Wii Sports Club is a sports video game from Nintendo released as downloadable software for the Wii U. It consists of HD remakes of the individual sports from the 2006 Wiilaunch title, Wii Sports, which can be purchased individually or rented for a period of time. The first set of sports, bowling and tennis, were released in Japan on 30 October 2013, in Europe and North America on 7 November 2013, and in Australia and New Zealand on 8 November 2013. Golf was later released following a Nintendo Direct presentation on 18 December 2013. Baseball and Boxing were released at the end of June 2014. A disc version was released in all regions in July 2014. It includes all five sports and does not require a pass to play them.
Gameplay
Similarly to Wii Sports, players use the Wii Remote to mimic movements made during various sports, including tennis, bowling, baseball, golf, and boxing. However, the game requires the use of Wii MotionPlus, unlike the original but similarly to its sequel Wii Sports Resort, in order to refine the controls and enhance the gameplay. Players are able to join different 'clubs' representing various regions across the world, and compete online with other members of the club. Players are locked into their chosen club for 24 hours, in order to create a closer sense of community. Players are ranked within their clubs, and clubs are able to compete with and be ranked against other clubs. Miiverse communication is also supported, and players can communicate in-game using pre-set messages and drawings from the Wii U GamePad. Some of the sports also feature ideas from a concept video shown at E3 2011 when the Wii U was first unveiled. During golf, the GamePad can be placed on the floor to display the ball on the ground, using a Wii Remote to swing over it. Baseball also allows the players to use the GamePad to aim their pitches.
Development
The game was announced during an 18 September 2013 Nintendo Direct presentation focused on another game in the Wii series for Wii U, Wii Fit U. The first screenshots and gameplay videos were shown, along with various details about new features to the sports. It was detailed that the game will launch with bowling and tennis, with others from Wii Sports to be released at a later date. Either all sports can be rented for a 24-hour period in a 'Day Pass' or individual sports can be purchased outright for a higher price. A free 24-hour trial will be offered following initial download and installation of the software, after which the fees will be required. The game will be released initially on the Nintendo eShop as a push of Nintendo's digital distribution strategy, with some ideas compared to Wii Fit U, such as the presence of a free trial.
Reception
Pre-release
Initial reception to the concept was mixed. Most news outlets praised the addition of online multiplayer, but questioned whether it would be able to keep the gameplay fresh, and continue to attract 'casual gamers' who were fans of the original. Nintendo Life's Thomas Whitehead said that it has "...the potential to be rather important for the Wii U’s Holiday sales performance." Other praise was aimed at Nintendo's new pricing models and options, although some commented that the total purchase price of all sports may be excessive.
Post-release
Nintendojo gave the game a B+, stating that the game had "Precise controls; solid online experience", but lacked online chat and was "bland compared to Wii Sports Resort." Nintendo World Report gave tennis a 7/10 and bowling an 8.5/10. The aggregate score on Metacritic was 68/100.
