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E3 08: Hands-on with money printing WiiSports: Resort and Wii MotionPlus
Nick Chester07.17.08 - 7:54 PM 31 comments

You know how Nintendo are making a lot of money sellings the Wii, sometimes based only on the desire to play WiiSports? Well, Nintendo are about the make a hell of a lot more of it next year when they unleash the fury of a WiiSports sequel, WiiSports: Resort, bundled with their new Wii MotionPlus accessory.

Officially revealed last Monday prior to Nintendo's E3 press conference, the Wii MotionPlus controller adds functionality to the Wii remote functionality that should have been there from the start. I'm talking about 1:1 motion controls for a more accurate and realistic motion control experience. 

I spent some time with three of the "mini-games" that will ship as part of the WiiSports: Resort package -- Power Cruising, Disc Dog, and Sword Play -- and boy are my arms tired. Hit the jump for details and impressions.

My first experience with the MotionPlus was with Disc Dog, a simple frisbee tossing game included in Resort. The premise is simple: your Mii avatar tosses a frisbee and a dog (which you might recognize from the WiiFit jogging game) attempts to catch it. A successful and accurate toss nets you points, a sloppy toss results in a sad puppy. 

After grabbing the frisbee from the dog by pressing "A," I immediately noticed the difference the MotionPlus made. If I turned my wrist slightly, my on-screen avatar did the same. Even the slightest movement of my arm in 3D space was represented on-screen. Tossing the frisbee required no button presses, simply a flick of the wrist. My first toss was sloppy, veering off to the right, and the dog didn't even come close. The game offered up some hints, like telling me to keep my wrist straight, and after a few tosses I got better, but not great. 

But the fact that I couldn't toss the disc worth a damn says a lot -- that's how I am when tossing a frisbee in real life. The physics of the disc felt right, and when I threw the disc wonky, I knew it was my own damned fault. At one point, I tossed the disc straight up in the air, directly above me ... just because I could. The dog, not surprisingly, did not catch it. 

The second game, Sword Play, is what gamers have been crying for -- one to one sword fighting on the Wii. To begin, you point the Wii remote at the screen to calibrate your center. Once calibrated, I started to swing and it works as advertised. The game's training mode had me slicing a giant pencil up with the sword; I was able to slice horizontally and vertically, accurate enough to slice off the very tip of the pencil without problem. Holding the "B" button will put you in a block stance, which can be manipulated with with the Wii remote and MotionPlus.

The actual "game" portion of the sword fighting was a tiring affair. I went head-to-head against a computer controlled opponent and tried to play it defensively, only swinging when I saw an opening. I was quickly knocked off the platform, which resulted in a quick loss. The second round I took a different approach: I violently whacked at my opponent, knocking him back until he tumbled off an edge. The third round I used the same tactic, only this time the A.I. played more defensively and time ran out, resulting in a sudden death that took place on a smaller, raised platform. 

Like boxing in WiiSports, the hectic, wild flailing tired me out in no time flat. By the end of the third round, my arms were devastated. Granted, this might have something to do with the three hours of sleep I got the night before (and the fact that I'm dreadfully out of shape), but I'd say "Sword Play" is going to be a hell of a workout.

Finally, I had the chance to test out Power Cruising, WiiSports: Resort's water scooter game that Reggie Fils-Aime (Nintendo of America's President and CEO) demonstrated at Nintendo's press conference. By holding the Wii remote and nunchuck horizontally like handlebars and pressing the A button, I was able to shift left and right to turn, and pull back or lean forward to ride on small waves. Twisting my right wrist caused the water scooter to get a slight boost. The motion was good and responsive, and I felt like one of the actors in Wii marketing, really getting into the turns with my entire body.

The goal was relatively simple, having only to pass through ordered gates. When I asked Nintendo reps whether or not there would be more variety added to Power Cruising, I was told that it was unclear how much more fleshed out these particular games would be (there will be at least ten total), and that they just wanted to give gamers (and developers) some ideas of how MotionPlus could work in games. 

In fact, Nintendo claims that the announcement of the controller was a surprise to many developers. While I can imagine that many are going to want to get on board with the new tech, I wonder how long it'll take for any one developer to make a worthy title that taps into the true potential of what the MotionPlus can offer.

