Double-checking buckles and tightening loops, I walked over to the open airplane door and jumped out.
I floated down along with hundreds of others making connections by grabbing hands as we posed for impromptu photo shoots in the air. Continuing our descent, we slowly made our way through the air as we headed to our destination: Wuhu Island.
All at once, before hitting land, everyone opened their parachutes. Mine read: Wii Sports Resort, announcing Nintendo Wii’s latest game assortment disc, released at the end of July. This game disc came with the new and highly anticipated Wii Motion Plus remote add-on that promises greater accuracy in game play.
All of the sports offered in this package take place on a fictional island in the middle of the ocean.
One game gives you a chance to explore Wuhu Island as you fly an airplane around searching out various landmarks.
There are also opportunities to redo your skydive, trying to connect with more and more people each time as you sharpen your skills. After each jump, you get to review in-game photos that were taken as you made these connections.
Within the same airplane category, the player is offered a dogfight type game, where you chase your opponent and pop balloons on the back of their airplane. Whoever has the most balloons left after three minutes wins.
When I played this game with the kids for the first time, I got the feeling they didn’t quite grasp the whole concept of this particular game because I won rather easily.
The next day I explained it to them, and their expressions confirmed they’d been clueless the day before. I knew I would never again win a game of dogfight against my kids.
Another favorite has been wakeboarding. Using the waves created by the boat pulling your Mii (game character) along in the water, you attempt jumps, flips and twirls as you hold the remote sideways.
The power-cruising part of the game gives you a personal watercraft for your in-game character to propel around the ocean. Rings pop up as you maneuver through a path set in the ocean. Your score multiplies with each ring you successfully negotiate.
An archery game is found on yet another part of the island. Beginning with the easiest level, you focus and aim at a target with your bow and arrow, represented by your Wii remote and nunchuk. One target is located over a lake of molten lava in the center of a volcano.
My kids enjoy fighting it out with the swordplay part of the game. Using the Wii remote as a sword, they attempt to knock one another off a platform located high above the ocean, surrounded by bleachers so observers can watch. My daughter likened it to something you might see on ABC’s “Wipeout” show.
In another part of the swordplay game, you try to be the first person to slice through various objects the referee throws your way. It’s humorous to see the large sushi or pencil flying at you.
This game also included revamped golf and bowling games, with more options for game play included in both. There is a basketball game where you can play other people or just compete by shooting balls in the hoops within a certain time frame. Cycling, canoeing and table tennis are also represented on various parts of the island.
There is also a Frisbee game on the sandy beaches of Wuhu Island. As you throw the Frisbee, your little puppy runs to catch it and bring it back to you. This game is the one that originally caught our eye as we began to learn about Wii’s Motion Plus and the new game.
This game is like a vacation in a box, especially as you watch the fireworks from your airplane at night. The sports on the island are lots of fun with a hint of humor as you explore and play with family and friends.
Contact Linda Vestal with comments or story ideas at linda vestal@triad.rr.com.
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