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Time Magazine certainly thinks so. I recently read a story on Time's website which claims that the game is the best game of the year. That story can be found here.

When I first read this article, I couldn't disagree more. This year saw the release of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Gears of War, Resistance: Fall of Man, Final Fantasy 12, and Oblivion just to name a few titles. A crappy looking game packed in with the Nintendo Wii console couldn't compete or can it?

I cringed when Nintendo announced that Wii Sports would be packed in with the Nintendo Wii system. I felt that Nintendo only included the game to justify the $250 dollar price point. I didn't want to play Wii Sports, nor did I want to think about paying for it. Why would I want five mini-games? I felt like Nintendo should have included Zelda if they were going to pack any game in at all.

I kept this philosophy until the day I bought my Wii console. I wasn't extremely happy that a portion of my money was going to pay for the game. However, after waiting in line for over 12 hours, I wasn't in the mood to argue.

My thoughts changed completely almost immediately after I turned on the system. I was immediately convinced after my first game of tennis. The game just worked. If I swing my hand, my little Mii does the same thing. It was nearly perfect.

I was totally convinced when my parents started playing. I never would of ever imagined my parents sitting with me at nearly 1 AM fighting over game controllers. It was exactly what Nintendo wanted. My mom still plays a game of tennis almost every day.

A game doesn't become game of the year after the first sitting. A game must continue to impress over a substantial period of time in order to be named the best game of the year. This is where Wii Sports has several flaws. To discuss depth, I have decided to analyze each game individually.

Tennis - This game continues to impress me. The game feels amazingly simple upon first play. Over time, it is easy to see the depth of the game. It takes tons of time to master certain shots and shot speeds. Multi-player matches remain amazing even after hundreds of matches.

Baseball - This might be the most disappointing game on the disc. Single-player mode becomes a bore after only several plays. The game does use many different Mii characters which is a plus. Nothing is better than hitting a game winning homer with my best friend's mom at bat.

Bowling - Bowling is easily the most polished game out of the bunch. This game might be one of the most perfect sports games I have ever played. I dare anyone to play a multi-player match without having fun.

Boxing - This is a love-hate game. You will either love it or hate it with no middle of the road. This game is a great party game if you are playing single-player. It might seem odd, but this game is a total blast when one player is beating up the computer with a room full of friends cheering the boxer on. The controls in this game feel rushed but nothing is better than hitting a Mii in the face with an uppercut.

Golf - I really wish Nintendo would of thrown out this title. The controls are WAY too inconsistent. Two similar swings can produce two insanely different results. This game needs more holes and more swing consistency.

I think any gamer will notice after several plays that Wii Sports only contains MAYBE two games which are above average. The other three are average at best. How does this make Wii Sports a possible game of the year? It is quite simple. Wii Sports offers something no other title did this year. Wii Sports was new and innovative. In a year full of sequels and remakes, Nintendo took a huge chance and came out on top. Wii Sports offers game play that no gamer has ever experienced at home.

Wii Sports has all had mass appeal. Games like Gears of War and Final Fantasy 12 might only appeal to a certain age group or audience. Wii Sports appeals to children as well as adults. Microsoft can't sell Gears of War to Mom. Nintendo can sell Wii Sports to Grandma.

So, was Time correct in naming Wii Sports as its game of the year? I would actually have to agree. Wii Sports redefines gaming to many people much like Super Mario 64 redefined gaming in 1996. Many people have been turned onto gaming thanks to Wii Sports interesting controls and fun game play. In the end, the game of the year isn't really the best game. Instead, the game of the year is the game which turns the most heads and interests the most people.



I hope you all enjoyed the third installment of my blog. I hope you leave your comments and opinions in my comments section. If you have any personal questions, comments, or suggestions for myself, please e-mail me at TeenageFanboy@gmail.com

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