We thou

ght we had it all. We could use the Wii remote as a sword, fishing rod, tennis racket, baseball bat, lightsaber and an assortment of other weapons and sports paraphernalia. But alas, we didn't have it all. At least not until Let's Tap.

Now, gamers can set their Wiimotes down for a change and tap their way to single or multiplayer victory. Or just have fun with fish in a pond or fireworks in the sky.

Let's Tap introduces a new way to play with the Wii remote, but is it more tech demo than full-fledged game? Hit the jump and find out!

Before you can begin, Let's Tap runs you through a quick tutorial to make sure you get the hang of navigating the menus. Single tap to run through menu options and double tap to make your selection. If you can use a computer (i.e., if you're reading this), you've got the control system of Let's Tap down pat. But if you prefer a more Wii-centric menu navigation you can just pick the Wiimote up, point and click.

Finding the right box for Let's Tap is a bit like finding the right wand for yourself in the Harry Potter universe. Wizards don't really choose their wand; their wand chooses them. Gamers don't actually pick their Let's Tap box, their box finds them. Finding the right box isn't hard at all, but we found (and some discerning gamers might also find) that some boxes are just a bit too sensitive or not sensitive enough to register our taps.

We grabbed the box closest to us (naturally, a half-empty box of Twinkies), and started tapping away. Although we do recommend the consumption of Twinkies for gaming energy, we don't recommend it for Let's Tap.

Sega recommends a tissue box, and we recommend an empty shipping box, but any small square or rectangular box will do. Even an old WoW box works.

Let's Tap is made up of five categories of games: a hurdle-jumping competition, a space-themed shooter, a visualizer, a Jenga-style game and a rhythm game. Let's break it down:

Tap Runner. The object of the hurdle-jumping game? Get to the end of the track before your competition does. Tap lightly to run, tap faster to run faster and use a forceful tap to jump. It's a simple concept, but it's probably the most entertaining game in the bunch. It may sound easy, but the computers have no mercy. One tap too soft or too strong may cost you the race. Although Tap Runner throws obstacles ranging from swinging ropes to orbs of electricity, keeping each level fresh and challenging, the mere 16 levels leave you wanting more.

Rhythm Tap. Although it's not Rock Band or Guitar Hero, Let's Tap serves justice to the rhythm game genre with Rhythm Tap. Three multicolored and -sized circles indicate a light, medium and forceful tap, but any tap will do, since player's aren't penalized for "wrong" taps. Ever played Donkey Conga? It's the same principle -- simple, but fun to play and tap to the beat. Although it doesn't include any licensed tracks (It's a budget priced title, cut it some slack), the 16 songs playlist is quite catchy.

Silent Blocks. In this Jenga-style game, players remove blocks from a stack in any order they please -- as long as the stack doesn't topple and the object on top reaches the bottom safely. Choose a block by tapping the surface of your box when the block is selected, and an arrow circles the chosen block. Players tap when it points in the direction they want the block to move. Then, the removal process begins. The lighter the tap, the less the block moves. The stronger the tap, the more the block moves-- you get the idea.

If you have any patience at all, you'll be able to get the object on top to the bottom safely without any

trouble. There's only so much fun that a single-player game of Silent Blocks (or Jenga, for that matter) can provide, but the most entertaining single-player mode is "Alchemist." Get three or more blocks of the same color lined up and they create a Jewel block. Play your cards/blocks right and you'll have to wrangle with fewer blocks in your stack to win. Again -- simple, but surprisingly entertaining.

Bubble Voyager. Traverse 2D levels as Bubble Voyager (who looks to be half-man, half-spaceship), collecting stars to increase your score while avoiding deadly objects and destroying others to reach the end of the level. A light tap propels Bubble Voyager upwards and a more forceful tap launches a missile. Bubble Voyager is a fun side-scroller, but can be a bit more frantic when you duel up to three other friends in battlefield mode. (Pictured: A still shot from the Bubble Voyager mini-game).

Visualizer. The visualizer translates player's taps into fireworks or paintings, or uses taps to control bouncing gems, or to attract fish in a river. Players can only use three distinct taps to control the visualizer -- light, medium or hard. Because of this, most of the visualizer games are luck of the draw. Tap wildly and something will appear. Specific tap combinations create effects, but since they're not clearly outlined, it feels like you have no control.

Multiplayer. The multiplayer aspect of Let's Tap might be the biggest attraction, second only to tapping. My cousin was my Let's Tap multiplayer guinea pig, and after a few test runs we thought Tap Runner was the best multiplayer minigame. There's nothing like a good race to spark some competition. It might not be an experience of Mario Kart proportions, but Let's Tap holds it's own in the multiplayer arena.

The Verdict. Though it's a fun game, Let's Tap is a little shallow. After playing for a while, you begin to realize how far the tap mechanism could have been taken. Let's Tap feels almost like an appetizer or a sampler platter. It shows that the mechanic works, and works well, without providing a deep experience. Let's Tap is a fun and well-rounded, but not enough for a main (gaming) course. We hope to see something along the lines of a Let's Tap Adventure in the vein of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, as it would incorporate the control mechanism in a deep, full-fledged gaming experience.

But enough about what Let's Tap isn't. It shouldn't be expected to have lots of depth or play-time, considering it's a budget title at $29.99. The gameplay concept behind Let's Tap is simple and that's the beauty of it. Tapping to control the game was a fresh new experience that not only worked, but was fun in four out of the five categories of minigames (Sorry Visualizer, you didn't make the cut). Let's Tap provides a solidly interesting experience for just 30 bucks a pop.

We at VGTribune give Let's Tap a 7 out of 10.

Published by: SEGA

Developed by: Prope

Release Date: June 16, 2009

Genre: Party

Price: $29.99