Wii Sports has control issues

by Blake Snow { Oct 31st 2006 at 12:25PM }

After spending "several hours" with Wii Sports, IGN's Nintendo editor Matt Casamassina doesn't like the game due to flawed controls with the exception of Wii Bowling which he calls "totally rocking." Regarding Tennis, he had this to say: "You don't control anything except the swing of your player's racket. The movement of these Mii-alike athletes is all done automatically by the game. You simply swing the Wii remote back and forth to make your on-screen character do the same thing."

True dat. Though we enjoyed the game at E3, it's unproven how long the fun lasts with tennis (from our limited play test). Regarding Baseball, Casamassina contends: "When you want to throw a curve ball, you don't actually motion it, as you might suspect. No, why would you want to use a gesture for a console whose primary purpose is to promote unique and innovative ways to play? To throw a curve ball, you first select it on the D-Pad and then make a standard throwing motion."

Though no one should be expecting deep gameplay from the pack-in, a flick of the wrist puts spin on a moving bowling ball but not a breaking curve? Bush league.

[Thanks, Jeremy]

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

> @ Oct 31st 2006 12:31PM

But, wait, .. its all about the gameplay .. what? The gameplay sucks and has no depth?

Noooo... well it is a tech demo; there should be a true tennis game coming out eventually (if you consider Mario Tennis to be a true tennis game..its fun though).

DeepSleeper @ Oct 31st 2006 12:33PM

Had Matt actually read any of the previews, including those posted on IGN -itself-, he would have known about this already. Yet another case of poor research. If Wii Sports did everything, why would anyone buy other sports games?

Sad.

The Intangible Fact @ Oct 31st 2006 12:36PM

Pure and utter crap! Nintendo wants us to believe it innovation. We want 1:1 motion. Not bullshit gestures! Goddamn! The only reason to buy this BS system is for SSB, Zelda & Mario.

1:1 motion! 1:1 motion! Not gestures! Not gestures!

pattyblades @ Oct 31st 2006 12:59PM

Well, how bout this, they take out wii sports and charge me 200, seeing as how i dont want it. sound like a plan?

ill trooper @ Oct 31st 2006 12:38PM

Agreed... I've played Wii Sports as well and it's well, definitely a 'pack-in' game. It will get better - there's a lot of potential, but it's so simplified it's irritating.

Jonathan @ Oct 31st 2006 12:43PM

Are you being sarcastic DeepSleeper? This article was in his blog and he's just giving his opinion. What does a preview have to do with that? Especially considering he was probably one of the first ones to play the game.

Cassamassina doesn't ever say that he "doesn't like the game" in his article. He says that the games are fun, but frustrating in some senses.

blah @ Oct 31st 2006 12:41PM

""When you want to throw a curve ball, you don't actually motion it, as you might suspect. No, why would you want to use a gesture for a console whose primary purpose is to promote unique and innovative ways to play?"

...A curveball motion is exactly the same as a regular pitch, even in real baseball. That's the -point- of a curveball, the person wont know it's coming.

Silencer @ Oct 31st 2006 12:42PM

"IGN's Nintendo editor Matt Casamassina doesn't like the game due to flawed controls"

Ahh, Matt did not say that he doesn't like Wii Sports. He said that he has concerns and that he isn't convinced it works as well as Nintendo hopes.

If you're going to reference an article/blog, be accurate. Saying that Matt doesn't like the game is just poor journalism and fuel to fanboys. You should really thinking about re-wording that statement instead of putting words in Matt’s mouth.

Other than that, I've spent some time playing Wii Sports. I totally agree with Matt that bowling is rocking. I also enjoyed Boxing and Baseball, although I swear I was throwing curveballs just by twisting my wrist.

I thought Tennis was enjoyable, but I didn't play it long enough to notice the problems Matt is talking about. I know that I was able to direct a few shots though...

Golf was my least favorite Wii Sports game, but Matt didn't really touch on that game.

Overall though, I thought Wii Sports was fantastic. I guess I just have to play it more to see if it stands the test of time.

