Customer Reviews

We Cheer 2

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Give me a Y! Give me a E! Give me an S! Do I love this game as much or even more than the first We Cheer game? Yes! It's everything I hoped it would be. You might remember from my review of the first We Cheer that I'm a 60 year old woman who didn't make the cheerleading finals in junior high and have never gotten over it. So this is a big time opportunity for a second chance. And this game is much cooler than junior high. First of all, the stages are glitzy and sparkly and you have a choice of lots of different ones like the Dolphin Aquarium, the Namco Arena and more. In junior high there were only smelly old gyms! The music is great with 30 new songs by top artists, all high energy and fun. When I was in junior high the cheerleaders had to sing. How lame is that?

I think the controls on this game are a little more responsive than they were on the first. With the first game it took me a couple weeks to pass the first cheer. On this one I passed an easy one the first time. Now that may be because I'm used to the way the game is played and because I play it obsessively. I like the Stunt Time bonus points addition to this game. Not to worry, you don't have to do the splits and cartwheels across your family room to score. The motion is detected only in your arm movements. (You might want to keep your drapes closed while flailing your arms wildly in time with the music and jumping up and down when you pass a song. It will only confirm to any neighbors who might look in what you're one fry short of a Happy Meal).

One of the things I really liked about this game is that right in the beginning, when you're going through all the training instructions, there is a part where you move your wiimotes with a calibration device that sets the calibration for the moves in the game with your TV. You can still go back later into the options menu and readjust them if need be. With the first game I didn't check the option menu and settings for the first couple of days and then found out that my screen response was just the slightest bit slow. Once I adjusted for it the moves were easier to hit. If you're new to the game, definitely go through the training sessions to get the feel of the way it all works.

The first game had lots of options for customization of your cheer squad, but this game has even more. There are over 40 different male and female cheerleaders to choose from and there are more things to customize. You can even do accessories like hair ribbons in a choice of colors. You have greater control over what you want your cheerleader to look like and also the other cheerleaders in your squad. This game has male as well as female cheerleaders which is great because the first game had a lot of male fans. It's fun to change the outfits and pompoms when you're taking a few minutes to rest up after playing for a while. There is a scoring thing in this game that's new, where you rack up points in the championship mode. You start as a Newbie and progress through the ranks. I was up to Amateur in my first session. You also see charts with high scores after each try. I liked that they didn't have the chatty fellow cheerleaders after each cheer in this game. Of course you can hit the A/B buttons in the first game to skip through that and can do that in this game to for any screens you want to skip. I like that feature, because the game moves quickly and you get to keep moving.

You can pick a different stage after each play if you want and the menu is a little different for this game than for the first. That menu looks kind of like a DDR menu. The game is still oozes with enthusiasm and high energy. The trace lines which you have the option to change to thinner lines are the same. It's a great way to exercise your arms and upper part of your body and the trainers encourage you in the beginning to follow along with full body dance moves. At first it's enough work just to follow the arm patterns, but once you learn those you can follow along. My arms feel like they're going to fall off after playing for a while and I worked up a good sweat. The thing I like best about the game is that it's fun and I seldom can play for just a short time. With the first game I've spent many nights playing until 2:00 in the morning, just because I had to pass one more cheer to get to the next level and I'm sure with the point system in this new game it'll be even more self competitive. Oh, you could invite up to 3 friends over for a Cheer Off where each player uses one wiimote or one friend in Cheer Battle where each player uses two wiimotes. My friends already think I'm nuts, a 60 year old cheerleader wannabe, so I won't even go there! Two thumbs up for We Cheer 2! This game will keep me busy for a long, long time.

We Cheer is one of my favorite video games of all time, and We Cheer 2 makes a great thing even better. Cheers to Namco for making big improvements based on people's feedback.