Additionally, I posed a question that Nintendo PR reps claim no one else had asked: since the motion plus snaps into the bottom of the Wii remote (the nunchuck attaches via a pass-through port), how would one fit that into the already established Wii Zapper? The answer: you couldn't. In fact, they claim that they hadn't even thought of it. The solution, they suggested, might be that a developer would have to choose between supporting the Wii Zapper or the MotionPlus. I suppose we can't expect to have our cake and eat it to, but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a redesigned Wii Zapper introduced that renders the old one obsolete.

The MotionPlus, like I already mentioned when talking about Resort's Sword Play game, works as advertised. People have been wanting this tech since day one; It's unfortunate this technology wasn't included right out of the box with the introduction of the Wii. The word I got from third-party developers mirrored that thinking, but many are excited to finally have the chance to implement it in their games. 

With no price announced price, the Wii MotionPlus and WiiSports: Resort Bundle will ship in Spring of 2009.



MORE IN OUR wii SECTION

Latest comment by guermogamer |view all 31 comments
@ShawnKelfonne Huh? What do you mean the b button isn't in the same place? that doesn't even make any... @pedrovay2003 if you read what i actually wrote you would see that it would work because......

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naia-the-gamer's Avatar
naia-the-gamer at 07/17/2008 19:59

I'm actually kind of excited for Wii Sports resort. I still play Wii Sports now and then and this looks fun.

What I'm even more excited about though, is seeing how other developers will use this in their games. I'm hoping we'll start seeing titles that feel less like they have forced waggle on them.
eternalplayer2345's Avatar
eternalplayer2345 at 07/17/2008 20:02

I'll probably buy it just to play the jet ski and say "this could be wave race" over and over in my head.
Jack8274's Avatar
Jack8274 at 07/17/2008 20:05

I am just imagining the use of this in some new games. If Red Steel 2 uses this for it's sword fighting, I would be not only impressed by their marketing choice, but happy that the game would have a redeeming quality unlike the first.
linuxguy's Avatar
linuxguy at 07/17/2008 20:09

and people bitched for the dualshock 3
Kyousuke Nanbu's Avatar
Kyousuke Nanbu at 07/17/2008 20:10

It will probably cost 50 like Wii Play did, maybe $30 I don't know, Nintendo does love to gouge their customers.

Man I love this thing, its nintendo's way of saying "yea our motion control is imprecise, now pay 50 bucks to fix it bitch".
ChillyBilly's Avatar
ChillyBilly at 07/17/2008 20:14

You gotta wonder though if the devs over at LucasArts may have been privy to this well before E3.

Imagine playing The Force Unleashed using the new Motion Plus. 1:1 Lightsaber duels anyone?
Dan CiTi's Avatar
Dan CiTi at 07/17/2008 20:16

Is the cake a lie?
ZekeThePlumber's Avatar
ZekeThePlumber at 07/17/2008 20:20

I heard the actual add-on itself will cost $15 alone, but heard nothing of the with game bundle. Don't quote me on that though.

I do love the idea but I whole-heartedly sympathize with the "it should have been included with the wii-mote from the get-go" mantra, rather than milk people more for their money. Let me see a full-fledged action/adventure game implementing it and then I might change my mind.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 07/17/2008 20:24

Are you sword fighting against Dog the Bounty Hunter's mii?
Poopface Morty's Avatar
Poopface Morty at 07/17/2008 20:41

"Additionally, I posed a question that Nintendo PR reps claim no one else had asked: since the motion plus snaps into the bottom of the Wii remote (the nunchuck attaches via a pass-through port), how would one fit that into the already established Wii Zapper? The answer: you couldn't."

Bravo on asking a truly good question without having to come off with a case of "gotcha" journalism. If in fact there reaction was genuine, who knows, maybe they'll decide to include the technology within the remote from here on out? I'm glad to have read this, and I can't wait to see what can become of this technology.

