When the Nintendo 64 was released in 1996, one of the system’s launch titles was Pilotwings 64. Fifteen years later, the Nintendo 3DS is released along with Pilotwings Resort. So how does this flight simulator sequel score as one of Nintendo’s launch games for the 3DS?
Introduction
The first time you play Pilotwings Resort you’ll be welcomed to the Wuhu Sky Club and asked to select a Mii character to act as your in game avatar. Later you’ll get a chance to try out each of the vehicles, and then you’re done setting up a member card. Up to four of these profiles can be made.
Vehicles
Pilotwings Resort puts you in control of three main vehicles: the plane, the rocket belt, and the hang glider. Each of these has its own variation. These alternate vehicles, the turbo jet, the super rocket belt, and the pedal glider are unlocked after completing certain missions of the game.
- Hang Glider/Pedal Glider
The hang glider is easily the most aggravating vehicle because it can’t propel itself and requires you to use thermals constantly. However, this isn’t a problem with the mechanics of the game. It’s just the nature of all hang gliders. Thermals are placed all around Wuhu Island and can be found on the map. The pedal glider, the hang glider’s variation, is basically a bicycle attached to a hang glider. You repeatedly press the A button to pedal, which powers a pair of propellers behind the bike. Your Mii gets tired out quickly from pedaling, so you’ll still have to use thermals. It’s nice to have the pedals as a backup in case there aren't any thermals nearby.
- Rocket Belt/Super Rocket Belt
The rocket belt is exactly what it sounds like. A pair of rockets attached to a belt. When using the rocket belt you must keep momentum in mind when making turns. After speeding forward for a while you won’t automatically twist around after making a sharp turn. Instead, you’ll continue moving forward until you can regain control and move in the other direction. Once you get the hang of it, the rocket belt is great for getting through tight spots and places with many obstacles. There isn’t much to say about the super rocket belt. The only difference is that the rockets are larger and you fly a bit faster.
- Plane/Turbo Jet
The plane is probably the easiest to control, since it doesn’t need thermals like the hang glider and has wings to guide the plane forward unlike the rocket belt. Double tapping the right or left trigger will cause you to barrel roll. You can slow down the plane by holding the B button or get a short burst forward with a tap of the A button. The turbo jet is by far the most fun to play with, mainly because it’s the fastest vehicle in Pilotwings Resort. You’ll spend hours performing daredevil stunts and swiftly dodging buildings just for the sheer fun of it.
Modes of Play
Pilotwings Resort has two main modes of play: mission flight mode and free flight mode.
- Mission Flight Mode
Mission flight mode includes forty missions of varying difficulty. The objectives you must complete range from shooting targets to putting out campfires. Each mission is unique and it seems like Nintendo really put some thought and creativity into them. The only problem is that there aren’t enough. Unless Nintendo plans to make some DLC missions, then I’m disappointed in the length of mission flight mode.
After every mission you are graded on how well you did. Factors contributing to your score include your time, fuel remaining, accuracy at landing, and others. Points are taken away every time you crash or bump into obstacles. Up to three stars can be given as a less specific way of showing your progress. The real challenge of Pilotwings Resort is trying to achieve three stars on every mission, then a perfect score on every mission. Special surprises are given for these accomplishments.
- Free Flight Mode
Free flight mode is available at the start of the game, although initially you only have two minutes to explore. Across Wuhu Island there are seventy-five location markers for you to discover. Each of these has a name and description, which changes depending on the time of day. You’ll get a nice surprise after finding all of them.
Later you unlock balloons. For every twenty balloons you run in to you receive an extra thirty seconds in free flight. The total number of balloons is one hundred and twenty, so after finding all of them your total time for exploration becomes five minutes. You must use every vehicle to find all of the balloons. For example, there are forty balloons that you can only find with the plane that you could not find with the rocket belt or the hang glider. This can make reaching some balloons very challenging. For example, one balloon is positioned in an underground tunnel which would be easy to maneuver through with a rocket belt, but you must use a hang glider to get it.
After playing through certain parts of mission flight mode, you unlock stunt rings for the plane, Mii trophies for the rocket belt, and gold rings for the hang glider. Stunt rings can only be collected by performing a designated trick while flying through the ring. These tricks include barrel rolls and flying upside down. Mii trophies are collectibles found on the ground rather than in the air, and you only have to fly into them to collect them. For the hang glider all you have to do is fly through the gold rings; however, they are solid, unlike the stunt rings, so you can still crash into them. For each vehicle there are sixty special collectibles you can find. For every twenty of these you successfully collect you’ll be rewarded with a diorama.
As mentioned before there are different times of day that you can unlock. These are daytime, evening and night. Only aesthetic changes are made, so gameplay stays the same for all of them.
3D Effect
Now on to the 3D. Of the four launch titles I purchased, Pilotwings Resort has the best use of stereoscopic 3D. While flying, notifiers such as your speed, elevation, and time appear at the very front of the top screen. A little behind them is your character and the vehicle. Everything else can be described with one word: deep. It really feels like there’s a measurable distance between you and the volcano, or that the trees are really rushing past you as you fly through the forest. 3D is truly spectacular. It even helps with missions where precise aiming and speed is required. There isn’t a lot of pop-out 3D while playing the game, but you can find some if you zoom in on the dioramas. I can’t describe 3D well enough; you just have to try it for yourself.
Music
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught myself humming the hang glider theme. Every tune is catchy and fits perfectly with what is occurring in the game. For the main menu it’s showy and exciting. For the plane it’s confident. For the rocket belt it’s upbeat and for the hang glider it’s calm and relaxing. Each vehicle’s variant has a remix of the original vehicle’s theme song. Overall the soundtrack for Pilotwings Resort is terrific.
Conclusion
My conclusion for Pilotwings Resort is that you should definitely consider purchasing it if you love flight simulators or want a launch game with excellent use of 3D to hold you over for the 3DS’s upcoming titles. Pilotwings Resort probably won’t end up as one of the 3DS’s top games ever, but it will always stand in the best of launch titles.
Score
- Gameplay - 6/10: The missions themselves are great, it's just there aren't enough of them.
- Graphics - 8/10: A little blurry in some places, but amazing otherwise.
- Controls - 8/10: The circle pad is a great improvement and allows for precise control.
- Music - 9/10: Very catchy and never annoying.
- Replay Value - 9/10: Plenty of time is spent trying to get that perfect score.
Overall - 8/10
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