Perhaps the biggest complaint about the first game was that it was a struggle just to pass a song! The two levels, normal and hard, were more like harder and hardest. Not with We Cheer 2. The new (default) beginner mode has the fewest lines and you will score points even if you're too slow or fast, making it very easy to fill up that megaphone-shaped life gauge. The rainbow bonus round is also back - you spell words instead of lighting up stars - but this time you'll go into bonus mode even if you don't get all the letters; you just get less time to wildly shake your wiimotes for extra points. Beginner level is ideal for kids and newbies; my 7-year-old daughter, who was easily frustrated at the first We Cheer, happily tore through We Cheer 2. Even beginners can move up through the ranks and unlock songs and LOTS of stuff.

Seasoned We Cheerleaders like me will probably want to start with intermediate level. As with the first game, the squad always does the same routine for any song on all levels, but intermediate adds more lines. Advanced (which you unlock for each song by passing it) has the same lines as intermediate, as far as I can tell, but the grading's more strict - you only score on "cool" which is a perfect move, and the card bonus is taken away, making it truly a challenge to fill up that gauge. Like others said, the controllers feel more responsive, and they fixed the no-quit bug so you can go back to the Wii Menu at any point in the game, even mid-song.

More improvements: the main game mode (Competitions) now has a choice of two games, Championships and Squad Challenge. Squad Challenge is much like the game mode from before where you have dialogue screens with cheerleaders between songs and challenge them on various stages - fine for kids or those who insist a video game must have a storyline. But if you're like me and want to skip all the chit-chat, go to Championships where you just play one song after another. Each song gives you more cheer points to buy clothes and accessories in the cheer shop, additional cheerleaders and their uniforms, and of course new songs and stages. (You can even see all the unlockables listed under "Rewards" on the options menu.)

Wait, there's MORE! You can now customize hair styles, faces and even names. The uniform logo is now your team name, so you can have your school name or fave sports team or whatever you call your squad on a big banner on the menu screen. Head for the cheer shop and spend your cheer points on clothing, hats, hair decorations and face paint. And you can save your favorite outfits, or take and save photos of them. Multiplayer still has cheer-off (2 to 4 players) and 2 party games, Hot Balloon (similar to Hot Potato) and Balloon Survival (where you try to hit all your moves to keep balloon from popping).

And even more: Workout mode is back, and you have a choice of 2 songs/routines in short or long versions. (Unfortunately the "calorie" counter is still bogus.) There's also a new "cheer camp" where you learn actual cheerleader moves; young aspiring cheerleaders should enjoy this part. And there are now records, and - well, I shouldn't spoil everything. Just buy it!! Young or old, if you like to get up and cheer, this is your game.

The original We Cheer was one of the first games for the Wii to really make full use of the Wii's motion sensor capabilities. It was a hugely popular title for Namco-Bandai and for good reason. It's a cheerleading simulation, a fun and challenging rhythm game, and a unique way to exercise, all rolled into one. I'm happy to say We Cheer 2 is a worthy sequel. It adds a fresh new soundtrack, new dance moves, an improved workout mode, and fixes some of the annoyances from the old game, such as the overuse of dialogue.

The primary audience for the game is quite obviously girls from ages 7-15, but it can certainly be enjoyed by people of all ages. The We Cheer world is a bright, colorful world with wide-eyed cartoon cheerleaders with big eyes and bubbly giggles. The music is licensed and recognizable music from such teen pop stars as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Avril Lavigne. Even Fergie's "Glamorous" is the "Clean Version". You definitely won't find suggestive moves or skimpy outfits, it's all very family-friendly. Grown-ups probably won't have as much fun as the youngsters outfitting their characters with pom-poms, outfits, and every hair color of the rainbow, but kids will love it.

As for the gameplay itself, I found it very impressive. You hold the Wii remotes in your hands like pom poms, your on-screen character will dance in a cheerleading routine, and your job is to mimic her moves as closely as possible, with an on-screen arrow and animated "timing star" showing you the precise moves you need to make and the speed you make them in. If you follow her moves precisely, the screen says "Cool!" and you hear a jingling sound. If you miss, the screen will say things like "too fast" or "too slow" or even "needs more energy".

