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Latest News Review - Big Beach Sports | Review - Big Beach Sports |
| Written by Diogo Miguel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunday, 29 June 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 The Nintendo Wii is a criminal. Its crime? Encouraging the (sudden) rise of casual gaming. While there’s nothing wrong with casual gaming, it’s those games that rely on a watered down version of gaming, one with simple concepts. THQ have seen the potential and jumped on the bandwagon with their new label playTHQ. It’s a brand solely for family-friendly titles. HB Studios’ latest title is one such game. It’s got a selection of sports traditionally associated with summer which anyone of any age can play, but does it outdo Nintendo’s Wii Sports or is it a cheap knock off? There are eight beach-themed-activities ranging from the traditional volleyball, or boules, to the more unusual choice of American Football. Each sport is unlocked from the beginning, letting you get stuck in with your favourites. Control comes down to swings of the Wii remote with the odd button press. The replication of player movement is usually quite accurate, but some games like football turn into a shake fest as you attempt to shoot or tackle an opponent. Some of the sports do require a bit of strategic thinking (like disc golf) to get that winning formula correct. Overall the games utilise the Wii remote to full effect, rarely failing to translate your motions to the screen. Each sport has a ‘quick play’ and ‘tournament mode’. The tournament mode lets players work their way through rounds, facing off against other CPU controlled players in an effort to make it to the top. In quick play, two friends can to go up against each other. Disc golf and Boules can support up to 4 players as they’re turned based sports. Only one Wii remote is needed centring them around the party mentality.  A little more worrying is its lifespan. If you’re a skilled gamer then Big Beach Sports is going to seem awfully short. The developers have thrown in some extras in the attempt to elongate its existence. Achievements can be earned for meeting certain criteria. One for example has you scoring 10 goals in a single game of football. A skill system dishes out star ratings based on how well you play, which loosely adds some replay value. There’s no Mii support with the game opting for its own system. The game’s biggest gimmick is the ability to draw facial features with the DS. Software can be downloaded letting players draw ears, eyes and noses. Options are somewhat limited, but it’s an idea that works well in practice. The downside is having to own a Nintendo DS to make the most of character customization. Graphically, the game’s close to Wii Sports. It’s got a simple style that is easy on the eye. The level design is basic with the same section of beach used throughout the game, with the odd alteration. The game’s music has a summer theme, utilising upbeat tracks that go well with the beach setting. There’s not a huge variety to listen to, but enough to provide some aural satisfaction.  That’s basically it. The sports are accessible, welcoming to a broad audience and therefore achieving its goal. This mini-game genre is becoming incredibly popular aided by the Wii’s marketing. While it doesn’t prove a challenge for skilled players, it has the potential to entertain the causal cross-section it’s aimed at. It has decent controls and a good sense of pickup-and-playability. Sadly, once you’ve played through the games, it isn’t long before its left aside. There’s potential in its multiplayer, but the game could really improve by including more sports and perhaps a challenge mode with different tasks for each game. A solidly average affair. Score: 5/10
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