Wii Sports Resort Review Round-up

The regular non-corporate owned people/sites still have ten days before Wii Sports Resort releases. That doesn’t mean that reviews haven’t started pouring in for the game by the sites with connections. How do things look from a review standpoint thus far? I’ve got to say for the most part — so far so good.

1UP.com: A-

“But despite it flaws, and its disconnectedness, Wii Sports Resort is filled with genuinely fun moments. For the “casual” Wii owner, the minigame collection provides immediate access, and quick thrills, that can be enjoyed for a few minutes, and then put away and forgotten until they next time the Wii comes out for family game night. But even hardcore gamers can appreciate Resort’s upgrade of the Wii’s motion controls. Like Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Music, this is a game made to be played with friends, and your enjoyment with the title will directly relate to how much time you’re able to spend playing it with other people.”

IGN UK: 8.9

“While the usual group of miserable Wii owners will blithely dismiss Wii Sports Resort as ‘just another mini-game’ collection’, the rest of us can rejoice in a game that delivers entertainment in massive, unbridled waves. It’s true that Resort doesn’t quite strike the balance between single-player and party appeal, but its compulsive score-based structure is a significant step up from its predecessor. Soloists mightn’t be captivated by Resort’s slightly uneven game line-up for hours at a time but multiplayer is a different story entirely. Yes, control issues mar some activities but most offer a ridiculous amount of finely-honed, uncomplicated fun. Wii Sports Resort might lack the kind of revelatory innovative oomph that accompanied its forebear’s debut but it’s still a thoroughly charmingly masterclass in entertaining, accessible game design. It not quite a five star retreat but that doesn’t mean we won’t be perfectly happy on Wahu Island this summer.”

IGN: 7.7

“Wii Sports Resort is a really good follow-up to the game that started Nintendo’s industry shift. It’s absolutely a better design than the original pack-in with a much larger stack of sports-inspired Wii games. Not every game is a winner, however, and a few games that hold promise don’t quite meet their potential.

At the very least it’s a wonderful demonstration of the capabilities of the Wii Motion Plus peripheral, and shows just how much it changes Wii motion sensing for the better. The device is incredibly accurate and Wii Sports Resort shows this extremely well in several games that are really fun – if just slightly shallow – sports-based diversions. “

Eurogamer: 7/10

“With two or more players, the sequel is, once again, a compulsive riot. Played alone, however, some of its pieces seem sweet, but a little empty. It’s important to remember that, like the first game, Resort has a lot to accomplish, and for the most part does it effortlessly, but while its scattershot approach means you’ll always have something to show off when the neighbours come around – apologies, I appear to be channelling The Good Life – Resort struggles to offer something you’ll want to then sit down and play for any real length of time, except golf and bowling which, chances are, you already have done. Despite a lot more polish, a little of original game’s sketchiness has returned too: you’re left with the feeling that a gratuitously talented company has thrown together some casual brilliance, but stopped shy of expending too much real effort.”

So are you picking up Wii Sports Resort on release day? If not, have the reviews swayed your opinion at all? Feel free to let loose, it is Friday after all.