The mini-golf game consists of 9 holes, all of which have a unique theme (ghosts, pirates, western, military, Egyptian, etc.), various paths to the hole, and a variety of hazards. The themes are very well done, if not a little “far out,” and one of the highlights of the package. Unfortunately, the physics are a little off, as the ball doesn’t always react realistically as it bounces off obstacles and rolls up and down hills. Also, there are some bugs, as you may see your ball get stuck riding around the ship’s wheel on the pirate hole as if it’s attached magnetically (you can pause and the resume to break the animation), or, on a rare occasion, you may watch your computer opponent putt laterally from one side of the green to the other, without trying to put the ball into the hole, until the maximum number of strokes is reached.

Badminton is very similar to Wii Sports tennis. You don’t control your team’s movement; only their shot types. You can use a forehand and backhand, and also swing underhand and overhand, as well as serve. In this game, the type of swing pretty much controls shot location, so you need to choose the best stroke given the location of the shuttlecock to your player to keep the shot in play. Also, you can “power up” and hit a smash shot over the net.

No stats are tracked outside of the scores in the current competition, nor are they tracked by the characters you use to compete. You do earn “accolades” for completing certain tasks (a hole-in-one in mini-golf, hitting five straight in hot shots, etc.), and those are tracked by the profile you create the first time you play the game. The only thing you earn by getting accolades is a ranking or title. There are no unlockables, no ability bonuses, no new gear, or anything of the like.

Fun can be had with many of the games in Summer Sports Paradise Island, especially when playing head-to-head, but the control issues will keep you from that “just one more game” feeling present in titles like Wii Sports. Also, there are no real incentives to keep playing, other than to earn a new title for your profile. As a party game, this title can be a fun, one-off diversion, but it doesn’t have any staying power.

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