Review Guide

The Wiire understands there is a wide variety of gamers out there: Whether the casual; hardcore; parent or spouse of a gamer; or one generally passing by, a review system should reflect the mindset of every potential gamer. We, The Wiire staff, vow to provide accessible, informative, and thorough criticism to a wide variety of game players and consumers, catering to the masses rather than a select group. Using the same standards of accuracy and professionalism we apply to our news reporting, the staff wants nothing more than to help you decide how to best spend your time (and often money!) playing games.

Like Nintendo, we are not looking to compete with and regurgitate an existing system without trying something new. We realize there are other reputable Web sites and magazines rating the same games we are, so our goal is to provide a new and innovative critical method to the industry. Catering to all people across all demographics, The Wiire staff strives to create a welcoming review structure for everyone.

Read the FAQ below for more details on the review system.

How will games be rated?

At the end of a review, games will be given an aggregate score (and corresponding letter grade) designed to be roughly indicative of its overall quality. In addition to an A-F scoring, The Wiire also identifies games featuring individually impressive features with special awards.

How are scores determined?

Games are scored on a 100-point scale featuring the following categories:

Presentation: 30 points
Gameplay: 30 points
Value: 30 points
Tilt: +/- 10 points

The scores correspond to the following letter-grades:

100	99-89	88-86	85-82	81-78	77-75	74-70	69-64	63-59	58-52	51-45	44-38	<38

What do the categories mean?

• Presentation refers to the audio, visual, and narrative aspects of the game, in technical, aesthetic, and stylistic terms.
• Gameplay refers to, in short, to how well the game works and how much fun it is to play. Factors that go into deciding gameplay include things like the design and responsiveness of the controls, the implementation and execution of game mechanics, and how compelling and evocative the experience is.
• Value refers to how much lasting appeal a game has. The amount, variety, and quality of content in a given game factor heavily into its value. A game's initial retail price can also factor into its value, though a lower-priced game will not necessarily receive a high value score if its content is poor.
• Tilt allows the reviewer to adjust a game's final score to ensure accurate, appropriate comparison between titles over the course of the console's lifespan.

How does Tilt work?

Tilt, for better or worse, is seen as extra credit. The core of the grading scale is 90 points, with 10 additional points available for the reviewer to swing the score either higher or lower based on how the game in question relates to the rest of the games on the market.

Nintendo plans to upgrade the console's firmware several times over the years. Due to the unforseeable nature of these changes, The Wiire provides an optional Tilt rating to ensure a fair grading system throughout the console's life. Maybe one game was really amazing at launch, but what if its sequel implements features never expected, and goes above and beyond the launch titles? This system helps evaluate those features. Tilt analyzes, but is not limited to, use of the following: WiiConnect24; MP3 capabilities; Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection; integration with the Channel system; downloadable content or other upgrades; and any other factor relative to the unforseen future of the console.

On the other hand, a game may lose points in Tilt if a system is old or regurgitated. Let's say a revolutionary game comes out for the Wii, and two years later a sequel is released with nearly the same graphics and gameplay. While they are both similar games, Tilt allows a reviewer to say, "hey wait, you can get that same experience in a bargain bin at a local store!"

If a game exceeds all expectations and is able to score a +10 in Tilt after securing the initial 90 points, that game will receive the legendary A+. Any game receiving this score is not only a must-have title, but is virtually guaranteed to be remembered throughout the history of gaming. This elusive rating will be used to indicate perfection.

Is one category more important than the others?

That depends on what you think, not us. Our review system reflects the opinion that no aspect of Presentation, Gameplay, or Value is more important than another. As you can see, they are all weighted equally in the system. However, if you feel like you only want to play games with superior graphics, or get the most bang for your buck, then you may weight our scores differently when deciding whether or not to play a game.

How will scores be explained?

If you read a review in its entirety, the reason behind its score should be abundantly clear.

Which awards can games receive?

All games are eligible for the following awards, provided they meet their listed criteria:

What do the awards mean?

The awards were designed to be a quick and easy reference to see what, if anything, certain games excel at. Awards will also help you find similar games based on your preferences. Remember that just because a game excels in a certain area does not make it a good game overall. Rather, the awards can be interpreted as merit in a particular aspect of game design. If a game has received an award noting an aspect of game design that is important to you, perhaps you should consider playing that game.

Can a game receive more than one award?

Yes. A game with outstanding audio and visual qualities, for example, may receive both the Audio Award and Eye Candy award.

How could you give a multiplatform game a good score in presentation? The game is on PS3 and 360, and the graphics are better!

The Wiire understands that there are more gaming options out there than Wii. In fact, you can play games on the very computer you're reading these words on. But, The Wiire is a site exclusively dedicated to covering the Wii. With that, the Wiire holds all technical evaluation of a game to the standards and capabilities of the Wii hardware.

Games are also evaluated against the standards of their genre. A sports game wouldn't be penalized for lacking an enthralling narrative, and a game designed for children wouldn't be penalized for lacking extensive micromanagement options common to turn-based strategy games.

So when you review games, all you care about is Wii and its software library?

Not necessarily. Our reviewers are expected to be well-versed in trends, content, and paradigms industry-wide. There are certain aspects of game design and the games industry that transcend platforms and technology, and The Wiire will take these into account when reviewing games. If a game looks awful for the console, it will be noted as such.

Are reviews done by more than one person?

Anyone on The Wiire's staff can write a review, but only one person will work on an individual game review. In other words, two people won't split up one game's review, to ensure consistency and fairness.

How do you decide who does each review?

We assign reviews to the reviewer best equipped to get the job done in a fair, authoritative manner. This means that a reviewer has some sort of expertise in the series, genre, or source material. We might also assign reviews to people who have a particular affinity for a game's source material; we feel inherent enthusiasm for the product being reviewed can be beneficial for a review, as long as that enthusiasm doesn't manifest itself in a bias that prevents the reviewer from doing a fair, critical job.

Who is your target audience?

In short, we strive to cater our reviews to everyone across all demographics. Maybe you're new to gaming and Wii is your first console. Maybe you camped out in line on November 19th, 2006 (or even earlier for pre-orders!) to be the first in your community with Wii – you're a hardcore gamer who knows your stuff and you're proud of the fact. Maybe you're a casual gamer who just likes to play for fun every now and again.

Or, maybe you're an old-school gamer, a retro aficionado with a taste for the classics who's looking for a bit of nostalgia or recommendations for games featuring a tried-and-true experience. Maybe you're an avant-garde gamer who is looking for only the newest, quirkiest, cutting-edge material.

Maybe you're someone looking to get your whole family involved in gaming as a bonding experience. Maybe you're interested in gaming but not sure where to start. Maybe you're a parent or a friend of a gamer who knows nothing about gaming but wants to find the right gift for a special someone, or maybe even want to learn a thing or two yourself without being overwhelmed with technical jargon. Whomever you are or whatever you're looking for in video game reviews, you can find it at The Wiire.