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[projekt84]

Game systems aren't remembered for their hardware, but for the games.

DS was underpowered when it came out, yet it's a top contender for my favorite system ever.

Reviewing launch hardware is lame. Of course it'll get a 7 if you take a system day one and try to slap a number on it based on nothing. Any system would.

Although I do agree that Nintendo launches are typically weak, but then again what system hasn't had a weak launch in the last few years? PS3, Wii, GC, PS2, DS, they all had weak launches (don't know how xbox and 360 launches were).

 

[Izayoi]

Pretty good review for a 7. Didn't bring up anything to put me off.

Their complaints seemed to be more focused around graphics and presentation, neither of which I have any issue with.

 

[Teknoman]

6.0 Presentation
A very bare bones approach in customization, extras and overall functionality.

6.0 Graphics
Basic stuff here as well, working with existing Wii Sports designs and Mii characters.

7.0 Sound
Effective, but nothing terribly memorable. Suitably soothing music. The "squirrel theme" is hilariously catchy.

8.0 Gameplay
The game does hold its weight here, with strong control mechanics and clever missions.

7.0 Lasting Appeal
There are plenty of missions to complete and items to collect. Plus you can always attempt to beat your own times. Shame your friends can’t play with you though.

 

[inner-G]

Their complaints seemed to be more focused around graphics and presentation, neither of which I have any issue with.

Agreed. The graphics are quite good. too, imo, from what I played at Best Buy.

 

[MidnightScott]

I just played it at Best Buy, it really isn't my thing to be honest. I felt bored playing it, probably because it felt like a clone of Wii Sports Resort. I also didn't like the Blue 3DS, so I'm gonna get a Black one instead.

 

[marc^o^]

IGN review is up.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/115/1156877p1.html

7.0

many times I need extra clarity in terms of space, and how much time I have to maneuver my craft before I reach my next target. It was here that turning on the 3D effect was incredibly useful, certainly making it a more necessary part of gameplay than many other 3DS games I’ve seen.

Gamekult Pilotwings reviewer just reporter the exact same fact on twitter, I will at least need to try it.

 

[Tom_Cody]

Don't know if it was answered yet, but the music was done by Asuka Ito.

Wow, I just unlocked

Spoiler

Diamond Class

. Didn't expect that.

Spoiler

How much new content does the diamond class represent? Are the classes simply difficulty levels on missions or are they actual separate missions?

 

[BowieZ]

I'm not buying this, but I do think some of you are confusing quantity of content with quality. A shitty puzzle game on the App Store can have 200 missions and take days to complete, but if most of it is a boring chore or you never finish it anyway, it hardly was worth the $.99.

But an exhilarating 3-4 hours of a 3D flight game with memorable music and clever missions may just be more fun -- if that's your thing -- than a $80 day at theme park or whathaveyou.

PS having said all that I'll wait for the sequel lol. I'm sure there's plans for one.

Pilotwings World Cup or something, with more locations, DLC and online.

 

[The Lamp]

Looks extremely underwhelming, but I'll still be picking it up due to the lack of anything else of interest to buy.

Sometimes it's scary seeing how effective launch marketing works!

Shame your friends can’t play with you though.

How is it that in 2011, games like these that would really benefit from multiplayer still have trouble getting such functionality implemented?

 

[EvilMario]

Sometimes it's scary seeing how effective launch marketing works!

Really, if you people don't have any 'game' to buy at launch, just pick up the hardware (if anything at all). There are plenty of good DS titles you've likely missed too (Monster Tale most recently), that would appreciate your money.

 

[heringer]

I'm not buying this, but I do think some of you are confusing quantity of content with quality. A shitty puzzle game on the App Store can have 200 missions and take days to complete, but if most of it is a boring chore or you never finish it anyway, it hardly was worth the $.99.

But an exhilarating 3-4 hours of a 3D flight game with memorable music and clever missions may just be more fun -- if that's your thing -- than a $80 day at theme park or whathaveyou.

PS having said all that I'll wait for the sequel lol. I'm sure there's plans for one.

Pilotwings World Cup or something, with more locations, DLC and online.

