Fun4All
Encyclopedia
Fun4All is a brand
made by Activision
for their line of family-friendly video games for the Wii
. The brand launched in Europe on February 13, 2009 and is currently exclusive to PAL territories
. Activision planned to launch a similar brand in North America called "Wee 1st", but decided later to name it "Designed Exclusively for Wii". There are currently 6 titles that are a part of the Fun4All-brand.
, Block Party, Pirates: Hunt for Blackbeard's Booty and World Championship Sports (Big League Sports). Games branded "Designed Exclusively for Wii" are Monkey Mischief, Block Party, and Pirates: Hunt for Blackbeard's Booty.
as World Championship Sports, is a sports video game
published by Activision. It was developed by Koolhaus Games, who also developed the iPad
version of Madden NFL 11
. It was released on November 11, 2008 in North America and on February 13 in Europe.
Big League Sports is about putting players right into the action in the most thrilling situations in their favorite sports. There are multiple disciplines to master within tennis, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse and hockey. But unlike other games the focus is not on the team – it's on whether or not you can deliver in specific, adrenaline-pumping moments. Whether it's acing an opponent in tennis, hitting a basketball shot at the buzzer, or bending free kicks around a goalie in soccer, Big League Sports offers a fresh interpretation of what a sports game can be on Wii. Big League Sports features a total of 22 events. The game supports up to 4-player local multiplayer. A character creation feature allows players to craft a character to their liking with dozens of customization options. Players can view their statistics and overall progress, as well as the trophies they have won.
, Quick Play mode for multiplayer and Tournament mode for "the ultimate multiplayer experience".
and the Nintendo DS
by Activision
. It is the first game in history to be officially licensed by Little League baseball. Its design mirrors MLB Power Pros
and its sequel MLB Power Pros 2008
. The gameplay is also similar to the baseball game in Wii Sports
.
The game begins when a player is taken to a main menu. They there can choose several different options, including World Series
mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.
The game has an extensive array of minigames called "Skill Challenges", which range from the power-hitting home run tourney to the accuracy-important Tic-tac-toe
.
as Monkey Mischief!, is a party video game developed by the Baltic
-based video game developer, Ivolgamus, and published by Activision. It was released on November 11, 2008 in North America and on February 13, 2009 in Europe. Set at a local zoo that has been shut down for the night, Monkey Mischief revolves around a group of troublesome monkeys, who have escaped and are determined to cause havoc on the other animals in the zoo.
In Monkey Mischief! Party Time, each minigame
has specific controls. You play the game with either the Wii Remote
or Wii Remote with Nunchuk attachment. The controls for each mini-game are explained in the instructions given before each game. The goal of the game is to cause as much mischief as possible by playing comical mini-games. The game contains 20 different mini-games. You can choose between four different monkeys who have their own individual humor and physical characteristics, such as haircut, color, height and more.
The game feature both single-player and multiplayer
modes of play. In single-player mode, the player chooses one of the four different monkeys to play as through 20 mini-games. Playing these mini-games unlock them for multiplayer use supporting up to three other players. In multiplayer, each player is one of the four different monkeys. You play through the same locations as in the Single Player Mode. There are four different locations within the zoo.
was very negative towards the brand after the initial announcement. Other news outlets seemed generally negative towards the brand. GoNintendo.com said: "Sometimes...the jokes just make themselves."
Monkey Mischief! Party Time received mostly unfavorable reviews. The game was criticized for its lack of creativity, polish and lack of fun. Most reviewers also noted that the game had unbearable long and irritating loading screens. Adam Ballard from IGN said in his review that the game was "just another member of the long line of mini-game garbage titles put out for the Wii" and that the load screens in Monkey Mischief! Party Time are more annoying than the dog in Duck Hunt
. Derek from Classic Game Room
said that the game was "a low-budget, half-baked slice of unoriginal Wii development at its worst". He also claimed it to be identical to Block Party, a game developed and published by the same company.
