It seems that more third parties are finally making suitable games for the Nintendo Wii's unique controls, rather than putting together gimmicky titles or rushed ports of previous releases with the addition of motion controls. EA's Boom Blox is a prime example, and now Namco Bandai's We Ski delivers a straightforward skiing simulator where you mimic physical activity similar to the sport. While it isn't as flashy as EA's SSX games, it serves its purpose well.
SSX it ain't... but We Ski is still cool for summer fun.
As you begin, you're asked to create a skiing character. Here, you have a couple of options available. You can either build your own skier from scratch using a by-the-basics customization tool or you can incorporate your pre-built Mii folks into the game. It's great to see Namco Bandai include Mii compatibility, although you can't put goggles or hats on them like you can other in-game characters. There's still plenty of items to fiddle around with, including poles, skis, jackets, gloves and other equipment. You can unlock new items over the course of the game as well, with over 220 items to choose in all.
One of We Ski's biggest advantages is being able to perform in races at your own pace. You can take part in various events, including slalom races and versus matches. Most of these are triggered simply by skiing up to an individual with an icon over their head and hitting the A button. This sandbox style of play is a splendid idea, even if there's little diversity in the activities themselves. Most of them consist of straight-up skiing, although some of the later events are somewhat difficult, depending on the experience of your opponent.
Control-wise, We Ski feels great. You use the Wii remote and Nunchuk as you would real ski poles. To gain speed, you thrust them downward to build momentum. To turn, you lean them left and right, like you would on the slopes. You can stop suddenly by simply pulling back on the analog stick, which is useful when it comes to avoiding a collision with a tree or a fellow skier. (They hate that.) There are other little nuances that make a difference as well, such as hitting buttons in mid-air to perform tricks named after food items (like the "pizza"), tilting the controllers inward and outward to change the positioning of your skis, and tucking them under your arms to build up your speed. Overall, it's a well-employed control scheme.
That's not even mentioning the support for the Balance Board peripheral. Plug one of these in and the skiing feels even more realistic. The Board actually reads your foot and hand actions in a coordinative manner, and it feels great. The only downfall to using the Wii Fit Balance Board device is that you can't use it in multiplayer. If you plug in the board, you're strictly on your own.
Yes, We Ski offers comprehensive multiplayer options. You can compete against others in various events, with up to four players participating in split-screen action. Unfortunately, there is no online play, meaning that you'll have to find local people to go up against. The game also provides a lot to do in single player, including mogul events, the slalom challenges, versus races and a Freestyle mode that lets you go at your own leisure, if you so choose. There's not a lot of profound content to be found here, but what's here still gets the job done.
Some of We Ski's crew strike a happy pose.
With presentation, Namco Bandai sticks with the downhill essentials. The game runs at a smooth pace, with good-looking tracks, humorously designed characters with a cartoonish flair and decent animation. The music is mere background noise, and some of the voice samples sound cheesy, especially the "pros" you run into on the mountain. It's not even comparable to other high-end Wii titles (like Mario Kart Wii), but it's pretty good.
While We Ski lacks the distinction needed to consider it a must-have title, it's a very good game, especially around the acceptably inexpensive $30 price tag. The gameplay feels like actual skiing rather than just another arcade game, the numerous activities will keep you busy by yourself or with others, and the Balance Board support couldn't be any timelier. If you're up for a downhill run and SSX Blur just isn't your bag, hop aboard We Ski's lift and hit the slopes.
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