Pilotwings Resort

Monster Games did an excellent job building upon the template established by Wii Sports Resort, and the end result is a title that very much feels like a true Pilotwings game.

This title is a perfect demonstration of the 3D feature, but has not enough gameplay content to reach a higher score regarding long time motivation of play. As a day 1-title it's a must-have tech demo!

While this looks and feels amazing, there just isn't quite enough of it. [Apr 2011, p.80]

It's a game that fits perfectly with the style of the Nintendo 3DS, with enough visual appeal, difficulty balance and a very handy command system which stands out the effectiveness of the analog stick.

In end, I actually enjoyed this game and even though there are many levels of difficulty to play, it was actually a fun no-brainer title that allowed me to thoroughly relax after a hard day's work. Sometimes I just wanted to chill out and fly around without saving the world from an alien invasion or trying to remain in the top three of some racing title. No Pilotwings Resort is quite the opposite and best of all, it does showcase the 3DS capabilities rather well.

You could do a lot worse than having Pilotwings Resort be the first game you slide into your brand-new 3DS--just don't expect it to be there a month later. [April 2011, p.82]

Pilotwings Resort really takes its benefits from the 3D capacities. Because of seeing more depth, you are actually better be able to fly and land. Unfortunately it won't take long to finish the game, but it's really good.

System seller? Not quite. Fun, simple flight game that handles great and conveys a fantastic sense of speed and height? Absolutely.

A beautiful game with a variety of things to do but unfortunately doesn't last as long as you'd like.

At its core the majority of the game is still just basically flying around the island, but there's enough variety between the various missions to keep things fresh and enough unlockable goodies to keep you coming back for more.

The subtle ways that the 3D affects the gameplay, combined with the excellent controls and mission variety, makes for a great experience.

Taken in "shotgun" form, Pilotwings Resort's difficulty curve seems harsh, and the game stressful. But if you enjoy a few missions at a time, perhaps going back through them to refine your score and your abilities, you'll get a better sense of the relaxation and freedom that comes from taking to the skies.

As an updating of an old favourite, this is a lovely piece of work; as a friendly shoving-off for a strange new handheld, it's wonderfully judged.

Pretty light on content but it's (nearly) a launch title so it does its job well enough, particularly when it comes to demonstrating the value-add of the 3D depth.

Fun for all ages, but it's a bit shallow in the feature department.

The lack of original scenarios and personality hurts the package, but doesn't take the credit for being a great introductory game for the capabilities of the 3DS, both in terms of graphics and of controls.

Overall this definitely isn't a bad launch game for the 3DS, it is just that the lack of any multiplayer and recycled feeling does take away from what could have been.

Fun while it lasts, but it won't keep you busy for very long. DLC desperately needed. [May 2011, p.62]

Nintendo's first game for the newly arrived 3DS is more of a tech demo than a "true" game. Nevertheless, it can offer some truly enjoyable moments, especially when you are free roaming, gliding your way over the beautiful sunset of Wuhu island.

A special game with great gameplay, which uses 3D to foster immersion, but it lacks in durability.

A colorful island and a lot of challenges, with the best 3D Nintendo's console has in this first batch of titles. The worst is that it is very schematic and return to the origins of the old games. Besides, there aren't StreetPass, multiplayer, camera, or online modes.

It's an approachable, enjoyable, but ultimately somewhat insubstantial game, and the 3D visuals add a nice touch but don't have a material impact on how it plays. Hmm...I guess the game and system have a lot in common after all.

Beautiful to look at, very nice to play, but disappointingly light on content. Perfect for launch day, and maybe the day after, too, but it feels so limited.

It's not the most robust experience on the 3DS, but it remains a title worth picking up despite its notable omissions.

As a means of showing off the new portable hardware, Pilotwings Resort works well enough. As a game, though, it only has brief gusts of brilliance amidst a wide-open sky of rings to fly through.

The lack of content is the main and biggest Pilotwings Resort's problem; more a tech demo than a full game, this is a disappointing return for a glorious Nintendo franchise.

Excellent controls, 3D effects and gameplay. Pilot Wings Resort is a great experience in 3DS.

Pilotwings resort does a good job of providing a fun go to experience that makes good use of the 3DS hardware features.

A worthy addition to the systems repertoire, and one that fills the gap nicely between pointless dreck (Nintendogs 3DS) and full-on gaming experiences to come.

For folks looking for a quick and casual experience, this game fits the bill, but for early adopters hoping for a meatier experience to go with their big system purchase, they may be disappointed.

It's certainly more than a tech demo, but at the price of a full course, it's merely an appetizer.

More content and substance would have made for a better package, but it's hard to deny the polish and potential for addiction that exists regardless.

