We Ski Reviews

• Disappointing - Shoud have learned control scheme from Wii Fit

  
  By A3HXYCRA37HIG5 on 2008-05-23
  As an avid skier, I was excited for a long time knowing that this game and Wii fit were coming out.
  
  Perhaps my mistake was that I first tried out Wii Fit, which includes an excellent slalom race mode which not only looks at your left-right balance, but also at your forward aft (especially for speed control).
  
  I then hurried to open my new copy of Wii Ski, expecting to get the same, but with more challenges, more depth, and a whole mountain to explore.
  
  Boy, I can't hide my disappointment: instead of adapting the same control scheme from Wii Fit, the balance board support seems like an afterthought. Your movements on the balance board roughly translate into left and right, not as fluently as on Wii fit, but THERE IS NO FORE/AFT SUPPORT ! In other words, it doesn't matter if you lean forward or back, crouch, wedel, carve, etc. (things that the balance board can actually track), you only get left or right.
  
  You use a button for plowing (board could have easily detected that), a button for wedling.
  
  Worse of all, you have no speed control from the balance board. In fact, the game is excruciatingly slow even when you're barreling down the mountain. To get any speed at all, you have to use both nunchuck and wiimote as poles, but it feels like cross-country skiing. I got a ton of exercise just swinging them to get to a crawling speed going straight down a black diamond. What gives?
  
  I don't expect a real ski simulator, but I expected much better use of the balance board.
  
  

• Fun yet challenging addition to the Wii

  
  By AX7K6FSRE8QUV on 2008-05-16
  After watching a video on the new Nintendo channel, I decided to purchase We Ski when it came out, and it's a great addition to my library of Wii games.
  
  The graphics are great and pretty lifelike; my boyfriend said some of the slopes in the game reminded him of real slopes he used to ski in Colorado. It looks authentic and even feels like you're skiing down hill at a fast pace. I've never been skiing in my life, but the game makes me feel like I'm really there.
  
  When I loaded the game, I immediately created a character. I chose to use my Mii, but you can create a character using the choices in the game. However, using your Mii means you can't wear a hat or goggles, but I had so much fun customizing everything else, I didn't care. I have a pretty fancy ski outfit (there are TONS to choose from, I was surprised by the variety) with matching boots, gloves, skis, and poles.
  
  Then I went to the tutorial (Ski School) so I could avoid reading the instruction manual. This is a great, albeit long, way to learn how to play. You are shown how to do everything, from wedelns, to braking, to air tricks, to how to get up when you crash into another skiier on the slopes. Your Mii interacts with the ski instructor by nodding when she wants to move on to the next lesson, which I thought was a nice addition to the game. It took me about half an hour to go through the complete tutorial, and I was rewarded with a new ski outfit for my efforts.
  
  The great thing about this game is no matter what you chose to do, you can do it with friends or solo. The real "gameplay" is in Freestyle mode, where you are taken to a ski resort for your vacation (although there are plenty of "lessons" in slalom or downhill or moguls for you to work through as well). In Freestyle, you are given star points, which is a way to show how far you've advanced through the game. You gain points by interacting with other skiiers on the slope and doing what they ask (they are marked by bubbles over their heads, and the design on the bubble indicates what task they want you to do). I did some head-to-head races, showed off my mean snow plowing skills, and performed Perfect Stops (stopping within a designated area). More star points open more outfits and options for your character.
  
  You are also rated, from S+ to D, on each of the ski slopes that you travel down. Each slope is rated so you know not to hit the Camel slope until you're pretty good on the Rabbit slope. My favorite was Bear Claw, where you can reach top speed and just whiz past other skiiers on the slope (or crash into them -- oops).
  
  Playing Freestyle with friends is quite innovative in that if you want to ski down the Elephant slope but your buddy wants to stick to the Dolphin, that's perfectly okay! You can hop on one of the ski lifts and head up while he stays on his slope. That was great for when I was trying to master moguls but my boyfriend wanted to start at the top and work his way down the mountain. However, if one of you interacts with another skiier to start a task, you get pulled along with them. And you can bypass the whole ski lift thing and just "teleport" everyone directly to a point through the menu, which is also handy.
  
