Wii Music has gotten a bad rap online since it launched, and I must say that part of it is warranted. This isn’t the be-all, end-all music game that Nintendo wants it to be. It takes allot of imagination to play, and a little forgiveness for it’s foibles, but it can be fun. Just don’t go into it expecting Rock Band Wii, and you’ll be in the right frame of mind.
Graphically, this is Wii Sports with instruments. The interface is very similar, and you again use your Miis as your in-game representation. Your instructor, whom I call the Muppet Maestro, is a hoot, if only because he’s so laughable. The ‘Tutes,’ AI-controlled band members you play with when going solo, are also very, very muppet-like. I know Beta says I call allot of stuff a muppet that she doesn’t agree on, but trust me: these Tutes and the Maestro would be very at home on Sesame Street.
Gameplay-wise, this game requires you to be generous with your interpretation of the songs you’re playing. I can tell you that the game isn’t real easy, and not because of complex controls or difficult songs, but rather because half of the time you have no idea what sound your going to make at any given time. You’re not playing by hitting ‘notes,’ you make music by basically waggling in rhythm with the song. It doesn’t matter where you waggle, the game will pick the sound you make by where you are in the song. It can feel very random, to be honest, and makes it hard to feel like you’re making a difference.
As for how much fun it is, that depends on who you play with. Playing by yourself with the Tutes can be fun, but playing with others can be frustrating. Of course, that’s only if you get serious about the music. If you’re just here to have fun, you and a group of buds can have a great time making a racket and trying to sound like you know what you’re doing.
There are a few side modes, but they’re not really much fun. The conducting mini game is basically waggling in time with the song, and the Pitch-Perfect mode is both boring and a pain.
In the end, however, I do recommend this for young gamers and those who don’t or can’t play the more ‘hardcore’ games. Even serious gamers like myself can have fun if they don’t take everything too seriously. Like I said, don’t expect Rock Band or Guitar Hero; just enjoy what’s here. It’s a fun toy, but not a great game. Alphasim out.
Score Overall 
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