So maybe it's better to judge Nintendo Land on its own merits. Do that and you might be surprised. It's not just half a dozen great diversions and a few more besides; it's sweet fan service that celebrates Nintendo's catalogue with more heart and less calculation than we've seen of late.

Nintendo Land takes some of Nintendo's most recognizable franchises and turns them into fun, slightly bigger than bite-sized mini-games. But much more importantly, Nintendo Land -like Wii Sports before it with the Wii-is designed to help new Wii U owners understand the potential uses behind the...

Each of the twelve games show what unique things the GamePad can do, Extremely fun and accessible for new users.; ...while having enough depth for more intense gaming, So many great Nintendo franchises in one place

That's an expensive investment after buying an expensive new Wii U; I wish the unlockables were more useful; Why won't Monita just shut up and let me play!; Tags

Editor's Note: Since Nintendo Land is a large game with 12 distinct mini-games in it, we decided to assemble an Avengers-like team of staffers to write about all the attractions and discuss the game. In addition, I implore you to check out the accompanying podcast segment .

Fun Miiverse integration; Spectacular multiplayer experience; Wonderful aesthetic

Lackluster single-player experience; Some attractions are duds

If you were lucky enough to obtain the Wii U Deluxe Bundle, or decided to make Nintendo Land of your first Wii U game purchases, then you probably already know that this game is considered the "Wii Sports" of the Wii U.

In 2006, Nintendo used WiiSports and WiiPlay to showcase the abilities of the revolutionary Wii Remote. The recent release of the Wii U brings with it the Wii U GamePad now it's Nintendo Land's task to showcase what the new control system has to offer.

Some great demonstrations of the Wii U GamePad and its abilities; Standout games are Luigi's Ghost Mansion and Metroid Blast; Up to five player gaming

Some games are basically the same principle; GamePad can lose calibration mid game; Some Attractions lack a replay factor

When Nintendo launched the Wii back in 2006, motion control was a revolutionary and novel concept. People simply could not wait to get their grubby hands on those shiny, white remotes and start swinging them around their living rooms.

Nintendo Land packs a surprising amount of replay value for completionists. There are lots of decorations for the central plaza, stamps, stages to unlock, etc. There's plenty of game here if you play in spurts, even more game and more fun if you can gather up some friends to play along.

Nintendo Land is reminiscent of another famous launch title called Wiisports in that it showcases the amazing innovative controls of the new Nintendo Wii U. Using just about every feature of the GamePad, Nintendo Land is a collection of awesomely good mini-games based on some highly popular titles...

As I go about my day, I have to stop and wonder why I'm not just staying in and playing Nintendo Land. The game is more fun than I ever thought it would be-it smartly adds to the games as you get better at them, providing you with a greater challenge as you progress through and giving you so much...

If Nintendo was being absolutely upfront with us,