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Review: Pilotwings Resort

12:00 PM on 03.23.2011   |   Nick Chester

Review: Pilotwings Resort photo

Minnesota-based developer Monster Games is no stranger to resurrecting long-dormant franchises for Nintendo.

In 2006 it released the spiritual successor to the NES classic Excitebike, Excite Truck for the Wii. Then, just three years later it veered wildly from the formula with the off-the-wall racer, Excitebots: Trick Racing. Then, in 2009, Excitebike: World Rally -- an updated version of the original that started it all -- landed on WiiWare.

Now, it’s taking on Pilotwings, 15 years after the release of the Nintendo 64’s Pilotwings 64. Pilotwings Resort isn’t just a return to a sleeping franchise, it’s kicking off an entirely new platform on the Nintendo 3DS.

Pilotwings Resort (3DS)
Developer: Monster Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Release date: March 27, 2011
Price: $39.99


At its most basic, Resort doesn’t deviate much from the Pilotwings formula you’ll remember. It offers up only three flight options: hopping into a cockpit of a plane, strapping on a jet pack, or gliding through the air. This time around, though, you’re taking your Mii for a whirl around Wuhu Island, Nintendo’s fictional isle gamers also visited in Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort. Basically, if it’s a Nintendo game with a Nintendo Mii, bring your passport, because you’re probably visiting Wuhu Island. In the case of Resort, this actually works to the game’s benefit.

Fortunately, Wuhu Island is a bit more interesting to look at than most Miis. It’s a beautiful, sprawling mass of a rock that features more variation than any real life locale has any right to have. We’re talking everything from a massive bridge to a functional town, a rumbling volcano to an abundance of plant and wild life. Spending most of your time observing the island from a bird’s-eye view, you’ll be surprised at not only how diverse it actually is, but now pleasant it gaze down upon.

The game is broken up into two distinct modes, the meat being the game’s “Mission” mode, a series of aircraft-specific challenges. While you’re thrown a few curveballs from time to time -- tossing on a squirrel suit or shooting balloons, for example -- for the most part the challenges are simply guiding you through rings or towards objects. Earning enough points to unlock all of the challenges the game has to offer shouldn’t take more than four hours for most players. Perfecting some of those challenges is another story; the soul-crushing difficulty on some of the later events rears its head with little warning.



“Free Flight” mode will let you explore Wuhu Island, collecting bits of island information, Mii trophies to unlock in-game dioramas, and more. If you’re into that kind of thing -- collecting every little scrap a game has to offer -- you’re looking at another few hours of game time here. Be warned that it’s a bit of a frustrating affair. “Free Flight” really means “you’re under a time limit, and different items can be found depending on the time of day, and all of the times of day aren’t unlocked from the start, so have fun with that, buddy.” If you’re looking to take a relaxing, aimless wander around the island, soaking in the sights, you’re out of luck.

Of the small handful of available launch titles, Resort manages to make the best use of the handheld’s glasses-free 3D in terms of actual gameplay. While I personally had to keep the slider on a lower setting to avoid a cross, blurry image, that extra sense of depth did seem to make some activities more enjoyable. In many cases it even made them easier; judging distances for landing on small, floating platforms, was eased with the 3D effects turned on, for instance.



What Monster Games has delivered with Pilotwings Resort is good fun, with satisfying flight controls across all of the game’s vehicles. Even still, it feels a bit empty. Most of the game content can be unlocked in a measly few hours, and the extras are not only trivial, but can get extremely aggravating to unlock.

There’s no doubt that Pilotwings Resort offers a smooth, pleasurable ride and a long overdue return to a beloved series. But when you land, you'll just wish there was a little more fuel in its tank. 



Final Verdict:
7.0

Good: 7s are well-above average games that definitely have an enthusiastic audience within their *genre*. Some might lack replay value, could be too short, or has are some hard-to-ignore faults. Nevertheless, the experience is still very fun.













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36 comments | showing # 1 to 36
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fluxanimator's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:03
fluxanimator
The big N better watch it's back. This looks like something I'd see as an app for my phone for $1.99 and think, meh I'll wait till it's 99 cents.
jawshoeuh's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:09
jawshoeuh
$40 does feel a bit much, but I do love some pilotwings...
EggmaniMN's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:21
EggmaniMN
So basically, the only negative is that it's on the short side, which is absolutely no different from either of the older Pilotwings games? I mean hell, you could get through all of Pilotwings 64 in something like 2 hours.

