F1 2009: Formula 1 (includes Steering Wheel Attachment)

I own both the Xbox and PS3 and the Mrs owns the Wii. I never buy games for the Wii as i always see it as a bit gimmicky. This game changed all that for me. Ive been waiting for a new F1 game for ages and i didnt want to wait till next year for the Xbox or PS3 versions.
Ive got to say i expected an arcadey F1 experience with this, with the grandstands full of those stupid Mii's you see in every other game on the Wii, but how wrong was I. This is simply superb, the graphics are actually decent for a Wii game (expect PS2 standards and you get the picture) and is by far the best game graphically ive seen on the Wii. The gameplay is just as good, it has quick race, weekend, championship and even career mode. It cannot be faulted. The menus are clear and precise and there are awards to unlock.
But the gameplay itself is simply outstanding. I wasnt expecting much if im honest and debated getting this but its simply addictive! The wheel works wonders, steering response is fast and braking and accelerating is taken care of with the buttons. It takes a bit of getting used to, but if you dont have the money to afford and next gen console and ultra-spec steering wheel like a Logitech, then this more than gives you a rewarding driving experience. I actually use the wheel that came with MarioKart and simply bought the F1 game on its own.
There are weather conditions that change mid race, damage, a very good radio pit crew and a real feeling of immersion when racing. Dont expect next-gen type graphics or detail, but dont make the mistake of thinking this is a kids game either, its not. It more than satisfies the adult racer and it keeps you wanting to go back for more. with Beginner, medium and expert difficulties its a real challenge. Throw in full qualifying, pitstop and hard and soft tyres and this becomes (in my opinion) the best racer on the Wii by far. If you have been humming'n'arrghing about getting this then i can only say 'take the plunge. Its well worth it and a fantastic racer. Codemasters have done an excellent job here!

I've followed the development of F1 2009 for some time and even though I was put off for a time due to the Beta videos/screenshots I was impressed enough by recent updated video footage to buy this shortly after release....and was glad I did!
Codemasters have done a fantastic job considering this is their first true F1 title (Toca RD3 had F1 championships in it but this was only a small part of a mutli-car class racing game) and they have delivered. True there are some rough edges here and there such as the odd slow down (especially on split screen), the lack of tv style commetary, basic damage model and lack of mid-season driver changes (odd considering the game was released after the season had finished - I want to race as Krazy Kobayashi damn you! :D) but this doesn't detract from the package as a whole.
The control system is great, I have only used the Wii wheel mode so far so can't compare to the remote/nunchuck, classic controller or Logitech wheel methods but it is great fun once you get used to it. Treating it like Mario Kart will stick you into every barrier you can see so you have to be gentle and use slight steering movements and with enough practice you can become an armchair Lewis Hamilton though after several hours i'm still more like Jaime Alguersuari! The KERS system is well implemented though every car has it and not just the select few as per the real 2009 season though this does keep the cars balanced rather than a few teams having the advantage over others.
The single player mode has a plethora of options to choose from including Quick Race (jump into a race with a driver and track of your choice), Race Weekend (a single race weekend including all practice & qualifying sessions prior to the race), World Championship (the 2009 season with full race weekend options), Time Trial (great for practice and there are bronze, silver & gold times to beat for awards), Challenge (75 challenges to beat including passing as many checkpoints within a given time, winning a race (sometimes with a catch - dry tyres on a wet track etc), overtaking as many rivals, cornering (higher speed and 'kissing' the apex earns more points) and many more) and finally Career mode. In career mode you have 3 seasons (as yourself, you 'create' your driver when you first set up your profile) to become World Champion by taking test drives with teams and moving your way up the rankings. An email system is used to offer test sessions and keep you up to date with news and developments
The two player split-screen is great fun - you can take part in a single race (with all the options of a single player race such as race length, damage, fuel usage/tyre wear (which forces pitstops), flags (with penalties), weather etc), a full championship and challenges. The only downside is the slowdown I mentioned at set points on the track (usually where there is a lot of scenery - the stadium hairpin at Abu Dhabi for example) though this doesn't ruin the fun too much, to be honest I took little notice of it! The only major gripe with multi-player is the two player splitscreen is all you get, no online or even four player split-screen though the amount of single player options make up for this in my opinion.
The sound is very good and the graphics are some of the best I have seen on the Wii - slightly better than a PS2 though still very clear and sharp with a good draw distance and the HUD interface is clear and informative and complete with a TV style position indicator (similar to the one Sony used in F1'06 on the PS2/3).
Overall then F1 2009 is a great title and a fantastic first effort from Codemasters though a few minor niggles deny it the 5-star rating.

this game has got everything , great single player and multiplayer splitscreen . the graphics are very good for the wii . you can have arcadey or simulation you can make it as hard or as easy as you want . me my brother and nephew whos 7 have great fun on this .

Brilliant game, with lightening speed. Handling is very good. Graphics are phenomenal for the wii. A must for racings fans

With the 2010 season now underway, I thought it was time to re-immerse myself in the Wii's version of the 2009 season. This is the closest you will get to pulling on the racing overalls and helmet and strapping yourself into your favourite constructors car. The F1 type steering wheel attachment is a nice piece of realism and although it can take a while to master its handling and some of the circuits, literally days of fun can be had pitting your driving skills against Button, Hamilton, Vettel ect. I had a great sense of achievement passing Hamilton on the pit straight in Australia, only to get involved in a shunt and get landed with a stop/go penalty. Such things add to the realism of this title and with Playstation letting us down, Nintendo Wii's F1 2009 takes the top step on the podium. Crack open the champagne and grab your steering wheel, this game is in pole position!