We Cheer 2 literally simulates an actual cheerleading routine. You'll clap your hands, dance from side to side, tilt and twist your body, shake your virtual pom-poms, and twirl and wave your hands. The choreography is actually pretty impressive; after playing the game over and over again (especially on expert mode), you can literally dance a full cheerleading routine that rivals the kinds you see at high schools and colleges.

As in the first version, the game publishers made a smart move NOT to use the Wii Nunchuk, instead giving you the option of using one or two Wii remotes. This greatly improves the accuracy of the controls at Beginner and Intermediate levels, which were spot-on. At the Expert Level, the motion tracking was not 100% accurate. Still, after making some adjustments to my movements, I was able to start clearing expert routines after a lot of practice. The same tips that applied to the first We Cheer apply to this one, namely:

* Put the sensor bar under the TV screen, not above it (make sure to configure this in the Wii options menu)

* If the controls aren't registering, play with the sensitivity controls (in the Wii options menu) and the calibration options (in the We Cheer menu)

* Like a real cheerleader, make exaggerated movements as you're doing the routine. When you make circles with your arms, they should be long and flowing. When you strike poses, they should be deliberate and your joints should be stretched out.

* Practice, practice, practice. You'll have your best success when you've memorized the routines and do them precisely in real-time with the on-screen characters, as opposed to trying to match the on-screen cues.

I think Namco missed an opportunity to improve the game by incorporating the MotionPlus, which could have helped alleviate some of the control issues. Still, with a little patience, you can get the controls to work, even on the Expert level.

One thing I really liked about the game was the mode called "Exercise Mode". In it, your on-screen character will take you through a Jane Fonda-like aerobic workout, shouting out various instructions to you. The options seem fairly limited (you can only choose between a 2-minute and a 4-minute workout), but over time you can unlock more. The storylines in exercise mode are pretty amusing; as in the first version, there's a tubby fellow (and in one case a grizzly bear) who approaches you and asks for help to lose weight. As you do the workout, you can see the pounds "poof" right off as you do the exercises correctly.

Overall, We Cheer 2 is a worthy successor to the original We Cheer, a lot of fun, and great exercise to boot. While most Wii exercise games focus on lower body, We Cheer provides a great low-impact upper body workout. Sometimes the best fitness titles are ones that aren't fitness titles at all, because you end up playing the game over and over again to try to beat the game, without realizing you're working out.

I *never* dreamed there'd be a We Cheer 2. I thought the original We Cheer was a niche game:-- just a lucky one-hit wonder that would never see the light of day as a sequel. Bought it yesterday. I was amazed; they improved on an already great game.

Pros:

-Non-existant frustation level - perfect for anyone ages from 5 to 50+ (you could do this from a wheelchair, too, no-problem)
-A new Beginner level (the original We Cheer's levels were 'hard' and 'harder')
-Fabulous, pop songs w/original artists
-Option to watch/do routine without Wii Remotes or trying to score points
-Friendlier, more fun scoring system.
-Ability to a+b skip cutscenes.
-Ability to stop a routine in the middle to change/start over.
-Clearer footwork if you like to do the whole body routine.
-Option to have a male Lead Cheerleader (great because a lot of guys on youtube proved they liked this game as much as the girls do)
-Sharper, clearer choreography.
-Streamlined characters, less visually-fussy.
-Cheer Tutorials in the form of a "Cheer Camp" - it's short but helpful if you have no cheer experience.
-Even more customizations of Cheerleaders, outfits, etc.
-It's insanely cute and fun - again! And it's a real work out with whole-body cheerleader-routines you can learn.


