Preview: Rugby League 3
Wii
James Heffield | Tuesday, March 30 2010Due on March 18, less than a week after the season kicks off, Rugby League 3 is one of the only up-to-date league titles available on any platform.
Game graphics may not be quite as sharp on the Wii as on the PC or other consoles, but Nintendo’s device provides an extra element of interactivity to the genre with its motion-sensing technology.
During a recent Rugby League 3 hands-on session in Auckland, we at PC World were given a first hand look at how the Wiimote can be flicked left or right to pass the ball, lowered and then lifted quickly to kick it, or thrust forward aggressively to barge players. The game can also be played using a Wiimote and Nunchuk combination, or if you’re feeling particularly lazy, with the non-motion-sensing GameCube controller.
None of these controls will be particularly new to players of the game’s previous two incarnations, but much of the content will be.
The game’s database has been updated with the latest player signings and now includes 80 teams from competitions such as the NRL, State of Origin, Toyota Cup, Super League, European Championship and International rugby league. The stadium graphics now more accurately reflect the 38 venues in the game (yes, Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium is there), and you’ll be able to deck your team out in home or away strips, or a selection of heritage kits from the club’s past. The audio side of the game hasn’t been ignored either and thousands of lines of commentary have been input by Australian Channel Nine commentator Andrew Voss.
When it comes to gameplay there are a host of new features, including a smorgasbord of offensive and defensive tactics for gamers to choose from. These include options like “full line”, which calls your fullback up to create an overlap, as well as “cover defence”, which will order your wingers to drop deeper. A confidence indicator has also been introduced which grows or shrinks depending on how dominant you are. If you’re on top, your players’ confidence will grow, making it easier for them to break through tackles.
Finally, if you’re more of a management type, the game’s championship mode has been improved to provide a better match calendar, more control over your team’s training, and a more realistic system for buying and selling players.
Sidhe has designed this game to be on the serious side, opting for realistic tactics and proportioned graphics instead of the cutesy heads seen in some Wii titles. But they haven’t forgotten to incorporate a good dollop of fun.
One of the quirkier new features is the addition of a mini-game designed to decide the outcome of a video referee decision if a player manages to score a try that’s slightly dubious. In multiplayer, this requires opposing players to frantically waggle their Wiimotes (or button-bash on the GameCube) with the fastest waggler gaining the ref’s decision in their favour.
If you’ve got a bunch of mates over before the big game you can even indulge in a bit of 8-player party play. This is a great idea in theory, although you might want to wear mouth guards to avoid flying elbows if you’re playing in a cramped room with some enthusiastic friends.
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