  The most challenging aspect of the game that we've discovered thus far is Orienteering. One of the other skiiers is the CEO of the resort, and he and 9 other employees are hidden on the mountain. Your job is to find them, in order, by using the clues that you are given. For instance, one clue was something like "I'm at the path that connects the largest animal and the smallest animal", so we had to look at the slopes' animal designations to determine what was the largest and what was the smallest, then ski over there and search for our contact point. It was a really fun task to try to hunt them down, but we're still exploring the slopes so it was also challenging. We're stuck on the fourth contact point, but we'll investigate further tonight and hopefully move on.
  
  Another cute feature (although it's not necessary or even important, just fun to do) is a photo album. There is a photographer on the slopes marked with a camera bubble who will take your picture "in action" and put it in your album for you. Then you can go to the photo album and look at your pictures, or you can pose your Miis (up to 4 skiiers) in their outfits at various points on the mountain; there were something like 40 or 50 poses each, and you can cycle through and have everyone looking fabulous for their picture. Apparently, you can connect to WiFi and post your pictures online, which is a nice feature.
  
  This may not be the best game to ever grace the Wii, but I am having a blast with it. There's a lot to do and explore, and it really uses the remote and nunchuck so you feel like you're in the game (and it's compatible with the Wii Fit board, so you can REALLY get into it). I love how your Mii will smile or get big-eyed in shock or throw a tantrum when she loses; little things like that make the game more realistic and fun for me. It's not as hardcore as SSX but more family-oriented, so everyone can hit the slopes together.
  
  

• Not Quite real skiing but lots of fun

  
  By A3JR1LBGK8T32H on 2008-05-19
  If you ski this program might help get you through the summer. However clearly it was written by europeon or Japanese skiers since some of the terminology is not what we (PSIA instructors) use here in the States. I agree with a previous reviewer that the ski school is the best way to learn the game, but some of what is taught is neither essential to real skiing or to playing the game. Most of the controller moves are intuitive though some of them (balance recovery and skating) are not moves you would actually do when skiing. The steering is very realistic, though you do it with your hands and generally control of the skier is proportional to slope speed and conditions (groomed, ice and powder all exist on different hills) I am looking forward to trying this when I get the balance board to see how real that is. It works fine with the controllers though you can play sitting down so that part may be more real with the balance board.
  My only complaints are similar to other Wii games there are times when you move the controller the way they tell you and you just don't get the result they say you should (Like putting on Wii golf)
  My kids (9 and 11) also love it. It is fun to play multiplayer and sit on the chair on the way up together (push A at the same time when you are in the purple zone around the lift) Your mii or character can look around and see the sights on the slopes. Try nightskiing to see various light effects. Though the fireworks are cool at first they never stop so they can be hard to ignore at times but night skiin is definitely an interesting varient.
  Some of the games are a bit dorky (it is a kids game after all) but they can be fun. The orienteering is not that bad though we can't find the last guy we did find all the others.
  Racing head to head with your kids is a blast. Particularly when on a rare occaision you might actually beat them. The instant replays are hilarious. Try skiing full speed through the finish line and not stopping the replay of the crash into the wall is great. It would be nice to have a way to save the video's of some of the replays, I suppose I could connect something to the output and record I will have toplay with that. If I figure it out I will post a race and nice crash finish here as a video review for everyone to see.....
  
  
  
  

• Very good, but better versions are sure to come

  
  By A28FIXTN3E0ALY on 2008-05-23
  We Ski is not for the "hardcore gamer" who cares only about advancing to the next level, unlocking more skills, and doing insane tricks on the slopes at crazy speeds. However, it is still a very fun game for those who would rather spend $30 on a good skiing simulator than $70 for a day out on a real mountain.
  
