wii
We Ski Brings More Wii Balance Board Leaning To North America
Posted by Michael McWhertor at 9:40 AM on March 4, 2008
When the novelty of Wii Fit wears off and you've found yourself still as chunky as ever, perhaps you'll find justification for keeping your Wii Balance Board out with Namco Bandai's We Ski. The game, released in Japan just a few weeks ago as Family Ski is coming to North America in the Spring, featuring gameplay for up to four players, Mii support and at least one hot tubbing scene. It also may very well feature races with bets involving hamburgers, but we're not sure. Press release action right after this!
NAMCO BANDAI GAMES BRINGS THE SLOPES HOME WITH WE SKI™Edge through the Alpine with Your Friends as Four Player Skiing Comes to Wii
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (March 3, 2008) - Step onto your Wii Balance Board™ or grab your Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ and hit the fresh powder as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced We Ski™, an exciting skiing game for Wii™. Now up to four skiers can experience the sweetest mountain runs in the comfort of their homes as We Ski's highly responsive and intuitive controls take them down the slopes like never before. We Ski will slalom into stores in Spring 2008.
"We are thrilled to be the first publisher to offer a realistic and enjoyable skiing experience that can also support the new Wii Balance Board," said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. "NAMCO BANDAI is working to entertain both casual gamers and hardcore enthusiasts with a recreation of a beloved sport and pastime."
In We Ski, up to four skiers can test their skills on more than a dozen runs from the bunny slopes to the most challenging Black Diamonds. Not only can players carve through the trails using the motion-based controls but they can also mix in the Wii Balance Board for a whole new level of realism. Players can ski using their own Mii™ or create a new character with a host of customizable options including changeable face and body types. Boosting the customization feature, additional skis, poles, goggles, and costumes can be unlocked.
We Ski features an entire mountain to explore, complete with a ski school, freestyle skiing, moguls and slaloms, photography, and a variety of other events. Players can even try their hand at night skiing while enjoying the spectrum of fireworks that color the sky. With We Ski no more long drives to the snow will be necessary to enjoy a day of shredding the mountains.
For more information on We Ski, please visit: http://www.namcobandaigames.com/
We Ski™ & © 2008 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Wii, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Mii, Wii Balance Board and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.
Press Release © 2008 NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Mr.SithNinja
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@cybereal: FYI idiot, I DO OWN the other consoles AND the Wii. If you had bothered to read the posts before the one that dammaged your ego (becasue it was slighty derogetory toward something you hold so near and dear to your heart), I was simply commenting on another person's post about the untapped graphic potential that the Wii has. I then stated the reason why you won't see games with high end graphics on the Wii. I didn't say it was a bad thing. Nintendo is the biggest marketing behemoth ever. They found a way to get people from 6 to 66 to buy into their product (myself included). They did it by introducing an inovative interface that is fun and easy to use and coupled that with games that are also fun and easy to use. I know this is next to impossible for a fanboy such as yourself (whose ego is obvioulsy crushed easier than a grape under the shoe of a 400 lb defensive lineman) to do but you have to look at it for what it is as well as what it is not. It IS a kewl machine that has it's own nitche in the gaming industry. It is NOT a next gen gaming console capable of HD graphics. It IS capable of much more graphically than what we have seen so far and that was the point I was making in my previous post. YOU sir, are the one who needs to get over YOURSELF. You can start by taking off the fanboy goggles. They are blurring your vision to the point where you can't even read anymore.
Mr.SithNinja
CausticSaint
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
About that burger...
I've had the game for a few weeks now, and absolutely love it. Even moreso after I got Wii Fit and had a balance board to use with it. The game is a lot of fun with just a remote and chuck, but the board makes it a whole new experience.
The burger is the "mission icon" for one of the sets of minigames. You will have the option to do various tasks at the resort to earn points which in turn get you unlockables (ski gear, clothes, characters, accessories, etc.). These tasks include finding lost kids, finding lost gear (gloves, poles, etc.), and even delivering food. The burger in that screenshot is the item currently being delivered.
