The Nintendo Wii does not have the same powerhouse innards as its immediate competition, and none of the launch games look much better than a GameCube title. But in the same way the DS gave us something refreshingly new with its innovative touch screen and stack of cutesy features, the Wii impresses on a number of levels that go beyond mere aesthetic beauty.

If you dissect it, Wii Sports is a collection of playable technical demonstations intended to illustrate the way the Wiimote controller can be used. But it is nowhere near as black and white as that. What this clutch of inspired sporty minigames achieves far transcends “showcase” status. It is the beginning of hopefully a long and fruitful journey of innovation and fun that will bring gamers together, both young and old, and a highly enjoyable romp as a standalone game.

After a warning to use the wrist strap when playing, a suitably Nintendo-esque chime heralds the title screen, which is simple, functional, and inviting. You then use your Wiimote, which should still at this stage be bedevilling you with its uncanny motion sensor witchcraft, to select from one of the five sports on offer. With the exceptions of the two player only boxing and baseball, each of the sports can be enjoyed by up to four participants, or against a computer opponent. For a quick blast, it is possible to pay with a “guest” Mii – basically a computer-generated drone character – however records cannot be saved when this is the case. The key is to make sure you have created your own Miis, so you can build up your score and take advantage of the compulsive training and fitness modes – more of which later.

First sport on the roster is Tennis. At recent pre-launch game shows, Nintendo dragged out Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski to show off this particular doozy, yet it is not actually the most realistic tennis simulation, nor is it intended to be. You play as two out of four on-court characters in a doubles match, controlling the service and the actual shots, but not the movements of the players themselves. Controlling two players at the same time is not as confusing as it sounds, and is just a case of judging whether it is better to play at the net or at the baseline depending on where your opponent delivers the ball. This may seem a cop-out and a bit “on rails” – yet the startling accuracy of the Wiimote allows you to perform all manner of lobs, smashes and power shots from the baseline – and this requires concentration and a deft wrist, something that would suffer if movement was under your control too. “Tiger” Tim would probably moan in secret that the physics and accuracy are not “all that”, but to your average gamer this is an excellent distraction that in multiplayer proves to be quite spiffing fun. On the downside, a better thought-through one-on-one option (as opposed to doubles) would have been a sensible addition, and we are at a loss to explain why the screen rather confusingly, and unnecessarily, splits in two during matches against another human competitors.

Baseball is probably the least popular American sport in our fair isles, yet historically there have been some absolutely riotous home interpretations of the rounders-on-‘roids slugathon – and this is no exception. Possibly the strongest game of the five, Wii Sports Baseball is a top effort that simplifies the sport down to its fundamentals – throwing and hitting the ball really hard. The Wiimote is gripped as you would grip a baseball bat, with the buttons facing you. The pitch is then unleashed, and you swing as quickly and as powerfully as you can – with the intention of clearing it out of the park and into home runs-ville. The feeling of getting any sort of connection with the bat is immensely satisfying, the controller knowingly giving you a little tickle of vibration to signify the impact. It is also akin to finding God the first time you muller one over the hoardings and beyond. Pitching is easy to pick up but has a reasonable amount of depth thanks to a number of different types of pitch, incorporating four-way spin and four of the Wiimote buttons. Holding down the A and B buttons in various combinations whilst flicking the Wiimote downwards in a throwing motion allows curveballs, screwballs and all manner of similarly odd-sounding throws, whilst the ball can be swung toward or away from the batter. When you are preparing to pitch a tricksy curling ball of doom, the hand position you need to adapt also curiously mimics the way a pitcher would have to hold the ball differently to obtain the required affect. For example, an inswinging pitch to a left-hander with curve would require the left directional button as well as A to be pressed whilst delivering the ball. Whilst this isn't 100% accurate, it is still a very nice touch indeed, although may result in some serious arthritic pain with repeat plays. The computer opponents become increasingly more adept the more you play, and some tense matches can ensue. The combination of pressure, knowing you need a run and the computer bamboozling you with an inswinging screwball is very real, whilst two decently skilled humans going at it can produce some teeth-grinding grudge matches. A triumph.

