Wild Earth: African Safari (Wii, 2008)

If you're looking for something that's a little outside the norm for games, then you're looking at the right game. Wild Earth: African Safari is both entertaining and relaxing. And be careful, you might also learn something!

The game has 11 missions that cross a wide variety of African terrain while you are taking photographs and observing the little stories that take place naturally in wildlife. The best part is that most of the missions feel really unique on their own.
I love the mission where you're looking for warthogs and cheetahs while storm clouds are brewing overhead. It just really captures how huge the Serengeti is. Of course, the Jeep missions are always fun, especially in Co-op mode.

Even after you go through the missions, I still go back and play them to get better photographs for the articles that the game saves for you. You don't get extra points or anything; you just get to act like a real photographer and take some photos that actually look really cool. The game lets you take photos just for fun and save them too.


On top of all that, a new Safari Arcade Game unlocks after every mission. I know what you're thinking, "Yeah yeah, crappy mini-games on the Wii. What game doesn't have that?" Sure, while it's pretty cliche' to have mini-games on the Wii, some of the mini-games are really fun.
It's the kind of thing that you can leave on at a party, and people will gather around trying to beat each others' high scores.

Some of them are really unique too, like "Vulture Pilot" where you get to fly a vulture through hoops in the sky. You actually get to flap the vulture's wings using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, tilting the controllers to turn or dive or pull up.


Maybe this game isn't for everybody, especially the ones who like to blow everything away with a shotgun. But if you have an open mind about games and are looking for a fun and unique experience, I strongly recommend adding Wild Earth: African Safari to your library.