Yeah this is definitely a buy.
falsenipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:25
falsenipple
You know what's generally the best part about having first comment on any game review?

It really shows how quickly you can spout off of something you already thought and couldn't restrain yourself long long enough from posting. It's like a preternatural reflex for a troll. On one hand you have to respect the simplicity of its art, and on the other you have realize that that it's reptilian through and through.

P.S. I wish I could yell at people more often in real life, or at least be able to use the same condescending tone that I use frequently on the internet. It's just that I haven't yet developed my punch juking to the point where I could keep my testicles functioning and my nose only as malformed as it is now. I like tacos.
StratoFabio's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:26
StratoFabio
Why oh why didn't Nintendo iself developed this? It's one of my most dear franchises from the past, and I was hoping for at least a Pilotwings-64 equivalent. Nevertheless, I will buy and wait (a few more years?) for a sequel with the deserved level of awesomeness.
NukaCola's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:28
NukaCola
That's not the only negative. It's like a gimped version of PilotWings. The N64 version had several different areas/worlds, many different kinds of missions, a gyrocopter, missile-shooting, among other things. Hell, this seems simpler than the SNES game!
llort het's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:28
llort het
Pilot wings is a pass. I've seen plenty of other games with flying gameplay/minigames. Pilotwings only takes it a little more in depth. You shouldn't be able to build a whole game around it. Also this just screams "should have been included with console or budget game" considering the graphics/wuhu island/characters are all recycled from older low budget Wii titles.
deaddays's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:30
deaddays
I'd say I'll wait till the price goes down, but first-party Nintendo shit NEVER goes down in price.
PEICanada7's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:31
PEICanada7
"The big N better watch it's back. This looks like something I'd see as an app for my phone for $1.99 and think, meh I'll wait till it's 99 cents."

Yeah I'm sure Nintendo will dry their tears, with some of the $1000 bills that they get, when this sell 1 million units at $40. As appose to 99c, that would take them 40 million copies sold, to equal the same amount of money. Not many games in the Apps store, are selling 40 million copies, at a time. Angry Birds is the exception, not the rule!
EggmaniMN's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:31
EggmaniMN
NukaCola - sure it is. The missions in Pilotwings Resort have all sorts of different areas to them. Oh no, it's on one island. It's still a pretty big area and oh wow, a gyrocopter. Like that thing added so much to 64. Some braindead missions shooting down MechaHawk for 2 minutes.

Resort is longer and has a fair amount of diversity in locales, on top of controlling great.

So yeah, it honestly sounds better and you're pretty much just trying to be contrary for no reason other than to put down the 3DS.

HurrrrRURURURUR IT'S GIMPED. Whatever.
Sexualchocolate's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:35
Sexualchocolate
Flux is right, there's a real worry now that with these kind of Nintendo games, what used to be their bread and butter, will now be compared to $1 phone games and lose a whole lot of their value.

It's just something they're going to have t be careful of.
Patrick Borrelli's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:40
Patrick Borrelli
Great to see what monster up to. Loved excitebots! Amazing game that nobody bought...
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:42
PappaDukes
Sweet review! I need more though. Still torn on what to pick up this Sunday...
Nick Chester's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:45
Nick Chester
@PappaDukes:

More are coming. Stay tuned. Lots of stuff going on over here. :) Trying to get them all (or as many as possible) out by Friday for you guys.
Torzelan's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:46
Torzelan
15 years after the release of the Nintendo 64’s Pilotwings 64

It doesn't happen often, but ouch. That sentence made me feel really old :( Time flies...
Sæglópur's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 12:52
Sæglópur
Sounds like a $40 3DS Pilot Wings tech demo. :(
princevaliant's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 13:13
princevaliant
I can't wait for this. Rarrrrr
fluxanimator's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 13:35
fluxanimator
Yeah I'm trolling by stating almost exactly what Nintendo and other industry analysts have already stated. Its a fact. All Nintendo has is nostalgia and charm to get by on. How long you think that will last with more and more devices coming out that are close to the 3DS price, but with much more functionality and cheaper games. Not saying free apps are better, but Pilotwings is not 40x better than lots of $1 games I've played.
Killrig's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 13:57
Killrig
I'm going to skip on this one. Thanks for the write-up, though.

