Wii Sports is one of the best games for the Nintendo Wii, so it shouldn't be a surprise that other companies want sports compilations of their own. Hudson Soft is the latest publisher to give this formula a shot with Deca Sports, an all-ages friendly collection of 10 sports games. Not all of the activities hit the mark, but those that do are worth it.

Ten sports are available: curling, beach volleyball, figure skating, archery, snowboard cross, kart racing, supercross, badminton, basketball and soccer. Most of these use a combination of the Nunchuk and Wii remote to marvelous effect. The archery game in particular features a slick on-screen aiming tool, as well as functions that resemble holding a real bow. What's really a treat is how Hudson Soft made the more obscure activities fun to play as well. We couldn't get enough of the competitive curling event, and were pleasantly surprised by cutthroat figure skating matches.

With that said, not every activity works. The racing events, particularly supercross and kart racing, are rather weak. You simply turn with the remote and try to take the lead. They feel unbalanced when compared to the superior Deca activities, and you'll play them once or twice before moving on to something else.

Archery hits the bullseye! Ha! Get it? Because there's a bullseye and... never mind.

The single-player experience isn't bad, as the AI controlled opponents keep up with you without getting too difficult. However, where Deca Sports truly shines, like any good sports game, is with multiplayer. Each event supports two to four players. Most of these games are better with others, especially basketball and soccer. Sadly, there are no Wi-Fi Connection options, but it remains a fun party game.

Deca Sports suffers from a slight lack of personality. The in-game characters are all right but Hudson didn't include the option to play with user-created Miis. As a result, the experience isn't nearly as personal as it is with Wii Sports. These characters aren't slackers by any means, and they're sorted together into colorful groups. Still, the ability to use your own would've been a huge addition.

Visually, Deca Sports gets the job done. These activities don't look amazing by any means, but they are easy on the eyes and well animated. It would've been nice to see a little more detail in spots, particularly with badminton, but overall they look good. Audio consists of routine background music and sound effects. There's nothing grating on the ears, but nothing memorable either. It's just there.

Overall, Deca Sports is worth the budget-friendly $30 purchase. Some of the activities could've been better, the presentation could've used sprucing up and the lack of Mii support is hard to overlook. Regardless, most of these minigames are fun, especially if you compete against friends. While it doesn't replace the madness that is Wii Sports, it serves as a suitable alternative.

Related Links

Deca Sports Game Guide

Hudson Soft

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