Launching with the Nintendo 3DS is one of Nintendo‘s lesser known franchises in Pilotwings Resort. While not as well known as the company’s Mario, Zelda, and Metroid titles, the Pilotwings franchise has always been a fun time dating back to the days of the Super Nintendo.

This time around, we get a chance to see the Pilotwings world in 3D. Unfortunately, this is where the issues begin. Of the 3DS games I have played so far, this was the one that gave me the hardest time while viewing in 3D, with landing being one of the most difficult things to manage.

To get around this, I decided to play the game in standard 2D mode and while this certainly helped, game play was not nearly as fun. Though the game itself is not very long, its difficulty level ramps up rather quickly as the game progresses. Upon reaching the silver level (which, including training levels, is only the third stage), I repeatedly failed to get enough stars to advance to the next levels. I tried for hours, changing the controls along the way with little success.

If the game gets too aggravating, you do have the option of a Free Flight mode. This mode allows you to try all the the games flight options for a couple of minutes while collecting balloons and other items, checking out WuHu Island’s sights in the process. There are night and day options, which is neat, but leads to issues because it is hard to tell if you have collected an item already due to a transparent version still appearing. It would be more effective if the items you have collected simply disappeared. In some cases the item appears as a different color, but this is just as confusing, leading you to try to collect unneeded items. Extra
time can be added depending on how many collectibles you can get, but this mode still feels a bit tacked on.

Pilotwings Resort also has some positive elements, however. The hang
gliding sections are great fun and, as you progress through stages, you’re eventually able to take flight in everything from turbojets to flying squirrel suits, adding to the starting options of plane, jet pack, and hang glider. The music is also really well done and, in some parts, very calming.

All in all, this game isn’t what I was expecting from a first-party title, especially from Nintendo. I can’t stress enough how much I could not use the 3D option on the title, which kind of makes it pointless. If you really love previous Pilotwings titles or would like something you can pick up for a few minutes and put down, it may be for you. But there are already other games that use the 3D technology much more effectively. Nintendo is likely to redeem itself with upcoming releases, but this game is definitely not worth the $39.99 retail price.

Pilotwings Resort is available for the Nintendo 3Ds. Rated E.  pilotwingsresort.nintendo.com.

Review by Jason Von Stein