Wii's sleeper hit(?) Go Vacation - open world exploration party game

UncleSporky

I know, the concept is a tough sell...a minigame collection on the Wii with a completely generic name, oh joy. I don't expect many people will even click on this thread. But check out some of this.

The four resort locations:









According to previews, there are 100+ different resort games spread around these areas, which you can also fully explore in a variety of ways. Gamespot's preview:

In addition to taking part in the numerous activities, you'll be free to explore Go Vacation's island any way you choose. You may want to rollerblade until you find an off-road truck, drive that truck to the ocean, climb out of it, and then scuba dive around the shoreline, for example. It all sounds very liberating, and furthermore, there will be hidden bonus items to search for in your travels. We look forward to finding some of those and bringing you more information on this promising game just as soon as we can get our hands on a copy of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu0lT4WrJbs

IGN describes it as Wii Sports Resort meets Grand Theft Auto.

It supports four simultaneous players, each doing their own thing:







It also supports essentially every mainline Wii peripheral ever made. Motion Plus, Zapper, Balance Board and Wheel.

Interview with producer wrote:

For Wii MotionPlus, some activities require it and some activities are just compatible with it. I think there are only three that absolutely require it – sword fighting, windsurfing and pitching. An example where Wii MotionPlus technology is optional would be tennis. You can play without it for a regular experience, but if you have it, you can do more precise movements like top spins and slices.

There are 17 different activities that are compatible with the Wii Balance Board. We thought the Wii Balance Board could bring an extra element to activities like paragliding, dog sledding and, as in Family Ski, skis and snowboards can be used with the Wii Balance Board as well.

The Wii Balance Board was of course very important in Family Ski, as you mentioned. But in this game there are so many more activities, and we tried to incorporate the use of the Wii Balance Board as much as possible to give a different feeling when playing. So now you can use it when you’re controlling the marine bike, or for other things like hang gliding or paragliding, where we encourage the player to sit on the board and then lean to control the game.

And if Animal Crossing-style home design and customization scratches an itch, it has that too, along with tons of unlockables and achievements.

Interview with producer wrote:

As you’re progressing throughout the game you’ll earn trophies or stamps for your achievements, and one really fun thing that you can unlock and earn is a villa of your own, adding to that whole “resort life” feeling. And then as you progress in the game you can acquire furniture to decorate your villa with and really customise it and make it your own. So you go out there and you play the activities, win things, and then you can show off in your own villa.

Another way you can have a little competitive element in there comes from the fact that you’re free to explore other people’s villas. So let’s say your father has one; you can go into his and he has a trophy that you didn’t get – and he’s showing it off and you’re thinking “I want to get that too!” Up to eight people can have villas. It’s just another way to add depth and a sense of immersion in the game.

More screens:





























http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KIBsju2SK0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPXtE_Plazw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fknWiKEj0YU

Also the game is $30 at Gamestop or Amazon. $20 at Best Buy in Canada!

I dunno, I've played some junk minigame compilations before but this one looks incredibly tempting and I thought people ought to know about it.

With the sheer amount of content here along with four player split screen and supporting every peripheral ever, this sounds like a game that culminates in everything the Wii has been about, here toward the end of its lifespan.

Famitsu initially gave the game scores of 8/8/8/7. Some other press reviews are out now, and they're a little less than flattering. IGN gave it a 7/10 and Destructoid gave it 5/10. Make of that what you will.

The previous game in this style by Namco, We Ski, also fared poorly among the popular press with a 67 Metacritic average. If you've played that and enjoyed it anyway, then you'll probably be able to enjoy this game as well.

Jimbo

Cool, thanks for pointing this out. It's very likely something I would have glanced completely past.

My inlaws are buying our kids a Wii very soon. This looks like it could provide some pretty fun family gaming.

Will definitely keep an eye out.

Athenor

Jeez. 3rd person over the shoulder water gun shooter? Bears?

This seems like a massive undertaking, sandbox game style. I like!

The Dude With Herpes

Wow, this looks bizarrely good. Has anyone tried it?

With so many minigames and other stuff to do it looks like something my wife and I could play, maybe my daughter in a year or two.

EDIT: Does it require motion plus? Or just supports it?

Big Classy

Oh my god. Its been well over a year, if not two that I last wanted to buy another Wii game
This looks amazing, tickles my go anywhere game itch.

DualRinzlers

This...this could be pretty damn fun. I especially like that you can play separate mini games in split screen. Makes it enticing to go play what your friends are doing and lends more of a real, open world flavor to it than just a mini-game collection. Also that you can explore the map together on a little golf-cart-like vehicle.

UncleSporky

The Dude With Herpes wrote:

Wow, this looks bizarrely good. Has anyone tried it?

