The Game:
By now, The Godfather has been passed around to so many consoles that I'm afraid it might have STDs. The game has had so many staggered releases that it's amazing there are people left who haven't played it yet. Apparently EA intends to squeeze every dollar they can from this license. I'm waiting for the "Fredo's Fishing" game myself. But whether you've played it on the PC, the Xbox, the PS2, the 360, or the PS3, I promise you that you've never played it like this.

EA underestimated the popularity of the Wii, but once they realized their mistake, they rushed to get product to the market for it. The Godfather: Blackhand Edition is part of the result. In many ways the same game that has adorned the last gen consoles, this one benefits from a whole new control scheme. You use the analog stick on the nunchuck to move your character. As the game starts, you're just a hood looking to make good with the Corleone Family, and the best way to do this is by shaking down local shop owners. This is where the fun begins. The combat has been redesigned from the ground up to use the motion sensitivity of the Wii controllers. You wanna swing a punch? Swing away. You wanna choke somebody? Grab them and shake the controllers left and right. It's a blast, and it's intuitive. In no time you'll be going from move to move, pulling combos and killing your enemies like you were born to it.

Weapons management is equally easy. You lock onto your enemy, and then use the Wii remote to aim at the part of the body where you want to fire, then pull the trigger. The game is context sensitive: That is, you shoot a guy's knee, he falls to the ground. You shoot his shoulder, he drops his gun. You shoot him in the head...instant kill. It's a lot faster and more accurate than using an analog stick for aiming.

As far as the rest of the game goes, well, it's not staggeringly different from the other releases. The Wii and PS3 versions offer a redesigned city map. It's easier to get around and find locations. There are also some new side missions available in this version. Nothing that will change the way you look at the game, but they don't feel like an afterthought, either. For the most part, you're shaking down merchants, pulling off hits, and making slight upgrades to your character. While it's true this game has not been completely reinvented, this is easily the most fun I've had playing it.

The Graphics:
The Godfather has been slammed on just about every platform for its poor graphics, and the Wii version is no exception. On the plus side, since the Wii isn't a graphical powerhouse, this isn't nearly as detrimental as it would be on the 360 or the PS3. For what it's worth, I could detect no difference between the Wii version and the original Xbox version. The textures are still flat and bland, the characters have seriously awkward movements, and there are only about five cars in all of New York City. At the same time, the gameplay is so engrossing that you're willing to overlook these issues, especially if you've seen the game before.

The Audio:
EA took meticulous pains to recreate the full Godfather experience, right down to the audio. As many of the original actors were used for their parts (including Robert Duvall, James Caan, and EA even recorded Marlon Brando before he died). The big exception is Al Pacino. EA couldn't even get his likeness, most likely due to the Scarface game that come out only a few months later. But the game uses the score to nostalgic effect. The sound effects are all original, and sound more modern.

The Conclusion:
The Godfather: Blackhand Edition is the same as the other console versions, only that much more fun. Using the Wii controller for your combat, with both melee and weapons, adds a whole new layer to the game that only increases the enjoyment. Granted, the graphics don't look any better, but don't let that stop you. Highly Recommended.