The Wii game that I always wanted was never made by Nintendo, but thankfully, all these years later, a fan created it, and it looks like everything I dreamed it would be.
It's been almost 17 years now since the release of Wii Fit, and our first introduction to the paradise that is Wuhu Island. It wasn't until Wii Sports Resort that it got its name and became the idyllic location that we all know and love, and at that point, as a younger player, I was genuinely captivated. I spent literal hours exploring the whole place in the Island Flyover game – going around the buildings, flying across the river, and obviously going straight down into the volcano, too. Hell, I even used to write my own stories about the Miis living there and their lives on the island. But in all that time, all I really wanted was to be able to freely wander around the island on foot and take in all the sights, living vicariously through my Mii.
Well, thanks to the new fan game Wuhu Island Explorer, we can now do exactly that. It was created by Itch.io user AtomicLugia, who's clearly been holding onto the same dream I always have, as they've done their best to blend together the location from Wii Sports Resort, along with the tweaks present from its appearances in Wii Fit Plus. There are also some new additions, such as areas beneath the water. After picking from one of eight playable Miis, you can explore the island to your heart's content – whether you want to run, swim, or dive, the choice is yours.
The reaction from fellow Wii-era enjoyers has been incredible, with none other than Twitter user @WuhuIslandFan responding to the news of the game's launch rather, uh, concisely. "I'm gonna shit myself," they proclaim. Look, it's a big moment for them.
i'm gonna shit myself pic.twitter.com/27s0g9DHbvAugust 7, 2024
The creation is a lovely way to celebrate Wii Sports Resort's 15th anniversary, anyway, and as AtomicLugia says, Wuhu Island really is "probably one of the most memorable locations" that Nintendo has ever made. They add: "While we barely get to see this beloved island nowadays in the Switch era, it will always have a place in our heart."
For more games like Wii Sports Resort, be sure to check out our roundup of the 25 best Wii games of all time.