I'm only picking up Shadow Wars. It's designed by one of the two guys who did X-COM! The only review I could find so far gives me the impression that it plays like a mature version of Advance Wars -- which was the one GBA game that I played the crap out of after launch.
mix's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 14:01
mix
@fluxanimator
I find that you are correct.

This doesn't scream $40 to me at all.
Discarded Couch Sandwich's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 14:02
Discarded Couch Sandwich
@EggmaniMN
Is that true? I've had Pilotwings 64 since it launched and I still haven't unlocked the Jumble Hopper. (that is what it was called, right?) I've been back to revisit the game, but getting golds on some of those later challenges seemed far too hard.

I only wish there were a couple of hidden missions/islands in Resort. Then it'd be a must buy for me; instead I'm gonna wait 'til it hits the half price mark.
jmorgs10's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 14:03
jmorgs10
I concur with above sentiments. $40 sounds reasonable for games like Kid Icarus, RE, and KH. But $40 for this and Steel Driver? No thanks. At least try to do what Sony does, and sell these kind of games online for like $10.

I'm going to wait and see what Nintendo does with Pandora's Tower, The Last Story, Xenoblade and the next generation before I completely abandon them for hardware/software needs.
Hasney's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 14:09
Hasney
@Killrig

Fuck yeah! They should be advertising the hell out of the fact that it's turn based combat by one of the X-Com guys.

I think I'm picking that up instead of Pilotwings now, along with SSF4, of course.
PhilK3nS3bb3n's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 14:09
PhilK3nS3bb3n
@Killrig: you just made me want a 3ds so damn bad. That game was my main interest in launch titles. Nope! Gonna wait.....getting so hard....could trade in everything....and have more than enough.....for at least....2 games and system....NO. Dammit.
MasterBalls's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 15:11
MasterBalls
It "screams $40" a lot more than Asphalt or Bust a Move does.

And longevity isn't a problem for me.
GreenFire123's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 15:35
GreenFire123
$40? Ouch.. Hm.. Dunno if it's worth it.
EggmaniMN's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 16:55
EggmaniMN
I like how people are saying Pilotwings Resort might not be worth it when it takes probably 5-6 hours to get through...which is about how long God of War 3 was and it was $60. And Heavenly Sword was shorter than that. Great job people. None of you have any idea as to what you're talking about.

$1 cellphone games are $1 because they are worth $1 and they generate more money by ad space. They have no intention of giving you anything close to a fun game or anything other than busy work. There's no effort in any of them save for copying whatever's become popular. They're all garbage. Attempting to compare cellphone games to anything else is just going to get you laughed at.
PlanetPanton's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 17:02
PlanetPanton
I don't see how this is a 7 to be honest. I'd say 6, but I haven't played it...40 dollars? OUCH D:

Maybe 20? At the most...
jawshoeuh's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 17:15
jawshoeuh
@EggmaniMN

umad
King Chrono's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 17:55
King Chrono
It seems awfully light on content. It would be a nice incentive if this had come with the 3DS. I think the N64 came with the original Piliotwings 64 or Super Mario 64.
ScrappyDoo's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 19:16
ScrappyDoo
Not interested as it features Miis and shitty casual pandering, and doesn't capture the feel of what I like about the 64 games.
Dv8thwonder's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/23/2011 19:45
Dv8thwonder
3DS is troll bait on D-toid.
Hasney's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/24/2011 04:53
Hasney
TOMORROW

SO FUCKING EXCITED

Really hope this doesn't turn out like my Wii, excited, played for 3 months, then left to rot.
PlanetPanton's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/24/2011 17:14
PlanetPanton
@EggmaniMN, the length of the game doesn't justify the price. Imagine if Angry Birds was 60 dollars, that game has hundreds of hours of game play, and GOW3 only has 5-6. Is Angry Birds worth 60 dollars just cus it's long?

It's the depth that really justifies the price, and features, and other things like graphics. This game should not be 40 dollars, I also see that it is really short, lacks depth, so I don't see how it is a 7.
Salnax's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/31/2011 20:32
Salnax
I've played this for four hours and feel like I've only got a fraction of what this game has to offer.

Just for those of you comparing this to 99 cent apps.
doubleD215's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/07/2011 23:39
doubleD215
I have this game and love it. Feels just like Pilotwings 64. I have played it for 15 hours and have not finished EVERYTHING! If you are a completionist, this game will take you a long time to finish. Easy to get into but tough to master.
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