Published: Tuesday, 7th October, 2008 09:30
Samba de Amigo
By Narin Bahar
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There are some games which I pick up with a heavy heart. While they may be brilliantly coded and exciting for their core demographic, the basic premise doesn't appeal so I play them grudgingly.
But then a game drops onto my desk where you have to play maracas as a sombrero wearing Spanish monkey and I'm pretty much counting down the minutes till I can go home and throw it in the Wii.
In what may be the most bonkers Wii release of the year, Samba de Amigo sees you play as Amigo, a surprising rhythmic monkey with a love for latin beats. Waggle your Wiimote and nunchuk in the right rhythm at the right height to ensure the playlist of songs benefit from perfect percussion, getting points and glory along the way. The better you perform the wilder the party gets – the screen flashes, characters dance around you and the monkey's smile gets wider and wider. It's as mad as it sounds but the exuberant graphics make for a charming and genuinely fun game – just try not to laugh too hard as it'll make it harder to hit the high notes, especially in the harder modes.
Career mode is the usual grind where you can work through the playlist, but the other game modes include the inevitable minigames and multiplayer which is where things really come into their own, giving you a chance to laugh at other people busting moves like they're directing traffic. Comedy gold.
With a great soundtrack of songs including covers of hits by Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, and the Gypsy Kings this is perfect for playing with friends and family.
Five stars out of five.
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