Wii Sports Resort (WSR) came out a few days ago here in Japan. I of course bought it and have put in several hours on the game. I was a fan of the first one though I never owned the game. It doesnt come bundled with the Wii in Japan and I never bought it because the game always sells for like 30 bucks even used. Ive only had the chance to play it at my friends place a few times and really enjoyed it. That said Im not a particular fan of the Wii. WSR is like the only Wii game I had been looking forward to getting so I had some big expectations.
Well, Im pleased to say the game is fantastic. It adds so much more to the original. I mean it more than doubles the amount of available sports, and has different modes for each one. It took me some time to unlock all the modes though its not that difficult a thing to do. You just got to play through each of the sports modes. The fact that there are so many is what makes it take so long.
Two of the original sports are still in the game too. There is bowling and golf. Golf is very much the same though you have more control over how you swing. The courses are also larger and better detailed. As for bowling they mixed it greatly. You the main game, but the additional modes are different from the original. The first one is a 100 pin 10 frame game instead of the standard 10 pins. The other one is like the standard game but with barriers obstructing the lane in different areas for each round.
Of the new sports the one I like most is the Aerial Sports. In this one they have a simple skydiving jump that on to itself is not so interesting. As you fall you join hands with other Miis and pose for pictures. You just get points for joining u with as many others as possible. Fortunately this is not the only mode. The other one is Flying. In it you actually operate a small plane that you can fly around the resort island. At first you look for question marks scattered all over the terrain. There are 80 of them in all so you really have to explore to find them all. And it also gives you the chance to get a feel for the island. You actually see all the places you are otherwise playing the other sports at. For example you can whiz by the basketball courts or follow the cycling course from overhead. Its really a nice added sport that makes the player feel that the game world is a tangible setting.
Anyhow as you get more question marks you unlock more stuff like sunset mode and night mode. And them there is a balloon popping feature. As you fly around there are balloons that can be popped by flying in to them or shooting them with a gun mounted on the plane. This mode can also be done 2 player split screen.
I am really impressed with Aerial Sports. It is something truly unique and enjoyable that I was not expecting.
After Aerial Sports I think I like the Frisbee Sports the most. Its starts off by a mode where you throw the frisbee and a little Mii dog goes and catches it. You have a target out in the field and the closer you get the more points that are awarded. This is okay but it is the second mode I really like. Its a Wii Sports version of frisbee golf. It plays a lot like the Golf Sport but the Wiimote motion is of course different. Anyhow, I play frisbee golf in the real world and was delighted to find it in the game. Its actually the only time I have ever seen it in a video game.
My next favorite is basketball Sports. It starts with free throw shots from around the court by holding B and flicking the Wiimote forward. You have to throw all the balls within a certain amount of time so you are rushed. However if you take all your shots quickly its harder to get it in the net. So its a bit challenging. After that you unlock 3 on 3 mode. You start of by being able to pass the ball with the + pad. You cant actually move your Mii but the computer controlled Miis on your team will move to get the ball when you make a pass. This positions your team Miis closer to the net. Once you are in range you can make your shot. The opponent can of course block your shot by flicking their Wiimote. If you miss the shot the opponent is automatically set up on offense from the original starting position. there is no rebounding. The opponent also is set up on offense if they steal the ball which can be done by breaking up passes or snatching it away. The fun part about all this is the timing. When you ready your shot by pressing and holding B a mini timer bar appears. Take the shot quickly and it super hard to get it in. Wait too long and the timer runs out then you get called for traveling and lose possession. The best time to make the shot is when then timer bar is winding down but thats when the opponent will try to block the ball. Waiting also gives them a chance to snatch the ball away, but if they fail to do so the defender will fall down opening up an easy shot. Another thing is if you get close enough to the net you can slam dunk it which occurs in slow motion. Its all good fun.
Moving on Ive gotten in to Chambara Sports which is the sword play one. You wield the Wiimote as if it were the hilt and can move it along 3 axis. You are also given a slight range in which you can lift or shift the position of the sword. In the first mode you have to knock your opponent out of the ring. Its straight forward but not so easy. The opponent can block your strike and in that case you get flung back and briefly exposed for a counter strike. So you have to be careful as how to angle your attacks. In addition to this mode is a cutting mode. There is a referee like character that throws two object forward. When these objects land an arrow indicates which direction they must be cut. Two people compete at once. The first person to cut it as indicated gets a point. Its all about quick reflexes and control of the Wiimote. The final mode in Chambara sports is one where you walk around and slash up other computer controlled Miis that come to attack you until you reach a boss at the end. You get bonus points for getting successive strikes. And you are given 3 hearts that allow for you to be struck only two times. The third time you fail the course.
Anyhow those are some of the Sports I have played thoroughly though there are several others.
In conclusion I think the game is an excellent improvement over the first. The Wiimotion Plus thingy supposedly adds another dimension to the game play but I really dont notice much of a difference. To play the game you need the attatchment, so for some modes that require a second controller you need to fork out the extra 15 dollars to be able to use it. No Wiimotion Plus equals no controller basically. That I dont like. Most of the games fortunately can be played with only one controller by taking turns.
Graphically the game is much superior to Wii Sports. I also like how the Mii bodies are more detailed, and they have quite different outfits depending on the sport. The setting is vastly superior too. As I mentioned before it is a large island that can be openly explored with the Aerial Flying mode.
With all the Sports and modes WSR offers an incredible amount of fun. While some of the modes are silly there are plenty of others that make up for it.
My biggest complaint is the lack of online. Why Nintendo chose to do this I dont know but it was a bone head move on their part. Moreover, it would have been cool to compare scores with other people out there using leaderboards. Obviously, because of the multiplayer aspect the game is best played with others. However, without them physically in the same room it is an impossibility.
Still a great game. I give it an 8.9/10 score.
Pixel Art can be fun.
