'Sports Resort' reinvigorates the Wii

• By JOSHUA WASCOM
• Special to 2theadvocate.com
• Published: Aug 14, 2009

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For better or worse, “Wii Sports” changed the face of gaming. It showcased the potential and the purpose of the Wii in a way that no other game could have. It established a game template of quick, focused mini-games that is the basis for most successful Wii titles, and -- almost as an afterthought -- it was fun.

“Wii Sports Resort” is, in every way, a perfect successor.

As “Wii Sports” showcased the original Wii Remote, “Wii Sports Resort” is here to display the power of the new MotionPlus adapter. In many ways it feels closer to what Nintendo originally promised with the controller. The Swordplay game, for instance, tracks the orientation of your weapon perfectly as you move the Wii Remote, creating the sort of complex, skill-based dueling system that’s been a common dream since the Wii was first announced.

More importantly, the Swordplay game is fun. And it’s not alone. There are 11 other games, nine if you leave out holdovers Bowling and Golf, which don’t feel much changed from their MotionPlus-less counterparts. You’re almost guaranteed to find two or three that you love. Table Tennis captures a lot of the speed and accuracy of the real thing, and trying to perfectly account for wind and gravity in the Archery game is strangely addictive.

You’ll probably find a few games that you despise, as well. Canoeing seems designed to show off how far Nintendo still has to go with perfecting motion control, while cycling perfectly captures the feeling of pedaling a bike with your hands.

Like its predecessor, “Wii Sports Resort” is very much a family and friends game. It does have a bit more to offer a lone player, like the Swordplay Showdown mode that pits you against huge roving bands of sword-wielding Miis, but even these experiences are vastly improved by taking turns with someone else. It highlights the somewhat disappointing fact that after nearly three years neither Nintendo nor anyone else has made a compelling single-player game in which the motion controls play an important role.

With that said, “Wii Sports Resort” can’t be faulted for the trends it may signify. It really is a good game, and in every way an upgrade from the original. If you own a Wii, and you have one or more friends, this is pretty close to a mandatory purchase.