Game Details

ESRB Rating: 

E (Everyone)

Number of Players: 

1-4

With some games, you'll find yourself playing it for awhile, then putting it on the shelf and bringing out months later. Destineer's We Wish You a Merry Christmas for Wii is designed specifically for just that. Note that this game was designed to be used during the month of December, so if you're planning to pick it up, put away those "Do Not Open 'til Christmas" tags, and open it right away. At $20, you can pick it up and play it all month long to stay in the festive mood, and yes, it's worth buying.

Essentially, the game is a collection of Christmas-themed mini-games and activities. (Yes, "Christmas" in the title is no accident—don't come looking for other winter holidays here.) The menu consists of a living room, and each item in the room represents either an activity or a group of activities.

Hung by the chimney with care, stockings represent each of four players' saved games (only four, though, so larger families will have to share). This same fireplace allows players to add an infinite number of logs to stoke the fire, then grab a stick and roast some marshmallows. As players hold the Wiimote, a stick moves accordingly, and marshmallows get browner slowly until they burn (although they never ignite). This activity seems so inane, yet it fascinated my 11-year-old. I guess everyone has different tastes, so to speak.

Above the fireplace, a radio offers a collection of Christmas songs to sing along with, karaoke style, with colored words to follow. Note that the music includes both secular (Jingle Bells) and sacred (Oh Come All Ye Faithful) carols, which some will appreciate and others not so much.

Players can lie down on the rug with books and paper to play Elf Hunt (I Spy), put stickers in a Sticker Book, and even write a Letter to Santa by filling in blanks with details like name and desired items, and after sending the letter, kids can expect a response.

Moving over to the hutch, players find a collection of games, both cooperative and competitive.

• Deck the Halls: Similar to Tetris, but turn-based and unique in layout, players group similar items, like ornaments, gifts, and snowmen, to clear them off before they reach the other end of the board.
  
• Present Catch: Elves bounce falling presents into Santa's sack, like a cross between Breakout and the classic Atari 2600 game, Kaboom.
  
• Santa's Sleigh: Point to catch falling presents, then fire the caught presents at passing houses to deliver them from the sleigh.
  
• Reindeer Games: Point on the screen, and a reindeer follows a star, bouncing off presents to go higher. (Yes, it sounds confusing, but it's intuitive once you try it.)
• Hot Chocolate: In this memory game, create hot chocolate to order for the elves with extras like cream, sprinkles & cinnamon sticks.
• Candy Cane Lanes: This is elf bowling, but the elves giggle when hit with the ball, and the game assures players that it just tickles them.
  

Players also have access to a classic Advent Calendar, and each of the 25 days of December (using the Wii's system clock) can be opened on the appropriate day, revealing items that can be used in other parts of the game, which our kids thought were pretty cool.

And what Christmas game would be complete without a tree to decorate? Players add lights, ornaments, garland, and a topper (Angel, star, or spire).

Most of the activities start with a certain number of parts available, and by playing other parts of the game, they unlock more items, like tree ornaments or Elf Hunt scenes.

I already gave it away in the beginning, like a kid who can't wait to open his gifts, but this collection, with both cooperative and competitive modes, offers something for everyone. The youngest members of the family will enjoy roasting marshmallows and placing stickers, and teens and adults will each have their favorite games. Little touches like choosing nutcrackers for numbers of players adds to the atmosphere of the game. Pick it up, and you'll come back to it all month.