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Link's Crossbow Training
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Shooter
Release: November 19, 2007
Platform: Wii
Reviewer: Eric
 The
last set of mini games we got with a Nintendo product was Wii Play (see
Wii Play
review). All of those mini games were boring and actually was not worth the
extra money. But since the people are Nintendo are smart that was the only way
to get a Wii Mote then and now the only way to get an official licensed Wii
Zapper is by paying $20 for the Zapper and Link’s Crossbow Training. Is this a
repeat or do these mini games last longer than an hour?
Link’s Crossbow training has ten fairly entertaining mini games. You are Link,
our favorite sword wielding Nintendo character. Whatever reason Link uses a
crossbow to shoot at different targets, throughout ten stages, each with three
short games. When was the last time Link used a crossbow?
Since you can only get this game by purchasing the Wii Zapper it would only be
fair to review the Zapper as well. This bulky device makes you attach both a Wii
Mote and Nunchuk. Snapping in the Wii Mote is easy, but putting in the Nunchuk
is a bit of a pain. In order for this to snap in as well you have to open a
little compartment and wrap the cord around a little stick.
What was Nintendo thinking? When I tried to slide off the case to wrap the cord
around it flew off and smacked me right in my face. This has happened to me
twice so far and I know that I’m not that clumsy. Once you have everything
snapped in you will never want to take it apart. This isn’t a problem, but with
Super Smash Brothers Brawl coming out in a week you might need that extra Wii
Mote and Nunchuk. The Wii Mote is easy to take out, it slides in and out, but
that Nunchuk can be a pain in the ass.
 The
Wii Zapper looks way too big for any child to use. One thing I did notice though
it actually works pretty well. You feel like a complete idiot holding it, there
is no way in hell somebody would hold a gun like this in real life. The Wii
Zapper doesn’t have the same appeal the original Zapper did on the NES, but
Nintendo had to change the design just so the damn Wii Mote could be used.
You’re telling me a separate Zapper couldn’t have been made that used the same
sensor, which sits either on top or below our television?
All of the mini games on Link’s Crossbow training are fun for about the first
three levels. After these levels are done you will start to realize that they
are all the same. The only thing different are the backgrounds and how your
targets come out. Instead of the targets coming right in your face in the first
stage you might have to shoot down birds that are carrying the targets. There
isn’t a whole lot of variety here, but for $20 you can’t complain that much.
Some of these mini games are extremely frustrating. Some of the games actually
have you moving Link around to kill an enemy, which sounds really cool. Moving
Link around with the Wii Zapper is the hardest thing I might have ever done with
any Wii game. Normal people are going to jerk the Zapper left and right to move,
which only makes Link turn his head back and forth real fast. You have to use
the Nunchuk and move the Zapper at the same time in order to move Link around.
Link never wants to move around as fast as you control him. To make things worse
enemies will shoot you from any direction possible. Anytime you get hit that
takes off so many points from your score. About the time you are ready to kill
the enemy you will gain enough points for all of them you just lost. These mini
games ruin the one hour of game play that’s on Link’s Crossbow training. If you
can figure out how to play this game then you rock at life.
 In
order to play all of the ten stages you will have to earn a medal in each of the
events. This can add some replay value to the game, but with one sitting I
earned a medal in each event. When I went back again I at least had a silver
medal in everything. Link’s Crossbow Training is not the party game Wii fans
have been looking forward too.
The graphics have the same feel as Twilight Princess. The only bad part about
the games graphics is we don’t get to see a whole lot. Even though the stages
have different backgrounds your eyes are going to get bored real fast. Again how
much can you expect from a game that comes bundled with the Wii Zapper?
Final Verdict
For $20 this is a steal…for now. Other guns are either out or are coming out
soon for the Nintendo Wii. If you only can own official Nintendo products then
you might as well buy this bundle. Link’s Crossbow Training is a fun game for
about an hour, but once you beat it there is no need to put it back on. Nice try
Nintendo, but next time maybe you want to add more to the free game or charge
people a whole lot less. Link’s Crossbow Training feels like a glamorized tech
demo.
Rating
7 out of 10
Link's Crossbow Training Trailer
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