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WiiU

Europe

Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party

by Daan Koopman - August 3, 2013, 8:16 am EDT
Total comments: 3

8

Get yourself some booze, some friends and the willingness to act crazy!

Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party isn't a game in the regular sense of the word. It is hard to convey what the game is trying to accomplish, but here I am giving it my all. This is a multiplayer experience only and if you don't have buddies to play it with, then you are out of luck. The game needs the right mindset and folks to be comprehended, or else its charm is simply lost on you. That sounds extremely restrictive, but let me put it in a different way: do you like to party? If so, welcome to the insanity and please take a seat.

The first thing that you need to know is that Spin the Bottle is played without a television. You can use the big screen if you want better audio, but it isn’t required otherwise. The game would like you to gather around a table, with some additional room to move about when needed. Two to eight players, who each pick crazy character and a name to compete with, can play the regular party game mode. In each round, one player spins the bottle on the Wii U GamePad and is then randomly paired with a friend. Their goal is to work together in a collaborative challenge and by completing one of the various mini-games presented, they will earn a flower. By earning enough flowers, you will be crowned the winner of the game and this lets you to collect a special trinket. The problem with the trinket is that they are worthless, as they serve no goal and you won't get anything out of it.

The various challenges are performed with Wii Remotes and the Wii U GamePad. It’s best to have two Wii Remotes active, though some of the games can still be enjoyed with one. Currently the experience only offers 17 games, but there are definite plans to expand the software over time. The ones on offer are certainly fun, and quite varied. There is, for example, Invisible Beach Tennis, in which two players will have to listen close to the sounds in their Wii Remotes and hit a ball back and forth. A good GamePad challenge can be found in Jumper, in which one person has a Wii Remote in his pocket and the other person studies the terrain on the screen. Another personal favorite was Blind Dog, in which two sit on opposite sides. One player is blindfolded and will have to find the Wii Remote, which is behind the other player's back.

Some of the mini-games might be intimidating at first, but you will get thorough instructions with pictures throughout the venture. You can also try all the different challenges in a special practice mode, which will help you learn the games. If you are still unsure about some aspects, the digital manual is really in-depth and will tell you all about the game in a few paragraphs. Players can also opt-out of each mini-game before they start. You have also the option of adding special bonus challenges, in which you have to keep your eyes closed. You can also ramp up the difficulty in all the games, so that the guys with even the craziest moves can still find utter joy.

The presentation side of things is pretty limited, as you perform most of the actions yourself. It is more likely that you will look at one another than at whatever the Wii U GamePad is showing. Sure, you will get sounds and your information on it, but it is a party game first and foremost. You will look at one another and simply laugh at your friends doing the Waltz together. The crazy and weird characters are certainly hilarious to look at, but the audio is far more important here and it helps that it is solid.

Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party is not a game per se, but a fun multiplayer experience in its own right. While the selection of games is limited at the moment, the various rules and difficulty settings do kind of make up for it. In the future, there will be more games added to the package and these will be free if you purchase the package early. Don't go in this software and expect a crazy full blown game out of it, but you will really enjoy your crazy moments with your friends and family. You will need people who are a little crazy, just like yourself, but it is way more rewarding when you finally do.

Summary

Pros
  • Crazy ways of using GamePad and Wii Remotes
  • Interesting multiplayer experience
  • Special rules and difficulties keep it fresh
Cons
  • Just 17 games from the start
  • Needs people with the right mindset

Talkback

RazorkidAugust 03, 2013

For the cleverness of the games and price, I'm picking this up this month.

WahAugust 04, 2013

Lol, but awesome! ;D

EvilMarioAugust 09, 2013

After seeing a couple of videos of play sessions from UK reviewers, I was sold. Even if it only gets touched a few times per year for parties, it seems like a good investment for $9. And future expansions are apparently included in that price.

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Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party Box Art

Genre Party/Parlor
Developer KnapNok Games ApS
Players1 - 8

Worldwide Releases

na: Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party
Release Aug 08, 2013
PublisherKnapNok Games ApS
RatingEveryone
eu: Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party
Release Aug 08, 2013
PublisherKnapNok Games ApS
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