Wii Sports Resort: Something for Everyone

Wii Sports Resort, the much-anticipated new Nintendo Wii game for 2009, came out this week. With games and excitement suitable for all ages, it is easy to see why this is a game that will mark yet another bestseller for Nintendo. Having had a chance to play this over the course of several days, we have discovered that it is highly suitable for people aged 2 to 99, with very few negatives. Here's a review of what's good and what's not about Wii Sports Resort for a variety of ages.

For younger children:

Like most Wii games, the controls are simple and easy to manage. Many of the games involve little to no button pushing at all, with motion controls that are fairly intuitive even for the youngest gamers. The Wii Sports Resort games that are most suitable for toddlers are Frisbee (our daughter particularly enjoys the Frisbee dog game), swordplay and table tennis. Nearly all of the other games should be easy enough for a toddler to play, but may involve some button pushing or utilizing some motions unfamiliar to the child. Cycling was a favorite of our daughter, but she could not get the hang of how to avoid wearing out her Mii, which frustrated her. Frisbee golf and bowling have much more particular controls than golf and bowling on the original Wii Sports, given the use of the new Wii Motion, and also may be frustrating for toddlers.

For school-aged children:

School-aged children have the advantage over toddlers in this, and most Wii games. With the ability to understand both motion and button controls easily, this is an ideal game for the 5-12 crowd. Wii Sports Resort is rated E, and Nintendo generally does a great job of avoiding materials that would be unsuitable to children. Games that your child may enjoy in the Wii Sports Resort are any in which they would be personally interested. With a huge number of games and mini games to choose from, plus the option for cooperative play in several of the games, Wii Sports Resort would only be disliked by a child who honestly didn't like sports games at all. Even children who are not personally interested in sports will find a lot to love about the Wii Sports Resort, with games like skydiving available.

For teenagers:

Although some teenagers may feel themselves to be too cool for an E rated game, Wii Sports Resort plays large groups and individuals equally well, giving teens a plethora of opportunities to work together and against each other in a party situation. Up to four people can play at a time, so teens wanting to play with friends will find themselves up for hours of fun. Like with school-aged children, there are no limitations to what teens may or may not like about this game. Some may find the flying games rather boring, as the purpose seems to be exploring the "resort" island, without any competitive opportunities. However, this may make these perfect games for those who do not wish for competition.

For adults:

We've already logged approximately 20 hours on this game, and have yet to unlock everything. Wii Sports Resort has completely revitalized our Wii system. Competitive and cooperative experiences abound. Those seeking hidden areas, so popular in some of the older Nintendo gaming platforms, will find themselves more than a bit stymied, as will those who want more accolades than Wii Sports tends to dole out. However, for the vast majority of people, Wii Sports Resort has so many different options and playable levels that there truly is something for everyone.