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Nintendo’s Wii console has managed to pull in audiences that, until recently, had never tried gaming. Thought the Wii-mote and Nunchuk have managed to break down barriers, the games that are having the most success, like Wii Sports and to a lesser extent Wii Play, feature simpler controls that mimic real-life motions rather than an arbitrary motions or button presses. With this in mind, EA is introducing a new concept in their lineup of sports games called “Family Play.”
Family Play is aimed at making all of EA’s already popular sports franchises accessible to all players. The mode, which is optional, offers greater flexibility and make it easy for non-gamers to enjoy games. Instead of having to worry about all of the little nuances that more advanced players enjoy, Family Play enables players to only focus on the big movements. Not everyone can drop back, settle into the pocket and throw a 30-yard strike with a controller, but anyone who has ever watched a football game knows the basic motion for throwing a ball. Things like character movement are handled by the A.I. while the player worries about throwing, shooting or other movements that are activated using already familiar motions.
In addition to expanding audiences, another aim of Family Play is to get non-gamers comfortable enough with games that they will eventually want to try out the more complex controls. Family Play can be enabled at anytime by unplugging the Nunchuk attachment from the Wii-mote and can be activated in the same way without having to restart the game. A player can begin the game using just the remote and plug the Nunchuk in once they are ready.
Family Play will be enabled in three of EA’s biggest sports franchises, Madden 08, FIFA 08 and NBA Live 08. |