Bowling is the most user friendly and instantly accessible of all the Wii Sports. Holding the Wiimote vertically and facing you, the B trigger is held and released as you swing it in an imitation of a bowling motion, sending the ball careering toward the pins. Initially it is very easy to get carried away and the ball willl almost certainly veer off to one side. But the use of spin – instigated by twisting the Wiimote in different directions as you release the ball – and mastery of power and direction will mean you are soon picking up strikes and spares like a pro. Bowling really is that simple. It is accurate, lots of fun, and ideal for the whole familiy to enjoy. It doesn’t beat actually donning them funny shoes and paying £4 for a glass of pop, but it is pretty damn close.

The over-simplified nature of the sports on offer meant that Wii Golf was never going to be challenging Tiger Woods, or even Everybody’s Golf. But it does serve to show that with more thought and an increased number of options and courses, a similar game could be an outstanding success on the Wii. With only 9 holes, Wii Golf is a pleasant but very brief experience. The Wiimote is gripped in the same fashion as a golf club, the club can be selected, and a miniature map shows the distance to the hole and wind direction. You then swing the controller in an approximation of a golf swing, with the emphasis on a smooth, clean strike as opposed to a wild, powerful swing. Once you get used to it, achieving the correct power for your shot becomes second nature, if still a little challenging. Taking care and precision are rewarded, whilst a gung-ho approach will see skewed shots that deviate wildly from their intended target. Putting is similarly accurate, and again precision is the key.

The final effort is the completely insane Wii Boxing, which requires a nunchuk connected to your Wiimote, and plenty of stamina. Holding the Wiimote in one hand and the nunchuck in the other, you put your dukes up, and jab, swing and hook at your opponent with the intention of knocking them out. The degree of motion sensor accuracy can be a little iffy at times, but when you relax and start to actually box, this becomes a wildly amusing proposition, particularly against a human opponent – although this carries a risk of personal injury and/or damage to surrounding property. A natural successor to Nintendo’s own Punch Out titles, Wii Boxing is a riotous way to cap off the collection.

How well you perform in the different events affects your overall player score – an ongoing assessment associated with each Mii which determines the level of your computer opponent and the toughness of your daily fitness test. The standard multiplayer and single-player modes, which are where your actual points are scored, are accompanied by a fun training mode, which provides a series of three different challenges for each of the respective sports. These range from Virtua Tennis-style hitting targets and walls, hitting as many home runs as you can out of ten pitches, and scoring strikes as the number of pins increases with each turn up to a maximum of 91 (!). These minigames are surprisingly addictive, with bronze, silver and gold medals on offer depending on performance, and a gnawing compulsion taking hold to better your scores.

The icing on the cake comes with the splendid fitness test, which has you undertake a once-daily, three-event blast which is used to calculate your “fitness age”. Whilst not directly associated with your real fitness, it is still unnerving as a novice player to end up with a virtual age of 56, but it is a hell of a lot of fun improving your skills and getting your age down to nearer the lowest end of the scale (20). The events are different each day, and drawn from the training mode. Each Mii can only participate once per day, but this lends the whole concept a crystal meth-like addictive quality, and believe us when we say that soon, people will see their daily fitness test as essential as the morning cuppa/ciggy/dump or whatever.

It is easy to overlook the fact that this exceptionally fun piece of software is, effectively, a freebie. It would certainly not disgrace itself as a standalone item, despite the simplicity of the gameplay and the graphics, and a slight argument that it may not have the same longevity as other more in-depth sports games. Technically the game works better than anyone ever really expected, provides us with a real feel for the controller, and will have many people drawing up a wishlist of other sports and scenarios that the Wiimote could be used in. The playability as a multiplayer or party game is unrivalled in the history of multi-sports games, and compounded by a solid one-player option that is beautiful when enjoyed in small doses – hence the once-daily fitness test, and the fact that any one game on each of the sports will last no more than a few minutes.

In summary, Wii Sports is a massive, massive success as a launch title. Ignore the negativity you may have heard, and embrace this marvellous new bit of kit into your home. It is hard to dislike a title that invigorates you physically and mentally during play, even leading to aches and pains the following day in some cases. It is also hard to ignore the fact that 99% of individuals who sample Wii Sports’ charms - non-gamers and gamers alike – fall instantly under its spell. We would urge that you do, too.