Wii Sports facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wii Sports |
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo EAD |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Director(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Designer(s) | Junji Morii |
| Programmer(s) | Tsutomu Kaneshige |
| Composer(s) | Kazumi Totaka |
| Series | Wii |
| Platform(s) | Wii |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
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Wii Sports is a fun sports video game made by Nintendo for the Wii console. It came out in North America on November 19, 2006. Later, it was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe.
This game was special because it came with the Wii console in most places. This made it easy for everyone to try out the new Wii system. Wii Sports was later sold on its own as part of the Nintendo Selects collection.
The game is a collection of five different sports. These sports show off how the Wii Remote can sense your movements. You can play tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing.
Players use the Wii Remote to act out real-life sports moves. For example, you swing it like a tennis racket or roll it like a bowling ball. The rules for each game are kept simple. This makes them easy for new players to learn.
Wii Sports was very popular with both critics and players. Many people think it's one of the best games ever. It sold over 82 million copies around the world. This made it the best-selling Nintendo game. It also became the fourth-best-selling video game of all time. It was the top-selling game made only for one console.
The game was shown in many TV commercials and news reports. It became a popular way for friends and families to play together. It even helped people get some exercise!
Later, new games in the series were released. Wii Sports Resort came out in 2009. A newer version called Wii Sports Club was made for the Wii U in 2014. The latest game, Nintendo Switch Sports, was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2022.
Contents
Playing the Game
Wii Sports lets you pick from five different sports games. These are tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing. You choose them from the main menu.
The games use the motion sensors in the Wii Remote. This lets you control your character's arm or the sports equipment. For boxing, you use both the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk. This lets you control both of your character's arms.
You move the remote like you would play the sport in real life. For example, you swing it like a golf club or a baseball bat. Some parts of the game are controlled by the computer. In tennis, the computer moves your player around. You only control the swinging of the racket.
In baseball, you only handle batting and pitching. The computer takes care of fielding and running the bases. Golf and bowling can be played by many people using just one Wii Remote. Players take turns sharing the remote.
Your in-game players are called Miis. You create these custom characters in the Wii's Mii Channel. Wii Sports was the first Wii game to use Miis. Your Miis will show up in the crowd during bowling games. They also appear as teammates in baseball.
You can even save your Miis onto a Wii Remote. This lets you use them on a different Wii console.
After a game, you get or lose skill points. This depends on how well you played. The game tracks your points on a graph. As you get more points, the crowd in Tennis and Boxing grows bigger.
If you reach 1000 skill points in a sport, you become a "pro." Your Mii also gets a special look in Bowling and Boxing. A message will appear on your Wii Message Board when you become a pro.
Wii Sports also has a fitness test. This test tells you your "fitness age." It can range from 20 to 80 years old, with 20 being the best. The test checks your balance, speed, and stamina. It uses three random challenges from the training mode. You can only take this test once a day for each Mii.
The training mode lets you practice three challenges for each sport. You can earn medals in these challenges. Medals go from bronze to platinum. Platinum is the hardest to get.
How Wii Sports Was Made
Nintendo wanted to make games for people who had never played video games before. They wanted a game that new and experienced players could enjoy together. They also hoped people would play the Wii every day. Wii Sports was designed to be a simple game for everyone.
Sports were chosen because most people know about them. The game was kept simple so anyone could play. It didn't have professional athletes or super realistic graphics. Things like running after a ball in tennis were left out to keep it easy.
At one point, Super Mario characters were used in the game. But players liked the Miis better, so the Mario characters were removed. The computer players in the game were also made using the Mii Channel tools.
The game uses the Wii Remote's accelerometer. This helps it understand your movements. Actions like pitching and hitting were made to feel as real as possible.
Nintendo decided to include Wii Sports with the Wii console in most places. They thought this would make more people try the game. They also believed that if players liked the game, they would tell their friends.
Before a big video game show called E3 in 2006, the first sport announced was Wii Sports: Tennis. Later, Nintendo said it would be part of a sports package. This package was called Wii Sports. It included tennis, golf, and baseball.
