Wii Sports Resort featuring MotionPlus
After the record-breaking popularity of the original Wii Sports game, Nintendo saw an opportunity to come out with a sequel of sorts – Wii Sports Resort. Released in late July, 2009, the new game sold more than 500,000 copies in the first week, in the US alone. There have been over 3 million copies sold worldwide since its release.
The game is similar to the original Wii Sports, but with different sports and slightly improved graphics/controls. There are 12 activities or sports available in the game, each with a very different feel and gameplay style. The selection as well as fast-paced gameplay make Wii Sports Resort a very entertaining game for the whole family. The activities offered are: swordplay, wakeboarding, frisbee, archery, basketball, table tennis, golf, bowling, power cruising, canoeing, cycling, and air sports.
One of the main differences between Wii Sports Resort and its predecessor is that Resort offers Wii MotionPlus capability. MotionPlus is a project that has been in development by Nintendo for quite a while now, and helps improve the experience of all Wii games by improving accuracy and responsiveness. This development also adds to the realistic nature of many Wii games, and makes it feel even more legitimate.
While not nearly as popular as the original Wii Sports, Resort was received very well by both the public and critics alike. Many of the leading video game reviewers rated the game very well, including X-Play who gave the Sports sequel a 5/5. Gamespot gave it a 8/10, and IGN gave it 7.7/10. Sales on Wii Sports Resort still trail the original by a lot, but then again the game has only been out for a few months.
Just like the original Wii Sports, Resort is not really intended to be enjoyed by hardcore gamers. It’s considered by many to be a family game, which is true in most cases. Usually hardcore gamers, teenagers, etc. choose more mainstream consoles such as the Xbox 360 or PS3, while novice gamers and families choose the Wii, and in particular, Wii Sports.
