Games for Lunch: Wii Music
In a nutshell: The world's first and only rhythm game that includes a dog suit.
11/10/2008 7:33 PM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 4
0:18 I can save a video of my jam session and assign it anywhere from zero to 100 "popularity points." This seems kind of silly to me ... if I'm saving the video, I obviously think it's good. Why wouldn't I give everything 100 points? I can also design a cover, with backgrounds, Mii stamps, etc. A cute throwaway feature.
0:20 If I want to play with backup, I should choose "Play with Tutes" from the menu. My mom always told me NOT to play with toots.
0:21 Mister Tute is starting me with five songs. If I want more of the 50, I need to make some videos. Laaaame.
0:22 On to the "Games" mode to see if this is more than just a musical toy. Mii Maestro is up first. The only available song is ... "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." ARGH!
0:23 The info screen explains that "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." is a French folk song. Really? "This tune swells into a rich force in its back half. So, conduct lightly at first, then with energy later on." What a grandiose explanation!
0:24 This is the conducting mini-game that was shown at E3 back in 2006. I have to wave the Wii remote like a baton to control the orchestra of Miis. The performers respond well to my speed and the force of my motion ... a little too well, for what's supposed to be a group of real people. They totally stop when I do, for instance. Still, it's lots of fun seeing friends Miis playing instruments, and the whole thing makes me feel like I'm really in control. I get 65 points ... don't know why. "Such emotional undulation! How very comfortable! What a performance!" says Tute.
0:26 On to Handbell Harmony. You know what they say ... MORE HANDBELL!
0:28 I'm part of a quartet playing "O Christmas Tree." This is more like a traditional rhythm game, with eight sets of bells scrolling right to left. I have to shake my colored bells when the appropriate notes hit the target area. I get the bass part, which doesn't have much to do. I score 93 points. Let's try another that has more notes for me, perhaps?
0:30 "Hum, Hum, Hum" is a German folk song that I've never heard or even heard of. Lots of notes come flying in ... probably because I chose the complex, fast-tempo version. I only score 79 points. This mode has some potential ... too bad there are only five songs available...
0:31 Pitch Perfect is all about matching notes. A speaker makes a tone, then I have to pick the Mii that makes the same tone as fast as possible. Real easy to start.
0:33 The Pitch Perfect challenges are getting more interesting, if not more challenging. I have to pick out incorrect notes, match harmonious pairs of Miis, identify the highest tone, even identify which group is singing in a minor key. Reminds me of music class in elementary school. I loved that class ... 20 years ago!
0:35 I score 95 points for Level 1. There are seven more levels of this! I'll try one more, just to see if there's anything new.
0:36 Challenge 3 of Level 2 includes Miis performing in cat suits. That is all.
