While hardcore Nintendo fans were hoping for something a little more, well, hardcore as Nintendo’s big E3 press conference unveil — like maybe the rumored Wii Kid Icarus or Punch-Out!! games — Wii Music actually wound up being the “blockbuster” announcement from Nintendo camp. It sure looks like an infectiously fun game for the whole family, as you can glean from the debut trailer and screenshots posted after the break, but I’m worried about how much lasting appeal it’s going to have. Music games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band work so well because their peripherals are modeled after real instruments so you truly feel like a musician while playing, but with Wii Music using only the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to mimic over 60 different instruments I don’t see how it can be nearly as compelling over the long haul. Seems to me fake “air” playing instruments can only hold your interest for so long, especially when there’s no scoring system to provide a sense of reward or progression for your efforts.
Wii Music is a hard game not to be intrigued by, but at the same time I have serious doubts about how well it can hold up as a full-blown game release when it seems like just another Wii Sports-style tech demo. Good news is we’ll find out one way or the other this holiday season.
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