Call of Duty 3

Still the best WWII shooter around and the Wii Remote and Nunchuk serve to enhance the experience. With a multiplayer mode it would have been pure gold. [Christmas 2006, p.78]

A pretty good game, even if the time and place are a bit overdrawn.

The Wii controller makes this a laborious, intense experience. The game mechanics and general feel of the game are not overly different from what gamers are used to, but that this is brought to such vivid life on a console is a tribute to the diligence of the developers.

Call of Duty 3 on the Wii is one of the best examples of the system’s ability to make up for substandard visuals with really engaging control. The Wiimote is a fluid and, mostly, precise method of directing all of the carnage, and there’s no denying the fact that pointing and shooting is infinitely more fun than weaving around with two analog sticks.

The controls are not perfect, but they do prove that a nearly pixel-perfect “mouse-and-keyboard” configuration can work on the Wii.

Call of Duty 3 is, even without multiplayer, undoubtedly a better game than "Red Steel" mostly thanks to its greatly superior controls, more varied gameplay, better AI and constantly more intense action from start to finish. The lack of multiplayer stops it from getting a 9, but consider its score to be the highest kind of 8 there is.

It controls really well and it handles heavy gunfire better than "Red Steel." Shame that it's just the same old Call of Duty experience all over again. [January 2007, p.48]

One of the Wii's better launch games and the control system is unmatched at this stage.

The Wii version of Call of Duty 3 probably isn’t the best choice for die-hard shooter fans, yet it’s still a solid game. Realistically, you’re trading online multiplayer and cutting edge visuals for a fun, hands-on method of picking off enemies with the Wii controller.

Call of Duty 3 on the Wii obviously had to take the route of gameplay over graphics and it succeeded with first-person-shooter controls unlike any other console game. However, the exclusion of multiplayer was a major blow and will hurt someone’s decision on the fence about whether to buy this game.

If you’re expecting anything more than a solid single player adventure and GCN/Xbox graphics, you may be disappointed. Still, Call of Duty 3’s control is definitely something to experience, and seems to be second only to "Metroid."

The Wii-mote setup does take some time to adjust to and feels great in terms of aiming and movement, but loses points for some unavoidable fumbling which can occur at the most inopportune times.

The best thing I can say about Call of Duty 3 on the Wii is that after playing I actually felt like I had been through a war, both emotionally and physically.

Take one part classic Call of Duty scripted FPS action, add in two parts improved level design, another one part updated graphics, and just about four parts upgraded multiplayer and you’ve got the ultimate Call of Duty stew.

It's easily the best of the three shooters on the Wii right now in every respect, and leaves the patchy Red Steel in the dust.

The lack of multiplayer really hurts in the long run, but playing a shooter with the Wii-mote is an experience you definitely should have.

The Wii version is hindered with noticeably weaker graphics and the inexcusable exclusion of the great multiplayer mode.

The control method is interesting, if not slightly flawed and the audio capabilities of the Wii do more than an adequate job of immersing us into the single player campaign. If you are lucky enough to own both an Wii and an Xbox 360 then we still recommended you opt for the latter as the graphics, tried and tested controls and online capabilities are more adequate for this particular game.

The biggest disappointment for the Wii version of Call of Duty 3 is the complete lack of any form of multiplayer.

Call of Duty 3 for the Wii manages to overcome its lack of multiplayer and a sometimes-unwieldy control scheme with an exciting and enjoyable single-player campaign.

But if this was a test of the shooter on Nintendo's new box, it definitely passes. Revisions and experimentation will no doubt improve the experience, but for now those looking to migrate into Nintendo's new way to play won't be fully out of their element.

After the multiplayer was dropped and the visuals toned down the Wii controls were the most interesting thing in the game. The controls do work but are not spectacular. [Jan 2007]

Unless innovation is your primary concern, you will get a much prettier game on 360 and PS3 as well as an incredible multiplayer experience.

Since the graphics aren’t anything special compared to the PS3 and 360 versions, the control scheme is obviously the star of this version of Call of Duty 3; and unfortunately things come out a little less supernova than we had hoped for.

A good game that, alarmingly, seems hampered rather than helped by the remote. [Jan 2007, p.80]

While Call of Duty 3 is certainly competent and the standard FPS controls benefit from the move to the Wii, there's nothing else particularly special about the game to really set it apart from last year's edition. [Jan. 2007, p.99]

Call of Duty 3 on Wii somehow slipped through the development cracks. Awkward controls, less impressive visuals, and a total lack of multiplayer make it less desirable than its counterparts on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Call of Duty 3 could have been more than just another copy of previous installments, but with unnecessary gameplay mechanics, dumb AI, and a terrible control scheme, it brings nothing new in terms of enjoyment.

The lack of multiplayer is a real bummer, and the last-gen visuals are hard to get excited over, too.

One of the biggest drawbacks with this version is the lack of any multiplayer support. Not only is online multiplayer the strongest feature in this sequel, but it's the only claim it has to replayability.

The graphics are, of course, poor by next-generation standards, and while that may not affect the stylised universes of Mario and Zelda, it blunts the power of an experience that thrives on realism. [Jan 2007, p.94]

It pains me to say this, being such an adoring fan of the Call of Duty franchise and all, but Call of Duty 3 is probably the weakest game I've played on the Wii so far, and I've played nearly the entire launch window line-up.

The main control scheme works really well and makes the game worth a rental for anyone who just wants to get their hands on a Wii shooter. However, some of the simpler tasks are somehow completely broken, and the game as a whole is pretty uninspiring.

Activision's blockbuster shooter gets on the Wii, and uses the console's controls for more precision. Pity it doesn't have anything else.

The Wii just doesn't have the pixel pushing power of the 360 and PS3. This isn't a bad thing, mind you, but when you have a game like Call of Duty 3, designed as it was with next-gen in mind, it loses a lot from the aesthetic downgrade to the Wii.

It’s silly, fast and kind of fun, but it also features murky graphics and very little play value. So if you’re looking for a game that makes you feel like Weird Al in a muscle suit, or just want to see how well the Wii handles first person shooting, give this unintentional comedy a rental.

While the mini-games are cool, you will sadly spend most of your time fighting to control your drunken gun sight, and practice only yields marginal improvements.

The control system isn't much fun, and feels unfinished and somewhat unloved - but it is certainly possible to get to grips with it and to eke some enjoyment out of the superbly designed levels of the game.

There's no multiplayer functionality at all, so an impressive single-player campaign was vital, but numerous control issues make the experience far less enjoyable than it is on other platforms.

Both the 360 and PS3 versions aren’t the greatest first-person shooters ever made, but they’re decent enough to satiate your apparently endless need to keep fighting the same war over and over and over again. Don’t bother with this game on the Wii, though.