Nintendo Switch Sports Review
Wii sports was the number one selling title released on the Wii with over 82 million units sold. Wii sports included Baseball, Bowling, Boxing, Tennis, and Golf. Originally, released as a launch title for the Wii in 2006 Wii Sports, this game became a phenomenon. Everyone was lining up just to play their favorite sport on Wii Sports. The popularity of this game lead to a sequel titled Wii Sports Resort. Wii Sports Resort includes eleven new sports to play and two sports that make a return. Wii Sports Resort did not sell as well as its predecessor, but it was still widely successful and moved 33 million units. After the release of Wii Sports Resort Nintendo took a break from the franchise that lasted nearly thirteen years, but now Nintendo has finally gone back to the Wii Sports franchise.
After catching lighting in a bottle twice with both Wii Sports games, Nintendo attempted to do this one more time with Switch Sports for the Nintendo Switch in 2022. Similar to both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, this sports simulator gives the player the ability to play some of their favorite sports games using motion controls. Switch Sports includes Badminton, Bowling, Chambara, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, and Volleyball.
This game features up to four players, local multiplayer depending on the sport as well as online play. Here players can compete in sports with others around the world. In doing so you will have access to unlockable content that changes every few weeks. This allows you to dress your character up with cool and corky outfits including animal masks, suits, and even new equipment to use when playing. Online play can be quite fun to play but there are times when finding players can’t take some time, but once a game is found I experienced little no problems when it came to gameplay.
One problem that I had with Switch Sports was the variety of sports that are included. Games like Tennis and Badminton play very similar which at times feels like a waste. They are both fun to play but with only seven different sports to choose from it would make more sense to package these games together as one sport. This could have created room for a different sport like Baseball or Cricket. In addition to the sport list there are a few sports who feel like they are taking up space and get very little play time. These sports include Soccer and Chambara. The only time I would find myself playing these sports was when I was playing with new people. We would play each sport and then find ourselves going back to sports like Bowling, Golf, Tennis, and Badminton. Soccer and Chambara were fun to play, but not fun enough to keep going back.
Overall, Switch Sports is a good game when it stands alone, but compared to the other titles in the franchise it is overshadowed. Each sport is exciting and easy to play, even for those who do not play video games. Games like bowling and tennis are perfect games to play with your parents, and even grandparents. This is a perfect party game to play with a group of friends.