Pilotwings could be considered as a tech demo in a way. Its premise doesn't divert from a list of missions to go down and complete and doesn't use all of the 3DS's capabilities. But the feeling of freedom and peaceful music make for a calming playing-experience.

In some ways its little else than a glorified tech demo displaying the abilities of the Nintendo 3DS. But there's also a decent game hidden in there, even if it's a bit short on variety and content. Soaring over Wuhu Island can be a rather breathtaking experience, it just leaves you wanting more.

You could consider it as slightly more than a 3DS tech demo, perfect for the launch of the new hardware, but in need of way ore content to fully satisfy the player.

If you've bought a 3DS and are dying for a game to play, Pilotwings Resort is a pretty good option -- but keep in mind that it might just look like that in comparison to a pretty weak launch line-up.

But the game's lack of content makes this one you should approach with trepidation if you aren't immediately interested in the flying game's premise.

Pilotwings Resort is a perfect tech demo for the new Nintendo 3DS. The way the game uses the 3D is perfect and gives the experience more depth. Anyway, the lack of any kind of multiplayer mode and of a new island are two huge problems.

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.

Pilotwings Resort is classic Nintendo, providing enjoyable soaring action throughout. With only an evening's worth of content available however, the entertainment doesn't last very long.

If Nintendo is serious about proving that its polished portable releases smoke competitors' cut-rate downloadable titles, the company should concentrate on producing games that last longer than a few hours.

A game in which the 3DS' 3D effects actually have some use. Online support and some more variation would have been nice, though.

Everything is thoroughly polished to perfection, however, despite fantastic controls, enjoyable missions and an extremely pleasant soundtrack that helps set the relaxing atmosphere, Pilotwings Resort is far too short given its price-tag and will be over in a few hours, maximum. If its price comes down somewhat, though, snap this up straight away.

For its effective use of 3D gameplay and its simple yet refined design, PilotWings deserves a good deal of credit.

As ever with a new console, it's fairly easy to overlook serious shortcomings in launch software, but Pilotwings Resort's failure to live up to its brilliant predecessor is a disappointment. It's unlikely you'll be playing this once the next wave of 3DS games hit, but there's enough here to warrant this being one of your initial purchases.

Pilotwings Resort looks like an extended demo designed to show the stereoscopic effect of the new Nintendo console.

With options that are barebones and gameplay that can be at one moment exhilarating and the next maddening, PilotWings Resort isn't a great showcase for the 3DS' capabilities. It's a different kind of game that will appeal to specific players, but the lack of content won't keep anyone coming back for long.

Pilotwings Resort is fun while it lasts, but it fails to reach the same heights as its predecessors.

Aside from the stunning 3D graphics, there's little else to justify the game's hefty price tag. Pilotwings Resort doesn't quite crash and burn, but it can't quite fly on its own.

Cosy flying game that only gets interesting two hours in. An hour later the game is finished. Embarrassingly short on content.

Alltough it's lacking in depth, Pilotwings Resort is cute and lofty and a good demonstration of how 3D really works on the 3DS.

Quotation forthcoming.

A fun albeit limited game, and one that'll quickly become a cult classic among the Nintendo faithful. We like what it has to offer, but at $39.99, we also wanted more.

But for gamers wanting a nicely sedate, yet increasingly fiddly and demanding challenge, Pilotwings Resort delivers in the same way as that introverted bass player – with modest, affable confidence.

Offers lighthearted flight action that's fun enough while it lasts, but it just doesn't last very long. As if the brevity of the mission lineup weren't enough, there's no support for StreetPass or the 3DS' other nifty system-level features that would have let you further explore all the cool stuff your new handheld can do.

Not a bad game, but too short, simple and easy. It serves its purpose as a showcase for the 3DS new features, but it seems that publishing it as a downloadable game was a much better idea.

Resort offers a briefly satisfying jaunt, which only fleetingly manages to recapture the magic of its predecessors.

A game that keeps you strangely grounded, when it should be making you soar.

Fresh and light, Pilotwings will make you travel... but not very far! About 30 levels to play and replay, improving your scores, that's not really huge. However, the 3D effect is very good and immersive. This game is quite fun and represents a nice way to spend some free time, but do not expect much more than this.

The initial thrill of zipping around high above Wuhu Island's tropical terrain in full 3D fades well before you exhaust the meager amount of activities woven into the two main modes. What you're left with after that point is only a couple hours of flight time to breeze through -- assuming you feel like milking every last drop of fun hidden in these limited depths.

A great technical showcase for the 3DS but also one of the least substantial launch games ever seen for a new console.

One of the 3DS launch line-up's visual standouts: colourful, crisp and with horizons that have never looked so distant. It's disappointing, then, that you'll discover its limits so quickly. [Apr 2011, p.90]