GAMES: GameSpot | GameFAQs MUSIC: Last.fm | MP3.com MOVIES: Metacritic | Movietome TV: TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Games

Playstation Reviews
PS3 | PS2 | PS One | PSP

Xbox Reviews
Xbox 360 | Xbox

Nintendo Reviews
Wii | DS | GBA | Cube | N64


PC | N-Gage | Dreamcast

How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Games In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

60 Adventure Island: The Beginning
71 Another Code: R - A Journey Into Lost Memories
xx Big League Sports: Summer
xx Bigs 2, The
79 Bit.Trip Beat
82 Bonsai Barber
87 Boom Blox Bash Party
74 Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars - Director's Cut
78 Bubble Bobble Plus!
xx Bust-A-Move Plus!
51 Case Closed: The Mirapolis Investigation
xx Cate West: The Vanishing Files
30 CID The Dummy
59 Cocoto Platform Jumper
74 Conduit, The
xx Cradle of Rome
xx Crayola: Colorful Journey
62 Crystal Defenders R1
xx Crystal Defenders R2
xx Daisy Fuentes Pilates
xx Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Grooves
80 Dawn of Discovery
xx Deca Sports 2
xx Destiny of Zorro, The
57 Don King Boxing
xx Drill Sergeant Mindstrong
81 EA Sports Active
xx Eduardo the Samurai Toaster
59 Equilibrio
xx Escape the Museum
78 Excitebots: Trick Racing
xx Family Mini Golf
xx Family Pirate Party
xx Fantasy Aquarium World
64 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
72 Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
51 Fish'em All!
xx G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
76 Ghostbusters: The Video Game
xx Go Play Circus Star
xx Go Play Lumberjacks
57 Go! Go! Minon: Domino Rally
xx Gold's Gym Cardio Workout
71 Gradius ReBirth
77 Grand Slam Tennis
65 Grey's Anatomy
xx Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus
85 Guitar Hero: Metallica
76 Guitar Hero: Smash Hits
xx Hannah Montana: The Movie
60 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
65 Help Wanted: 50 Wacky Jobs!
xx Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
56 Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings
77 Klonoa
61 Let's Catch
70 Let's Tap
87 Little King's Story
xx M&M's Beach Party
xx Mad Dog McCree Gunslinger Pack
81 MadWorld
48 Major Minor's Majestic March
73 Marble Saga: Kororinpa
xx Marbles! Balance Challenge
69 Monsters vs. Aliens
44 Moto GP 08
71 Munchables, The
56 MySims Party
68 MySims Racing
xx NEVES Plus
78 New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
65 New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis
77 New Play Control! Pikmin
84 New Play Control! Pikmin 2
54 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
80 NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits
xx Ocean Commander
xx Offshore Tycoon
70 Overlord: Dark Legend
44 Party Fun Pirate
64 PDC World Championship Darts 2009
xx Penguins & Friends: Hey! That's My Fish!
xx Phantom Brave: We Meet Again
xx Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball
xx Pool Hall Pro
68 Pop 'Em, Drop 'Em SameGame
85 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
86 Punch-Out!!
70 Puzzle Kingdoms
54 Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!
37 Ready 2 Rumble Revolution
xx Reel Fishing Challenge
xx Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil
xx Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock
32 Rolling Stone: Drum King
xx Roogoo Twisted Towers
80 Rune Factory: Frontier
74 Samurai Shodown Anthology
xx Science Papa
70 Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis
52 Silver Star Chess
xx Silver Star Reversi
43 Six Flags Fun Park
xx Space Camp
84 Swords & Soldiers
54 Texas Hold'em Tournament
89 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
53 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
68 Trivial Pursuit
58 Up
xx Vacation Sports
xx Vertigo
74 Virtua Tennis 2009
xx Water Warfare
xx Wii Sports Resort
53 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
xx Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breakers

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums
Wii Sports wii Game Reviews
Wii Sports
Critic Score
Metascore: 76 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.9 out of 10
based on 51 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 129 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Tennis (1-4 players): Players grab the controller like a racket and swing – the game will register forehands, backhands, volleys, lobs, slices, spin and power depending on how fast the user swings and at what angle. Don't worry about moving around the court to get to the ball – the game automatically moves players into position. Baseball (1-2 players): Grip the controller like a bat and swat fastballs out of the park in a home run derby. Timing and bat speed will make all the difference between going yard and whiffing, so keep an eye on the ball and swing for the fences. In the two-player game, one player pitches and the other bats. Golf (1 player): Step up to the tee, hold the controller like a golf club and swing naturally to smack the ball onto the green. The harder players swing the club, the farther the ball will fly, so be sure to take some practice swings before going for the pin. After reaching the green, line up putts carefully, practice the stroke and try to hole out. [Nintendo]

