It seems Mama has had a change of career. Fans of lovable and slightly creepy mother figure can now find her in a brand new game from Majesco: Babysitting Mama on Nintendo Wii.
Babysitting Mama, as the name suggests, follows Mama as she baby-sits up to six different babies, three boys and three girls. Each infant has different personalities, moods, activities and mini-games that can be played solo, or with a friend. Players insert the Wiimote into the back of an almost realistically sized baby plushie, and hold the Nunchuk in the other hand. Despite having a Wiimote shoved inside it, the plushie is actually pretty cute, and would certainly be a selling point for younger girls wanting to play with stuffed dolls. The Wiimote also emits cooing and crying noises, an added a bit of realism for those wanting to practice before their own children arrive.
Now, as most people seem to know Wii games as very flailing, motion-heavy types of games, it's safe to say that this title will be more...relaxed. Shaking a baby/Wiimote combination too emphatically might raise eyebrows with parents and children's aid workers. Instead, the game tells the player when they are being too rough, and the emphasis is on gentle, kind movements. It's surprisingly more difficult to master the more relaxed, broad moves, where the player must be more precise in their actions.
One of the mini-games involved is called baby racing, where you race another infant across the playroom floor, using milk bottles as speed boosters and slowing down to avoid obstacles. Another mini-game has you lifting the plushie baby in the air in the direction that Mama indicates on the screen. Yet another has you washing the baby's hair. The game employs an easy-to-use combination of the plushie and the Nunckuck; the former being used for a lot of the more laid-back, lifting activities, and the latter for the faster paced, quick movement mini-games.
Visually, the game is on par with other Mama Wii games. Bright, colourful and fun for children, but not graphically stunning by any stretch.
The game is available this holiday, and it is rumoured that the plushie will be included in the regular price of the game.