Erik Novak @ Oct 31st 2006 12:42PM

the thing I fear is exactly what's described here...like when I swing a tennis racket, it just records that I swung a tennis racket, not how much spin I put on it, or how hard I hit it. Lame.

canebi @ Oct 31st 2006 12:43PM

@2
That's a stupid comment, if this is the showcase test game that comes with every Wii that people will most likely try before any other game they should have made it as polished as possible as it's a showcase for what people should except from the system.

so what you're saying is, "If Wii sports was a really great game why would anyone buy other sports games?"

I think all developers should use your philosophy, I'll be sure to bring it up at the next development meeting I have here at work.

"Guys, make sure the game is just ok so that people have a reason to buy other games like it"

Sad indeed.

maximus @ Oct 31st 2006 12:48PM

"If Wii Sports did everything, why would anyone buy other sports games?"

That's a real niave attitude, it's like saying because Pro Evolution Soccer is the best soccer game that nobody would buy Fifa. Wii Sports is supposed to wow people because being a pack-in it's gonna be the most played game as every buyer of the Wii gets it! If Nintendo can't make it exciting, interesting to play they there's something wrong. The potential longevity of Wii games is the main reason i'm not that bothered about getting one.

Art Guy @ Oct 31st 2006 12:45PM

This makes me wish I could cancel my pre-order. :(

Eih'Beir @ Oct 31st 2006 4:12PM

That's kind of a bummer. No word on Boxing or Golf yet though. Maybe the game can rebound for a three outta five.

Dracula Jones @ Oct 31st 2006 12:49PM

You also gotta remember that most people don't know HOW to throw a curveball. This all makes sense for this game, with the possible exception of moving your dude in Tennis. That might be too oversimplified.

JodyAnthony @ Oct 31st 2006 12:48PM

I'll still play it

Miniboss @ Oct 31st 2006 12:50PM

"The only reason to buy this BS system is for SSB, Zelda & Mario. "

That's a good enough reason for me.

reguy @ Oct 31st 2006 12:53PM

so nintendo cant even get a tech demo to work well with its new machine. but wait its soooooooooo innovative.

who needs graphics when i have a game that will play itself for me. so the small flick of the wrist makes things work better than the full gestures? thats oodles of fun

i agree with blake, bush league
but hey people can spend their money however they want.
i mean some idiots are gonna buy f-fed albums today

Kevin @ Oct 31st 2006 12:55PM

@ #10

I take it the game you looked forward to the most is Wii Sports, so you'd want to cancel your pre-order over this? Haha.. Come on, it's Wii Sports. This game isn't supposed to put an end to every other sports game out there.

The Intangible Fact @ Oct 31st 2006 12:55PM

@ 14

That was my point

Bangarang @ Oct 31st 2006 12:56PM

I just want the sports for the bowling, so im cool with that. Plus, its first gen, and like someone else said, its a demo to show off the wii. Its not like most of us wont be picking up a game or two anyways.

Hammer @ Oct 31st 2006 12:58PM

I think I'd tend to agree with Blake on this.

Wii Sports isn't meant to be a game you spend hours playing. It's a tech demo to show off what the Wii's motion sensative controls can do. Unfortunately, it has been hyped up a bit.

If you want in depth use of the Wii-Mote, look towards Madden NFL, Twilight Princess, Mario Galaxy, WarioWare etc.

Spiritualized @ Oct 31st 2006 1:00PM

Other reviews have commented that you can direct the ball--and play lobs etc. As well as give the ball topspin or backspin. Does this idiot just not know how to play tennis?

GameNinja @ Oct 31st 2006 1:02PM

I might be inclined to chalk this one up as just poor ability on Matt's part. In the Iwata Asks interview series they clearly state that tennis can detect such things as velocity, angle, and spin. Perhaps when you're so used to pushing buttons to make something happen it takes some getting used to.

Having said that, I've never played Wii Sports so I don't really know. Since it's free, I'm sure I'll give it a shot and just wait to see how I like it.

