Family Ski Nintendo Wii

Paul Govan's guide of Family Ski. Subscribe to this column via RSS or Newsletter.

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Column:
Family Gamer

Format:
Nintendo Wii

Genre:
Racing

Style:
Splitscreen

Written on:
11/09/2007

Second opinion:
Family Gamer (Wii)

Further reading:
Family Gaming Awards

After the success of Wii-Fit other developers are producing games that use the Balance Board. Family Ski (We Ski in the US) is one of the first games to use the board in a proper game setting. It expands on the success of Slalom, Ski Jumping and Snow Boarding in Wii-Fit, taking the Skiing genre out on the slopes.

It's one of those type of game genres...

Sports games recreate a wide variety of real life competitive games. Depending on the sport, these will either have an action or strategy focus. Popular sports games are often released on an annual basis, each year the game receives new player rosters and game improvements.

But why is it any better than the others...

Family Ski makes maximum use of the Wii controllers (and balance board if you have one) to reproduce the feel of skiing around an alpine resort. The Wii-mote and Nun-chuck are used as ski poles. Simply strike them down towards the ground to push yourself forward and tuck them in to crouch for improved speed.

So what experience should I play this game for...

Clean simple graphics and controls combine with the use of the Mii's (previoulsy created on your Wii) make for an involving ski environment. The races, slalom and mogul events have the look of Ski Sunday. The freestyle mode lets you explore the mountain, picking ski runs at will that range from leisurely powder to speed inducing ice slopes. The four player racing makes this a great game for family fun, or more competitive times once the kids are in bed.

And when can I take a break...

Each run only lasts a few minutes, making the game suitable for short half hour sessions. The nature of the controls means that it takes a little while to get accustomed to, therefore to get the most out of the game longer sessions should be considered.

This is a great game for who...

The super simple motion controls make this game easy to control for younger players. Our three your old loved catching ski-lifts and whizzing back down the slopes. Novice players should find there little barrier to entry, although more the experienced may not find the game as challenging as they would hope. Family Ski is focused on family fun rather than being an out and out ski racing game.

Thanks for reading the reivew, visit our Family Gaming Awards - the best games for the different people in your family.

Game People family video game reviews support Association of Family Gamers. They also offer niche and anecdotal dad, mum, teen and senior video game reviews.

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