Babysitting Mama Wii
Michelle Benitone
Babysitting Mama is an entry in the Mama series where the player has to take care of a baby through different mini-games. The game comes optionally with a plush baby doll (also available separately) with a gap in the back where the Wii Remote can be inserted. The Wii Remote is then connected to the Nunchuck so the game recognizes movement of the doll combined with the analog stick and buttons of the Nunchuk for the main controls. It is also possible to play without the doll.
The game progresses through many different mini-games such as taking pictures of the baby, feeding, washing, burping, rocking it to sleep, changing diapers, playing with a seesaw or a mobile, stopping it from crying etc. Each mini-game has a different lay-out and controls, often based on timing correctly with room for a few mistakes. Based on the final result a bronze, silver or gold medal is awarded. If the movement of the plush doll is too violent, the game pauses briefly and displays a warning. There are multiple environment such as inside the house or outside in the park. There are six babies to choose from, unlocked gradually: Daniel, Emma, Koyuki, Lucy, William and Yuto, each with their own baby book with six pages to unlock.
Other types of mini-games include feeding multiple babies at once, a crawling race, pushing a swing, a simplified tug-of-war or collecting bottles. The mini-games can be practiced in a training mode and by completing them in the story mode various unlockables are opened up. The game is split up into several levels (pages) with four to five mini-games each. Some of the mini-games are based around mama when she has to swat flies or climb a tree to retrieve her hat. The game has a versus mode for two players simultaneously, each controlling their own doll. After completing the game it is possible to view an album with pictures of all of the baby's activities.
Introducing a brand new way to play Mama on Wii! Babysitting Mama includes a plush baby doll that you tuck the Wii Remote into, turning the doll itself into your controller for the game. With Mama's help you can take care of your baby and be the best Mama you can possibly be in several babysitting-related minigames!
Mama certainly does get around. The hero of domestication has already tackled cooking and gardening with flourish, but now she's going after the very thing that christened her "mama" to begin with: babies. Don't worry, this isn't a simulation on giving birth. Instead, it's about babysitting a newborn. Players have to watch a baby from when it first wakes up in the morning all the way until it closes its eyes at the end of the night--and the many hours in between. This minigame collection looks to follow in the footsteps of its forebearers, giving players a number of realistic and goofy situations in which to compete.
The most important aspect of this Wii game isn't located on the disc; rather, it's the special item that's also packed in the box. Every copy of Babysitting Mama comes with a life-sized, plush doll of a baby. You stick the Wii Remote into its back and then you have a motion-sensing, crying baby to call your own. For kids who may not understand that real-life babies hate to be shaken, the game warns players at boot up that babies, both in and out of the game, should be handled with care. The design for the packed-in baby is not yet finalized, but it doesn't look particularly realistic, going for a silly, big-eyed aesthetic now.
The first minigame we saw involved waking the baby up for the day. Here, you hold the baby (with remote tucked firmly in its back) and sway and move it to wake it up. Onscreen arrows indicate the direction you need to move, and you're rewarded for moving in time with the right amount of force. There are also grooming games, such as diaper changing and hair washing, though we didn't get a chance to see those in action. Instead, we saw a lighthearted activity that tired out an overactive baby. Mama invited another baby over to her house to have it compete in a race with her own. This was controlled with the nunchuk, with power-ups to nab and obstacles to avoid to get to the finish line first. Who says mama doesn't have a sense of humor? As long as she isn't gambling on the outcome, it's all good.
There are six different babies to choose from, each with a unique look and a different set of activities. Babysitting Mama is currently scheduled for release this winter. And don't worry that the packed-in baby will bump the price sky high. Even with the plush doll, this is $40.
Mama makes her babysitting debut in an inventive game that lets players use the Wii Remote in a whole new way! By tucking the Wii Remote into the back of the plush baby included with the game, girls can play the game as they play with the doll. Players can enjoy more than 40 activities using the doll and Nunchuk much more. Babysitting Mama features six unique babies, each with his or her own personality and needs, along with a range of indoor and outdoor environments that Mama and baby can play in. The game even supports two-player mode, because when it comes to newborns, Mama could use some help!
c80f0f1006