Nintendo Land Review

Octopus Dance, based on Nintendo's Game & Watch Octopus, is a definite party game that was probably designed with optimal embarrassment in mind. One player takes center stage in a dance contest to repeat the moves of a robot-like instructor oddly dressed in Scuba gear. There are various distractions to trip up the player, including background dancers, an octopus that squirts ink onto the screen, and, worst of all, a flying camera panel that displays a video feed of the player's face for all to see (which can, thankfully, be turned off in the options menu). This is only slightly more ridiculous than Balloon Trip Breeze, a practically pointless move-through-the-course-avoiding-obstacles style game in which the only action is to sweep the stylus across the screen to create a gust of wind.

Fans of Pikmin may have been disappointed when the original Wii U launch title Pikmin 3 was delayed, but at least Pikmin Adventure offers some consolation. One of the more versatile mini games that can be played with one player on the GamePad (functioning as Olimar) and up to four others on Wii Remotes (as Pikmin companions), it makes for a fun co-op experience that is rare on a Nintendo console. Much like the franchise on which the mini game is based, Olimar commands a friendly group of the native creatures to help him back to his space ship after being stranded on a strange alien world. The story, complex level design (complete with boss battles), and detailed landscape to explore make this one of the more involved attractions.

Donkey Kong's Crash Course is probably the most challenging mini game in this theme park. The player must tilt the GamePad left and right to move a triangular car through a 2D maze of slopes, ramps, lifts, jumps, and other mechanisms. As the title implies, the main goal is to get through the course without crashing, which is exactly what you'll mostly be doing. This game is a learning experience, with any progress taking either patient practice or a great deal of luck. Holding up the GamePad constantly while playing can be uncomfortable, but making it past the infamous Area 9 on the course will see a player hailed as a hero by the Miiverse community.

The park is populated by Miis of other users who play the game through the fairly new Nintendo Network. Nintendo Land ties directly into Miiverse, allowing players to post their thoughts on the mini games and interact with the rest of the online community. Though the game does not offer any online multiplayer, those with plenty of real life friends can enjoy all of the mini games, plus the "Attraction Tour," a train that circles the plaza and functions as a multiple event tournament between two or more players. All of the mini games produce arcade style tokens that can be redeemed for mystery boxes containing items to decorate the plaza, though having to walk around using the GamePad as a viewfinder to see them is a bit annoying. A fun list of activities with mostly group-oriented gameplay makes Nintendo Land ideal for a group of people who just want to busy themselves for a bit by picking up a game, but for most, there is little long term value. This was meant as a proof of concept piece to let people better understand the vast potential of the Wii U, a role in which it definitely succeeds.