Carnival Games for Wii Reviews & Ratings by IGN

In case you didn't know, available for purchase at your local retailer are various party games for your Wii. "Oh stop talking crazy," you might say. "The Wii is a bastion of quality titles that anchor the hardcore gamer, exclusive of a multiplayer setting!" While this may be true in some cases, more often than not, Wii owners are finding many poorly produced, rushed, or uninspired party games landing on store shelves. While Carnival Games does have a certain degree of inherent charm and originality, it quickly falls into the deep, dark realm of mediocrity. It is never confused about what it's trying to be, but it doesn't necessarily do anything exceedingly well, either. Welcome to the midway. When we last previewed the latest effort by Cat Daddy Games in July, the Carnival was shaping up into…something. The games were simple and not entirely deep, but the atmosphere partially made up for other shortcomings. Not much has changed since then, as the game remains relatively shallow, even in a robust multiplayer environment. Oh, let's get this out of the way right now: don't play this game by yourself. It just wasn't meant to be done. Even with a cornucopia of unlockables, solo players will quickly grow tired of the lack in variety. In a group setting, though, redemption is nearly attainable. First, players select and design their respective characters, with the ability to customize shoes, hats, clothes and other accessories. Many more items are unlockable by completing the games, but they aren't really that great of an incentive. Players receive a small, medium, or large prize, depending on the success achieved in each game. Tickets are also awarded, which can be redeemed for prizes, or used at the fortune teller or love meter. After selecting a character, a signpost directs players to five different streets, each with several midway games to play. Listing them all isn't necessary, since some are far too similar to others (like Ka-Pow and Spilled Milk - they both require timing a moving cursor and then at the right moment, making an overhand throwing motion with the Wiimote to knock over clown heads, or bottles, respectively). The ring toss and coin toss are also virtually identical. Despite several stinkers, there are still some silver-plated cubic zirconias in the rough. The paradox of simplicity rears its ugly head throughout the entire experience: extremely easy to pick up, but insanely difficult to want to stay. Foregoing the nunchuk entirely, the developers chose to implement several general control schemes that accompany the games, such as an underhand motion for games like Buckets of Fun and skeeball, an overhand motion for darts and football tossing, a horizontal wrist-flick for ring toss, and other IR aiming scenarios. Without question, the best-implemented controls are for Hoops. Players have 30 seconds to score as many baskets as possible, and success is determined by the gamer's ability to smoothly make the free-throw gesture, flicking the wrist at the end of the movement, without moving the forearm too quickly or slowly. Failing to use the proper amount of force, or twisting the Wiimote to either side, will result in a missed shot. Since there has yet to be a basketball simulation debut on the Wii, for now this is as close as you're going to get -- and it feels great. Things can get hectic with multiple players vying for the top score. The multiplayer mode has several options. Up to 4 people can alternate using one Wiimote, or each can use an individual Wiimote, and participate simultaneously in the appropriate games (only one player may toss a skeeball at a time). Players can opt to choose games individually, or have a CPU-dictated assortment of 5 games, with the highest score determining the winner. Where the game truly shines is in its atmosphere and carnival feel. The graphics are nothing spectacular, with low-res textures and occasional framerate hiccups, but the art direction is solid, and the notion that one is at the midway is faithfully reproduced. The sound effects are spot-on, from the taunting and provocation from the carnies, to the bells, buzzers, and balloon pops. The music is appropriately repetitive, and will probably drive you insane, but not before you smile warmly, recounting the good ol' days of being hustled at the test of strength.

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