Pilotwings Resort (3DS Review) by Carl B.

Pilotwings Resort
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Monster Games
System: Nintendo 3DS
Release: March 27, 2011

March 28, 2011, by Carl B. - Nintendo released the original Pilotwings on August 23, 1991 with the launch on the Super NES, and then released a sequel with the Nintendo 64 launch on September 29, 1996. Since its entry on the N64, Pilotwings has laid dormant for nearly 15 years, until Pilotwings Resort was released as a launch title for the Nintendo 3DS on March 27, 2011. Pilotwings has historically been a franchise used merely to showcase new Nintendo hardware, but does this launch title have enough content to warrant a purchase, or is it a watered down release?

Pilotwings Resort takes place on Wuhu Island, the same island that Wii Sports Resort took place on. Wuhu Island is home to a small residential area, a towering volcano, mountainous regions, various landmarks including a castle, and small islands surrounding the main island. It's exactly the same as in Wii Sports Resort, so those who have already played the latter of the two won't be surprised by any of the game's vistas.

2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
Two main game modes are available in Pilotwings Resort: Mission and Free Flight. In Mission mode, players will be taking on various tasks through five different difficulty levels. These tasks include flying through stunt rings, shooting targets, and popping balloons. The game starts off very easily to get players into the mechanics of flying, which work very well in Pilotwings Resort. The difficulty ramps up towards the later levels, but it isn't until the fourth difficulty tier that things start to get tricky.

Free Flight lets players fly around Wuhu Island freely, but there is a timer, unfortunately. The numerous locations throughout Wuhu Island can be discovered by flying through their green icons, and the game keeps track of how many locations the player has discovered. There are also stunt rings players can fly through and trophies for them to collect, with even more extras unlockable by playing through Mission Mode.


2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
There are three main types of vehicles in Pilotwings Resort: the Plane, Rocket Belt, and Hang Glider. Several different variations of the standard vehicles are also unlockable, including a Jet and Peddle Glider. Overall, each different vehicle offers a differing method of handling along with speed; missions using the Plane are a lot faster paced and fun, while missions with the Rocket Belt are typically slow and boring.

Pilotwings Resort has very nice looking visuals that fall in line with the "Wii" series of games. Wuhu Island isn't extremely detailed, but the game looks good enough to make it worth flying in Free Flight mode during the sunset. With the 3D slider turned on, Pilotwings Resort gives players an amazing sense of depth, allowing them to properly judge the distance between their aircraft and obstacles in the sky. The game looks very beautiful when simply flying around when the 3D is turned on, and while there are some ghosting issues here and there, the 3D really adds to the overall visual quality of the title.


2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
Sadly, no online functionality was included in Pilotwings Resort, so players aren't able to compare scores with their friends via an online leaderboard. No local multiplayer was included, either, which is very strange given the appeal to fly around the island with a buddy or two. StreetPass and SpotPass features aren't in the game, either. With only two different game modes and missions that can be cleared in three to four hours, $40 is a hefty proposition.

The Verdict

Sound
13/15 - A soothing soundtrack that goes well with the rest of the game.

Graphics
15/20 - There are some ghosting issues here and there with the 3D effect, but Pilotwings Resort looks very good regardless.

Appeal
14/25 - No online modes, no local multiplayer, no StreetPass, and only two different game modes make Pilotwings Resort short on content. However, flying around Wuhu Island is still pretty fun.

Gameplay
30/40 - Flight controls are slick, and the 3D effect allows players to better judge their distance from objects. Slow paced Rocket Belt missions and a time limit for Free Flight mode are downers.

Overall
72/100 - Pilotwings Resort is good for a launch title, but it ultimately suffers from a severe lack of content. All the missions in the game can literally be completed in about three to four hours, and Free Flight mode, which could have been its saving grace, is restricted by a time limit.