Metareview: Wii Play

With the release of Wii Play yesterday, many are finding that the compilation of minigames isn't really worth the purchase, finding comfort in the knowledge that at least they got another Wiimote. The critics, however, do not have to worry about such things and take the magnifying glass to the title directly, offering up the following review scores:

• Gamespot (54/100) says that very few of the nine minigames included have much worth: "It's not all bad, but Wii Play doesn't hold up as a stand-alone retail game. Nintendo seems to be aware of that, because the only way you can get Wii Play in North America as of this writing is as a pack-in with a Wii Remote. The continued scarcity of the Wii Remote, and the fact that the Wii Play package is retailing for only $10 more than a remote by itself, makes the game's shortcomings easier to overlook. Regardless of price, Wii Play probably isn't going to hold your attention for long."

• IGN (55/100) thinks that the worth is in the included Wiimote: "As a standalone game, there is no way I could recommend Wii Play. It is simply not worth $50 or, for that matter, even half that. But it's a $10 companion piece to a Wii remote and it does succeed as a technical demo of what Nintendo's new peripheral can do."

• 1UP (68/100) is of the mind that this isn't something gamers will enjoy: "Play is made for people who don't really like games, and if you're someone who really does, that's a problem. Sure, most of these minigames are fun...for about 10 minutes. But hey, maybe your grandma will want to marry it."