The game was shown with videos and live demos. Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, even played a tennis match on stage! Other sports like Wii Sports: Airplane were also shown. The airplane game was not in the final Wii Sports. But it later appeared in Wii Sports Resort.
In September 2006, Nintendo confirmed the five sports in the game. They also announced that Wii Sports would come free with every Wii console.
Impact and Popularity
Wii Sports played a big part in the Wii's success around the world. It was one of several "Wii" games made at the same time. Other games included Wii Play, Wii Fit, and Wii Music.
This game, along with Wii Fit, helped attract new types of players. More casual players, women, and older people started playing video games. It also became a way for families to bond and play together. Some people even used it for exercise!
A study looked at teenagers playing Wii Sports. It found that they used a little more energy than playing on other consoles. The study said it wasn't a replacement for real sports. But it could help with staying active.
Wii Sports has even been used in physical therapy. It helped a boxer, stroke victims, and injured soldiers. Wired magazine called it one of the most important games of its decade. This was because it made motion controls popular.
After the Wii came out, some players got minor injuries. They would accidentally hit other people or objects while swinging the Wii Remote. Sometimes, the remote would even fly out of their hands! Nintendo responded by offering stronger wrist straps for the Wii Remote.
Other injuries included muscle or joint pain from playing too much. People called this "Wii-itis."
Wii Sports became popular for social gatherings and competitions. Senior centers and retirement homes even started bowling leagues using the game. There were also unofficial tournaments, like "Wiimbledon" in New York.
The game has been shown on TV many times. It appeared in Wii commercials and on news shows. It was also featured on comedy shows. Famous people like Serena Williams and Jean Chrétien played Wii Sports on TV. It even appeared in movies like Tropic Thunder.
In May 2023, Wii Sports was added to the World Video Game Hall of Fame. A computer opponent named Matt became an Internet meme. He was known for being very hard to beat. Because of his popularity, Matt later appeared in Nintendo Switch Sports. You need a special code to unlock him as a boss!
Different Versions
There are a few different versions of Wii Sports.
- The 1.0 version was sold in North America for the first nine months.
- The 1.1 version was sold later. It has small changes in tennis and baseball.
- You can tell the difference by looking at the title screen. Version 1.0 says "2006 Nintendo." Version 1.1 says "2006-2007 Nintendo." Version 1.1 also shows the Wii Remote with its protective jacket on.
A 1.2 version also exists. This one is found on the Wii Sports + Wii Sports Resort 2-in-1 disc. Its only difference from 1.1 is the date on the title screen ("2006-2008"). The opening music also plays twice. However, version 1.2 has faster loading times. This makes it good for speedruns, where players try to finish the game as fast as possible.
More Wii Sports Games
Wii Sports Resort
A follow-up game, Wii Sports Resort, was first shown in 2008. It was made after Nintendo created the Wii MotionPlus accessory. This accessory made the motion controls even more accurate.
The game has 12 sports, including two from the original Wii Sports. New sports include swordplay, wakeboarding, Frisbee, and archery. It also has basketball, table tennis, and canoeing. The game was released in 2009. It has sold over 30 million copies.
Wii Sports Club
In 2013, Nintendo announced Wii Sports Club for the Wii U. This game has the same five sports as Wii Sports. But they are remade with better graphics. It also uses the Wii MotionPlus for more precise controls.
This game lets you play online with others. Players join "Clubs" based on their region. They can compete against other clubs. You could try the game for free for 24 hours. Then, you could buy a day pass or full access to individual games.
Nintendo Switch Sports
In 2022, a new game called Nintendo Switch Sports was announced. It was released for the Nintendo Switch. It includes some sports from Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. These are Bowling, Tennis, Golf, and Chambara (swordplay). It also added new sports like soccer, volleyball, and badminton.
Images for kids
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European box art showing Miis playing the five sports.
See also
In Spanish: Wii Sports para niños
