Carnival Games is one of the newest mini-game ensembles to hit the Wii and while the concept might seem interesting and enticing, sadly it largely fails to entertain. There are lots of fun games to choose from, including all time favourites like Ring Toss and Test Your Strength, but after a few goes that fun just goes straight out the window and unlike real carnivals, these games are just too easy and some have some very awkward controls.

When initially starting Carnival Games you are welcomed by the main entertainer, a guy with a cheesy smile and a moustache. From here you can go on to play single player or multiplayer. Each player can create their own character, which can be personalised with different hair colours and clothes - and later on you can unlock goofy accessories like elephant's feet or a sheriff badge! From here you can enter one of the six alleys available, which include Fortune Way, Love Lane and Lucky Pass. Split across these alleys you'll find the twenty-five mini-games available to you, from throwing balls at evil clown faces to popping balloons with darts.

The Wii controls are something of a mixed bag and if you want to get a good prize then you need to learn how to use the Wiimote properly. Games like Bowler Coaster and Buckets of Fun prove this. In Buckets of Fun you need to throw your ball into the bucket without it falling out. Using the Wiimote, you need to make an underarm throwing motion and also make sure you do this at the right speed; if your motion is too fast then the ball will fall out of the bucket, but too soft and it won't even make it to the bucket! It's hit and miss to say the least. However, games like the Shooting Gallery for example only need a little bit of skill and a steady hand to shoot at the ducks with, making for a difficulty level that's all over the place.

When you play Carnival Games you really want it to be good, because as games go it's pretty unique and the concept is perfectly suited to the Wii. However, while some of the games are good fun for a short while, the majority are let down by basic manoeuvres and poor graphics. One of my personal favourites is Day at the Races, where you compete with others to get your horse across the line first. This is done by tossing balls into holes, but trying to aim at the holes that have the highest values. A game like Day at the Races will keep you playing for a while, but games like Nerves of Steel just drive you away, with awkward controls that quickly annoy when you can't even get past the first part.

Depending on how well you do, after each game you receive a prize that's small, medium or large and also some tickets that can be used on games or even to purchase extra items to style your character with. So, if you receive four small prizes in one game these can be exchanged for a big virtual prize, such as a big cuddly bear, which can then be viewed in the Prize Boulevard. When you click on it you can see it close up and with the press of the A button it rotates and make a noise. Ahhhh, bless! While it's a nice touch that you can view what you've won, these prizes aren't really a great incentive to do well at the different carnival games. Some games don't yield prizes though, instead you just play for fun, with rewards like getting your fortune told or taking a love test to see how compatible you are! These games are a nice feature but the novelty runs out too fast. There are also two Super Games in each alley, which can be unlocked when you receive a jumbo prize from certain games - now there's a prize worth playing for. Or not, because if you received a jumbo prize for the Pigskin Pass game for example, you simply unlock Super Pigskin Pass, which is meant to be trickier but in fact isn't. Oh well.

When playing in multiplayer mode you can play Head to Head or in Competition Mode, the only difference being that Head to Head allows you to select the games you're going to play while Competition randomly selects five games to compete in. After each round a leaderboard appears showing how each player is doing. Given that this is a party game, multiplayer is without doubt more fun than single player, but while you might have a few chuckles with some friends, the novelty wears out very quickly - just like a real carnival, I suppose!

Another problem is that it's no use having a wide range of mini-games if they're not up to scratch - and sadly the graphics in Carnival Games definitely aren't. If this was a game on an older console then its visuals would be acceptable, but the Wii is at least a little next generation and deserves games that show off what it can handle! The graphics seem squashed together and grainy, while characters are poorly drawn too. Sure, the Wii was developed for an emphasis on gameplay over graphics, but this title doesn't place well in either category.

At least the sound department doesn't let the side down though; the music playing through most of the game makes you feel like you are at the carnival, with its cheesy but fun melodies and authentic carnie style. The voiceovers for the carnies are spot on as well; they sound convincing, as if they really want you to come over and play their game - and when you lose they start making fun of you too! The sound effects in each game are convincing too, like the crashing of a milk bottle you've knocked over or the splash of the water you're spraying at those nasty clowns. The sound definitely help the overall atmosphere of the game more than the graphics, but it's not enough to make up for the mediocre visuals and gameplay that's quick to wear thin.

Carnival Games is one of those games that you want to love for its unique appeal and for trying something different, but it just feels rushed and only half-completed. Sure, it does give you the feeling that you're at the carnival, especially with the music and the tacky prizes on offer, but it's just not enough. If you regularly have friends and family gather around your Wii for some multiplayer mayhem then there's some short-lived fun to be had here and so it's possibly worth taking a look considering its near budget price point. However, there are better mini-game titles that deserve to be checked out first, like the wonderful Warioware, and if you're mainly a solo gamer then you should give this a miss like those prizes you're trying to hoop at the fair.

Reviewed by Gina Harrison for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).