Big League Sports received generally unfavorable reviews after its launch. Many reviewers criticised the game for its lack of variety and overall lack of polish, good ideas and controls. IGN
's Aaron Thornton said in his review that most games revolve around flailing your arms around constantly. He also noted that most of the games felt similar and criticised the lack of variety. GameChronicles.com said in their review that Big League Sports is "a miserable game that should rather be released as a $10 WiiWare game" and that the game should be avoided at all costs.
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
made by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
for their line of family-friendly video games for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. The brand launched in Europe on February 13, 2009 and is currently exclusive to PAL territories
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
. Activision planned to launch a similar brand in North America called "Wee 1st", but decided later to name it "Designed Exclusively for Wii". There are currently 6 titles that are a part of the Fun4All-brand.
Games
Fun4All games consist of Monkey Mischief! Party Time, Little League World Series Baseball 2008, Pitfall: The Big AdventurePitfall: The Lost Expedition
Pitfall: The Lost Expedition is an action-adventure video game for the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. It was released by Activision on February 18, 2004 in North America and February 20, 2004 in the PAL region. The PC version was released on October 15, 2004 only in North...
, Block Party, Pirates: Hunt for Blackbeard's Booty and World Championship Sports (Big League Sports). Games branded "Designed Exclusively for Wii" are Monkey Mischief, Block Party, and Pirates: Hunt for Blackbeard's Booty.
Big League Sports
Big League Sports, known in PAL territoriesPAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
as World Championship Sports, is a sports video game
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
published by Activision. It was developed by Koolhaus Games, who also developed the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
version of Madden NFL 11
Madden NFL 11
Madden NFL 11 is an American football video game based on the National Football League published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 22nd annual installment in the bestselling Madden NFL video game franchise. It was released on August 10, 2010 in North America, and on August 13 in...
. It was released on November 11, 2008 in North America and on February 13 in Europe.
Big League Sports is about putting players right into the action in the most thrilling situations in their favorite sports. There are multiple disciplines to master within tennis, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse and hockey. But unlike other games the focus is not on the team – it's on whether or not you can deliver in specific, adrenaline-pumping moments. Whether it's acing an opponent in tennis, hitting a basketball shot at the buzzer, or bending free kicks around a goalie in soccer, Big League Sports offers a fresh interpretation of what a sports game can be on Wii. Big League Sports features a total of 22 events. The game supports up to 4-player local multiplayer. A character creation feature allows players to craft a character to their liking with dozens of customization options. Players can view their statistics and overall progress, as well as the trophies they have won.
Block Party
Block Party is a party video game developed by Ivolgamus and published by Activision. It was released on November 11, 2008 in North America and on February 13, 2009 in Europe. Block Party contains 20 different mini-games. Each mini-game controls different. You play using either the Wii Remote or Wii Remote with Nunchuk attachment. The controls for each mini-game are explained in the instructions given before each game. The goal of the game is to wreak havoc throughout the neighborhood and show your neighbors you have what it takes to be crowned the Best on the Block. The game features a number of different sorts of neighborhood games, such as Super-Sack Race, Backyard Juggling, Trampoline Tricks and Lawn Bowlin'. Block party features three different modes: Story Mode for Single playerSingle player
A Single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. "Single-player game" usually implies a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" usually refers to a game mode for a single player, where...
, Quick Play mode for multiplayer and Tournament mode for "the ultimate multiplayer experience".
Little League World Series Baseball 2008
Little League World Series Baseball 2008 is a video game released on August 5, 2008 for the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
. It is the first game in history to be officially licensed by Little League baseball. Its design mirrors MLB Power Pros
MLB Power Pros
MLB Power Pros is a baseball video game developed by Konami for the Wii and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. It is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games, and is the first game in the series to be released outside of Japan. It was released on October...
and its sequel MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008 is the sequel to MLB Power Pros. It is a baseball video game developed by Konami for Nintendo's Wii and the Sony PlayStation 2 video game consoles, as well as the Nintendo DS handheld, and is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games....
. The gameplay is also similar to the baseball game in Wii Sports
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...
.