With so many minigames and other stuff to do it looks like something my wife and I could play, maybe my daughter in a year or two.

EDIT: Does it require motion plus? Or just supports it?

From what I've read the only games that require Motion Plus are sword fighting, windsurfing and pitching.



But a lot of other games are supposed to be improved by Motion Plus such as tennis.

I haven't played it yet but I'd really like to, and I know a few people who would probably enjoy this. Seems like to get the most out of it you should play multiplayer.

I mean the hang gliding and mini golfing alone would probably be enough to sell me on this if they're done competently.

Athenor

The Skateboarding segment in the vid made me realize how much I miss Tony Hawk Pro Skater.

At least my SSX itch will be scratched here soon, but this game looks like it is doing everything right. Are the characters Mii derived or unique?

Sir Carcass

If one of the modes of travel is an airplane (and/or helicopter), I'm in. One of my favorite parts of Wii Sports Resort was flying around the island.

UncleSporky

Athenor wrote:

Are the characters Mii derived or unique?

Here's somebody else's impressions from GAF, talking about some Mii integration:

If you're playing by yourself there's still a hell of a lot to do, and for fun the game populates the island with mii-headed people from your system mii list. These are AI friends you can have follow you around. They even enter some events with you.

The presentation and quality is generally top notch (AAAAAAAA by typical 3rd party Wii standards).

My only real criticism is they use wiimote+nunchuk tilt steering for the explorable gear like the ATV and inline skates. I feel it would have been better to let you steer with the nunchuk analog stick so that you could really relax while exploring and save the motion control for the events. The motion control steering isn't BAD... it's just a tad more work than it should be for what should be the relaxing part of the game. You do control your character with the stick when on foot.

If you do play with other people, this game actually has proper local profile support. It tracks profiles for all 2 - 4 human players, even awards scores, records, stamps, and unlocks individually after each event as appropriate for everyone's play history. Imagine that! You can have up to 8 profiles on the system as well. You can also use your Mii instead of in-game avatar, and it sticks your Mii head on the body of an avatar, and matches their skin color to the head of your Mii.

This is a very quality game IMO and it doesn't "feel" cheap or as if it was programmed by C-tier juniors from the mail room, as most Wii games do. There's just a tad more depth than there appears at first due to unlocking tiers of events. The overall total modest depth of everything is made up for by the sheer scope.

There are also several kinds of secret unlocks, including some categories that involve exploration and are really hidden. I'm curious to see what is unlocked further into the game.

Also, in the events me and a friend have played so far, the events do seem tuned really well to be lots of fun in multiplayer.

Outside of Wii Sports Resort this seems like the ultimate variety collection on the Wii hands down.

And yes I admit I cribbed a lot of the OP from GAF.

SoundsPlush

I dunno, this looks pretty boring to me, like Just Cause 2 with less-satisfying physics/graphics/explosions and yet $10 more expensive. I picked Endless Ocean up after a random rental long before I ever heard anyone else talk about it, so it's not like I'm predisposed against random Wii games, but if you have freedom to explore the exploration has to be rewarding (visually or mechanically), and none of those minigames pique my interest except the hang gliding, and that solely because it briefly reminded me of Pilot Wings 64. [/Debbie Downer]

Would like to hear people's reports if they do play it, though.

Sir Carcass

If the idea of playing Wii Sports Resort with more stuff and the ability to explore the island doesn't sound awesome, the game probably isn't for you.

SoundsPlush

I never played Wii Sports Resort, so maybe that's the problem.

troublebrewing

Great thread, thanks for bringing this game to my attention. I think I'm going to pick this up for my kid's birthday this weekend. It looks like it will be a good family fun game.

UncleSporky

SoundsPlush wrote:

I dunno, this looks pretty boring to me, like Just Cause 2 with less-satisfying physics/graphics/explosions and yet $10 more expensive. I picked Endless Ocean up after a random rental long before I ever heard anyone else talk about it, so it's not like I'm predisposed against random Wii games, but if you have freedom to explore the exploration has to be rewarding (visually or mechanically), and none of those minigames pique my interest except the hang gliding, and that solely because it briefly reminded me of Pilot Wings 64. [/Debbie Downer]

Would like to hear people's reports if they do play it, though.

I didn't intend to misrepresent the game as being universally awesome. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but some people might find entertainment in a game like this.

Plus there's the sheer insanity of hearing "Just Cause 2" and "minigame compilation" in the same breath.

curly haired boy

wow, this looks pretty awesome for a wii game.

i saw those regions in the OP and i was all 'DEAD ISLAND WII PORT WTF'

SoundsPlush

UncleSporky wrote:

I didn't intend to misrepresent the game as being universally awesome. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but some people might find entertainment in a game like this.

