a wise guy. Don�t say, �Oh, look at this! More crap for the Wii U.� The thing is this

is actually a good thing for the Wii U. I mean, think about it. People look for games

like this...games about crap they recognize. This stuff sells. So as much as the Wii U

needs good games, it also needs...these games.

Helps when they�re actually kind of decent.

So Disney�s Planes landed on my desk earlier this week. Actually, two of them�both the

Wii U and 3DS versions. It�s also available for the original DS and the Wii, but that�s

it. Planes is exclusive to Nintendo platforms, an interesting trend more licensed games seem

to be following. And again, it�s actually not bad, but...I mean, there are only two

console versions. The Wii and Wii U. So you�d expect this version, the one for the current

platform, to be the version, right? Or at least to get the effort.

Some nice graphics, some interesting GamePad use...then you water it down for the older

system, right? I mean, you don�t just...upscale the Wii version for Wii U, right?

Or maybe you do.

Actually, when the Wii is outselling the Wii U, that�s exactly what you do.

So listen, I�m going to say plenty of nice things about this game, but before we get

to that, it is disappointing to play a game with one HD version�the Wii U version�and

to see that...it didn�t seem to be the focus of development. Remember when the Wii was

getting all those slightly better looking PS2 games? Well, guys, here�s a slightly

upscaled Wii game for your Wii U.

You know, just to make you feel at home.

All that aside, though...Planes is actually a pretty decent movie game. I mean, I�m

always saying that �decent movie game� is a relative term, which is again true. As

a standalone original game, this would be forgettable. As a game based on a film, it�s

really not that bad. You could do a lot worse than Planes on the Wii U...and even without

much specific focus, this is still the better game.

So what is the game? Well, it�s basically Pilotwings for kids. You get to play as several

characters from the movie, and each one has their own set of missions...spread across

ten different locations. And the missions all fall into certain categories. There are

ones where you�re smashing things, like dams or piles of snow. You also have some

straightforward races, with lots of rings and...Pilotwings things.

You even have to take pictures. How Pilotwings is that?

So that�s the so-called story mode, but...there�s also a free flight mode, which is also very

Pilotwings, as well as standalone racing and balloon-popping modes. So there�s actually

a lot of different modes here, but the problem is...they�re all very short, and even more

shallow. So don�t expect anything that�ll hold your interest. These are definitely kid-focused

games, in terms of both their simplicity and depth.

Fortunately, they all play great. That�s the one thing Planes does really well. The

controls are super tight and responsive. You steer with the left stick, and you can do

barrel rolls and things like that with the right. Simple, perfect, really fun to play.

I just wish there were some GamePad use here. I mean, it does support off-TV play, which

is always a useful feature. But beyond that?

Nothing interesting at all, and that�s always a disappointment.

Disney�s Planes sets out to be nothing more than a really solid kids game. And it does

that better than you might expect. Again, it�s like a licensed version of Pilotwings

for the younger pilots, with multiplayer. That�s awesome. But if you expect more from

what is really the only HD version of a game...Planes doesn�t have it.

It�s a good kids game, but nothing more.