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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Action Developer: Sensory Sweep Studios Publisher: Mastiff |
It is somewhat ironic when a system that is supporting weight loss with such programs as “Wii Fit,” also offers a game that asks
players to act as though they are stuffing their face with food. Though it isn’t really a game that works against the “Wii Fit” game, it is
quite odd that players can do pushups, yoga, use a virtual pedometer on the DS and then come home and stuff themselves to the gills
with piles of simulated food in ‘Major League Eating.”
“Major League Eating” brings a mix of arcade game play and light humor to the table, no pun intended, in a very unique gaming
experience. The game features ten characters stuffing themselves with food in order to get the gold in one of the most ridiculous types
of competitions, eating. Players will attempt round after round to beat their opponent with 12 different types of food. The single player
mode of the game works as a sort of one-on-one fighter mode, but rather than throwing punches players use the Wii remote, without
the nunchuk, to cram food in their mouth with certain movements, much as fast as possible and eliminate the competition. As players
defeat opponents they will move from one arena to the next unlocking new opponents, however, in multiplayer mode, it is simply
choosing their favorite character and shoveling in the food and choking it down.
The controls are very basic, but they work perfectly for this type of “arcade” game. The game begins with players facing off against
opponents in a basic competition mode with each person being on opposite ends of the table with their specific type of food. The
rounds are time based, however, by eating too much food too fast players can get some stomach irritation and may have the urge to
spew whatever they just ate. In this case players will need to make sure that they take the time to stop and work the food back down into
their stomach before it comes flying out in an unwelcome way. Players will eat corn row by row with a horizontal saw like motion and
flick meatballs in their mouth with a flicking motion of the Wii remote. The controls are very easy to learn, even for younger children,
though this may not be the best game for them. Professional eaters will need to make sure that they chew their food as well, so players
will need to use the B trigger button to chomp the food, playing attention to the mouth and teeth mini game at the top of the screen.
Players will need to chomp down on the food in their mouth to score points, but they also need to be careful not to chew down at the
wrong time and bite their tongue which will waste precious time for a moment. Again, the controls are simple, but a welcome addition
to the gaming world.
The only other major mechanic in the game comes into effect with a wiggle based “stomach settling” system. Players hold the A button
and wiggle the controller causing the on screen character to mix up the contents of their stomach and bring down the level of food sitting
in their stomach. If the food meter reaches the players mouth, they will vomit and fail the challenge immediately. Players need to be
able to balance between eating the food, chewing the food and shaking it all up to keep the food levels low enough to keep the overall
food intake at a maximum. This may seem difficult at times, but once a player gets the controls down, this becomes almost second
nature, sometimes almost a little too easy.
Along the way there are a few random items that players can acquire while eating a chuck of food and use against their opponents.
Some of these items include farts, burps, antacid tablets and a few other power-ups that will help players defeat their opponent by
either increasing the nausea of their opponent or decreasing their own food level. There are also some shield abilities that would
randomly appear, allowing players to repel attacks with the touch of the d-pad, turning the attack around onto their opponent and forcing
them to take a break from the action of eating instead. The item system works along with a certain proficiency level for each character,
meaning that each player in the game has a certain food they prefer, a specific skill to make use of through the game and a balance
between the act of eating as quickly as possible and managing items. It may seem simple at first, but it can become complicated,
though it may not offer a lot of options throughout the game.
“Major League Eating” proves to be a powerful, and innovative game in the WiiWare universe at this time. Because of its use of the
controls that the Wii offers, this is a fun, and sometimes tiring game to play. However, with a few friends, this game can be very fun and
exciting and raises the bar on what is expected from a system with such diverse controls and unlimited possibilities for games. This
game eats up all of the competition.
players to act as though they are stuffing their face with food. Though it isn’t really a game that works against the “Wii Fit” game, it is
quite odd that players can do pushups, yoga, use a virtual pedometer on the DS and then come home and stuff themselves to the gills
with piles of simulated food in ‘Major League Eating.”
“Major League Eating” brings a mix of arcade game play and light humor to the table, no pun intended, in a very unique gaming
experience. The game features ten characters stuffing themselves with food in order to get the gold in one of the most ridiculous types
of competitions, eating. Players will attempt round after round to beat their opponent with 12 different types of food. The single player
mode of the game works as a sort of one-on-one fighter mode, but rather than throwing punches players use the Wii remote, without
the nunchuk, to cram food in their mouth with certain movements, much as fast as possible and eliminate the competition. As players
defeat opponents they will move from one arena to the next unlocking new opponents, however, in multiplayer mode, it is simply
choosing their favorite character and shoveling in the food and choking it down.
The controls are very basic, but they work perfectly for this type of “arcade” game. The game begins with players facing off against
opponents in a basic competition mode with each person being on opposite ends of the table with their specific type of food. The
rounds are time based, however, by eating too much food too fast players can get some stomach irritation and may have the urge to
spew whatever they just ate. In this case players will need to make sure that they take the time to stop and work the food back down into
their stomach before it comes flying out in an unwelcome way. Players will eat corn row by row with a horizontal saw like motion and
flick meatballs in their mouth with a flicking motion of the Wii remote. The controls are very easy to learn, even for younger children,
though this may not be the best game for them. Professional eaters will need to make sure that they chew their food as well, so players
will need to use the B trigger button to chomp the food, playing attention to the mouth and teeth mini game at the top of the screen.
Players will need to chomp down on the food in their mouth to score points, but they also need to be careful not to chew down at the
wrong time and bite their tongue which will waste precious time for a moment. Again, the controls are simple, but a welcome addition
to the gaming world.
The only other major mechanic in the game comes into effect with a wiggle based “stomach settling” system. Players hold the A button
and wiggle the controller causing the on screen character to mix up the contents of their stomach and bring down the level of food sitting
in their stomach. If the food meter reaches the players mouth, they will vomit and fail the challenge immediately. Players need to be
able to balance between eating the food, chewing the food and shaking it all up to keep the food levels low enough to keep the overall
food intake at a maximum. This may seem difficult at times, but once a player gets the controls down, this becomes almost second
nature, sometimes almost a little too easy.
Along the way there are a few random items that players can acquire while eating a chuck of food and use against their opponents.
Some of these items include farts, burps, antacid tablets and a few other power-ups that will help players defeat their opponent by
either increasing the nausea of their opponent or decreasing their own food level. There are also some shield abilities that would
randomly appear, allowing players to repel attacks with the touch of the d-pad, turning the attack around onto their opponent and forcing
them to take a break from the action of eating instead. The item system works along with a certain proficiency level for each character,
meaning that each player in the game has a certain food they prefer, a specific skill to make use of through the game and a balance
between the act of eating as quickly as possible and managing items. It may seem simple at first, but it can become complicated,
though it may not offer a lot of options throughout the game.
“Major League Eating” proves to be a powerful, and innovative game in the WiiWare universe at this time. Because of its use of the
controls that the Wii offers, this is a fun, and sometimes tiring game to play. However, with a few friends, this game can be very fun and
exciting and raises the bar on what is expected from a system with such diverse controls and unlimited possibilities for games. This
game eats up all of the competition.
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