Image via amazon.com
For the past couple of weeks, my family has been testing out a review copy of Party Games 3. We’ve had some fun, laughed at the graphics, and seen our competitive edge come out in unusual ways.
Game Party 3 is a new release from Warner Bros. Games for the Wii platform. Building on the game party theme, it brings in many of the games people associate with get-togethers at various locations – things like skee-ball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, darts, mini golf, and pool.
There are 5 different arenas you can select from when you start the game:
- Lounge (darts, cricket, shuffleboard, curling, bankshot, floor shuffleboard, 8-ball, 9-ball, straight-ball 15)
- Sports Zone (hoop shoot, moving basket, gb challenge, trivia, lightning trivia, root beer tapper)
- Family Fun Zone (skill[skee]ball, speed[skee]ball, puc)
- Backyard (Lawn Darts, Horseshoes, Croquet)
- Country Club (racquetball, bocce ball, mini golf)
The game allows up to four players in a single match, or you can do a tournament that includes a best-of series, loser-go-home, winner-moves-on, or head-to-head competition. In tournament mode, you can have up to sixteen players at the start (for your really big get-togethers)
Overall gameplay is very simple, it requires only the Wiimote and simple moves of the Wiimote with the A-button. Even our youngest was able to compete on the games.
You can choose a pre-defined character or build your own (it does not allow you to use your Mii). You can also choose the left or right-handedness of your game party avatar. As the games progress, there is a feature that awards play and allows you to further customize your characters.
Graphics are simple but fine, although my youngest son and I laughed in lawn darts as your character celebrates getting a point, but then he/she suddenly stands there wooden and un-expressive. The cut-away should have happened a second or two sooner to not ruin the effect.
It is part of the value game series – so less expensive than other Wii games on the market. I could certainly see this being something for a relaxed get-together of friends or family and being something safe for everyone to play in your upcoming holiday gatherings. With the well-known games and easy maneuvers to play, everyone would be able to join in.
Overall, the game has been fun, but the kids’ interest in it has waned over the weeks. We’ll play if we’ve got a few minutes but it has not held their attention like the Lego games (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Batman) which they continue to go back to time and time again. It seems this is one for pulling out and introducing people to the Wii or for something to offer anyone who would like to play in a large group.
Now, having written that, we’re looking forward to running an all-out tournament in a couple weeks with a bunch of friends. I’m just not sure how much more play-time after the event it will get.
Wired: safe for all ages, simple game play, value price point
Tired: no long-term draw, simple graphics, graphic editing ruins celebration on some games.