PUBLISHER: Nintendo
DEVELOPER: Nintendo
GENRE(S): Sports
PLAYERS: 4
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2006

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
The ideal way to get into Wii gaming. It's funny, simple and approachable, and gamers and non-gamers alike should get something out of it. [Christmas 2006, p.62]
90
N-Europe
Just as a Nintendo 64 without "Super Mario 64" was unthinkable, so too is a Wii without Wii Sports. It’s one of the most perfect launch games we’ve seen.
Read Full Review
90
Nintendojo
In terms of control and immersion, Wii Sports destroys the competition and provides an excellent foundation for other developers to build upon.
Read Full Review
87
PGNx Media
Wii Sports is the perfect pack-in for the Wii since it really shows off the system’s unique capabilities and manages to draw in casual gamers who would otherwise not want to play videogames.
Read Full Review
87
AtomicGamer
The game does a great job of showing off what the system is about and showcasing the system’s abilities.
Read Full Review
85
GamePro
We can't help but enjoy the fact that we're getting a solid sports experience for nothing. It's definitely more fun in groups and won't have a great deal of longevity, but anyone who doesn't find at least some fun in Wii Sports has a heart of coal.
Read Full Review
85
GameZone
Sure, it lacks goals and can be beaten very quickly. But the ultra-responsive technology and high multiplayer replay value are far greater than any other party or sports game collection.
Read Full Review
83
Nintendo Power
The single-player game is good for practice and daily tests, but Wii Sports shines as a multiplayer game. [Jan. 2007, p.96]
82
NGamer UK
It's bloody good fun and you'll enjoy playing it for ages. [January 2007, p.38]
80
Eurogamer
Brilliantly embodies the Wii's dramatic premise: that this kind of control can appeal to people who don't play games and people who used to play games as well as people who've been playing them for as long as we have.
Read Full Review
80
AceGamez
Despite the shortcomings in presentation and pruning in some aspects of the modes and play, what Wii Sports gets right it gets right with flying colors, showing that what may have appeared as a gimmick - the motion-reading controllers - is actually a revolution.
Read Full Review
80
Sydney Morning Herald
Highly approachable and hugely entertaining for all ages, Wii Sports serves as a great introduction and advertisement for the innovative Wii motion-sensing controller.
Read Full Review
80
Games Radar (in-house)
The game's meant to be a no-frills, no-pressure entry point into the Wii and its bizarre new way of playing videogames, and it's impressive that it manages to be a lot of fun at the same time.
Read Full Review
80
Games Master UK
More fun than a box of ferrets and almost genius, but it feels just a bit too slapdash. [Christmas 2006, p.64]
80
VideoGamer
It may not win any awards for the best looking or sounding game but it's great pure fun, and is instantly accessible to pretty much anyone.
Read Full Review
80
GameDaily
Wii Sports certainly won't be hailed as the most realistic sports sim on the market, but it's the best thing - next to a bottle of tequila - to take to a friend's holiday house party.
Read Full Review
80
GameTrailers
A couple of the games are rewarding for the long term, but most can be easily whipped into submission in a matter of hours. The visuals are also severely lacking.
Read Full Review
80
GameSpy
It's a game you can play with your friends and family, and it perfectly highlights the direction that Nintendo is taking with the platform. It's not the best-looking game on the system, and it's definitely not the deepest, but it may well be the most fun.
Read Full Review
80
eToychest
This is a simple game about simple fun, and everyone owes it to themselves to try it out to get a taste for what the Wii may in fact have in store for us all very soon.
Read Full Review
80
NTSC-uk
A massive, massive success as a launch title. Ignore the negativity you may have heard, and embrace this marvellous new bit of kit into your home.
Read Full Review
80
Boomtown
It’s simple, addictive, compelling and innovative all rolled into one.
Read Full Review
80
Jolt Online Gaming UK
It’s accessible, addictive, and an excellent tech-demo for the Wii-mote, not to mention an obvious choice to whip out when you want to show off your new purchase.
Read Full Review
78
Gamer 2.0
With the exception of Boxing, everything in Wii Sports is entertaining, and there's a little more depth than the simplistic presentation might lead you to believe.
Read Full Review
78
GameSpot
Wii Sports makes for an ideal pack-in with Nintendo's new console, providing some fun, simple gameplay that's accessible to almost anyone.
Read Full Review
78
Cheat Code Central
For a free game that’s included with the system, we couldn’t be happier. We hope that Nintendo expands on the Bowling, Baseball, and Tennis games and tweaks Golf for future releases because they have a real winner on their hands.
Read Full Review
77
GamingExcellence
Despite these two solo modes, Wii Sports is really all about getting some friends together and playing a few matches of tennis or bowling. The game isn't designed to be a true authentic sports simulation, it's all about the sheer entertainment value, and this is where Wii Sports really shines.
Read Full Review
75
Gaming Age
Create your Mii and challenge your friends (both gaming and non-gaming) to a game of bowling. I guarantee they’ll be hooked and so will you.
Read Full Review
75
IGN