Family Ski is a good time, and the only knock I can think to give it right now is that it lags in splitscreen. You can play solo or have 2, 3, 4-player adventures. I tried it out with 3 people this weekend and there was a bit of lag when we were all skiing together. Despite the name being "Family Ski," it probably does better as a single-player title.
Still, crushing your friends in a race is fun, despite the lag.
Oh, and before you write this game off as "kiddy" or "easy" or whatever your derogatory term of choice is - play it for a while and tell me how the "Earn SS Rank on the Mogul Run" challenge went for you. ^.^
CausticSaint
GerarDOS
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Another meh-title, it isn't good or bad...it's average, which is bad...I think...
GerarDOS
Fixel
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
The cheeseburger makes me think this is being remade to better suit America.
Fixel
Knoxximus (360/PSN)
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
I can has a cheezburger? SOLD!
Knoxximus (360/PSN)
Random J
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
The snow looks pretty impressive in that image. It's a shame about the game. This shit looks like Snowboard kids with an unlockable bonus Onsen. This should've been straight up 5 yen on Wii ware. Nintendo need to be developing 1080° snowboarding for the Wii. More of the N64 classic, less of the GameCube sequalized garbage.
Random J
robinandtami
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
But can you JUMP? What's a ski game without being able to jump?
robinandtami
Schu
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Sold! Now I can ski all year round.
Schu
sandwiches
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Looks really good!
That balance board might just be alright after all.
Now how about SSX?
sandwiches
Torgen thinks AAA means “Costs $60”
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@dowingba: In what sense is this a minigame? It's skiing. Is real skiing a minigame? Does not having to wait for a chair lift make it a minigame?
So it has customizable characters. Not having customizable characters would be grounds for complaint. So it uses the customizable characters built into the system. Isn't that what PS3 owners want out of Home?
Torgen thinks AAA means “Costs $60”
cybereal
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@Mr.SithNinja: Boohoo? Buy a different console. If this is the market in which the Wii is successful and brings millions to Nintendo, then good for them. Get over yourself and your apparent assumption that all gaming development should be targeting your desires. There are people besides yourself.
If every game ever made for the Wii is crap to us "real gamers" yet sells copies and makes profits, that's a successful business. And ultimately Nintendo and all of the publishers making Wii games are businesses out to make money. Good for them.
There are three other home consoles and two portables, there is no shortage of gaming for those that dislike "bloated minigames."
cybereal
dowingba
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Why are they calling it "We Ski" in NA? That is the stupidest possible name, and there was really no reason to change it from the Japanese name.
Anyway whatever, this just stinks of more crap minigame crap on the Wii. At this point, anything that advertises "Mii support" automatically makes my stomach hurt.
dowingba
coconutdelight
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
I'm really looking forward to this, of course i'm in the uk so who knows when it'll get here but we're getting wii fit early so, fingers crossed.
Also I think it should be a banning offence to comment
'omg look at teh graphics, it looks like a gamecube game' after every wii related post, it's incredible boring and no-one really cares
coconutdelight
Onizuka-GTO
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
do want.
Onizuka-GTO
elpoepFTW
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
How would you guys feel about a surfing game?
elpoepFTW
Mr.SithNinja
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@HigglyPiggly: No the article says you bet for burgers. That thing below the burger is a hand holding up a plate .
Mr.SithNinja
HigglyPiggly
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
I think the burger is there to show how much you've burned off. When you've burned off enough calories equivalent to a hamburger, it goes away. Look at the squashed skier right below it. I think that's it.
HigglyPiggly
jackal888
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
I can just see grandma bending over in front the kids.Oh the sexual nightmares they will have.
jackal888
AsWater
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@Mr.SithNinja: The burger is there to appeal to western audiences.
AsWater
BassForever
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
This looks like an interesting concept, hope there's more to it though.
BassForever
gamadaya
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
The screen looks... good. Are we sure this is on the Wii? I mean, I know it's out for the Wii already, but still...
gamadaya
phinehas
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
And right on cue are some of the naysayers who haven't even seen this game in action before they judge it. And even that's not an accurate representation of how fun a game could be.
