Nintendo creates an instant classic with Sports Resort for the Wii

The latest addition to the Wii console is not only fun for gamers of all ages, it's an incredible value for your entertainment dollar.

Nintendo's original Sports title which ships with every Wii console is arguably the biggest reason that millions of people have flocked to the platform. With its entertaining mix of solo and group-play activities, it was the perfect introduction to the Wii's brand-new form of interactive gaming: using your body, not just your thumbs, to play the game. It sparked a revolution in gaming and took Sony and Microsoft by surprise.

Today, Nintendo has released its follow-up title, Sports Resort. And just as any good sequel should do, it takes the most engaging elements of the original and then adds a new twist. In the case of Sports Resort, this twist is the addition of the new MotionPlus add-on module.

MotionPlus is a small, cube-shaped device that plugs into the bottom of your existing Wii Remote. It extends the length of the remote by a little less than two inches. When used in conjunction with games that support it, the MotionPlus accessory boosts the sensitivity of the Wii Remote to motions of any kind. It has a small internal "tuning-fork" gyroscope which talks to the accelerometer inside the main remote which in turn produces a much higher degree of accuracy in tracking the remote's movements in 3D space. According to Wikipedia, some developers have likened the improvement to that of Blu-ray over VHS - high praise indeed.

In practice though, not all of the games on Sports Resort are equally enhanced by this technology. My son, who at age 7 is pro-level bowler on Wii Sports,found that his patented technique of swinging his arm as wildly as possible (Pete Townsend would be impressed) wasn't affected much by the presence of the MotionPlus. His dad on the other hand, was acutely aware of the tiny trembles of his arm during a round of Archery - which by the way is surprisingly good at recreating the feeling of drawing a bow, even without any tension on your arm. You hold the remote vertically as though it's the handle on a bow, and then 'pull back' using the nun-chuck while holding the 'z' button. To fire, simply release the button. Very satisfying.

The full line-up of games includes: Archery, Frisbee, Basketball, Cycling, Canoeing, Power Cruising, Table Tennis, Air Sports, Bowling, Swordplay, Golf and Wakeboarding.

There's truly something for everyone here which is why I'm so impressed at the value for money that this new title represents. At $60 (when it hits store shelves this weekend) it isn't the cheapest game for the Wii, but when you consider the re-playability of the game (just like the original Sports) and the inclusion of the MotionPlus module and a new remote jacket designed to accommodate the add-on, it suddenly seems like a pretty good deal. It starts looking even better when you compare it to other kinds of entertainment. Recently we took both kids to Pixar's latest flick, UP! (in 3D). Though we all enjoyed it, the tab for the four of us - not including snacks and parking - was $58. For a movie. That you only watch once. Ever.

Sorry movie theatres, Nintendo just gave people another reason to stay home.

Screenshots from the game (click for larger images):

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