In the campaign, you split time between two soldiers in two offensive theaters: the Russian push out of their homeland and into the heart of Germany, and the American struggle to wrest Pacific islands from the Japanese. It's a minor inconvenience, though, and all things considered, World at War's control scheme is well-suited for the rigors of war.

Unfortunately, grenades are mapped to the + button, and shifting your thumb halfway down the remote can be awkward. The D pad is also used for switching weapons, so resting your thumb in the A-button/D-pad area is generally advisable. The D pad is the better option, but melee attacks will still tend to go astray more often than they should. Unfortunately, shaking will shift your aim abruptly, often causing you to miss your target. The fast and deadly melee attack is performed by shaking the Wii Remote or hitting down on the D pad. The default controls feel balanced and well-mapped, but there are a few hang-ups. There are a number of slightly tweaked alternate control schemes, including a Wii Zapper mode that, if you can endure the frequent twisting it requires, is actually pretty fun. The C button toggles your stance, and the A button lets you sprint or, when stationary or strafing, lock the camera for steadier aiming. In the default control scheme, you pull the B trigger to fire and use the Z button to look down your sights, which is a crucially important ability, especially in multiplayer. As a handy aid to newcomers and veterans alike, there are plenty of options to tweak various sensitivities and movement speeds. You move with the analog stick and aim by pointing the remote. There are a number of great components in Call of Duty: World at War, but none of them would work without the fully capable control scheme.

Spewing fire with the Wii Remote is particularly enjoyable. Add in the engaging multiplayer system that made Modern Warfare a smash hit, and you've got one of the best shooters available for the Wii. The remote and Nunchuk perform admirably in combat, despite a few missteps, and the well-tuned weapons make firefights intense and satisfying. Though World at War treads the familiar ground of World War II, the detailed, realistic locations and dramatic story elements make this trip to the past feel fresh. After getting passed over by 2007's stellar Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Wii owners get their first shot at the revitalized series with Call of Duty: World at War.

Call of duty world at war 2