  The game does a lot of things right in the control department, and I think other companies will use We Ski as a template to make even better skiing games in the future. I have used the game with the Balance Board and I was impressed, if not awed. The board is incredibly sensitive, and perhaps a little too sensitive: a shift in weight just a little too extreme, and you'll swerve into the nearest fence or snowbank. What I really like about the balance board setup, though, is that the game allows you to reverse the controls so that leaning on the left foot makes you go to the right, and vice versa. For those who ski, this is a nice feature because it mimics more closely the way you shift your weight in real life when skiing. To go right, you actually put your weight on the inside of your left foot. The fact that We Ski thought of this and allowed that option impressed me.
  
  The game is relatively bare-bones. You can compete in races or use the freestyle mode to ski on your own. There are many challenges to take part in, but the nice thing is that the game doesn't punish you if you decide to just enjoy the slopes. It really is like having an all-day lift ticket: you can get on any lift, ski any trail, and go back up as many times as you like. I wish there were more than 14 trails, though. Also, I would have liked the inclusion of some glade runs.
  
  For $30, especially if you already have the balance board, you can't really go wrong. We Ski is an enjoyable game, not a revolution. Have fun with it for what it is.
  
  

• We Ski and Love It!

  
  By ASEGT9GG7XZHO on 2008-05-19
  We Ski is a game anyone can play, yet is challenging enough so you can hone you skiing skills and still be challenged. I use We Ski without the balance board and it is still an impressive, fun game (can't wait to get the balance board, looks to be a very promising combo with this game). Graphics are excellent...reminds me of SSX on tour but with better control, as the movements of the Wiimote and the nunchuck are more natural. Yes, you can also perform aerial stunts, jumps, moguls, and lean forward for downhill racing (as the wind rushes by as you get faster). My wife who is a beginner skier picked this up quickly and allows us to race together or to free ski together, even let us ride the lift up togther! Many small intricacies are thought out in this game. Either you can go directly to the top of the mountain via the menu, or you can choose to ride the lift up to the top. When you are riding the chairlift, the Wiimote vibrates as you pass over the chair lift tower (very clever!). Also, you can ski at night with fireworks at the base of the mountain and stars in the sky; very cool. The only thing that I would inprove upon with this game is I wish there was more than one mountain to ski at! Bottom line, I would definitely recommend Wii Ski to anyone.
  
  
• We need more games like this.
  By A1Z9AMIQSJR9DF on 2008-05-20
  Thirty dollars. Can use the Wii Fit board or not. 1 to 4 players. Incorporates the Mii's. Escapist, simple fun that anyone can pick up and play. Look forward to more like this one.
  
  
• Great Family Game and Great for Wii balance board
  By A1QUC5S510C7SF on 2008-05-23
  I bought this game only because i got 10 off when i bought Wii Fit. After using the balance board with this game I'm glad i got it. I haven't been skiing in a couple of years but this game brought back so many memory's like i was really skiing. Another great thing about this game is that you can ski with friends and family, using the Wii remote and numchuck. its not just racing like you might think, its a whole ski mountain you and family and friends can explore. If you don't believe me just give it a chance i think you too will be amazed.
  
  
• Not as good as Wii Fit Slalom
  By ANWMLDTRT0PYS on 2008-06-04
  I rented this game to try out since I had the Wii Fit balance board and I really liked the slalom ski feature in Wii Fit. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is no speed feature in We Ski. It definitely is not as good as the Wii Fit skiing. It's almost like they designed this game exlusively with controllers in mind and then added the balance board as an afterthought. While the balance board is use for left/right turning, it's used for very little besides that. For $[...] the game is ok, for $[...] it would be a rip off.
  
  
• My favorite Wii game!
  By A1TP78YKYTQKMP on 2008-05-22
  I don't have much to add to the last review. This game is incredible. I love that you can play using your own Mii's. I started skiing at 2 years old and am 39 now and I thought this was very realistic! I love how you can ride the ski lift and scan around as you ride the ski lift for a panoramic view of the mountains. The night skiing is incredible. It nice to be able to just ski when you want to or you can interact with other skiers who may challenge you to a race or ask you to do different favors for them. Also I just got the Wii fit game yesterday and playing this game using the balance board increases the real feel of the game! This is a must have for wii owners! Also I almost forgot my favorite feature of the game is the photo album which you can post on the message board for other wii friends to see. There are several scenes around the mountain to start with and you unlock more as you play, and there are over 30 poses to choose from. My favorite is a photo of my husband, myself and our 2 daughters mii's in the natural spring! I may print it out and frame it! I can't wait for We golf!
  