Waiting with bated breath for a new Zelda game utilizing this tech.
parrothead's Avatar
parrothead at 07/17/2008 20:53

If the price is right, I will buy it. Not 50 dollars like Wii Play, please
norm9's Avatar
norm9 at 07/17/2008 21:04

This looks really fun. Simple and intuitive. I look forward to the good times that I'm gonna have playing with my friends, and reading all the people whining about this game on the internet when its released.
guermogamer's Avatar
guermogamer at 07/17/2008 21:09

AH HA! But you will be able to use it with Nyko's "Perfect Shot" because unlike Nintendo, they were smart enough to have the nunchuk connector included under the pistol grip!



WTF NINTENDO!!!
ShawnKelfonne's Avatar
ShawnKelfonne at 07/17/2008 21:28

@guermogamer: No, it won't work with the PerfectShot, since the B-button will no longer be in the same place.

Thanks for playing.
AKK's Avatar
AKK at 07/17/2008 21:33

If it's $20 or less for the addon itself, I'm sold.

However, I will likely only buy 2. 4 Wiimotes, 2 Nunchucks, 2 Wii Wheels, 2 Motion Pluses sounds about right.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 07/17/2008 21:47

Sooo....ultimate frisbee game please
pedrovay2003's Avatar
pedrovay2003 at 07/17/2008 22:09

@guermogamer

Also, the remote becomes longer, so you can't even snap it into place.
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 07/17/2008 22:36

Aw, don't surprise the devs with new tech :(

I'm hoping that the information from the MotionPlus translates into exisitng Wii Code pretty well.

We all know what I want. I'm sure I don't have toBUSHIDOBLADE what I REDSTEEL2 want to use STARWARSLIGHTSABERGAME new and exciting BUSHIDOBLADEAGAIN! technology.
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 07/17/2008 22:38

Wait wait wait. Not only is it 1:1 motion control, not only is it freaking kendo, but it's at least ten games? Fucking day-one purchase.
CelicaCrazed's Avatar
CelicaCrazed at 07/17/2008 23:11

Not going to lie, regardless of how this turns out I'll likely still buy it.
highlar_of_bb's Avatar
highlar_of_bb at 07/17/2008 23:34

I have to agree with Novakaine on this one. Day one purchase. It just seems like too good a package NOT to pick up. And from reading early previews of the 3 games that have ALREADY been revealed, they all sound pretty positive, just like above. Who would have thought that you could get hooked on tossing a virtual frisbee? :)
Justice's Avatar
Justice at 07/18/2008 00:40

I'm probably going to wait to see if the games that use it are worth it first.
Johnny Justice's Avatar
Johnny Justice at 07/18/2008 01:09

Since you really only use the IR sensor with the zapper there would be no benefit fitting the motion plus into it.
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 07/18/2008 01:42

Man this should've been a launch game what the hell Nintendo epic fail lulz.

(/sarcasm)
SysiphusRock's Avatar
SysiphusRock at 07/18/2008 06:44

GRRR! WHY DIDN'T MY PS1 HAVE RUMBLE CONTROLS?

GRR! WHY DIDN'T MY DREAMCAST HAVE WI-FI?



The technology wasn't there at the time for 1:1 and still keep it cheap. You people sound like the biggest whiners.
metromapper's Avatar
metromapper at 07/18/2008 07:56

I agree with SysiphusRock.

I don't think the tech was there 2 years ago. In fact, I really don't know what tech this is, since, like the Wii Remote's accelerometer, we haven't seen this tech in any other device on the market.

Does anyone know what the tech is? That would be good journalism. Is is gyroscopes, multiple accelerometers, a combo of these, or something new?
metromapper's Avatar
metromapper at 07/18/2008 08:00

Well, a quick web search reveals the new tech. A new, tiny type of gyroscope. So this definitely didn't exist to in a public device until right now. Quit wining!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=16410

http://www.invensense.com/
heyricochet's Avatar
heyricochet at 07/18/2008 08:53

This new frisbee game is going to create a whole slew of broken tvs as people throw their wiimote like a frisbee.
Reaprar's Avatar
Reaprar at 07/18/2008 09:36

"With no price announced price"?
guermogamer's Avatar
guermogamer at 07/18/2008 14:03

@ShawnKelfonne Huh? What do you mean the b button isn't in the same place? that doesn't even make any...

@pedrovay2003

if you read what i actually wrote you would see that it would work because the nunchuk port is relocated to the base of the grip of the gun

don't mean to sound like a dick but fucking read before you comment!

thanks for pretending to play

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