Plus there's the sheer insanity of hearing "Just Cause 2" and "minigame compilation" in the same breath.

Oh, hah, you didn't misrepresent it at all, and I'm the anomaly here anyway. It did make me think of JC2, which is delightful in its own way I admit.

Figgy

Please don't make me buy a Wii again. This looks like just the kind of game the wife would want to play.

Screw you, Sporky.

Bursar

Huh. I don't think I'm into it myself, but I can think of several people who would be into that game just for the sheer dicking-around factor. Hell, if I ever had people over anymore (insert "forever alone.jpg" here), I'd be tempted to get it just to have. A little bit of Wii Sports, a little bit of Animal Crossing, a little bit of Pilotwings?

It's not a game, it's a toy. And that's perfectly all right.

troublebrewing

Yeah mini-games plus Animal Crossing type stuff means it is like my son's dream game (and to a lesser extent my own).

Big Classy

Looks like its time to buy into the wii motionplus stuff. I'm loving what I see.

Athenor

Big Isy wrote:

Looks like its time to buy into the wii motionplus stuff. I'm loving what I see.

I have a M+ for both my Wiimotes. Given that I assume the Wii U will only work with M+ capable remotes, it just makes sense.

Big Classy

i barely use the wii, its been over a year, probably close to 2 since i last plugged it in. But I see a lot of stuff I want now.

SoundsPlush

Doesn't the new Zelda require M+ as well, considering the nice version comes packed with one (at cheaper than getting one as a side item, to boot)? Probably a good reason to have one somewhere or another.

Big Classy

yeah i'm probably gonna pick one up in a bundle. I also gotta get a new sensor bar too, last one broke. And possibly need to find a way to unmod the damn console. it sounds horrible and i really don't like doing that sorta thing.

UnbreakableVow

Not gonna lie

This game looks and sounds pretty boss

The Dude With Herpes

Athenor wrote:

Big Isy wrote:

Looks like its time to buy into the wii motionplus stuff. I'm loving what I see.

I have a M+ for both my Wiimotes. Given that I assume the Wii U will only work with M+ capable remotes, it just makes sense.

I don't have any motion plus at all. I'll get one when Zelda comes because I'm getting the special edition. I couldn't convince my wife to buy Wii Sports Resort after the last game I bought for us to play together was a flop (Kirby, while I enjoyed the hell out of it, she thought it was boring), and the wii has just been collecting dust since.

The sheer amount of stuff to do in this game though, even if half the mini games sucked, it would still probably be worth it.

Turkey

This game looks pretty neat. Gonna give it a look!

TDawg

By all means this game should suck but it looks like it doesn't actually suck and I am really terribly confused.

Split screen water gun fights? Yes please. This sounds like the perfect kind of random party nonsense.

Basil

But can I cut people in half with a chainsaw.

RidleySaria

Hmmmm.... This is probably what Resort should have been. I enjoyed Resort for a week or so before completely exhausting everything it had to offer. Glad to see someone doing something interesting for Wii, but honestly at this point that's like putting a compelling quote on a tombstone.

eobet

Cool. The game definitely went on my buy list after reading this thread. Wii Sports Resort is the game me and my wife plays the most together, and this looks like more of that.

Although, I'm very miffed when Wii screenshots are shown in higher resolution that the actual game, and they seem so selective here, which ruins it a bit when you load a video and see it in motion and discover, for example, that the trees are just two flat billboards stuck together...

eeSanG

This reminds me of Lego Island. I freaking loved Lego Island.

Riale

This is exactly the kind of experience I expected the Wii to deliver. Just, you know, several years earlier. I might pick it up once it hits the bargain bin, but it's really a shame they couldn't come up with something like this earlier in the lifecycle of the console.

UncleSporky

The Wii Pilotwings we never got:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJQ0r8ZsRhs

Rider meet horse, horse meet rider:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyjdKlZCtsE

Matrix-style pie throwing:



Someone said that sword fighting is Tron with lightsabers, I couldn't find any media for it except for at the end of one commercial, and sure enough:

darleysam

So it's like if Avalanche made Wii Sports Resort?

Magic Pink

Wow, I just saw this in the store Tuesday and thought it looked neat. The Sporky clubs me with facts.

Im'a buy it, I think.

darleysam

Would like to see some more reviews, but this does sound pretty cool.

Capt Howdy

Gotta admit, this looks pretty fun. May grab it during the B2G1 sale. Thanks Sporky!

Alfred J. Kwak

I'm taking note here

Sir Carcass

I'll probably play this tonight so I can post impressions. Only have 1 nunchuk so I won't be able to try out the multiplayer yet, but if my wife is interested I'll see about getting another one.