Before I start on talking about the game itself, I’d like to mention the toy that came with it. It’s a “Switch Shot EX-3″, or so I’m told. It’s one of the various NERF blasters that generically fire harmless foam discs or darts or such. You know, a child’s toy gun. However, we were interested to see that this gun could be taken apart so that the Wiimote could be use in the gun slot – effectively turning my Wiimote (minus the Nunchuk, although I suspect I could attach this as well) into a gun. Although this isn’t exactly an integral part of the game, it excited Alex, and it was a mild entertainment for me. Definite bonus points for that. I might even use it on future shoot ‘em ups.
Anyway, I loaded up the game (By pointing my blaster-mote at options on the menu…. it was like playing on the Wii for the first time all over again!) and launched into a quickplay mode. I was immediately struck by the resemblance to certain arcade games. Everyone knows, and has probably tried (or seen people trying) those games in arcades where you put your money in, pick up a gun wired into the machine, and shoot at bad guys on the screen – sometimes with the option to duck and hide, usually with some sort of reloading mechanism. The game would only move on when you’d killed all the enemies on the screen. N-Strike is basically that. No, actually, N-Strike is that. Only with a few menus, a story, and wireless connection to the console itself. However, instead of bullets, you’re still firing foam darts, cunningly disguised by the game calling them “NERF missiles”.
The graphics aren’t much to comment on – they’re 3D, and they have colour. That’s about it. But then, anyone who got a Wii didn’t get it for the graphics. We got them for the motion detecting systems – have I mentioned how much I enjoy pointing a gun at enemies on the screen and pretending to fire? Even though it’s on the rails, (and so you can’t move by your own control) it’s still great fun to do a roll over your shoulder, point the gun at the screen, and launch off six bullets (Alright, Nerf Missiles) into an enemy.
And it is fun.
But not durable. The original arcade games were designed to last the time or life equivalent of 50p. N-Strike tries to be a full game all on its own – which is not what it should. Just because it has a plot doesn’t mean it can stand alone. To be successful as its own game, it needs to be more immersive – i.e. players control the movement, and the game needs to either tone down the seriousness of the game (By replacing the flying robots with other children who also like to run around shooting each other with foam darts) or bring it up to a proper shooter (By replacing the foam NERF missiles with bullets, rockets, and grenades).
Of course, the main attempt to lure people to this game is the huge range of NERF weapons available to unlock and use – sniper rifles, rocket launchers, shotguns, machine guns, assault rifles, etc. This is a nice idea, but it’s counter productive. The childish nature of FOAM DARTS will stop the older audiences from taking an interest, while the extensive weapon specifications will dissuade the younger audience.
So, in conclusion; There should be more shooting games on the Wii, so I like the principle of the idea, but as it is, this might as well have stayed in the arcade. Tone the seriousness one way or another, don’t sit in the middle like a squatting duck in a field. And yes, I know that makes no sense.
Editor’s note – if you’re looking to tone it the adult way, then House of the Dead Overkill may be for you. Check it out.
Nometet.com says: 
+ Toy gun which works with the Wiimote or as a foam dart launcher
+ Reminded me of fun arcades games
+ Extensive weaponry
- Foam Darts
-Trying to pass off the darts as “Nerf Missiles”
- Too serious for what it is/ Not serious enough to be anything else
- No control over movement
- Very repetitive