  
• Great game
  By A3HHX6BY5LHH75 on 2008-05-21
  I have been playing this game with the remote for almost a week now and have loved it. Up to 4 players, limited not only by remote but also numchuck. This is the only game I own that has required the use of 4 numchucks and I only have 2, so for now its just a 2-player game. I have never been able to ski but have always wanted to and I love this game. I am now playing it with the balance board and it makes the game that much more fun. Do note that only one player can play when the balance board is in use. It is a blast being able to shift from side to side and actually move the direction you lean. Great price, great game. This game is a lot more fun and much better than the two ski activities that come with the board. Free skate nine course and get rated on them, and compete in races, salom, search and rescue, and much more.
  
  
• We Ski + Wii Fit Board = Lots of Fun
  By A2MLPFHL4YOZX0 on 2008-05-23
  I bought We Ski about a week ago and I played it a few times and I liked it. I got Wii Fit on Wednesday and finally had a chance last night to hook it up and play We Ski with the board. What a difference the board makes. I feel it makes the game alot more challanging. For "others" looking for a simulation type game your not going to get it here. This game is arcade-ish and lots of fun. only played with the board an hour or so but I do like it better than playing with just the controller. Dont get me wrong it's fun with the controller and the chuck but the board makes it BETTER! If you have Wii Fit go and buy We Ski you wont be dissapointed. If you dont have Wii Fit buy it anyways so when you do get one it will make the game alot more enjoyable than it already is. With freestyle, racing and a lot of mini types games the games delivers. Go give it a shot today.
  
  
• Love to ski
  By A19VA5O8KHVWDQ on 2008-06-22
  I love to ski and love this game. The only problem I have is that the placement of weight is the opposite that of real downhill skiing. (weight on right foot-turn to left, weight on left-turn to right)
  
  
• fun little discount title
  By A2ZVTIZUU9DM5Q on 2008-06-30
  While the balance board may not detect front and back movements, this game is much more fleshed out as a game in all other aspects, including control-wise via nunchuck and wiimote.
  
  I've only used it with the wiimote and nunchuck haven't tried it with my Wii Fit balance board yet. But the level of control you have with wiimote and nunchuck surpasses that of just the board. The different kinds of turns, the plow turn and stop, air tricks, parallel turns, tuck (this i loved becuase to tuck you have to rotate your wrists clockwise which you actually do in real skiing to tuck the poles under your arms).
  
  Overall I think it's a nice addition to my wii, it's a fun little game with a surprising amount of control that while not perfect is much more involving that skiing games of yore that utilize just a standard controller.
  
  
• Gets old quickly
  By A129W0NB4L7M70 on 2008-07-02
  I got this game on a Friday and played it over the weekend. I attended the full Ski School program and started skiing. It was great fun at first, but quickly grew old. The ranking system seems inconsistant in how it tracks your performance. I might get an A one time with few turns, and a D the next saying I needed more turns. The minigames are just ok, but range from super easy to nearly impossible (orienteering). This is one of those games that you might play for awhile, put away, and then take out again every once in awhile. Not an addictive game like Wii Sports.
  Also, I appreciate that the Wii is a "Family" game, but with the clear popularity among adults, it might be nice to see less "Cartoonish" characters. Nintendo has got a great thing going here - but they have to keep the interest up.
  
  
• Good for 10 year olds not for teenagers and up
  By A2ZE7G372HXSLV on 2008-06-01
  The gameplay with the wii fit balance board is innovative and this seems to be the first game out there that takes advantage of it, but it seems like they rushed this game to market right when the board came out. It is not a very polished product like the mario cart, smash brothers, mario galaxy games are. If you have toddlers or small kids they will get a kick out of it, otherwise wait for a better game.
  