The game begins when a player is taken to a main menu. They there can choose several different options, including World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
mode, exhibition mode and minigames. In World Series mode, a player chooses one of the 16 different regions, and tries to reach the Little League World Series by making it through pool play, then winning in the playoffs. In the Exhibition mode, a player can pit any two teams in the game against each other for a faster, less-complicated experience.
The game has an extensive array of minigames called "Skill Challenges", which range from the power-hitting home run tourney to the accuracy-important Tic-tac-toe
Tic-tac-toe
Tic-tac-toe, also called wick wack woe and noughts and crosses , is a pencil-and-paper game for two players, X and O, who take turns marking the spaces in a 3×3 grid. The X player usually goes first...
.
Monkey Mischief! Party Time
Monkey Mischief! Party Time, known in PAL territoriesPAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
as Monkey Mischief!, is a party video game developed by the Baltic
Baltic
-Northern Europe:* The Baltic Sea* Baltic states : Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia* The Baltic region, an ambiguous term referring to the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea...
-based video game developer, Ivolgamus, and published by Activision. It was released on November 11, 2008 in North America and on February 13, 2009 in Europe. Set at a local zoo that has been shut down for the night, Monkey Mischief revolves around a group of troublesome monkeys, who have escaped and are determined to cause havoc on the other animals in the zoo.
In Monkey Mischief! Party Time, each minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
has specific controls. You play the game with either the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
or Wii Remote with Nunchuk attachment. The controls for each mini-game are explained in the instructions given before each game. The goal of the game is to cause as much mischief as possible by playing comical mini-games. The game contains 20 different mini-games. You can choose between four different monkeys who have their own individual humor and physical characteristics, such as haircut, color, height and more.
The game feature both single-player and multiplayer
Multiplayer game
A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that put the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI-controlled opponents, which often...
modes of play. In single-player mode, the player chooses one of the four different monkeys to play as through 20 mini-games. Playing these mini-games unlock them for multiplayer use supporting up to three other players. In multiplayer, each player is one of the four different monkeys. You play through the same locations as in the Single Player Mode. There are four different locations within the zoo.
Reception
Most of the Fun4All-titles received generally unfavorable reviews. Only two of the games received mixed to generally favorable reviews. According to GameRankings, the best game under the brand is Little League World Series Baseball 2008 with an average score of 71,37%. KotakuKotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
was very negative towards the brand after the initial announcement. Other news outlets seemed generally negative towards the brand. GoNintendo.com said: "Sometimes...the jokes just make themselves."
Monkey Mischief! Party Time received mostly unfavorable reviews. The game was criticized for its lack of creativity, polish and lack of fun. Most reviewers also noted that the game had unbearable long and irritating loading screens. Adam Ballard from IGN said in his review that the game was "just another member of the long line of mini-game garbage titles put out for the Wii" and that the load screens in Monkey Mischief! Party Time are more annoying than the dog in Duck Hunt
Duck Hunt
is a video game for the Nintendo Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System game console system in which players use the NES Zapper to shoot ducks on screen for points. The game was developed and published by Nintendo, and was released in 1984 in Japan...
. Derek from Classic Game Room
Classic Game Room
Classic Game Room is a video game review show produced, directed, edited and hosted by Mark L. Bussler of Inecom, LLC. The show reviews both retro and modern video games and broadcasts its reviews via video-sharing website YouTube, under the screen name 'InecomCompany', named after Inecom, LLC...
said that the game was "a low-budget, half-baked slice of unoriginal Wii development at its worst". He also claimed it to be identical to Block Party, a game developed and published by the same company.
Big League Sports received generally unfavorable reviews after its launch. Many reviewers criticised the game for its lack of variety and overall lack of polish, good ideas and controls. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Aaron Thornton said in his review that most games revolve around flailing your arms around constantly. He also noted that most of the games felt similar and criticised the lack of variety. GameChronicles.com said in their review that Big League Sports is "a miserable game that should rather be released as a $10 WiiWare game" and that the game should be avoided at all costs.