Goldrush @ Nov 6th 2006 6:48PM

Come on. Flicking the wrist is a bad thing? When the controller was first shown, everyone complained about the need to do exaggerated movements.

Are You Serious? @ Oct 31st 2006 1:04PM

#5 already said it. When a pitcher throws a curveball his arm doesn't move in a curve, the ball does. Imagine throwing a slider by moving your arm forward and then dropping it down really low. Thats just dumb. Just select the pitch and throw.

And when Matt tried to lob the ball slowly over the plate so his friend would get a home run (if you read the article he explains it), I see why he would want to try that, but why would the game allow it? Thats like saying he couldn't take the bowling ball and throw it backwards away from the lane just because he moved his arm that way.

As far as tennis goes, if 99 out of 100 times it read my gestures, thats good enough for me. I think this game should be as good as it gets considering its a pack in, but we all know that games that come out the first round are usually not the best. Assuming we see two Zelda games for Wii, I can absolutely guarantee the second will trump the first.

Wedge @ Oct 31st 2006 1:04PM

And that's news? Hooray for sensationlist posting. We've already known everything he said for a while. And most of it is in the interest of keeping the game simple. These aren't supposed to be full fledged game products. They're suppposed to make sure people can do _something_ on the console as quickly and easily as possible. So they can get the _idea_ of what it is, not the full fledged depth of it's potential.

Art Guy @ Oct 31st 2006 1:05PM

Kevin - No, I wish I could cancel and wait until Wii Sports isn't being forced on us. I only pre-ordered because I was able to get a Wii for less than retail with the understanding that Wii sports would live up to the Nintendo name. If Zelda reviews start sounding like this I'll just pawn the whole thing off on ebay and make a few bucks.

Spiritualized @ Oct 31st 2006 1:05PM

http://www.cubed3.com/preview/226/

"In Wii Tennis for example, all you have to do to hit the ball is physically swing your arm (holding the main Wii controller like a tennis racket) and off flies the ball. You can add top spin by hitting over the ball, backspin by hitting under the ball and slice and sidespin by hitting the ball at different angles. You can hit lob shots, drop shots, passing shots, power shots, smash shots, volleys...whatever you like. And nothing feels awkward or difficult to do. If you want to hit a power shot you simply swing your arm faster, if you want to hit a lob you simply swing your arm up a bit. It is just like playing tennis, only here you don’t have to run, which will be good news for the obese amongst the gaming populous."

Conclusion? IGN was playing Wii Tennis with preconceived notions about its limitations and not actually trying different types of swing.

Butch @ Oct 31st 2006 1:09PM

Well, real golf, tennis, and boxing suck. So it seems like Nintendo has reproduced them faithfully.

As for bowling, it is a rocking game, so 4/4 for nintendo. Except they probably left out the best thing about bowling alleys... vending machines with socks.

LunarDuality @ Oct 31st 2006 1:10PM

1:1 motion versus gesturing is a valid concern. But then again, this is really just a demo or a dip your toe in the pool kinda game.

It would be really nice to see control schemes introduced that gave the player a choice between gestures and 1:1. That way an advanced player and a beginner could play at the same level using only the skills they have. (Also because not everyone knows how to throw a curveball or hit a tennis ball with backspin.) Get to it devs!

gameclu @ Oct 31st 2006 1:13PM

At no point have I expected anything more from wii sports other than being a fancy tech demo to get people used to the idea of using the controller. The controls are only flawed if you expect anything more out of wii sports than an introduction to wiimote gestures. Remember, this game is designed to get non-gamers to play. If it was too advance, it would be a potential turn off.

typoink @ Oct 31st 2006 1:38PM

Yeesh -- half these complaints are things I consider strengths. Of course you can use simplified motions! Did people honestly want to be flailing their arms all the time just to play a game?

The point of the Wii controller isn't 100% accuracy: it's intuitivity. A flick is still a lot more like swinging a racket than "pressing A" is.