  
• Ski to have lots of fun
  By A3H2GXT79RGXZ2 on 2008-06-01
  The truth is that it is very enterteining, initially it is difficult to learn a bit the movements, but then it is very enterteining, especially if you use the wii balance board. in way multiplayer is very enterteining and also it helps yourself to do exercise for the arms :)
  The graphs are very nice and the speed sensation when you manage to reach something of speed is very good and helps that the control should vibrate. Always, i wanted to play a game of these without having to move only joysticks and buttons...
  
  
• Great with Wii Fit, Alright Without
  By AAHIPFLG6BGVQ on 2008-06-03
  This is fantastic early title for the Wii Balance Board. With it, it's a fun experience with a feel very much like being on the slopes. With just the Wiimote and Nunchuck, it's still interesting (and you find yourself leaning like you're skiing one way or another) but not nearly as fun.
  
  The replay value isn't huge, and the multi-player options only allow for Wiimotes rather than Wii Balance Boards - which isn't as fun. Still, it's very much worth picking up for Wii Fit owners or aspiring owners.
  
  
• The Fun gets Smaller
  By A3TJ71FBOCE90B on 2008-06-16
  You'll like We Ski as soon as you turn it on. From the Main menu you can go to Freestyle where you can ski down the slopes as you please and earn star points(which unlock skiing equipment)by completing tasks and getting good scores on the slopes. Also,in Freestyle you can look for wild animals and photographers to unlock photo shooting locations. Speaking of which,in the Album(menu)you can take photos and view them whenever you like.
  
  And that's just about it. There's hardly anything you can do after getting all of the star points. In fact,getting the star points is a chore. Some of the tasks aren't very fun and others can become repetitive. Another bad thing is that there is only one mountain in the game. That means that you unlock it from the start and cannot unlock other mountains.
  
  This game has low lasting appeal. The balance board controls may have a realistic feel, but it won't distract you from the game's negative aspects. If you came here looking for a revolution in virtual sports,then you should try appreciating Wii Sports a little bit more.
  
  
  
  
• Wii Ski is LOTS OF FUN!
  By A23930M96PSPZ9 on 2008-07-16
  I think this is one of the most fun Wii games on the market today. Up to 4 players can compete skiing down the various mountain trails. You can even use the Wii balance board if you wish. Very pleased with this game and highly recommend it to anyone.
  
  
• Great fun especially with Wii Fit board
  By A9QIODBQGOG2U on 2008-08-15
  This game is awesome, especially with Wii Fit balance board. And even though as one of the reviewers mentioned that it does not support acceleration and decceleration by allowing player to shift body weight forward and back - you can get going pretty fast. Fast enough that it gets pretty challenging to stay on course. It is important that you go through ski school first to learn all the controls though. I suspect that the reviewer who was commenting on slow speed of the game did not learn how to tuck in the ski poles and assume the racing position that quickly accelerates you a very fast pace.
  
  I can't wait to hook this thing up to my projector and ski on the big movie screen. That should feel a lot more real than on a regular TV screen.
  
  
• schuss :)
  By A31U0ET2NP142N on 2008-06-05
  I rented this game and don't want to give it back!!! It's a lot of fun and while it isn't real skiing, it still makes you move. You can explore a ski resort or participate in races. You can also do a variety of real ski moves, from snowplow to trick jumps.
  
  The only things I don't like are the beeps when you're talking to other players are a bit annoying and you can only play one player when you use the balance board.
  
  
• Great With or Without the Wii Fit Balance Board
  By A304393302ZWA9 on 2008-06-05
  This game is a lot of fun. I got it before Wii Fit so I started playing using the regular controls. There is lots of stuff going on in this game, lots of side stories and activities that you only get to if you talk to the characters in the game. It almost feels like the real thing!
  
  The Wii fit balance board enhances the game because it gets your whole body into it, just like real skiiing. I have an 8 year old that loves it and does really well.
  