One doesn't exclude the other. It's not quantity or quality and for $40 Nintendo should be offering both.

 

[Boney]

One doesn't exclude the other. It's not quantity or quality and for $40 Nintendo should be offering both.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

One doesn't exclude the other. It's not quantity or quality and for $40 Nintendo should be offering both.

Most negative reviews seem to be focusing on quantity as the deal breaker. The majority of impressions seem to like the actual content, there's just not enough of it. I paid $50 for Pilotwings, and $60 for Pilotwings 64, and they seemed to be somewhat comparable in length.

I think the real problem here is that Pilotwings and Steel Diver both seem to be more "score attack" titles in terms of design (SD adding a multiplayer subgame on top of that though). They're games where you're literally running the clock. That's probably only an issue because, unlike most of their launches, 3DS doesn't have a sprawling 10+ hour platform or adventure title from Nintendo to launch with them, and so these games put under the lens in a way they might not if they had a Mario, or a Zelda, or a Pikmin, or whatever to go alongside them.

Pilotwings and F-Zero didn't take more than a handful of hours to "beat", but that's okay because I still had Mario World.

 

[Gouty]

PS having said all that I'll wait for the sequel lol. I'm sure there's plans for one. Pilotwings World Cup or something, with more locations, DLC and online.

What in Pilotwing's history makes you think that?

 

[The Hermit]

Don't know if it was answered yet, but the music was done by Asuka Ito.

Wow, I just unlocked

Spoiler

Diamond Class

. Didn't expect that.

what that means exaclty?

 

[farnham]

Game systems aren't remembered for their hardware, but for the games.

DS was underpowered when it came out, yet it's a top contender for my favorite system ever.

Reviewing launch hardware is lame. Of course it'll get a 7 if you take a system day one and try to slap a number on it based on nothing. Any system would.

Although I do agree that Nintendo launches are typically weak, but then again what system hasn't had a weak launch in the last few years? PS3, Wii, GC, PS2, DS, they all had weak launches (don't know how xbox and 360 launches were).

wii was pretty strong considering how wii sports was one of the top games i played until the sequel was released and also TP was in there. excitetruck and wii play (mainly tanks) are games that i played for a long time as well

 

[Boney]

what that means exaclty?

Harder missions after you get all available missions.

i.e. More content.

 

[The Hermit]

Harder missions after you get all available missions.

i.e. More content.

good

 

[C.Dark.DN]

I liked the feel of flying, but the graphics turned me off bad. I'm ok with simple stuff, but the art style sucks.

I'm very disappointed this is my first 3DS experience. I wont be buying one for a while and I don't know anyone that's buying it. My friends and me are poor. They want it like I do.

I hope more and more demo unit games come out to get this bad taste out of my mind.

 

[AgentChris]

This is going to be my 1st 3DS game

 

[Truth101]

Harder missions after you get all available missions.

i.e. More content.

Harder versions of the old missions or brand new missions that are harder?

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Going to leave this here, as Ive been playing some Pilotwings yeasterday, some people will probably like this news. So here is my opinion of what I have played:

Pilotwings is not easy guys. Well, its easy to beat the game, and very fast (I havent beat it yet, im in the middle of the game). But thats not what Pilotwings consist. Three stars is relatively easy, but the perfect score, 3 red stars is difficult, in some missions REALLY difficult (when you see you score at the end sometimes you will ask how the heck is possible to do it perfect). Thats how you play pilotwings, trying to get the perfect score in all missions, and that feels great.
Music is REALLY good, reminds me of SimCity music.

The jetpak missions are the harder ones at the moment, really difficult to get the perfect score because of time and gas (you need to arrive with 10% gas to the end to have a perfect score).

 

[-WindYoshi-]

Going to leave this here, as Ive been playing some Pilotwings yeasterday, some people will probably like this news. So here is my opinion of what I have played:

Pilotwings is not easy guys. Well, its easy to beat the game, and very fast (I havent beat it yet, im in the middle of the game). But thats not what Pilotwings consist. Three stars is relatively easy, but the perfect score, 3 red stars is difficult, in some missions REALLY difficult (when you see you score at the end sometimes you will ask how the heck is possible to do it perfect). Thats how you play pilotwings, trying to get the perfect score in all missions, and that feels great.
Music is REALLY good, reminds me of SimCity music.

