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Grill-Off with Ultra Hand! (Nintendo WiiWare) Review
Review by 
4.66/10 from 7 user ratings
 
Grill-Off with Ultra Hand is a Wiiware title available only through Club Nintendo, at the cost of 80 points. A code is given to you, and you have to go into the Wii Shop Channel, click on Setting and Features, then Wii Download Ticket. Enter the code to claim your reward.

Actual games as rewards on Club Nintendo are a welcome sight for those of us not terribly interested in stickers and posters. The choices are limited for the time being, however, the only other games offered being Game & Watch compilations for the DS. And if you thought Game & Watch was simplistic, wait until you try out Ultra Hand!

The Ultra Hand was a contraption devised by Nintendo that would extend and grab far away objects when you brought its handles together. In this game, you’re in a backyard facing three grills. Brochettes and various pieces of meat are falling from the sky on those grills, and it’s up to you to pick them up and put them on a plate when they’re done using the famous Ultra Hand.


Yep, this is essentially the entire game here.

You hold the Wiimote and Nunchuck parallel to each other as if you were pulling the Ultra Hand’s handles close together to extend the Hand. When the meat is cooked just right, press and hold A, separate the Wiimote and Nunchuck to pull the meat on the plate, release A to drop it. Move to the next piece of meat with the analog stick, and repeat the whole process.

That is literally all you do in this game. Grab meat and put it on a plate, over and over again. It’s an arcade game; you’re going for a high score, building up a combo whenever you pick up the meat when it’s just the right time.

But few arcade games require as much motion as Grill-Off. To be honest, injury due to repetitive movements would be a serious concern, if it weren’t for the fact that a mix of fatigue and boredom will most likely prevent you from playing it for more than 15 minutes at a time. Actually, chances are you’ll never play it again after trying it the first time. It’s easy to get addicted to score-based arcade games, but not when they’re physically tiring (and unlike Dance Dance Revolution, not in a “good way”).

This game could offer some short-lived multiplayer fun during alcohol-filled parties, and could probably entertain young kids for a while. In fact, I still think it’s one of the better rewards that Club Nintendo offers simply due to it being a game. Just don’t expect to play it for long, or often.

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 Weak  4.0 / 10
Posted: 04/08/10, 05:56  - Edit:  02/24/13, 22:03
 
Why not sign up for a (free) account?
 
I totally disagree. Grill-off is a little slice of downloadable heaven.


J/K.

Posted by 
 on: 04/08/10, 19:01
I kind of like it, although I've only played it a couple times, so it's hard to say how the longevity will hold up. The controls take some getting used to, but they're actually quite responsive and don't "jam up" like a lot of shoddily-made Wii games might. I don't like how you're only allowed a single mistake before game over (I think 3 mistakes would be more than reasonable and still keep the challenge). But to be fair, when you get to the third or fourth level and you're trying to stay on top of things, the game is pretty decently compelling and intense by that point.

More modes would've been nice, but as far as semi-free downloadable games go, there are probably worse ways to spend 80 coins. Not sure if I can really put a number on this one (if it retailed for 50 dollars, for instance, it'd be a huge rip-off), but it's kind of a fun concept and what little that's there is competently designed, as expected from Nintendo.

Posted by 
 on: 10/21/10, 20:06
I certainly haven't played it since that review.

The score might seem harsh for a "free" game but it's the risk of injury that pushed it down to a 4.

It's true that the controls are very responsive, though. You may have to worry about carpal tunnel, but you won't have to worry about the game simply not responding.

Posted by 
 on: 10/21/10, 20:25
I've only played it twice...when I just downloaded it, and in multiplayer with a friend. Single-player gets old quick, and multiplayer is decent for 10 to 15 minutes. Yeah, its controls are responsive, but...it just really isnèt much fun, even when going for high scores (due to the one miss and you're out).

Posted by 
 on: 10/21/10, 20:29  - Edit:  10/21/10, 20:29
I would give it an 8 just for this video. It almost made me want to get it.


Posted by 
 on: 10/21/10, 22:30
Maybe I should get this game. I've been holding out until I earned enough coins for a Game & Watch collection, but that's probably not ever gonna happen, and eventually my coins will disappear! I don't want them all to go to waste.

Posted by 
 on: 10/22/10, 14:41
@X-pert74

No rash decisions! You've still got 6 months to sleep on it.

Posted by 
 on: 10/22/10, 16:15
@X-pert74
Nintendo is simulating the American economy.

Posted by 
 on: 10/22/10, 17:22
 
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