The cross-country skiing and speed skating controls work well, but they can also be awkward and exhausting after awhile. The sledding controls (luge, skeleton and bobsleigh) are merely passable, as the level of control you have over your sled seems marginal at best. After that, things drop off a cliff. The figure skating controls are a disaster. Your skater takes to the ice and a semi circle appears on the screen with a circle at the midpoint at the bottom. As the music begins, symbols for the Wii controls float down from either side. When they hit the bottom you shake that control. If you handle the sequence without too many misses your skater successfully implements her moves. If you fail, she’ll lose her balance, falling down. It’s not even a game, really. It’s Simon Says. And the curling controls? If there’s a correlation between what I do with the controls and what happens on the screen, I’m missing it.

At its best Winter Sports: The Ultimate Challenge can be a fun diversion. And given that the volume of must own Wii games has left many Wii owners wanting, there may be a home for it on your gaming shelf, especially if you’re a fan of the skiing events. Just keep your expectations for it measured and with the understanding that it ultimately peaks with the skiing and loses its luster from there.