Think a video game just means sitting on the couch eating potato chips? Think again. 

Wii Sports, the buzzy new game for the Nintendo Wii, doesn’t just provide hours of fun—it’s a workout, too. Don’t believe it? To be honest, we didn’t either at first!

We got ourselves a copy of the game, and after testing it for countless hours, we can confirm that the experience definitely counts as exercise. Leave it to the geniuses at Nintendo to figure out how to combine gaming and fitness in such a revolutionary way. Check out our review of the game below!

RULES & HOW TO PLAY

The game features simulations of baseball, tennis, bowling, golf, and boxing. To play, grab your Wiimote and nunchuck, which you’ll get to actually swing like real sports equipment as your character mirrors your motions onscreen.

HOLD UP: NUNCHUCKS?????

Yup, this game requires you to use a “nunchuck,” and it’s every bit as epic as it sounds.

REPLAYABILITY

While there are no additional levels you can access, playing against your friends offers plenty of replayability, especially as you figure out what your individual strengths are. In our play-testing group, we quickly learned that Patty was a beast at golf, while Rian was our heavyweight champ in boxing.

DID IT FEEL LIKE REAL SPORTS?

Baseball: It did not feel like baseball.

Tennis: It felt just like tennis!

Bowling: It did not feel like bowling.

Golf: It kind of felt like golf. 

Boxing: It did not feel like boxing.

Despite what it may lack in realism, the gameplay captures enough of the different sports’ essences to bring out the competitive side in any sports enthusiast. So while it’s not the real thing, it still generates plenty of fast-paced head-to-head action, and it gets you moving enough to break a sweat. We’re still catching our breath over here!

CREATING YOUR WII MII

We’ll be honest, one of our favorite parts of testing out the Nintendo Wii was designing a “Wii Mii” character in our own image. Getting to play as yourself instead of Mario was seriously cool. Everyone was surprised by how realistic the Wii Miis can get! Check out this photo of Raquel (left) vs. her Wii Mii (right):

An uncanny resemblance!

OUR TIPS

Use. The. Wiimote. Strap. Trust us.

Unless, of course, you want to accidentally crack your high school graduation photo frame! (Yep…let’s just say Raquel got a little worked up during bowling.)

DID OUR PLAY-TESTERS HAVE FUN?

We’ll let you be the judge:

Go, Mattias, go!

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT?

More sports offerings would be ideal. With a name like “Wii Sports,” you wouldn’t be wrong to think you’ll get more than just five sports. (Another suggestion: call it “Wii 5 Sports” to clear up this confusion?) Our play-testers agreed that adding sports like lacrosse and volleyball would really take this game to the next level. Or, if you’re out of shape like Rian and don’t exactly have the best cardio, something a little more slow-paced like shuffleboard would be welcome. 

FINAL SCORE: B+

While not for everyone, Wii Sports is a challenging game for the work-hard, play-hard crowd that is definitely going to be a “home run” with the gaming community. Get your hands on a copy today!