds and the buildings. Interior environments contain the same attention to detail and again, they all look above average. Character models are slightly low on the poly count however they are adequately produced for what the sports require. Menus are bland to say the least and contain a lot of wasted space with the icons for modes and sports taking up minimal space and these can be tricky to select given the poor IR controls which, even when the Wii-mote is held completely still, jitters about making small selections hard. There's nothing in the game that pushes the hardware in anyway and it's something that could easily be produced on last generation's hardware but it looks decent enough.

Sound

This is one area of the game where it doesn't excel. Sound effects are reminiscent of the real things that can be heard when watching the actual sport, although they are of a lower quality and so don't help to fully immerse the gamer into the sport. Music is forgettable and is made up of small rock-esque and techno beats that are kept to a minimal level during gameplay and even when on the menus. The game also provides commentary for each sport and this is decent enough but the voice work is grating and you'll just wish they kept quiet and let you get on with it. It does provide some comedic moments that break up and improve the commentary although these feel out of place in this type of game.

Final comments

As a title that is primarily aimed at the casual gamer, I was thoroughly surprised with how well some of the sports played. The likes of skiing and the biathlon are done really well and in their own rights would make for a fantastic game, if only expanded on a bit more and this is something which the whole game could do with because while the game provides a broad spectrum of sports to try, they lack the options to keep the player interested beyond the initial appeal. Some of the sports feel very lacklustre and don't replicate the thrill of seeing them in real life and this is ashame as 49 Games have done well in recreating visually the sports which you can take part with some hit and miss controls. I wouldn't say that this is something that should be a definite purchase given its shelve price, however it should be looked into by those who enjoy the winter sports and are willing to take the good with the bad.

Pro: Great Graphics and Controls.
Con: Some Frustrating Controls
Final score: 6

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