The game is ok, but I want to highlight this genius mode you unlock after finding all the minigames called "Spot the Sneak," where you play a series of minigames where one player gets the ability to cheat (giving them an advantage in winning the minigame) but they can get their points revoked if the other players correctly guess they were the sneak. This mode inspires mindgames and metagaming tactics, like intentionally getting second as the sneak, or screen peeking to see if something about the other player's inputs are suspicious; it's a really cool mode that's never been attempted in another game.

One of the laziest sequals to a game ive ever seen, the main bored is a long 's' in the middle of the ocean.... like cmon give me something a little more interesting. The other modes are alright, with my favourite being BALLDOZER but that mode has its own issues. Even though i think this game was lazily made the mini games really hold it together and actually make this worth a play with friends. Its not bad, far from it just wish more effort went into the modes so i feel a good reason to play the mini games which is by far the best part.

[Review written January 2014]

When it was first announced, Wii Party honestly looked to me like typical bad Nintendo casual game fare. Although it mostly was that, a few very creative modes and an excellent collection of mini-games allowed it to be one of the most frequently played games in the Wii’s later days and it was almost always played when somebody came over. I may have been one of the very few people in the world who were mildly looking forward to this, so how is Wii Party U? Unfortunately (but probably unsurprisingly), not very good.

Wii Party U is mostly set up in the same way that the first one was. There are a ton of modes, most of them being pretty bad game modes that have you play minigames that only give you a slight advantage due to random “luck”. I have always been suspicious of these type of Nintendo games for programming games a certain way so that even if you win or lose every minigame, the dice rolls will keep you close to competition whether it be ahead or behind. This is a careful balance that is put in a lot of driving games, including Nintendo’s own Mario Kart series. When done correctly, the format works fine. However, in a game like this it can be infuriating to lose even when you are doing everything right. A little luck is fine, a lot of luck is no fun.

This serious problem greatly brings down the fun I have in the main mode selection, and it unfortunately plagues the majority of these games. Nintendo has included some other stuff too, such as tabletop games that don’t require the TV. In theory, this could be a great idea, but none of the short little games have any lasting appeal, so unfortunately a throwaway. There are a few good ideas in the house party selection. We (me, my sisters, and my cousins) had a fun time with a “guess the facial expression” mode, and a goofy dancing game in which everyone boogies around the gamepad is terrible, but naturally fun. The best mode from the first Wii Party called Spot the Sneak, where you play minigames but one player is given a cheating handicap and must try to hide it while also performing well in the match, makes a welcomed return, and once again easily steals the show. Trying to play mindgames with your friends and get away clean with nobody picking you are the best moments I’ve had with this game.

The minigames are fine, but some feel a little bit unoriginal and again, too many of them force you to rely on luck to win. One of the few memorable minigames is a much more complex version of the horse race from the first game, in which now you get to pick from four different animals with different attributes. Learning just how much you can giddy up that animal without tiring it out is a very fun endeavor. I just wish that more of the minigames involved depth and required careful planning, but apparently Nintendo thinks luck is more suitable for the family audiences.

Overall, Wii Party U does have a couple of good ideas, but the minigame collection is pretty weak and I’m sorry to have to say that this is a step down from the Wii version. It does come with a Wii Remote Plus like Wii Play did for the Wii, so if you need an extra controller, it is worth picking up. Otherwise, I would say you shouldn’t bother.