Wii Sports Resort (Wii) - Review by Chris

Introduction

Even though it was packaged in with the console in both the US and in Europe and purchase only in Japan, Wii Sports has become one of the biggest selling games of all time. As the gateway title to a new way to play games, the original title showed both how accurate and how limited the Wii-motes functions are but that hasn't stopped people from playing it every day since it was released back in 2006. It's now 2009, and Nintendo have finally released a sequel that makes full use of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral and expands significantly on what the original title brought. With 12 sports, each with variations available, a new location and being the title that has been hyped up as the one which would show the true potential of the MotionPlus, Wii Sports Resort has a lot to live up to given the performance of the original. And you know what, it manages to easily better it.

Gameplay

To get this out of the way now, Wii Sports Resort is fantastic fun; more fun than the original and it comes down to a decent selection of sports, good multiplayer options and the MotionPlus controls. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. From the immediate and initial load up, you are thrown into the game head first. Literally, as the first thing you'll be doing is having your Mii caricature jumping out of a plane and sky diving above the spectacular location of Wuhu Island, getting the opportunity to take in the sheer scale of this new environment as well as getting to grips with the sensitivity and accuracy of the MotionPlus peripheral. The rush that you'd expect to get from such an opening is fantastic, almost unmatched in this generation of consoles, and presents itself as a great opener for what is to come.

This new game comes packed with 10 new sports and 2 returning, although one is a variation on tennis in the form of table tennis. For the most part, the sports are superb and all play out well, with enough depth and variety to them to keep you coming back for more. But like all games that try to shoehorn several styles onto one disc, there are some hit and miss sports. Particular high points are the likes of the Sword Fighting, where you can choose to face off in a duel, a speed slicing competition or a showdown where you take on slew of oncoming Mii characters, to Archery to the Island Flyover, which is sure to make fans of Nintendo's Pilotwings series yearn for a sequel given how well it controls and plays out here. The game's low points fall to the likes of Cycling and Wakeboarding which seem more like tech demos than fully fledged sports. Cycling does offer up more freedom and entertainment, thanks to a level of strategy that comes about as a result of an energy bar that depletes the more rigorous you are with your pedalling and the Miis at the trackside cheering you on, than Wakeboarding but these are the two sports you'll probably play the least. But overall, the collection of sports is spot on, giving something for anyone and everyone who picks up the title.

The addition of a stamp based achievement system means those who like to get the most out of their games will always have something to work towards and getting these is usually tied to the unlocking of new variations of the sports available. So while the initial plethora of sporting goodness would be enough for most people, there is more tucked away that you'll be able to unlock should you work your way towards the stamp objectives which is fantastic. It's a nice touch and the amount of thought that has gone into the stamp achievement system suggests that it may be something we can come to expect in other titles from Nintendo further down the line. Scoreboards also make a return and records of your best scores on sports will also be kept meaning that a level of competition is pushed through as you or your friends try to beat your top scores. Sadly, there is no online function here meaning you can't take on the scores from people around the world. It's s minor downside but nothing that dilutes the feeling of beating a high score.

Multiplayer is also strictly offline but it's no less fun. If you can afford 3 extra MotionPlus attachments, Wii Sports Resort will really come into its own. While all of the sports offer up multiplayer options, Dogfight, which supports 2 players, is a perfect way to spend your time and it does get heated as each player tries to deplete the others balloon stocks while flying around Wuhu Island. And even if you can't afford the extra attachments, many of the sports can be played in a 'pass the baton' style way so more than one person can enjoy the experience.

Controls

While EA and Sega have provided titles that take advantage of the MotionPlus, this is the first title that has been designed specifically to take advantage of it and you cannot play this without it. It's a shame because it does make things a little expensive if you want to kit everyone out with the necessary equipment but it really is worth it. The controls are expertly put together, making great use not only of what the Wii-mote has to offer but what the MotionPlus brings to the table. You'll find yourself swinging, flicking and doing all kinds of motions for the various game types and the only case where any form of waggle comes into it is in the cycling but even there it is manageable. The controls are so fluid you'll find yourself having a grin going from ear to ear at just how sensitive and responsive the controls are. For many, this is exactly what the Wii-mote should have done on release but even with the wait, it's no less amazing. Many of the games and the control mechanics are clearly set up as testers for some of Nintendo's other titles. Sword fighting and Archery are clearly designed to showcase the possibilities of the next Zelda titles and when playing them, your mind will instantly flick to the possibility for that title. And Archery is clearly making the most of the controls, being the most sophisticated in how it works, detecting how far you pull the Nunchuk away from the Wii-mote to determine the strength of the shot. It's remarkable really. One downside to the controls is the constant recalibration that the MotionPlus device needs. You will sometimes find that the controls will go off and so you'll have to pause the game and place the controller face down to get everything recalibrated. It is a nuisance as it does break up the playing experience but you'll get used to it.

Graphics

The same simplistic design style has returned for this title, yet there is a considerable level of polish present here that was somewhat absent from the original. Everything is clean and crisp, and I didn't once see any form of jagged edges to the graphics. The use of Miis continues and this time they'll be seen in various different outfits for the various sports and while they look good, you can see how basic they are in the face and their expressions and they do look slightly dated now. It's only a minor point and doesn't really affect the overall presentation. The arenas within which you'll be participating are well designed, with the arenas for the water sports being some of the best because of the attention to detail that has gone into the water effects, where you'll see dynamic water movement from your boat or oar and the waves and reflections are some of the best on the console. Wuhu Island as a hub world is a perfect place to encompass all of the action and the sheer scale of it is impressive, with many nooks and crannies to explore in the Island Flyover. For sure, this won't be the last time we see the island in one of Nintendo's titles purely because it is so large and there is plenty of untapped potential.

Sound

The original's familiar opening music makes its return here. It has been remixed though and isn't as instantly recognisable as the original but it's virtually the same music just sounding more grander given this much bigger title. As for the rest of the game, the sound is delivered to a high standard as are the majority of the sound effects yet for the most part, when playing a sport, you'll only be accompanied by the sound effects and no music which is a strange thing to do. Ok, it makes things more realistic and in line with the real sport but obviously this is a game and so some music wouldn't go amiss just to help create and foster the atmosphere.

Final comments

Wii Sports Resort is arguably Nintendo's biggest title for this year and it had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, though, the end product is fantastic, providing a highly polished experience that shows the true potential that the MotionPlus device has. The sports are played out realistically thanks to the device's improved capabilities over the standard Wii-mote and the presentation is top notch, with Wuhu Island being one of Nintendo's best pieces of design work for the last few years. The multiplayer options that made the original so fun are improved upon in every area here and this will easily become to go to title when friends and family are around. Wii Sports Resort is a must have title not only for the casual gamer but also for the hardcore because it is just pure, unadulterated fun that everyone will enjoy.

Pro: The controls are superb, great collection of sports, presentation is top notch, just so much fun
Con: Constant recalibration of the MotionPlus can be annoying, Cycling and Wakeboarding are rather lacklustre
Final score: 8.8

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