Pilotwings Resort Review (Nintendo 3DS)

One of the most revered, yet rarely revisited Nintendo franchises is the Pilotwings series. It debuted on the Super Nintendo and received a 32-bit sequel on the N64, but the series hasn't been heard from much since then. That all changes today, as Nintendo releases Pilotwings Resort as a launch title for their brand new Nintendo 3DS. With this release, the series that many Nintendo fans have been hoping to see a sequel to (or remake of) has returned. I've had the chance to put quite a bit of time into the game, so read on to find out if the long wait was worth it or not.

Featuring no hint of a storyline, Pilotwings Resort sees your Mii become a talented pilot, while vacationing on a beautiful island. Not only is he (or she) able to fly a plane, but he's also able to fly a jetpack and glider, as well as faster and improved versions of each. Your objective is to utilize these vehicles to complete challenges, which come in many different varieties and several difficulties, ranging from bronze to platinum. If you think you have what it takes, then sign your pilot's license card and set out into the open skies above. Just be careful not to crash, or you will be ejected from your seat, losing valuable time and incurring penalty points. This is a family friendly game, so there is no violence whatsoever.

Each of the seven different vehicles (six flying contraptions and a skydiving suit known as the squirrel suit,) control differently and feature their own gameplay mechanics. When you fly a plane, your main responsibility is to focus on its maneuvers and when to use its speed boost, as the game controls its basic propulsion. However, hang gliders require you to swoop up and down to gain or lower your speed (with wind gusts available to shoot you upwards) and the jetpacks are manually operated with the thumbstick and the A button. They're all easy to control and don't take long to become accustomed to, but there is a degree of challenge in maneuvering each one perfectly, in order to complete the task at hand.

The basic design of the challenges sees each one featuring a defined beginning, middle and end. When you start, you'll either take off from the water (with the plane,) fly off a landing pad with the jetpack or soar outward into the skies with the glider. The middle portion is usually different, but sees you completing tasks such as collecting items, flying through hoops, dousing campfires or shooting targets. Then, the end requires a safe landing, which you are graded heavily on. Perfect landings with both the jetpack and glider see you landing on the floating landing pads in the middle of the bullseye, even allowing you to get there after taking a couple steps to stop yourself if you originally land in the white (second) ring. The plane is different as you're graded on how close you can get to landing underneath a raised walkway above the far end of the runway (which is yet again set-up on the water.) There is quite a bit of variety in the middle sections as I explained, but you're always faced with taking off and landing, which you must always be practicing.

The game's scoring system rates you on a myriad of different aspects, such as your completion time, landing, picture taking abilities, aim and the path you take. Each challenge pretty much has its own list of ranked tasks, with some accounting for much more of your overall score than others. Getting a perfect score is something I haven't done, but I've come close with a few challenges. In order to even get remotely close to a perfect score (since points are at a premium,) you must follow the mission's requirements and suggested path to a T, while still making good time with a well-planted landing. A lot of the time, there will be special rings to go through which will bring up musical notes or score bonuses, which can be collected. Target shooting missions will also have scores that vary based on where you hit the target. Speed also factors in heavily later on in the game, in a different way, as there will be targets you must hit at certain speeds to earn points. The more you hit of the target, the more points you earn, but you'll bounce off if you aren't going at or above the required speed.

The game's challenge list (or 'campaign') can be completed relatively quickly (probably within 2.5 to 3 hours.) However, it's the type of game that hooks you by making you want to earn better scores in order to earn all of the available stars within the game. I find myself continually going back to try to earn higher scores on missions that I only got one or two stars on, and also replaying some of my favorites for fun. Though the campaign isn't the only mode the game has to offer, as there is also a Free Flight mode, which allows you to soar over the island with a time limit. Your goal is to collect as many orbs, Mii trophies, location markers and golden rings as you can. Each rounds totals add to a cumulative total and some of the aforementioned collectibles can be used to unlock dioramas (figures of your Mii in different vehicles.) While it's basic, it's fun for a little while and may hook some people more than others. I'm speaking of the completionists. You know who you are. If you do manage to get three stars on every challenge, you'll unlock three more (diamond) challenges.

I was impressed with how well the game controlled, and how easy it was to just jump in and play without much of a tutorial. The thumbstick does a great job of allowing you to control your Mii and his chosen aerial vessel, with the right and left shoulder buttons allowing for basic trick moves such as barrel roles, angled sweeps and the ability to fly upside down. The directional pad is used to change camera angles and the A button is also utilized, as it is your fire button for shooting at targets. Braking is accomplished by pressing B. The scheme is very intuitive, fun and easy to use. I didn't have any issues with it. The touchscreen isn't used much, though you can use it to cycle through menus and to sign your signature on your license card.

I know that the thing that most of you are interested in the most is the game's 3D capabilities and visuals. Pilot Wings Resort is the most impressive game in terms of visuals and 3D, that I've played thus far. It looks great and uses the handheld's 3D capabilities to add depth of field into the world. The difference between its 2D visuals and 3D is noticeable, as a lot of depth is added between things in the foreground and background. It's really impressive and works as a great tech demo for the device. When I first played it and saw how great it used 3D, I was blown away, especially when the sun was radiating in my 'eyes'. The styling of the visuals is reminiscent of Wii Sports Resort, and looks quite a bit better than the average regular DS game. In order to describe it, I'd say that it looks like a mix between a fully 3D Wii game and a DS game, though it weighs more towards the former. There is a lot variety in the locations (forests, towns, and even a volcano,) and the ability to fly during the day, dusk or night. Don't worry though: it also looks really good in plain 2D, for those who can't use the 3D capabilities.

The game's audio is another strong point, as it uses the 3DS' speakers virtual surround sound capabilities very well. Its original soundtrack features some great, relaxing and upbeat music, with various different instruments including a guitar. I didn't know what to expect from the music going in, but I thought it sounded great. The music wasn't annoying and fit the experience like a glove. The game's different sound effects (though there aren't a ton) also sound great. In general, the audio is very strong and quite impressive. No complaints here. The audio folks deserve a commendation, just like those who worked on the game's visuals and 3D effects. Though there is no voice over work - just text. Then again, you only ever meet one character - a guide who talks to you occasionally.

Overall, Pilotwings Resort is an impressive launch title that is fun and addictive, albeit short and lacking in long-lasting content. It's a great tech demo and will keep you occupied for a little while, but it's not something that features a long campaign or will keep everyone coming back. Completionists will get a lot out of it though, as they will find a lot of challenge in trying to get perfect scores on each challenge. Despite its brevity and the fact that the gameplay doesn't push the envelope, it's a very impressive title that I had a lot of fun with. I didn't know what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised, for the most part. Out of the four launch titles I've played thus far, it's definitely my favourite.

Rating: 8/10

Pilotwings Resort is released today (March 27, 2011,) exclusively for Nintendo's 3DS device. It retails at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $39.99.