Moto GP Review for Nintendo Wii

System: Wii	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Milestone	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Capcom	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Mar. 24, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

This brings me back to my original complaint about MotoGP: the controls. There are four different ways to control the game, and while having options is nice, the truth is that none of them are very good. The first control method is the simplest, having you hold the Wii-mote on its side, pressing the 2 button to accelerate, and tilting the Wii-mote left and right to steer. Although this is the simplest control scheme, steering your bike with any accuracy using this control scheme is pretty much impossible.

Moto GP screenshot

The second control scheme is probably the most fun-sounding, as it involves steering with the Nunchuk’s thumbstick to steer, while holding the Wii Remote sideways, like a bike handle, and pushing it forward to accelerate and backwards to brake. I found this control scheme to be very cumbersome in practice, and I found my onscreen character decelerating when I was trying to accelerate, and vice-versa. It sounds awesome in theory, but it just doesn’t work at all in reality.

The third and fourth control schemes represent the best two control options in the game, but trust me when I say that this doesn’t really mean they are good. Control scheme number three is focused on the manual driver by using the Nunchuk’s C button for acceleration and the Wii-mote’s B button for braking. Since this control scheme is manual-focused, you are able to shake the Wii-mote either up or down to shift gears. The final control scheme is essentially the same as this one, except you use the thumbstick on the Nunchuk for both steering and acceleration. Although using these control schemes is less headache-inducing than the two prior, they lack the precision needed for an accurate Moto GP experience, because the controls don’t allow for the angled turns required to successfully complete races and challenges.

Overall, Moto GP on the Wii is just a mess. Although I didn’t exactly have great expectations going into the game, I at least wanted something playable. Although I would definitely recommend MotoGP on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, the Wii version just isn’t up to par. With last-gen visuals, four weak control schemes, and little to no play variety, the Moto GP experience is lost here. Moto GP turns out to be yet another poor racing game on the Wii.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

1.5

Graphics
Graphics are bland, blocky, and boring. This is definitely one of the worst-looking titles on the Wii.

2.0

Control
Motion controls are gimmicky and do not work well at all. The thumbstick-based Nunchuck controls work a little better, but they lack the precision necessary to adequately control the bikes.

2.3

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Background music is fairly good, but it doesn’t play during races. Sound effects are repetitive, generic, and annoying.

2.2

Play Value
Although there are plenty of modes, the poor controls hamper any play value this title might have had.

1.9

Overall Rating - Avoid
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Three different handling models - arcade, intermediate, and simulation - provide varied racing experiences and accessibility for all.

Ride as yourself and compete against riders from the world’s premier motorcycling championship – racing up to 20 opponents.

Select from 125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP bike classes with each offering a different race experience.

Set competitor A.I. to match skill level with four A.I. levels – Easy/Medium/Hard/Champion.