Actually from control/gameplay Mario&Sonic is more like Mario Party, RR, then Wii Sports. Its more done like the old "olympics" game on nes, snes. Thistime you just have to wave the Wii mote up and down instead of pushing the button as fast as possible.

Ok, I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but...

I've got an 8 year old daughter who wouldn't touch the Wii remote. I had tried numerous games, and she just wasn't interested at all. So naturally, on her 8th birthday, I was a little skeptical when she circled "Hannah Montana" for the Wii. I looked and looked and looked for a bargain, because I just did not want to spend $50 on a game I knew she wouldn't play. But no such luck. And I knew she wasn't really a Hannah Montana fan, just her friends were (she doesn't even get up Saturday morning to watch it).

Anyway, long story short: She plays it all the time, and so does her 11 year old brother and two of his friends. They love it. It's basically just Dance Dance Revolution with a nunchuck and remote instead of a floor pad. The game has some problems (strange stuff, like she floats around the dressing room and other areas when she's right at the "border", awful lip-to-voice synching) controls don't register many of the times. But at around 16 songs and big time fan service paid, it seems to go over big with the Hannah Montana crowd. So I recommend it if they are into HM, and I recommend against it if they are not.

Mario Party 8 definitely. The game is a blast when you play it with your family. We are four at home, my parents plus my sister and me and we have spent countless hours on playing Mario Party 1-5 together.

Also, when the original Mario Party was released, I was about 12 years old and I often played it with girls in my age back then because they really liked it too, so I think this will please those girls definitely.

The only problem with Mario Party is that it is not really funny when there are less than four people, but when there are six family members, four should be available often enough the play the game.

About Wario Ware, I'm not too sure about that game. I myself really like it, and together with my sister I have all versions of this game (She owns the handheld games and I own the console versions).

I bought the console versions especially because I have game parties at home from time to time with people that don't game that much usually, and I thought that Wario Ware would be great fun at these events. The problem is, the multiplayer modes are not really worked out. Because of that, it usually gets boring fast although the concept is great, and we move on the games like Mario Tennis, Time Splitters, the original Monkey Ball (which is great for multiplayer btw) or Raving Rabbits lately.

Okay, I'll add a question. My girls (11 & 8) have been asking for Hannah & High School Musical and I'm cringing. I thought about getting DDR instead (not a fan of that either), but at least I know it is considered to be a fun game. Are they (HSM, HM)like Singstar (and how do they compare)? or are they like DDR? Or a combination? I would ask if they are worth it, but I already know the answer ;). So all I'll ask is if kids that do like some good games will find these shovelware or fun?

My 11 year old loves trivia, and plays with the adults when we have board game trivia/Cranium night.... so Smarty Pants or Big Brain Academy? Or go with Buzz for my PS2? I heard Wii Cranium was very poor.

I was thinking BBA would drop to $20 soon, so I was holding off on that, but for Christmas...... I could go there.

I'll almost need another Wii to play my games after the minigames invade in two weeks. Sigh.......

Korinpa is a great although short game - but it is fantastic

Is Big Brain Academy packed with a Wiimote in Australia? And do they still need more Wiimotes?

I'm still waiting for a developer to come up with something that uses a Wii-Mote in each hand!

WarioWare needs to be as high on that list as possible. Far more fun than Mario Party 8.

I bought Mario Party 8 instead of WarioWare and maybe I made a mistake :(

Anyway, I cannot recommend Kororinpa Marble Mania for kids and adults. It is an amazing game and you will find it on the cheap online. Also, I know Mario and Sonic at the Olympics has been ruled out but that game seems perfect for kids and it should stay fresh all of next year because of the olympics. Also, I know this may sound strange but I would think about the Wii Zapper. Everyone in my family played Duck Hunt when I was a kid and none of us have gone crazy with guns or anything.