Step up to the oche with PDC World Championship Darts 2009

Can't beat a bit of Bully.

Manchester Metropolitan University; circa 1994; I’m standing in a pub, a pint of Guinness in one hand and some Bowens Bullets in the other. Like so many others before and after me, I favoured a night down the local playing darts over an essay on the dichotomy of some nonsense or other. So whilst I’m not a sports fan or even a gamer, I jumped at the chance to review PDC World Championship Darts 2009 out of sheer nostalgia.

Hailed as the most realistic darts game available, this is actually the third iteration of Oxygen’s PDC World Championship Darts video game and according to its back-of-the-box blurb now features a ‘new and enhanced throwing method featuring realistic dart flight physics’.

I have to admit; I was doubtful about this from the off. For a start, on the front of the box you can clearly see a picture of Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor aiming a wiimote at the dart board. So it’s pretty obvious that the throwing experience isn’t going to be that realistic. Even so, I was still intrigued to know if PDC World Championship Darts 2009 would live up to its back-of-box promise of ‘pure pressure, pure passion’.

You'll get the point.

Getting to grips with the fundamentals – even for a darts novice like me – was pretty straightforward. Instructions are easy to follow while an on screen meter guides you on how hard you should throw the dart. You can choose between three assisted play settings plus you can swap your dart weight if you find, for example, that you’re always hitting slightly above or below your target.

That said, the action of throwing a dart using the wiimote does take a bit of practice. Using an onscreen target, you aim the mote as you would a real dart. Once you’re happy with your aim, you lock the target in place by pressing A. You can then throw the dart, releasing the A button as you go. Don’t get me wrong, there is a science to this that veterans of PDC World Championship Darts will have already mastered, but at this point in time (with my boyfriend waiting eagerly for me to miss the shot altogether) I was just happy to hit the board.

After a few more practice rounds I left the darts to go off in search snacks, and when I returned my ‘darts on a Wii, you’re joking aren’t you’ boyfriend was not only engaged in a very serious game with Mark Dudbridge, he’d also created his own character complete with garish Hawaiian shirt. His excuse was that he was ‘helping me out’ … yet three hours later he was still at it; checking out the career, custom and party game modes, trying out each of the multiple assist modes, scientifically scrutinizing the various dart weights, and creating his own bespoke tournaments.

It would appear that virtual darts are just as addictive as their real life counterparts.

Simulation, the most sincerest from of flattery..

At the end of the day, I can’t pretend PDC World Championship Darts 2009 is like playing darts for real, because it’s not. However, given the problems associated with having your own dartboard at home (i.e. walls that look like they’re riddled with woodworm) PDC World Championship Darts 2009 is definitely the next best thing.

I liked it. My fella liked it. And as far as video games go, this is one that will definitely help you while away the hours, either alone or with a bunch of mates using the multiplayer mode. So come on already, step up to the oche and go head to head against some of the greatest champions of the PDC. It won’t take long before you’re sucked into the drama and pressure of hitting that all important winning double … just as promised.

GAME's Verdict

• Simplified and enhanced throwing control.
• Score averages relevant to pro players’ real life averages.
• Ability to customize dart weight.

• Wiimote still doesn’t feel like a real dart.
• All new walk-ins are a bit repetitive, particularly the music.
• No one says ‘come and see what you would have won’ when you lose the game.

Review by: Corrinne 'Bullseye' Garstang
Version Tested: Nintendo DS
Review Published: 30.05.09