The jetpak missions are the harder ones at the moment, really difficult to get the perfect score because of time and gas (you need to arrive with 10% gas to the end to have a perfect score).

It's always been about getting perfects, that's the meat of the gameplay! Thanks for sharing. : )

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Going to leave this here, as Ive been playing some Pilotwings yeasterday, some people will probably like this news. So here is my opinion of what I have played:

Pilotwings is not easy guys. Well, its easy to beat the game, and very fast (I havent beat it yet, im in the middle of the game). But thats not what Pilotwings consist. Three stars is relatively easy, but the perfect score, 3 red stars is difficult, in some missions REALLY difficult (when you see you score at the end sometimes you will ask how the heck is possible to do it perfect). Thats how you play pilotwings, trying to get the perfect score in all missions, and that feels great.
Music is REALLY good, reminds me of SimCity music.

The jetpak missions are the harder ones at the moment, really difficult to get the perfect score because of time and gas (you need to arrive with 10% gas to the end to have a perfect score).

This actually makes the game sound much more enticing. It reminds me of how Kirby's Epic Yarn handled difficulty.

 

[Teknoman]

I liked the feel of flying, but the graphics turned me off bad. I'm ok with simple stuff, but the art style sucks.

I'm very disappointed this is my first 3DS experience. I wont be buying one for a while and I don't know anyone that's buying it. My friends and me are poor. They want it like I do.

I hope more and more demo unit games come out to get this bad taste out of my mind.

Imo they should have just left the 3DS systems with the home screen open. That way people could mess with the menu and possibly AR games (attach cards to the unit display). Took next to no time for me to adjust to 3D when looking at the menus set to full slider.

 

[MadraptorMan]

I wouldn't wait for a sequel to a Pilot Wings game...it'll be another 10 years or so.

 

[Mockingbird]

Ugh, I was never able to get perfects scores in this series unless it was a fluke. Landing the hanglider has to be the hardest of all.

Edit: wait. no. the photos are the hardest maybe. Damn them photos.

In the N64 game if you got a perfect on everything you get a starry night variation of the credits -- which I've never seen =( Did any gaffers do this?

 

[-WindYoshi-]

Ugh, I was never able to get perfects scores in this series unless it was a fluke. Landing the hanglider has to be the hardest of all.

Sounds like it will take several hours for someone like you to complete this task, no? Too short, too long... it's hard to please anyone!

 

[Naked Snake]

I wouldn't wait for a sequel to a Pilot Wings game...it'll be another 10 years or so.

This game is also the least likely to drop in price from the launch games (Nintendo's handheld 1st party games pretty much never drop in price). So "waiting for a price drop" would be unwise.

If you're interested in the game your best bet is to snag it with some deal now (TRU's 50% off, Kmart's $25 off, or Amazon's $10 Gift Card with preorder of select other games).

 

[Mockingbird]

Sounds like it will take several hours for someone like you to complete this task, no? Too short, too long... it's hard to please anyone!

I was not complaining about the length of it in my post. I was saying ugh because I don't think I'll ever be able to get all perfects.

This game was a day one purchase for me since it was announced.

 

[The Hermit]

This actually makes the game sound much more enticing. It reminds me of how Kirby's Epic Yarn handled difficulty.

but epic yarn just didn't handled dificulty...like at all.

And pilotwings was always about perfect scores, so I still have hope.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

but epic yarn just didn't handled dificulty...like at all.

And pilotwings was always about perfect scores, so I still have hope.

It wasn't hard to beat the game but it was challenging enough to get a gold medal for each level. It wasn't incredibly difficult but I think it provided an appropriate level of difficulty to the game. All I was saying is that they are similar in that "beating the game" is easy but getting the top rank or medal for each level is significantly more challenging.

 

[Tom_Cody]

This actually makes the game sound much more enticing. It reminds me of how Kirby's Epic Yarn handled difficulty.

I'm curious, how did Epic Yarn handle difficult? Was there some sort of score attack mode?

