Wii Sports Resort: Swordplay

LQ: 8

Brain grade: 7.6
Fun score: 8.3

Game Type: Active, Sports ESRB Rating: Everyone Platform/Console: Nintendo Wii LWK Recommended Age: 7+ Other Requirements: Wii Motion Plus / Wii Remote Plus Thinking Skills Used: Flexibility, Focus

In Wii Sports Resort: Swordplay, players hold the Wii Remote like a sword and swing it to attack, holding down the B button to block. There are three game modes, Duel, Speed Slice and Showdown. Duel mode pits players against an opponent in a one-on-one fight, Speed Slice tasks them with slicing an object in the right direction before their opponent does, and Showdown has players face-off against a big group of sword-wielding enemies. In Showdown, the goal is to take out all opponents while not getting hit more than three times. New stages become unlocked as players complete levels. This game features the use of “kendo” swords, which are un-sharpened wooden sticks used in martial arts. Here, they are plastic. The game features very mild cartoon violence and no blood. Due to the minimal violence and lack of any other inappropriate content, the game is recommended for players ages 7 and up.

This Game is Good for Kids Who Need Help With:

Flexibility

Adapting and adjusting to changing conditions and expectations.

This game helps players practice good Flexibility skills, as quick reflexes are required in order to react to incoming attacks, time blocks and deliver counter strikes. Players need to successfully balance their offensive and defensive tactics in order to win, which means that they have to act fast when the opportunity to attack arises. In addition, players must also be ready to block or dodge an opponent's swing at a moment's notice. Lastly, players can issue an array of attacks, swinging and slashing in a variety directions, and must avoid being predictable in their tactics, or else opponents will easily block their attacks.

Focus

Getting started and then maintaining attention and effort to tasks.

All three modes of Swordplay require strict focus on numerous factors for a period of time. In both the Duel and Showdown modes, players must pay attention to the actions of opponents, waiting for opportunities to attack or block and counter. They also have to remain alert in order to take advantage of moments when enemies drop their defenses, striking with a quick attack. Early levels have easier opponents, but in later levels opponents will not be so easy to defeat. Champions and Samurai, for example, are tougher opponents and will test the players' patience as well as their precision by constantly blocking or changing stances quickly. In the Speed Slice game mode, reaction times are tested as players must focus on a piece of fruit and an arrow indicating which direction to slice it. Players must have split-second, correct reactions in order to beat their opponents, requiring steady concentration and accurate reflexes.

Use this PlayTogether guide to learn how you can help your child turn Wii Sports Resort: Swordplay play time into a positive learning and relationship-building experience. To learn more about why playing games with your children is so important, check out our Science of Play page.

Talk Before You Play

Take a minute to talk with your child about how the Flexibility and Focus thinking skills work, and why they are important for success in school and at home.

Set Gameplay Goals

Both the Duel and Speed Slice modes can be played by two players simultaneously. This may increase the effort or attention your child puts into the game if he is motivated by competition. Follow the suggested gameplay goals listed below in order to get the most out of your play time together.

Gameplay Goals:

Win 5 consecutive Duels.
Win 5 consecutive games of Speed Slice.
Get 100% progress in a single play-through of Showdown.
Earn your Samurai armor in any of the gameplay modes.
Defeat the Champion of each gameplay mode.
Finish a Duel without being hit.
Finish a Showdown with at least 2 hearts left.

Stop and Reflect

After you and your child have completed the suggested gameplay goals, take a minute to discuss how the game is exercising your Flexibility and Focus skills.

While playing the Showdown mode you are confronted with several different types of enemies, each with their own fighting style. Ask your child to explain how he adapted to these changing styles in order to defeat them without losing any hearts.

As your child levels up in the game, the opponents become more difficult, blocking more often, strafing quickly to dodge attacks, and switching fighting stances to confuse the player. Meeting these new challenges requires sustained practice and effort; a large part of the Focus thinking skill. Try and relate this to learning new math concepts or skills or playing a favorite sport.

Each of the game modes requires the player to sustain a high level of attention on a single subject for a period of time, and be able to switch strategies game to game. Relate this skill to reading or writing, both of which use the same skill of maintaining focus on a single subject for an extended period of time. How does switching to a new subject, like math, require you to use Focus skills in a new way?

Our Make it Real activites are designed to transform your child’s gameplay into real-world improvements in thinking and academic skills. If you’re just getting started with LearningWorks for Kids, we suggest you try them all to find which are the best for you and your child.

Introduce the Thinking Skills

Read over the pages for Flexibility and Focus. Then take some time to introduce these thinking skills to your child.

Explain That:

Flexibility is the thinking skill that helps us adapt to new situations, learn from mistakes and change what we are doing in order to deal with different challenges.

Focus is the thinking skill that helps us maintain our attention and effort, start tasks and work through distractions.

Flexibility Activity

Use rehearsals to help your child avoid confusion or anxiety when he is anticipating a new situation. Children who are inflexible are often anxious about trying something new, particularly in a larger social situation. A child going into a new school may benefit from going to the school during the summer and visiting the classroom or seeing where his locker will be. Furthermore, he would benefit from arriving at a social event early, so he has time to acclimate himself to the situation before the other kids arrive. Talk to your child about how natural it is to feel nervous in new situations, such as going to a new school, meeting new people, or starting a new job.

Focus Activity

Scan and search. Oftentimes, games such as “Find the Difference," that require visual scanning can be very helpful. Help your child to develop systematic strategies for visual searches on these types of games as well as word searches and other visual puzzles. Ask her to describe the “system” that she used to solve these puzzles. You can find a great assortment of these games in Play Thinks by Ivan Moscovich.