Your non-gamer friends will be dazzled by the immediately intuitive controls and the imported Miis. But the title sacrifices incredible depth and visuals for an immediately accessible experience.
Read Full Review
75
Kombo
The bottom line, really, is that Wii Sports, as a multiplayer game, is downright fun. Whether your thing is tennis, baseball, golf, bowling or boxing, you’re bound to be smiling - at least for a few seconds - while playing Wii Sports.
Read Full Review
75
Deeko
If I had to pay for them, I probably wouldn't, but as a freebie included with the system, they're great for showcasing the system's capabilities and give all of the people in your household a chance to game — even those with no previous experience!
Read Full Review
75
PALGN
A very solid first effort for the Wii, and provides just a taste of what is, and what will be, great about the Wii console. Pick it up, play it and have fun. Very nice.
Read Full Review
74
My Gamer
This is one you can feel confident about showing your family and friends who are normally saying things like "pish-tosh" when you bring up video games.
Read Full Review
73
Da Gameboyz
Wii Sports is all about showing what Nintendo's newest console an do in terms of innovation and making gaming accessible to everyone and overall it does a great job of this.
Read Full Review
72
Gaming Target
While the game isn’t exactly deep, who cares? It’s free and it’s fun; and that’s all that matters.
Read Full Review
72
N-Insanity
Who needs the outside world when you can get some decent exercise in your very living room or bedroom? It may not be anything rigorous, but it'll get your body moving in ways that it normally may not.
Read Full Review
72
GameBrink
For the hardcore there’s not much here that you’ll be playing for more than an hour other than the training mode which gives you a lot of challenges but ultimately falls flat.
Read Full Review
71
netjak
This glorified tech demo is an excellent game for groups, whether the serious gamers you'd expect from a college dorm or the kids at a family reunion.
Read Full Review
70
Extreme Gamer
In Wii Sports, innovation and gameplay triumph over substance, graphics, and depth, a feat which only Nintendo could accomplish.
Read Full Review
70
Computer and Video Games
Wii Sports is neither bulging in features nor graphically impressive, but when you put everything together, you have a fun package that, although better in places than others, is varied enough to keep you entertained for a good while and brilliant in multiplayer.
Read Full Review
70
Edge Magazine
Perfect? No. Indispensable? Yes. Wii Sports more than earns its bundled place as an essential component of the hardware. [Christmas 2006, p.76]
70
Gaming Nexus
You can’t expect too much from a pack-in game, and Wii Sports is no exception. While it’s true that you will probably have a good time with one or two of the activities presented on this disc, it’s just as likely that you’ll get bored of them after only a few plays and never touch them again.
Read Full Review
70
Play Magazine
Still, as a pack-in, it's hard to take pot-shots at a game that so perfectly acclimates users to the new control. [Jan. 2007, p.76]
70
Gamestyle
Gamestyle still has concerns over the longevity of what could be a glorified Wiimote training session; but we were surprised at how much fun is here for the short term at least. It’s shallow, yet immensely playable, and a great introduction to this revolutionary system.
Read Full Review
70
Thunderbolt
It gives gamers a small taste of what the WiiMote can do for their gaming experiences and a reason to keep playing the new system, but nothing more. Its appeal and flaws lay with its simplicity.
Read Full Review
65
GameCritics
The greatest strength of Wii Sports—its unparalleled accessibility—ends up being its greatest weakness. Although the game initially feels like a breath of fresh air, the failure of its novel control scheme to provide the sensitivity needed for continued growth and mastery ultimately sucks much of that air right back out.
Read Full Review
65
Game Informer
None of these sports are fully fleshed out, and they simply represent a range of motions to perform with the controller.
Read Full Review
65
1UP
As a demo that gives a glimpse into the Wii's gaming future, Wii Sports is reassuring, charming, and good, clean fun.
Read Full Review
63
Electronic Gaming Monthly
I like the concept behind this pack-in, but Wii Sports simply ends up being an overly publicized demo. [Jan. 2007, p.63]
60
games(TM)
In its 'free' state, Wii Sports is a triumph when presenting the abilities of your new console, but in reality, it's an extended victory for the console itself and not praise that should be bestowed upon the game. [Christmas 2006, p.106]
60
Console Gameworld
Despite control issues Wii Sports is probably one of the only launch titles that offers so much fun from such a small package.
Read Full Review
50
Digital Entertainment News
It's free, so you're getting what you pay for. Yes, it can be fun, but it should have been a lot better.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.9 (out of 10) based on 129 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Ralph H gave it a10:
This is the only Wii game that really uses the capabilities of the controller to the max. You can put spin on shots in tennis, affect the speed, direction, and spin of bowling shots, crank home runs in baseball, and throw various punches in boxing, all with amazing accuracy. The Wii's success is because of this game. It is simple and fun, but still recreates the true physics of playing these sports. No other game I have played for the Wii uses the Wii controller as accurately as Wii sports.

