FYI: I wanted to post this right away because I was pretty excited about it but I will update this when we’ve played all of the games and I will also add linkgs so that you can access reviews, get purchasing info, see pics, prices, etc. I will do this ASAP so check back in about twelve hours and (after I get some sleep!) and I’ll have updated the post for you.
When I blog about great gift ideas I obviously don’t have the budget to try out every single thing I come across, which means I spend a lot of time researching things so that I can bring you really fabulous ideas because I don’t want to steer you wrong – why would you come back to read more, right?
There are days when the stars align just so, however, and my boyfriend walks into a store for one thing and comes out with, you guessed it, Wii Sports Resort
! What a fun surprise!!!Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is a toy for kids and adults alike – which is the beauty of the Wii. This is a great gift to the family, to your husband who loves to relax by blowing off some steam with a controller in hand after a long work week or to your grandkids who talk about all those fancy game systems that you don’t understand a thing about.
In order to play this game you do need Wii Motion Plus accessories for your controllers but fear not – it comes with one and you can buy additional Wii Motion Plus accessories at Amazon if you have more than one controller. Oh, and you’ll want more than one! This game is fun to play with people and most of the games allow at least two people to play and up to four people.
This game was well reviewed for a reason. It blows the original Wii Sports out of the water – it has so many more games that are far more creative and the Wii Motion Plus really does add to the quality of the game play (I was concerned that it was just a gimmicky way to get Wii owners to spend money “upgrading” but it really does work!). There were times (like with the Sword Fighting) that we were out of breath we were playing so hard!
Here is a quick rundown of the TWELVE (yup, there are twelve…talk about variety!) games on the disc:
- Swordplay – includes Duel, Speed Slice and Showdown. All four of us really loved this one! It is fun, energetic and feels realistic and it is satisfying to try to master (and balance) the art of blocking and swinging to knock your opponent off of the platform and into the water (Duel mode – we have Speed Slice and Showdown to try still and I’m looking forward to it!!!).
- Wakeboarding – This one was another huge hit! The announcer is really encouraging and even though you are competing for a high score it is one of those games that gets everyone “Ooohing” and “Ahhhing” over your spectacular feats!
- Archery – This one is not only fun but is a challenge as well, which we enjoyed. It isn’t a rousing game, like the Swordplay or Wakeboarding; this is a game that requires some concentration and strategy and for people who like to master things, it will be one that will have you coming back for more.
- Frisbee – includes Frisbee Dog and Frisbee Golf. How could you not love the little dog in Frisbee Dog? Don’t worry! It isn’t all about the cute little dog (although Isabelle might disagree!) – you actually have to work at aiming and releasing your throw just right. Honestly, I haven’t even gotten to play Frisbee Golf yet…people, there are twelve games and I had to get to writing this at some point!
- Basketball – includes a 3-Point Contest and Pickup Game. We only got around to doing the 3-Point Contest but we all enjoyed it and it is fun to try to beat the high score. I hope the Pickup Game is as fun as the others we’ve tried so far.
- Power Cruising – includes Slalom Course or VS. There are a few different ways to play this one and certain styles which I think was really smart of them to make this more fun for different personality types. One of the things (besides having twelve sports) that makes this game fun and customizable for a variety of people.
- Cycling – includes Road Race and VS. We just didn’t even get to try this one! I’ll update the blog when we do.
- Golf – Judging from the rest of the games I think this one will be a winner and will be one that keeps you coming back just to try to master your own game but we haven’t tried it yet.
- Table Tennis – includes Match and Return Challenge. So far, we’ve only tried match which was fun but I don’t think it will have as much longevity as some of the others we played.
- Bowling – includes Standard Game, 100-Pin Game and Spin Control. This one is very similar to the original Wii Sports Bowling, it just tracks you better with the Wii Motion Plus accessory. My boyfriend was a bit bored with this but I’m liking it still. Will it have as much longevity as the others? Maybe not snce this is the only one that feels a bit like a cheat since it isn’t new or different but it’s still fun.
- Canoeing – includes Speed Challenge and VS. Alright – I was a little confused since you are clearly paddling a kayak. Is this like all square are rhombuses but not all rhombuses are squares or did the Wii folk actually drop the ball? I’ll research this and report back but for now just know that it is pretty funny to try to race your opponent through the course! We were standing up paddling our fastest, laughing, getting turned around, rooting for one another…great fun!
- Airsports – includes Skydiving, Island Flyover and Dogfight. So far, we’ve only tried Dogfight (you each get a plane and you have to try to shoot at the persons ballon on the back of there plane to pop them…or you can focus on trying to get more balloons by flying to the correct area and successfully flying through a ring – whoever has the most balloons in the ends wins and your strategy is up to yout flying skills and what tack your opponent takes so this game will be different each time you play which will keep this one interesting). I’ll update this when we try the Skydiving and the Island Flyover.
There you have it! If there is someone special in your life who enjoys games then this is a great choice!!! What makes this better? If you play with them. Yeah, I know that sounds awfully sugary sweet but this particular gift, and event the category of Toys and Games is what sets this apart from other gifts – you can interact and share time with the person who you love while you have fun and create some memories and…laugh your butt off!
Happy gifting!
~ Alyna
