It’s never easy reviewing a compilation game like Wii Sports Resort. While technically they are classified as single retail games, in reality there are usually a good handful of smaller ones within them, each displaying different gameplay mechanics and ideas to consider. So here we have twelve unique games and a lot to consider so what better way to go about this than just tackle them head on and go through them from game one to game twelve.

Basketball is surprisingly addictive focusing on your timing and flicking motion with the remote. In the simple three-throw contest you throw twenty five balls at the net in as fast a time as possible. The key here is timing your shots at the peak of your jump and also ended it with a smooth flick of your wrist. Does it feel like the real thing? Kind of. You will find yourself bending your knees and holding both arms above your head to take your shots. The three on three mode is also pretty fun and a laugh when playing with a friend. It’s simple and easy to get into.

Frisbee is one of the most accurate representations of the real thing in the game. Aiming high and curving are done as you would expect if you were using a real Frisbee and makes for one of the tougher games in the compilation. Throwing to a dog allows you to show off your accuracy with the throws whereas Golf takes power into context to as you’ll see yourself throwing discs around eighteen holes. Overall this is one of the best here, it’s just a shame there aren’t more courses to play on.

Wakeboarding is pretty disappointing mainly due to the lack of control you have over your Mii. Holding the remote on its side and following a speed boat on your board, you must raise the remote as you hit a wave to perform a move and then level it out as you land. That’s pretty much it. Hardly showing off the MotionPlus and hardly much fun either.

Power cruising is the better of the two water sports swapping the board for a jet ski. Holding the remote and nunchuck horizontally pointing inward to form a handlebar look, you then control you jet ski by turning the two in sync. Also a neat feature is if you twist the remote toward you, you’ll rev the engine and get a speed boost much like the real deal. While this may have been possible without the add on, this is still great fun as you race through rings or against other racers and tackle the waves out at sea. This makes me want a new Wave Race!

Archery is one of my favourite of the bunch offering both a unique take on the typical Wii aiming games as well as a lot of competitive fun with friends. Holding both the remote and nunchuck vertically you then hold the A button and to take aim, then hold the Z button and pull back the nunchuck as if it were the bow’s string before letting go when you are ready to fire. It’s the most intuitive method I’ve seen to date and can see it being used in the future for other games (Zelda perhaps)

Another great game is table tennis. It’s simple, it’s accurate and it’s a lot of fun. Playing one on one with someone can get tense and competitive and has offered a lot of the highlight moments for me when playing this entire game. Spinning can be pulled off with specific swings of the remote and timing can often affect the angle of your shot. Simple to learn and hard to master you’ll likely spend a lot of time playing this.

Golf and bowling remain fairly unchanged since their originals but have a few new tricks. Bowling for one reads spinning a lot better making for a better experience and more options this time around like a hundred pin mode. Like the new Tiger Woods drawing and fade can be read during golf too which may make it tougher, but overall gives a more rewarding experience. It seems Nintendo have gone with the “If it ain’t broke why fix it” approach and it makes sense as both were extremely good at the time and still are now. The new additions give you more control and definitely improve them.

Air sports is a mixed bag. Sky diving feels pointless and boring, but dogfight and simply flying around the island are actually pretty enjoyable. Dogfight needs two people to play and each have a balloon on the back of their plane with a number on (indicating lives) From time to time targets will appear that you race to get to in order to gain more lives and of course you can shoot each other too. It’s a laugh and it’s just a shame that four player wasn’t included. As for touring the island, while it isn’t fast paced, can be soothing as you search every nook and cranny discovering new parts every time.

Swordplay is good fun and has a fair few options. The first is a simple one on one match to see who can knock the other off and arena. Parrying and timing your attacks is key here and this is best enjoyed with a friend rather than computer opponent. The second game is one that tests your slicing direction. Items fall from the sky with arrows on them indicating which way you need to slice them. Do it before you opponent and you’ll receive a point. This is my favourite of the three as you really need to pay attention and hold your nerve leading to some anxious final moments. The final one is a sort of on rails game where you walk along a pre determined path battling waves of opponents at a time. Blocking is key here as you only have three lives. Overall sword fighting is good fun with a system that is as close to “one to one” control as you’ll likely get in a game at the moment.

Canoeing will likely be a love or hate sort of thing. While it does feel like you’re canoeing, that may also be the problem for some. It’s just canoeing! You’re simply paddling along a course with the odd obstacle as fast as you can, and that’s it. I enjoyed it and trying to work as a team with three other people in your boat can also be both frustrating and hilarious at the same time. Give it a try, you never know you may take to it.

And so we move on to the inevitable major dud of the group that is cycling. Here you take part in several races around the island by making alternate up and down gestures with the remote and nunchuck. Doing this you also need to keep an eye on your fatigue level so as not to exhaust yourself.  It’s not just the fact that it’s quite dull repeatedly swinging your arms up and down, but rather why this is even in here in the first place. Wii games have used this method of control for years without the need of MotionPlus so why Nintendo felt the need to throw it in here is beyond me. A waste of time.

Fed up of Xbox and PS3 owners having all the fun with achievements then don’t worry because Nintendo have included a large amount here. Some so tough you’ll likely spend hours just trying to get even remotely close. They add some life to the sports and it’s just a shame you can’t show all the ones you’ve completed online to friends.
   
Visually everything looks crisp and simple much like the original did with some truly nice sites especially during the dusk time of day. As for the sound, it’s nothing special, but I have to admit the menu music has stuck in my head. It’s very cheery and I can’t stop humming it every now and again.

So just how good is Wii Sports Resort? Inevitably there were going to be some lousy games weighing down the package, but clearly the good outweigh the bad and the great ones really offer something you won’t find anywhere else. The best experience is with friends, so when picking this up grab another MotionPlus and just like the original this has the power to stay in your console for another three years.