I saw this at a store a few weeks back, and it actually looked pretty fun. At first I thought it was part of the Wii Fit package, but it seemed too meaty to be a part of the minigame package. The controls seemed to work very well, too. Would be interested to at least try it out.
phinehas
Torgen thinks AAA means “Costs $60”
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@stealthpengu: In other words, skiing game is great if you avoid the trees... just like real skiing.
Torgen thinks AAA means “Costs $60”
Fnor
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
"One word, one number: Factor 5"
Wouldn't that be "two words, one of which is a number?"
Fnor
smitty1123
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@Netnavi: One word, one number: Factor 5
You just know they'll be out to prove something with whatever their first Wii game is.
smitty1123
stealthpengu
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
for anyone who hasn't watched vids of this in action... it all looks pretty nice, except for the trees... they're sprites and look absolutely terrible close up >_<;
stealthpengu
Huxle
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Booo
Huxle
NitrousO
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@ShaggE: D: Imagine if they put the yeti in this game. This kid friendly game would suddenly begin scarring small children for life. I can just imagine the yeti bouncing up and down on the screen with a child crying.
NitrousO
Mr.SithNinja
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@Netnavi: Nintendo blew all shot at legitimacy with the Wii version of Twilight Princess looking exactly the same as the Cube version. I agree it has potential to have some nice looking games but they will all be in the Mario genre and art style. RE4 looked good but not much better than the Cube. Devs are just going to keep churning out these kind of bloated mini games because they are cheap to make and will sell with the now popular Wii gimick.
Mr.SithNinja
chimlee
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Can we turn the BB sideways and make it Wii Snowboarding?!
chimlee
Mr.SithNinja
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
If this is for the Wii-Fit then why is there a tasty looking burger there tempting you to eat in an un-fit manner?? The irony is making my head explode... You make bets for burgers?? Are you trying to lose all of your burgers and win salads?? The contradiction is killing me!!
Mr.SithNinja
the-hypnotoad
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@Torgen thinks AAA means "Costs $60": You've embiggened the Kotaku forums with your observation
the-hypnotoad
Natpalm
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
We Ski? WHY IS THEIR TITLE NOT A WII PUN!??
Natpalm
t0yrobo
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@ShaggE: Agreed.
t0yrobo
vernichter
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
I read "press-release-action-right-after-this" as some sort of button mashing sequence. I've been playing far too many games...
vernichter
Netnavi
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Really good textures for the snow. I never played amped 3 for 360 (Has there really been any other ski/snowboarding games since then?)and I think this looks pretty good.
IMO I think the Wii has some really untapped potential for some greater graphics than we have seen. I really wish someone would just go all out and make a game that can't be confused for a Gamecube game. but it will never happen.
Netnavi
jun581
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
for some reason, i keep thinking about Final Fantasy VII's ski mini game.
jun581
Camzor
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@ShaggE: Absolutely correct.
Camzor
Torgen thinks AAA means “Costs $60”
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@jiffy: I don't see the problem with Family Ski. I mean, the franchise doesn't have the cachet here, but it's a perfectly cromulent name.
Torgen thinks AAA means “Costs $60”
ShaggE
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
SkiFree is the only true skiing game.
ShaggE
Mr.SithNinja
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
I don't get it... Do you ski for food or is the burger a power up of some kind???
Mr.SithNinja
HarmanSmith
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@egyptomix: couldnt agree more about the graphics. I reckon this could be a laugh. Now if they'd just take bloody mii's out of everything!
HarmanSmith
silkylove
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
@NitrousO:
I used to play Slalom on the NES for hours.
silkylove
jiffy
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Shouldn't that be 'Wii Ski'?
Or maybe "We Skii"?
:P
jiffy
silkylove
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
Hmmm...I wonder if you can take the hamburger in the hot tub? If you can then I'm sold.
silkylove
NitrousO
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
You cant possibly play this game for more than twenty minutes becoming bored with it...
NitrousO
egyptomix
Posted 5:31 AM 6/3/08
That actually looks very pretty.
Also, that hamburger in the top right looks mouthwatering. Very intriguing indeed....
egyptomix
freespeech
Posted 10:16 PM 19/3/08
what better way to get you down a mountain safer (and faster) then the knowledge that you'll get a cheeseburger at the bottom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
freespeech