Hasbro Family Game Night 2 for Wii Reviews by Gamers

The modern family doesn't crowd around a game board on the dining room table, rubbing elbows with each other and possibly making eye contact. That's what old timey families did back before electricity was invented or something. No, contemporary families gather in front of the TV to play digital versions of the classics. Or so Electronic Arts is hoping, as it has released its second collection of Hasbro diversions called Hasbro Family Game Night 2.



Videogame versions of board games always need to justify their existence. Are they cheaper than the real thing? Easier to set up? Do they offer features not found in the regular box? If not, why bother? Luckily, Hasbro Family Game Night 2 is a good value: you get five games for $40 that would cost you around $60 if you bought their real world counterparts separately. Each game also offers a remixed version with gameplay variations that wouldn't be possible in a real-world game. Some of these remixes are successful and turn out to be a lot of fun. Some are not.



Here's what's on the disc:

• Connect 4x4: A new take on Connect 4. You still need to make a horizontal/vertical/diagonal line of four chips but now you have three types of chips at your disposal. Remix mode adds power-ups that will give you a leg-up or slow down your opponents.
  
  
• Operation: Use a steady hand to remove objects from Cavity Sam's body. The extraction process has been lengthened so that you delve deep inside the patient and pull the foreign object out through cavity shapes. Remix mode adds a few shallow mini-games like a shooting gallery and a waggle fest.
  
  
• Pictureka: Find objects amidst a jumble of mixed images. Players draw cards and must locate the object on the card before time runs out. Remix mode adds four additional card types.
  
  
• Jenga: Remove blocks from the tower and restack them on top until the tower topples. Remix mode adds chance blocks that put certain restrictions on which blocks you can work with.
  
  
• Bop It: The only real dud in the bunch. As a voice shouts commands you must try to recreate the actions with the onscreen Bop It controller. Actions are performed by holding the B button and moving the Wii remote in different directions, but the fact you can often shake it any way you like and succeed means the game is sort of broken. Remix mode adds even more actions than found in the regular game.

There is also a mode called Family Game Show that throws a series of mini-games from each of the above titles at you.



Of the included games I think Connect 4x4 and Pictureka are quite successful. Connect 4x4 is a refreshing twist on the classic game that adds new layers of strategy and Pictureka has a lot of whacky charm. Operation works better than you might think but it's really meant for younger gamers. Jenga is more fun than the official Jenga Wii game but the physics aren't as impressive as EA's Boom Blox. And Bop It? More like Forget It. It's a mess of imprecise waggle controls.



You select a game from the shelf and it is carried to the table for you and immediately set up. Nice, right? But for some reason you can't switch between classic and remix modes without packing everything up and selecting the game again. It's a minor annoyance. In-game trophies are won for completing specific challenges and you can unlock a slew of costume items for Mr. Potato Head, the host of the evening. Hasbro Family Game Night 2 also displays your Mii next to your score during a game, which will react to your triumphs and defeats.



The music is pretty impressive. From groovy electronica to orchestral cartoon ditties, the soundtrack is of a much higher quality than is often found in family games. As if the developers were aware of this, you can listen to the tunes at your leisure on the in-game jukebox.

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