 

[Like the hat?]

epic yarn could get pretty hard if you were going for 100%

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

I'm curious, how did Epic Yarn handle difficult? Was there some sort of score attack mode?

Throughout each level you gather "beads" which are similar to coins in Mario. They come in various sizes, each size representing a different quantity. At the top of the screen there's a bar that shows your progress from nothing to bronze, silver, and gold medals, depending on how many beads you've collected in the level.

While it is impossible to die in the game, you lose beads every time you're hit by an enemy, fall into a pit, etc. So going after the gold medals makes the game much more challenging because you can't afford to make many mistakes throughout a level. Most levels still aren't very challenging even with this aspect thrown in, but it at least takes the game from "impossible to lose" difficulty to moderately difficult at times.

 

[Mdk7]

I just got to the final

Spoiler

Diamond

class.
The game definitely plays great, with amazing controls and a nice, relaxed pace.
The 3D is truly awesome, it's a nice little touch that adds a lot of fascination to the whole package: not only you understand better the distance between objects, but it's something that actually gives you a very cool feeling (it's awesome to see the depth of the stuff that's on screen while you're slowly flying with your glider, or even better to feel the vertigo in a very, very special mission).

It's just too bad that the game terribly lacks in content: the island is something we've already explored (i think i spent like 6-7 hours flying around in the original Resort, so i really knew it by heart!) and it feels stale and painfully familiar.
Due to that the feeling of real exploration is basically null, and so the sense of wonder is nowhere to be seen: you won't find any memorable surprise in this new Pilotwings (except that mission i've mentioned before, which is fucking ACE), and the whole experience will be just something VERY related to the missions themselves.

Really, it's such a wasted opportunity: with the very same gameplay but diffent locations (and maybe a little more variety in the missions...) this game could have been a blast.
As it is i'd say it's just a little more than decent.

 

[Lavpa Jasai]

Okay, so I played the little demo of this and ehhh it was alright. I had basically decided to pass on all and any launch games for the 3DS, and just played Pokemon White instead.

Saves money, and bails me out of buying a game just to have one. But I love showing off new systems to people who dont know anything about them, and Pilotwings seems like the peice of software to show off the 3DS (The AR games are amazing, but the 3-d isnt that pronounced to me).

I have a 40$ giftcard to bestbuy, but I'm still not that convinced.

Is there any footage of the

Spoiler

Squirrel Suit

yet? Because if thats awesome I may just buy it.

The launch line up is awful, and I dont really want to reward that, but still it would be nice to have something play on my new gadget.

 

[Mdk7]

Okay, so I played the little demo of this and ehhh it was alright. I had basically decided to pass on all and any launch games for the 3DS, and just played Pokemon White instead.

Saves money, and bails me out of buying a game just to have one. But I love showing off new systems to people who dont know anything about them, and Pilotwings seems like the peice of software to show off the 3DS (The AR games are amazing, but the 3-d isnt that pronounced to me).

I have a 40$ giftcard to bestbuy, but I'm still not that convinced.

Is there any footage of the

Spoiler

Squirrel Suit

yet? Because if thats awesome I may just buy it.

The launch line up is awful, and I dont really want to reward that, but still it would be nice to have something play on my new gadget.

The problem with the thing in your spoiler is it's awesome indeed... but there's just ONE mission with it. :/

 

[Of All Trades]

Sounds like it will take several hours for someone like you to complete this task, no? Too short, too long... it's hard to please anyone!

Did you know that Kirby Air Ride is an excellent game if you spend 60 hours with it?

 

[Teknoman]

The problem with the thing in your spoiler is it's awesome indeed... but there's just ONE mission with it. :/

I've seen video of someone flying with it over land, and there was mention of using it in a volcano, or are those both the same mission?

 

[Lavpa Jasai]

The problem with the thing in your spoiler is it's awesome indeed... but there's just ONE mission with it. :/

Are you kidding me? theres no like free roam or whatever with it, like the other things?


Ugh.

