Wii
NA: October 11, 2011
JP: October 20, 2011
EU: November 4, 2011
AU: November 17, 2011
Nintendo Switch
NA: July 27, 2018
EU: July 27, 2018
AU: July 27, 2018
JP: December 27, 2018
Go Vacation is a 2011 party video game developed and released by Namco Bandai Games for the Wii and Nintendo Switch. It is the third game in the We Ski series. Up to four players can compete against each other in over 50 sport-based minigames that take place in four fictional island resorts. Minigames range from outdoor activities such as kayaking and horseback riding, to activities one might find in a city, like table hockey and minigolf. Different resorts can be accessed using vehicles such as trolleys and bicycles. Players can customize the outfit of their avatar and decorate their house with furniture.
The game's development began in 2009 and lasted two and a half years. It was first announced at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo as an entry in the We Ski series; the game was released later that year for the Wii. The game was ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2018 and included new features such as the ability to take photographs. Surveys were held in America, Europe, and Japan to determine which sports and activities should be included in the minigames. Although the resorts were not directly based on real-life locations, producer Kobayashi said Hawaii was a possible influence for the Marine Resort.
Go Vacation had a mixed reception; critics praised its multiplayer aspects and creativity but criticized its soundtrack, environments, controls, and the quality of the minigames. It was the third-best-selling game in Japan the week of its release, selling 47,209 copies.
Gameplay
Go Vacation is a party and sportsvideo game.Players explore four resorts located on the fictional Kawawii Island: Marine, City, Mountain, and Snow. They start the game in the Marine Resort. More than 50 activities, both competitive and co-operative, are available on the island. These include bungee jumping, ice fishing, scuba diving, miniature golf, tennis, off-road racing, and snowman building. Some minigames require or allow for the use of different controllers and accessories, such as MotionPlus controller or the Balance Board. Winning some minigames unlocks more challenging modes. The island can be navigated at the player's leisure by walking or riding on vehicles, the type of which depends on the resort, and each resort also has certain places where players can fast travel to. In the Switch version, players are able to find and take photographs of animals that are scattered across the resorts, and find boxes with rewards in them.
The Marine Resort, which contains coves and beaches, is themed around watersports, including beach volleyball, surfing, water gun battles, and Marine bike races. The City Resort, which centers around extreme and leisure sports, is the second and smallest resort. It hosts games such as table hockey, pie-throwing, skating, and minigolf. Players can use skateboards found throughout the resort to ride on skating rails. The third resort, the Snow Resort, focuses on winter sports like ski jumping, snow tubing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and snowball fighting. The final resort is the Mountain Resort, where players can partake in outdoor activities. It includes forests and locations for rafting, kayaking, exploring, off-road car racing, and horseback riding. It also contains a lake and a shooting park.
Go Vacation can be played using a Mii or one of 284 avatars divided into eight categories such as "Grandmother", "Grandfather", "Boy", and "Girl". Treasure chests containing outfits for the players' avatars are scattered around the resorts. Players can create a virtual dog and a non-player character(NPC) to accompany them as they explore the resorts which, with some exceptions, cannot participate in minigames. Up to four players can play together through local multiplayer. Occasionally, NPCs may ask players to embark upon a small quest, such as getting an item and taking back to them.
After playing 20 minigames, players gains access to their own virtual villas, which can be decorated with furniture or photographs taken during the game. Furniture can be found in the game's world or unlocked using "silver keys" that are obtained after completing minigame goals. Furniture is gained in sets, of which there are 90. Players can alter the exterior of their villas using "gold keys", earned by completing challenges.
Also See
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Body Falls Snow PE106701
- Hollywoodedge, Children Sml Grp Yell PE954901/Hollywoodedge, Small Group Kids Chee PE142801
- Hollywoodedge, Ducks Quacks Duck Qua AT085201 (Used for the pekin ducks at the City Resort.)
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Single Clas AT043801 (Used for the elephant at the City Resort.)
- Hollywoodedge, Gusts Heavy Cold Wind PE031601/Hollywoodedge, Whistling Wind Stead PE033301 (Used mostly when the Snow Resort is on Stormy mode.)
- Hollywoodedge, Horses Several Whinn PE025201 (3rd whinny)
- Hollywoodedge, Seagulls No Surf BT022101
- Hollywoodedge, Sheep Baa SS027602 (Used in a high pitch for the sheep at the Mountain Resort.)
- Hollywoodedge, Twangy Boings 7 Type CRT015901
- Hollywoodedge, Whistle Human Finger PE139801
- Sound Ideas, APPLAUSE, CHEERING - INDOOR: SMALL STUDIO AUDIENCE, WITH WHISTLING, HEAVY, CROWD 02 (Heard when unlocking the Villa Grounds and was also heard after the credits of the game.)
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, DUCK - MALLARD DUCK: SINGLE CALL, ANIMAL (Used for the ducks at the Mountain Resort and used for the reindeer at the Snow Resort.)
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, FARM CHICKENS - CHICKENS CLUCKING, ROOSTER CROWING, IN BARN, BIRD, DIGIFFECTS (Rooster sound only.)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BELL - METAL XYLOPHONE, SHORT GLISS UP, MUSIC, PERCUSSION
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BOING - SPACE BOING, HIGH
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BOING - STRING PLUCK
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, ZIP - HIGH 01
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - CUCKOO WHISTLE, SINGLE
- Sound Ideas, COW - SINGLE MOO, ANIMAL 02 (Used for the cows at the Mountain Resort.)
- Sound Ideas, HORN, BICYCLE - BULB HORN: SINGLE HONK, TOY
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - EXTERIOR: WHINNY, ANIMAL 04
- Sound Ideas, TRAIN, FREIGHT - CROSSING BELLS, PASS BY WITH HORN
- Sound Ideas, WOLF - HOWLING: RECEIVES ANSWER FROM OTHER WOLVES IN B/G, ANIMAL, WOLVES (Used for the gray wolves at the Snow Resort.)