The best example, I think, of what the Wii's gesture sensors will be good for is seen in the Madden gameplay videos (disregard the quality of the game itself, y'know). The gestures are all abstract, but they map very intuitively with the action they correspond to. When done well, gestures allow games to be played almost instinctively with a better learning curve. Sure, we all want to see more games using the Wii's 1:1 detection capabilities, but don't dismiss gesture-based gaming so quickly. Gestures don't "merely" replace button-presses, they improve on 'em (when done right)

page @ Oct 31st 2006 1:21PM

Shouldn't a 'pack-in' represent what other games are like on a system? Shouldn't it be well produced? If it's 'just a tech demo' shouldn't it, say perhaps demo the tech and if it does as some say it does, I must ask is that all one can expect from the Wii - control issues?

schtum @ Oct 31st 2006 1:22PM

Nintendo's strategy with this game is to get the whole family playing. It's not made with Joystiq readers in mind, it's made with their parents, and other non-traditional gamers, in mind. They're stressing pick-up-and-play fun over slavish realism. To most people, that's a good thing.

:D @ Oct 31st 2006 1:25PM

"this is really just a demo or a dip your toe in the pool kinda game"

LOL, come swim with Nintendo in their pool of control issues.

schtum @ Oct 31st 2006 1:27PM

To put it more succinctly, complaining about dumbed down controls in Wii Sports is like complaining that your Nintendog's shit doesn't stink.

Segadult @ Oct 31st 2006 1:29PM

You CAN direct your shot. It even has a TARGET PRACTICE MODE in the game. Matt's just a fool. And everyone should really stop posting like you can't control the ball. People have said again and again that he's incorrect, and have sited sources. Read those, and then discuss.

A.J. @ Oct 31st 2006 1:32PM

I think it's pretty obvious Matt doesn't read any other blog but his own. Everything he's commented on has already been said and really shouldn't come as a surprise.

As far as tennis goes, it hasn't changed since Iwata, Reggie, and Miyamoto demoed it. It didn't look like they were moving the players then and any videos or impressions since then would tell you it hasn't changed. It's still a fun game and once I figure out what movement they consider to be a lob and slice it'll be much more immersive. As i've said before though, it's not as simple as swinging your arm to keep the ball in play.

His Baseball comments were pretty much the same problems I had with it.

Even the Nintendo rep I spoke with said the games within Wii Sports are not full fledged games and are really just meant to show what the controller can do.

From what I remember:

Tennis - Max 3 sets
Bowling - Full 12 frames
Golf - 9 Holes(It wasn't running so I didnt get to play/confirm this. That's just what the rep said.)
Baseball - Don't remember but it definitely wasn't the full 9.
Boxing - (Kiosk was shut down before I could play it.)

amarfresh @ Dec 1st 2006 4:36PM

at what point do you want the reality to really be virtual? i mean it's not as if we are trying to replace "real" tennis. we'd be exhausted by the end of the first set. what if the speed to first base depended on your ability to run as fast as you can. imagine wii boxing... forget it. you know how tiring that would be? gimme a break. most of us ppl are prolly out of shape anyways from sedentary gaming lifestyles. nintendo has a great technology.

syco @ Oct 31st 2006 1:40PM

Eh. I never really expected to put this disc in anyway. I don't even like sports games. Anyway, everyone who is buying this console at launch is ALSO buying Zelda, which is definantly better than some tech demo compilation. It may not fully utilize the motion controls, but not every great DS game uses the touch screen, either.

SecondChance @ Oct 31st 2006 1:35PM

Matt Cassamassina's crazy hair has taken over his brain.

Richard Mitchell @ Oct 31st 2006 1:45PM

[Ron_Burgundy]

"Audrey. I look like hell. This is bush league! Audrey! AUDREY!!! Look at me!!!"

[/Ron_Burgundy]

Mr. Every Commenter @ Oct 31st 2006 1:46PM

meh meh meh meh meh, i want candy!

Crackjaw @ Oct 31st 2006 1:55PM

Soooooo, Nintendo doesn't even have enough sense to not botch up their first impression to the consumer?