 

[Teknoman]

From the Eurogamer review:

Then the suit comes out, and suddenly you're diving straight towards the centre of Wuhu's volcano while the game snaps into keen focus around you. The scenery suddenly seems sharper, the playfully-used 3D is transformed into the perfect tool for judging your descent, and the rings no longer represent a gentle muddle of objectives, but rather a micro-surgically precise arrangement of targets for you to lance through. Within seconds, the series' dreamy disposition blows away as bizarre techno fizzes up over the soundtrack and – what's this? – a racing line seems to emerge.

So shouldnt there be at least 2 missions (saw video of the suit also flying around a normal grassy environment)?

 

[evilromero]

When did people start putting the "$" sign after the sum? That is so strange to me.

 

[Boney]

Harder versions of the old missions or brand new missions that are harder?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say new missions.

But all missions should follow similar styles, so it's similar to just harder missions.

I got no idea though, haven't even seen the game.

 

[Kifimbo]

Spoiler

How much new content does the diamond class represent? Are the classes simply difficulty levels on missions or are they actual separate missions?

Sorry for being late.

Spoiler

Diamond class is only three more challenges. Harder challenges, not necessarily longer, but with a lot of points.

Harder versions of the old missions or brand new missions that are harder?

Brand new. And harder, but not that much harder than Platinum class.


By the way, getting three stars is not that hard, even in the latter classes, but if you are a perfectionnist getting a perfect score is a major challenge. You have to be fast, you can't miss anything, you can't hit anything and your landing has to be perfect.


Finally, just to clear some confusion, I only saw one mission with the squirrel suit.

 

[Izayoi]

So people who have played this:

Would it be worth it for someone who hasn't touched Wii Sports Resort, and who loved the previous entries in the series?

I played the demo version, and I loved it, but I am worried about content. Seems like most of the impressions are coming from people who have previously explored Wuhu Island.

 

[Peru]

So people who have played this:

Would it be worth it for someone who hasn't touched Wii Sports Resort, and who loved the previous entries in the series?

I played the demo version, and I loved it, but I am worried about content. Seems like most of the impressions are coming from people who have previously explored Wuhu Island.

I hadn't played Wii Sports Resort before.

I got the game and system today, so obviously haven't played through it, but the answer is absolutely yes.

Since I hadn't played Resort I feel there's a lot to explore here. There's also several mini islands around the island and then a fairly sizable new island with a golf park some distance away. I would've loved more, of course, but with the different times of the day, night time flying etc.. I feel it's a pretty great place to spend some time.

And as said above, if you want to nail the best grades you have to work hard. If you're a fan of the series this is a safe purchase.

 

[Mdk7]

From the Eurogamer review:

Then the suit comes out, and suddenly you're diving straight towards the centre of Wuhu's volcano while the game snaps into keen focus around you. The scenery suddenly seems sharper, the playfully-used 3D is transformed into the perfect tool for judging your descent, and the rings no longer represent a gentle muddle of objectives, but rather a micro-surgically precise arrangement of targets for you to lance through. Within seconds, the series' dreamy disposition blows away as bizarre techno fizzes up over the soundtrack and – what's this? – a racing line seems to emerge.

So shouldnt there be at least 2 missions (saw video of the suit also flying around a normal grassy environment)?

There's just one... and NO, you dont' get to jump inside the volcano core in that mission (instead you have to avoid the volcano, which becomes an obstacle at a certain point).

 

[Wrestlemania]

So people who have played this:

Would it be worth it for someone who hasn't touched Wii Sports Resort, and who loved the previous entries in the series?

I played the demo version, and I loved it, but I am worried about content. Seems like most of the impressions are coming from people who have previously explored Wuhu Island.

It's worth it if you have played WSR. It's only the setting that's recycled, it's not like all the missions were in WSR.
If you just want to play each mission once and don't care about scores/stars, it's going to be ridiculously short. If you want to go for a perfect score on each it'll be substantially longer.

 

[Mdk7]

So people who have played this:

Would it be worth it for someone who hasn't touched Wii Sports Resort, and who loved the previous entries in the series?

I played the demo version, and I loved it, but I am worried about content. Seems like most of the impressions are coming from people who have previously explored Wuhu Island.

Yes, but just prepare yourself cause the exploration is limited to one single location, so part of the wonder of discovering new places is gone.