Family Game Night 4: The Game Show

Cert: 3
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii
Genre: Family, game show

Watch the trailer Here

Insert your own 'just what the Wii needs, a collection of Mini-games' joke here because EA are releasing another batch of family 'fun' based on Hasbro games. Up to two players can play five different game types (Yahtzee, Connect 4, Sorry, Pop it! and Boggle) or compete in the game show hosted by Mr Potato Head where you ... play the same five games.

Each gameplay mode is played with a unique gimmick, for example: Yahtzee Bowling where you knock over bowling pins rather than throw dice. In some cases they can add a bit of fun to the mix (Connect 4 Basketball is initially good when played competitively) but most do not and in the case of Sorry there is nothing left of the original game and instead you play bowls with the Sorry game pieces. If played outside of the game show mode, there is an extra variation to each challenge. These changes offer either no extra enjoyment and in some cases make it significantly less enjoyable to play.

The game show mode offers no variety and will begin to frustrate after your first round. For a game called family night it seems odd to have a cap of two players. This is a necessity for many of the individual games but one wonders why an option could not have been included to allow for teams to play and randomly select a member from each team per round.

This is about as lazy a game you could possibly make. With the exception of Boggle and, to a lesser degree, Connect 4, I was bored of each game mode after the first go. The music, commentary and between game animation will soon frustrate and I can't imagine anyone desiring to put the disc back in their Wii once removed. Do not buy, do not rent, do not even play it at someone else's house. Avoid at all costs.

Rent or Buy: Rent
Graphics: 1/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Replay Value: 0/5

Overall: 1/5

Reviewed by: JP Gallagher