John M gave it a7:
Good game to get used to the wiis control system, the games are fun, especially with a group of people, but the sports are very limited (is bowling actually a sport??). Overall a decent package that every wii owner gets for free anyway

Rover T gave it a6:
They do a good job with what appears to be a low budget game. I think it's actually pretty realistic for a sports videogame. I cant say dont buy it because it comes with the Wii, but if you lose it under the couch I dont think its worth more than $15 to buy another.

Sque M. gave it an8:
Wii Sports Review Graphics: 7.5/10 (Simple but appealing) Sound: 7.5/10 (Sound effects and music are okay) Controls Average: 38/50 = 7.6/10 Tennis: 9/10 (Almost though it swings without me swinging it) Baseball: 10/10 (Simple, sweet and to the point) Bowling: 9.5/10 (Awesome but the problem with throwing can throw you off at times) Golf: 6.5/10 (It's hard to hit it at the right speed) Boxing: 3/10 (Really hard to throw a punch) Gameplay Average: 37/50 = 7.4/10 Tennis: 7/10 (Good though it gets boring after a while) Baseball: 9.5/10 (Awesome though I wish it actually follow the rules of Baseball) Bowling: 8/10 (Fun but gets boring after a while) Golf: 5/10 (Gets boring since this uses the same layouts even when you play a new game) Boxing: 7.5/10 (Though controls suck, it very fun once you get used to it) Lastability: 8/10 (Lots of replay value for a launch game) Overall: B+ (Weird for a launch game that's really this good).

Jack H. gave it a7:
I must admit, the bowling is fun, but I mean, come on! Only 5 sports? I suppose that's the best you can get with a game that came with the console. Tennis is sort of fun, baseball wears my arms out, golf is alright (I guess), and boxing is a bit short in my opinion. This could have been a great game if only it had some more content.

Ryan B gave it a9:
This is an excellent game for those who are more casual gamers and want something to pick up and play. It is also very family friendly and the whole family will have a bunch of fun playing this.

Henny E gave it a10:
After 4 back surgeries I thought I was done with bowling, but then along came the wii. I can now play tennis and bowl with kids with grandkids, golf with spouse and even play by myself. My daughter bought me the wii for my birthday and said something about me needing more exercise, boy was she right! I exercise everyday with the wii sports and don't even realize that I am exercising. I strongly recommend the wii sports and not just because it is included in the purchase of the wii system.

Read more user comments...

Discuss this game in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

Popular on CBS sites: iPhone 3G | Fantasy Football | Moneywatch | Antivirus Software | Recipes | E3 2009

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use