Wii Sports Resort is a sports video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console, and is a sequel to Wii Sports. It is one of the first titles to require the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which was bundled with the game. Wii Sports Resort was first announced at E3 2008 and was released in Japan on June 25, 2009 and in nearly all other regions in the following month. While the game was originally released only as a stand-alone title, as of 2009 the game was bundled with newer Wii consoles, along with Wii Sports. The game was well received by game critics, praising the improved controls and graphics, gaining an aggregate score of 82.94% on GameRankings and 80% on Metacritic. As of March 31, 2020, the game is the third best-selling game on the Wii, after its predecessor Wii Sports and Mario Kart Wii, with 33.13 million copies sold worldwide.
Gameplay
Wii Sports Resort is a sports video game set in a beach resort on an archipelago named Wuhu Island. The first time a player starts the game, several instructional videos will play, then the strap usage screen and the Wii MotionPlus test, and finally, the player will skydive to Wuhu Island. Twelve different sports are available to play; like the original, the sports are each played by holding the Wii Remote in a manner similar to the actual sport being replicated. Most notably, in archery, the player holds the Wii Remote vertically to hold the bow, and pulls back the Nunchuk to pull back the bow's string. The new feature that Wii Sports Resort brings is Wii MotionPlus compatibility, which enables 1:1 control and allows the games to be played with greater accuracy. For example, the game's new variation, table tennis, gives the player greater control over adding spin to the ball by twisting the Wii Remote while swinging. In golf, the player can spin the ball by twisting the Wii Remote while swinging. Most sports with up to three or four players will allow one Wii Remote to be shared among players while taking turns. The only sports in this game returning from the original Wii Sports are Bowling and Golf, while Table Tennis was originally a game in Wii Play. The other nine sports are completely new and original to the game.
* Sports that have returned from Wii Sports # This sport was also featured in Wii Play Some of these sports are one-player, and some of them have a different version of the sport that is two-player.
Development
The idea for a sequel to Wii Sports was considered well before the advent of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral, but development only moved forward when the new possibilities in control were realized. The game was first revealed at Nintendo's 2008 E3 presentation. Fishing and a water slide were considered for inclusion in the game. A prototype kendamaminigame was also created, but did not fit into the resort theme.
Scenery
Wuhu Island originally appeared in Wii Fit, but was slightly modified to fit the profile of a resort island in Wii Sports Resort. Hotels, sport arenas, a castle, ruins of an older civilization and some new rock formations were added. The island also appears in Wii Fit Plus, its Wii U counterpart Wii Fit U and the 3DS game Pilotwings Resort with the changes from Wii Sports Resort. Two racetracks and a battle stage based on Wuhu Island appear in Mario Kart 7. Two fighting stages based on its appearance in Wii Sports Resort and Pilotwings Resort respectively appear in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. These same stages also reappear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch. A remake of the Mario Kart 7 battle stage set in Wuhu Island appears in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The tennis courts from the training section of Wii Sports also appear on Wuhu Island.
Reception
Wii Sports Resort has received generally favorable reviews, with an average score on Metacritic of 80%. IGN gave it a 7.7 out of 10, citing the impressive fidelity of the controls and how the graphics, as compared to the majority of Wii games, were superb. GameTrailers gave an 8.6 out of 10. GameSpot gave it an 8.0 out of 10. Edge magazine gave it a 6 out of 10. On 1UP.com, the average score between the editors reviews and users was an 'A-.' GamesRelay gave the game a score of 8.2, citing it to be a fun loving game for family and friends. SPOnG.com's Tim Smith awarded the game 90%, calling Wii Sports Resort and the MotionPlus peripheral "simple but welcome additions to the Wii's line-up". In May 2010 the American Heart Association endorsed the Wii to encourage sedentary people to take the first step toward fitness. The AHA heart icon covers the console itself along with two of its more active games, Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort. Nintendo Power listed Wii Sports Resort along with its predecessor Wii Sports as being two of the greatest multi-player experiences in Nintendo history, stating that everyone can have fun with them, ranging from young children to grandparents. They also cite the wide range of sports available.
Sales
In Japan, Wii Sports Resort sold 150,000 copies within its first day of release and over 514,000 copies in two weeks. In North America it sold over 500,000 copies in its first week. As of August 8, 2009, the game had sold over 2 million copies worldwide, with 600,000 copies sold in Europe and 828,000 in Japan. Nintendo announced on August 25, 2009 that they had sold over one million units of the game in the United States, Japan and Europe individually. In September 2009, Wii Sports Resort sold 442,900 units, and as of September it had sold 1.25 million units in the US. In 2009, it sold 7.57 million copies, making it the world's second biggest selling game of that year. As of March 31, 2020, Wii Sports Resort has sold 33.13 million copies worldwide.
