The throwing and targeting events fare a bit better, and though all of the events feel quite sterile, the controls generally work well. Throwing events mostly call for you to spin your stylus in circles on the touch screen to build up momentum and then implement gauges to optimize your throws. Targeting offers archery and shooting, which are fairly accurate in terms of control; simply aim with the stylus and fire with a shoulder button.

And that’s it, really… that’s pretty much everything WCG has to offer. There are several multiplayer options, and a couple of them are actually quite viable ways to enjoy the game with friends. The first is Single DS, which offers an ad hoc option where you simply pass the DS around (up to four players). There’s also Single Card, Multi-card, and online play via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. When giving the online option a go, we had absolutely no luck finding another human soul to play this game with. There is a trophy section, as well as stat tracking, but with gameplay that falls flat, these additional features feel fairly shallow.

Though the game’s official website boasts WCG to offer “Superior character, animation [modeling], and in-game A.I.,” nothing could be further from the truth. This game, on the whole, looks downright ugly – all but the menu screens, perhaps. When you first start playing, you’re given the option of creating a character – gender, hair, outfit, skin, and build. Hair comes in four colors – no different styles – and changing the build merely zooms the character closer into view. Regardless of how shallow the options are, everything just looks terrible. Character models are blocky with very little detail, and though you are given five different countries to sport in, each arena looks the same: bland and lifeless. There was no noticeable slowdown and the characters do animate smoothly, but there was constant screen-tearing, as well as textures popping in and out during events.

The audio does very little to add to the presentation, as there is no music during events. You’ll get some victory music at the end of competitions, as well as a bit of cheering here and there, but overall, WCG is a fairly bleak experience throughout.

World Championship Games: A Track & Field Event is less of an event and more of a chore. Some of the games are mildly entertaining, but extremely bad instruction, matched with poor design, make for an experience that is less than satisfying. Add to that a terrible presentation and an online component that’s sure to remain barren, and this $30 game is a total bust. If you’re a fan of these types of sporting events, try one of the other two aforementioned games – each offers better control, better production values, as well as genuine fun.

By Tony Capri
CCC Freelance Writer