"WOO HOO, a pack-in game... Super Mario World, here I come!" Whoa, not so fast there, Captain Excitable, this isn’t 1994 and we aren’t so lucky. This is Wii Sports, a very well done-up tech demo to show people how the controller can be used and give you something to do with that little Mii thing you have saved in your controller.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's bad. Hardly, but I am saying I don’t think it's going to be remembered for generations as a classic. For example, there is already a golf game out (or coming out real soon) that I'm sure will be better or more feature rich than what’s on show here. That being said, considering that golf is only one-fifth of the total package, it's surprisingly deep. You can aim your shot, choose from a rather limited but workable selection of clubs and then just hold "A" and swing. An on-screen indicator shows you how far up the power meter you need to make your swing to hit your intended target and you can even do a few practice swings to get it just right before actually stepping up. Swing too hard and you'll slice to either side.

The most well known ('cause it's what Nintendo always shows off) choice on offer is Wii Tennis. One to four players (vertical split screen if there are two separate teams of human opponents) take up their Wii-mote racquets and go to town swinging around and trying like hell not to fall over coffee tables or hit each other in the face. It's great fun. You don't have to worry about moving or being in the right place at the right time, just swing your racquet when your little Mii gets to the ball, which it does with out fail. Also, when playing single player, when you swing both of your characters swing so the game is always doubles, even if you never have any friends.

More Wii Sports after the jump...

Baseball is more like Tennis than Golf, as it only involves swinging or pitching. Neither requires a lot of accuracy (or I’m just awesome at baseball and didn't know it) but the batting is definitely the best part, as it requires good timing to make a good hit. Pitching is just simply swinging your arm towards the screen quickly, though certain special balls can be thrown with the proper twist of the wrist. I have only managed to pull off the occasional curve, but I imagine there are more available. Again; it’s fun, but nothing exceptional.

CORRECTION: Different pitches are handled with different button combos. "RTFM" me!
Thanks to Robotiko.

Bowling is surprisingly deep and probably my personal favorite to play of the whole disc. You use the direction pad to set your character's position and angle of attack then hold the controller to your chest, hold in the trigger, swing your arm back and forward, and then release the trigger at just the right time. Speed, point of release and even twist of your wrist affect the ball's course. You can go for straight and powerful or finesse a shot that starts off towards the gutter but curves back just perfectly for a strike. Just like those weirdo pros I see on ESPN-5.

Last and probably least is Boxing. While it is a ton of fun to virtually punch a friend in the face or body, it just doesn’t feel nearly as accurate as I would have hoped. After playing the terrible "MoCap Boxing" in the arcade a few times, I had really hoped the Wii would prove a more worthwhile platform. Sadly, half the time I punch, my Mii does not. The dodging and blocking seem to work fine, so perhaps there's just a timing issue I’m not aware of, but after a few rounds I was tired, a bit sweaty and having fun, but also frustrated. Even after winning I couldn't help but feel bad for the person I'd beaten because it just felt like luck more than skill.

To conclude, your getting Wii Sports, whether I recommend it or not -- it just comes with the console. So pop it in, play it for a bit -- especially if you have some friends to do so with. You'll have a good time. You'll probably also go buy some better games and leave Wii Sports off to the side very shortly, but it's a good free party game to show off your Wii to friends and relatives and it even has a fitness mode that gives you a Brain Age-like "fitness age" to help encourage you to get in better shape. Or at least swing a tiny remote more accurately.