Following on from the bundled and popular Wii Sports, EA Playground attempts to continue the trend for short, sharp sport/action based mini-game compilations.

While this worked superbly with Wii Sports and Wii Play – demonstrating the dynamic use of Nintendo’s revolutionary controller – EA’s attempt falls considerably short of the previously high yard stick set by the Big N. That said, the lethargic game speed and sedate gameplay of the seven mini-games (that essentially sap Playground of excitement for 90% of gamers out there) could be a distinct advantage when it comes to involving very young children in this year’s Christmas Day gaming celebrations.

Most of us will balk at the banality of the action and lacklustre settings, though a young gamer (and I’m talking 3 – 5 years old, here) would be able to make this system work and achieve a decent enough success rate to introduce them to the videogame world quite suitably.

The games consist of dodgeball, tetherball (us Brits will know that better as swingball), wall ball, slot car racing (Scalextric), dart shootout, kicks (dodgeball, only using your feet) and paper racers – the highlight of the bunch which involves using the remote like a toy plane; flying it around the room to guide your onscreen paper airplane around a playground-esque assault course. The majority of the other mini-games make very limited, up-down-left-right flicking use of the remote, though darts and paper racers does go someway toward lifting the title out of the doldrums.

An attempt has been made to add a little depth to the shallow waters of the gameplay (in which it’d be difficult to drown a mouse) by making certain moves unlockable through mild achievement. While this might almost induce a jolt of excitement for those young ‘uns the first time it happens, it ultimately means the early games are even more callow and less appealing than they could be, so EA’s attempt at spicing things up in this respect seems to have backfired.

Ultimately, EA Playground won’t appeal to any half-experienced gamers, but it could prove to be a lifesaver for any blokes out there who’ve wangled themselves a Wii this Christmas under the banner of a “family present” – assuming there are kids in your household under 6-years old. If there are, the wife will forgive you pretty quickly. If there aren’t, it’s yourself and your older kids who you’re going to have to make it up to – big time.