Cons:

-Shorter routines than the original

If you have a child - or even a spouce who just always wanted to be a cheerleader - you won't go wrong with this game. It is IMMEDIATELY excessible. No learning curve. It's also just gorgeous to watch. They are SO cute! And you sweat! It's a really super-fun, girly good-time workout.

Postscript: My perfered way to play We Cheer 2 is to go into 'options' and turn the trace-lines to 'none' and tell We Cheer i'm only using one Wii remote (doesn't matter which hand, left or right) and just click the 'watch the routine' thing option they give you before every routine, then toss the Wii remotes aside, and just watch the cartoon cheerleaders and work out by just looking at what they are doing, not trying to score points. I'm 37. I don't care about points. I like to learn the *entire* routine from head to toe. And by turning off the tracelines and using the 'watch the routine' option, I get a very clear view of the cheerleaders and then it's just like a regular aerobic workout. My kids, of course, think I'm crazy and love trying to rack up points as the game was intended to be played.

Update: I've unlocked every song in 4 days. This is much easier, friendlier and more accessible - making it a lot more fun than the orginal. I'm Vetern 'status' [the highest] now but there's still tons left to accomplish and all kinds of challanges (185 different ones) and songs to beat on higher difficulty levels. Good money & replay value in this game. This is a Wii must-have for pretty much every girl alive. Good times on the Wii with this one.

I tend to love games that let me sit on the couch.. Gimme a survival horror or rpg game any day over a dumb wii exercise game.

I used to play a ton of ddr for exercise but as the years have passed my love for ddr has waned and I haven't found a suitable replacement.

I then heard of a silly title called we cheer 2 and well I jumped at the opportunity to live out my skanky high school cheerleader fantasy.

After the obligatory embarrassment I suffered at the game store I tore right into this game. First, I chose my adorably flamming male cheerleader and watched him crack an even more flaming smile as he jumped on the cheer bus and off I went!

Finally getting into the game, I have to say I've cracked up part way through a routine more than once out of sheer giddiness from the fun I was having.

The whole game is ridiculously bright (but looks quite good) and everything is just so silly and campy. But its just so good.

Honestly, its the most fun I've ever had with my wii. The song list is pop bliss, the graphics are great and the cheer routines are quite creative. I've really gotten into the groove of some of the routines and trying to do every move at the right speed with perfect timing is addicting fun and seriously hard.

I was covered in sweat after attempting hey mickey for the fifth time trying to get the nuances of the routine down. Trying to look fabulous while swinging my wii remotes around in time with the screen was not easy and takes practice that doesn't feel like blah "exercise.."

The moves are fun and challenging, the music is fun, the remote detection is responsive and its one helluva workout.

If you wanna get up and move, check out this game. The cutesy exterior belies a seriously challenging and thought out game. I didn't know cheerleading was this *$&#?# tough!

Buy it so they make a third one. High quality in every way. Worth every penny I paid.

Ever since the announced release of this game, I have been so excited. We Cheer is my favorite Wii game to date. We Cheer 2 is even better than the original. I love this game. It has a great song selection of over 30 (mostly current) pop titles. This version has two options for play. You can choose to try out for the squad and follow a story line, or you can compete on your own choosing stages like a park where dolphins jump behind you or a gym that looks extremely similar to the "High School Musical" gym. :) This game is so much fun. It is somewhat good exercise because you do work up a sweat if you play for an hour, which I always do. This game is a good price for a wii game to. BUY IT. You will not be disappointed. I love love love it!!!!!

When our 14 year old daughter spied an ad for this in a magazine, she came running to show it to me, the following day our 10 year old saw it on TV, and it promptly went to the top of the Christmas shopping lists for our three daughters! They loved We Cheer, and were excited to see a second. When I told my husband I wanted to get it for the girls (and myself) and pointed out it had "Oh Mickey" he said they should have put that on the first one! What's a Cheer game without Mickey?!?

