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" Also available on: N/AGenre: MusicDeveloper: Gearbox SoftwarePublisher: SegaRelease Date: September 26, 2008 When Sega brought arcade game Samba De Amigo to the Dreamcast console, complete with innovative (if not a tad expensive) Cha Cha Maracas set, it felt like a pretty unique package. Brightly coloured, energetic and downright fun, the game pleased fans and critics alike by bringing the spirit of the fiesta right into your living room. Almost a decade later, Amigo the samba obsessed monkey and his friends return for more vibrant dance action on the Nintendo Wii; but will Sega&amp;#039;s rhythmic Latin adventure really stand the test of time? The Wii version of Samba De Amigo side-steps the extra cost of an additional maraca set by using the motion capabilities of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Players hold the Remote and Nunchuk as you would a pair of maracas and then simply shake high, middle and low when rhythm balls hang over the six coloured shake holes which are laid out in a hexagon. The coloured balls eject from the middle at varying speeds depending on the difficulty level selected (which presents issues we will address later on). Players are also required to hold certain poses or wave the &amp;#039;maracas&amp;#039; in sequence when prompted to earn extra points. Graphically the game is once more a bonkers, brightly coloured mash up of shapes, tones and characters. The artwork is well drawn and animated, providing a genuine sense of polish. As the action unfolds and Amigo goes nuts with the maracas, a veritable freak-out of colours and lights unfolds in the background (including a nice touch being your Wii Avatar dancing hopelessly in a garish Hawaiian shirt). However, these backgrounds not only prove to be a tad distracting, but should also possibly carry a mental health warning.  Wii gamers receive a good breadth of 44 songs to test their maraca-shaking skills. These feature the usual variety of familiar mambo, tango and marimba tunes, alongside famous pop numbers. Feeling Hot Hot Hot and La Bamba mix with Rihanna&amp;#039;s Pon De Replay as well as odd curveballs, such as a bizarre Latin versions of Take On Me by Aha. More songs, alongside a range of sound effects, are un-lockable as you beat certain challenges. Moreover, extra tunes can be downloaded from the WiFi network but these do carry an additional cost. Overall, though, there is certainly sufficient music to keep that monkey dancing.  The game is split into three main modes; Single Play, Multiplayer and Career. These can all be played on Easy and Normal difficulty levels, as well as Hard and Superhard, which are both unlocked upon completing certain achievements. Single Play offers an instant maraca hit over a range of different songs and game types. While the Career mode will certainly not have Guitar Hero quaking in its boots, it is at least a welcome addition to the franchise. However, it&amp;#039;s the multiplayer where the frantic fun truly lies.  There is a pure and unadulterated joy in shaking the maracas alongside a group of likeminded individuals. Multiplayer offers a variety of modes; such as Battle, involving a straight up elimination; back-to-back songs in Classic; and Love Love. The latter delivers an innovative option for cooperative play where players join together to score points and also get a love rating for how well they have done. There is also a series of mini-games - including copying challenge Monkey See Monkey Do, rock-crushing task Power Rush, and a Latin version of whack-a-mole called Guacamole - which all unfortunately prove rather limp in comparison to the main gameplay. As an instantaneous, fun experience, Samba De Amigo takes some beating. Essentially, it favours the casual, social gamer and so proves ideal for those moments when you have lots of friends round and want something quick, fun and accessible to play. Moreover, it&amp;#039;s pretty useful for raising the heartbeat, getting sweaty and possibly even burning a few calories. However, more serious players will find some inherent frustrations contained in the title. For these gamers, Samba De Amigo at first puts a smile on your face, but then gradually wipes it the deeper you delve.  When the Wii control system comes together during a good run of notes, it feels a genuinely euphoric experience. However, all too often the controls feel a tad slapdash and imprecise. The Career mode is cursory at best and can be whipped through pretty rapidly on Normal levels. This lack of depth turns to frustration on higher difficulty levels, as the sometimes maddeningly inaccurate control system leaves you seeing Latin red when things get frantic. This is compounded by the incredibly high bar placed for success, particularly on Superhard, which can render the mode a far from enjoyable experience.  Overall, the Wii incarnation of Samba De Amigo offers a fun experience, which with a few tweaks could have been a wholly satisfying package for everyone to enjoy. It may represent a much more affordable option compared to the Dreamcast incarnation, but it unfortunately fails to match it as a novel and more coherent title. For the new wave of casual, social gamers stirred up by the ongoing success of the Wii, the game will generate a truly satisfying and innovative experience. However, for hardcore players intent on really testing their rhythmic abilities to the limit, Samba De Amigo proves a maraca short of a fiesta.   &amp;amp;gt; What do you think of the game? Share your views "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/review/a133168/samba-de-amigo-wii/>