A lot of the titles for Nintendo are going to end up being 1st party releases further down the road anyway due to the obvious difficulty of porting games. Don't fool your selves, this is a business, and it is not cost efficient to support a port to such a polarized control scheme. The translation between the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 would be a lot smoother; so no company will back the Wii too much and strain their relationship with Sony and Microsoft if purely for the port factor.

I can't stand people using the excuse of just a "pack-in game," the whole success of this system rests on its innovative control scheme. Innovation isn't always good, people need strong proof that different will be better. If I was Nintendo I would've had come charging out of the gate with everything I had, but they have only showed the willingness to play it safe, passing no benefit on the consumer and going back on past promises *cough* Zelda *cough* just to bolster the so far lack luster line-up.

Alkaiser @ Nov 2nd 2006 4:22PM

Spiritualized:

That article you quote is BS. He's playing the same build I played, and that build of the tennis game doesn't do any of that.

People on the floor at E3 were all amped to say things like that. I even had some other game journalist claim the game let you control you players' movements, because he was so high on "Wiiphoria" he wasn't actually looking at the game, despite the Nintendo rep showing off the game REPEATEDLY saying to everyone picking up the controller "You don't move the characters, all you need to do is swing."

In the build I played, you can't add backspin, topspin, or power. You determine the vague direction of your shot based on how early or late you swing. It's effectively a game of "time your swing and see who misses first". When someone mistimes a swing badly, you'll end up with the ball going out, or in a lob situation, and you can smash the lob. That's it.

I did everything I could possibly think of to try and vary up my swing motion to get a different response out of the game. I exaggerated my swing, I clipped my swing. I swung forehand, I swung backhand, I chopped, I lobbed, I ended my followthrough pointing the remote in a direction to try and guide the ball. None of that did anything.

I'm tired of people ascribing things to this game that it's not actually doing, and because of its simplicity, it seems to have happened with this game more than any of the others. When you actually look at the game objectively, you'll come away with something like what this IGN guy is reporting and then you can figure out whether or not you thought it was fun enough for you.

But that's not what I'm hearing. I had people tell me this game was just like playing a game of tennis...people who, when asked, then told me they'd never actually played a game of real tennis. This rose-colored fanaticism isn't going to make anyone happier about the finished product, people. If you're going to try and report objectively about a game, you had better well be objectively examining the game.

I can't comment on the rest of Wii Sports, as I haven't played them, but I have heard from people I trust, that bowling is a lot of fun.

birdguy @ Oct 31st 2006 2:01PM

Matt's critiques of the Wii Sports games shows how he probably either never played the REAL sports or played them well--time to get out and experience REAL sports.

In REAL LIFE tennis, you CAN hit the ball to the right when you're swinging left, it's called faking the opponent by timing your swing. You swing the racket late and the ball goes the other way.

In REAL LIFE baseball, the ideal is that you throw each pitch with as similar arm motion as possible in order to fool the opposing batter. The main difference comes from the grip of the ball, not the arm motion.

Mr. Every Commenter @ Oct 31st 2006 2:03PM

"Innovation isn't always good, people need strong proof that different will be better."

Welcome to the reality where the DS never existed.

Refer to my previous comment. Stress about all this until your ass bleeds but no one will know for sure how any of this falls for another month. I'm tired of reading so many bad guesses, but they're so addictive! It's like rubbernecking for the internet.

Robert Jung @ Oct 31st 2006 2:03PM

Quick question: How many Joystiq readers know how to throw a REAL curve ball/slider/knuckleball/whatever in real life?

I'd wager the answer is "not that many," which would explain why Nintendo simplified the pitching the way they did. They want players to have fun throwing the ball and swinging the bat, not taking the real-life equivalent of training for six weeks in Spring Camp needed to throw perfect pitches every time. The approach that Matt bemoans is a benefit for casual gamers (and non-athletic Joystiq readers) because it means they can quickly get into the fun part of the baseball game -- choosing the right pitch to outfox your opponent, and swinging for the fences.

But hey, don't let me stop today's excuse for the Nintendo anti-fanboys to come out of the woodwork...

--R.J.