Christmas morning it was unwrapped with squeals of delight by the 10 and 7 yr old, and a big grin from the teenager. Most of the day was spent cheering (rather than chilling) in front of the tv. The girls love the new (and old) music. The levels seem more diverse, easier for beginners to master without frustration. The graphics and customizations are improved. While finding the "perfect" cheer outfit is of little interest to our teenager, the tween toils over every aspect, right down to shoelace color! The music makes you want to get up and move whether you can keep up with the game or not, and it's worth it's cost just seeing the three of them get along for hours! Unlike other games, they are begging to take turns after a couple songs, because they need to catch their breath! :)

I didn't even know this was coming out until I spotted it on Amazon's Wii page on the release date, and boy was I excited! I really liked We Cheer, but eventually gave up and sold it in frustration - it seemed to have such a hard time recognizing movements and it was unreasonably difficult to get a good enough score to move on to the next level.

NOT ANYMORE! We Cheer 2 is MUCH more responsive, and it is MUCH easier to "pass" each song and move on to the next level, unlocking more songs and customization options as you go along. I haven't gotten a really great score on anything, mind you, but I'm inspired to go back and try harder just because it's fun and I want to do better, not because I'm stuck forever on one level (as was the case with the original game). The music selections are very upbeat and mostly current, with a few retro tunes in there to keep us old ladies interested! Once successfully completing a routine on the basic level, you can unlock an advanced routine for most songs to keep things fresh.

It definitely offers some exercise, depending on how much you really want to flail your arms and dance around - sure is fun, yet as cute as the little cheerleaders on the screen are, I know my approximation of their moves looks something more like Godzilla destroying Tokyo. WARNING: do not play in front of anybody who has access to a video camera, or you will find yourself looking very silly on YouTube!

GREAT GAME - I'd imagine this would make a great gift for little girls who like cheerleading, as well as anybody who likes dancing and getting a little sweat going!

I'm almost 30 and I love love love We Cheer. My family, friends and I have had several laughs and hours of fun playing this game. We Cheer 2 does not disappoint. The graphics are better than the original We Cheer, and the addition of male cheerleaders has stifled many complaints by male players. I do like that this game is somewhat easier to play, you can pass many of the songs on the first try. There are now 3 levels for each song, so it's like having more routines. The workouts are GREAT! And I agree with other reviewers, the calorie count is way off.

The music is a bit of a let down. I was hoping to work my way up to Hey Mickey and thought it would have a harder routine. I was hoping for more older music, and with "Push It", "Hey Mickey" and the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of "Higher Ground", you definitely feel cool. The hokey songs from the Disney Channel kids are a bit annoying. I'd like to see less of the High School Musical cast and more of the 80s rap and rock.

The background graphics are great (I love the cheering crowds), and the kids I babysit love to play "high school" by cheering in the school gym. I'm looking forward to a We Cheer 3, with the wonderful graphics of We Cheer 2 and the great music of the original We Cheer.

This game is a lot of fun; you get to move and dance along with the music. The levels make it easy to get into the game and adjust how difficult you want it, like beginner is very lax and gives you points for 'almost', but advanced will only give you points for precise and correct moves.

The different songs unlock incredibly quickly. I think I unlocked most of the songs in about a total of 30 minutes of play time, which is good, but can also take away from the fun of playing to unlock, since all the songs are unlocked already. However, fortunately, there are still stages and outfits to unlock throughout the game (if one is interested).

But the greatest negative for this game is its extremely long load times. You get to the main menu, choose what you want to play, and it loads... then you pick your song, and it loads... when you're done with your song, it gives you your points, and it loads... then it gives you your points of leveling up, and it loads... and it loads, and it loads, and it loads. It's such a fun game, but half the time is you standing there waiting for it to load the next screen. I was interested in how you could customize your characters, from facial features, to hairstyle, and colors, but the load times in between took so long that I decided to leave them the way they are.

The game is fun, but I want to spend my time playing, not waiting for it to load.