  You use your Mii's in this game which is always a plus! It's probably one of my favorite games, right up there with Wii Fit!
  
  
• Wii Love Skiing!
  By A36APLGI2UQWCX on 2008-06-13
  I received this game for MOthers Day and Wii LOVE IT!!! The graphics are great and i do feel like I"m actually skiing. I"m looking forward to trying it with the Wii Fit Board. All you need to do is crank up the airconditioner and get our your stocking cap..then your ready to hit the slopes. This is my favorite Wii game so far ( and my husband enjoys it too). Cannot go wrong with this one!!! HAPPY SKIING!!
  
  
• Great game for the entire family
  By AZNCFHMHNI754 on 2008-06-21
  This game is so much fun. It is great for avid gamers and for those just wanting to play with the family. You feel a little silly at first as you try to manage your mii down the slope but it so much fun that you get over it quickly. All in all this is a great game.
  
  
• We Ski Rocks!
  By AD1GPNA5C6A86 on 2008-06-22
  I gave this game to my grandson (who is a very good skier) for his 8th birthday and after playing it, his comment to me was, "We Ski Rocks!!" He just LOVES this game; moguls, ski lodges, different clothing -- he went on & on about how much fun this game is to play. My daughter, who is very fussy about what kind of games he plays, also said it was a very good game - even the music was not annoying. So, an 8 year old HIGHLY recommends this game, and I think all parents will love it too. Rated E for everyone!
  
  
• Really fun
  By A1K5FOUD9HN2FO on 2008-07-02
  Our 6 year old son got this for his birthday and he loves playing it! (My husband enjoys it, too!) We were able to start skiing about 5 minutes after getting it out of the box. It's very easy to use and fun, too! We bought a second controller and nunchuck to have even more fun. The split screen, two-player feature makes the skiing really fun for my son and his friends!
  
  The ski school feature allows you to better hone your skills and gives you lots of practice, in case you need it. The different challenges on the ski slopes gives you options for when you want to try new things.
  
  Overall, this is a really fun game. I would definitely recommend it to kids of all ages!
  
  
• Wii Ski for use with the Wii Fit
  By A29JH6X3DTJ1Y5 on 2008-07-06
  This is a nice change of pace from the Wii Fit skiing games. It can be played without the Wii Fit, but with the Wii Fit you can practice for some of the Wii Fit balance but still get away from the hurry up and short timed Wii Fit games. I realy enjoy the night view with all the lights. I'm not allthat good at it, but I enjoy the challenges given to you by the people you stop and talk to. The only problem with the Wii Fit board is that you can only play with one person. If you want to change players you have to return to the main menu and restart.
  
  
• Wii SKi! ... lots of FUN!
  By A3P07C1HLOWDYP on 2008-07-07
  the game play, graphics and controls is pretty good! although the game play could be a bit better and controls more responsive.... it is not quite "real" or the feel is not as perfect !but I guess its a good iteration of using the WIi Fit board and the wiimote and nunchuck!
  
  the controls is easy to follow and quite innovative! but I feel it could be better!
  
  We should see more improvement on better utilizing the Wii Fit board!
  
  overall quite satisfied with the game for the price I paid thru Amazon!
  
  Can;t wait to hit the slopes in Colorado comming Winter!
  
  
• Not Worth It
  By A45GB5BR8NSG8 on 2008-07-17
  I was very disappointed in this game, it became quickly boring and the tasks were extremely annoying. I just don't know what else to say about it except that we wasted our money on this game when we could have used it to buy something more worthwhile.
  
  
• Arcade style gaming
  By A23YLPW55X1XZ on 2008-08-12
  Don't expect any realistic skiing simulation here. Usage of the balance board is for left/right and other tricks use the remotes and buttons.
  It's closer to an arcade style game with the freestyle figures for fun. Not a bad title for the price but you will get quickly bored with it.
  
  

• Wii Fit
• Wii Fit Rechargeable Battery Pack for Balance Board
• Official Nintendo Wii Wheel
• Wii Fit Balance Board Clear Silicone Sleeve
• Wii Fit Balance Board Mat